A&E’s 2016-17 Sustainability Report Demonstrates Industry Transparency, Traceability And Trust

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — June 1, 2017 — American & Efird (A&E) — a manufacturer and distributor of industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread, and technical textile — announced today it is releasing its 2016-2017 Corporate Sustainability Report.

This year’s report reflects the three concepts that drive A&E’s industry-leading sustainability program: Transparency, Traceability and Trust, while highlighting A&E’s accomplishments in the areas of safety, environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

A&E’s continued improvements, specifically in global water reduction and Zero-Waste-to-Landfill efforts, serve as an example of leadership and good stewardship throughout the textile industry.

“A core part of our business strategy is to operate all of our global facilities in a sustainable manner,” said Les Miller, CEO, A&E. “It is not only a good business practice to do so, but it is the right thing to do for all of our stakeholders.”

A&E continues to abide by its pledge to create a better world through responsible corporate actions, environmentally protective efforts, and numerous contributions to the communities in which it operates.

Since 2011, A&E has invested over $10 Million into state-of-the-art wastewater recycling systems across the world, and these investments have paid off through significant reductions in water use. A&E continues to focus on energy conservation and has increased its use of biofuels and clean fuels, resulting in reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, A&E has grown its number of global operations and support facilities to 16 in achieving Zero-Waste-to- Landfill status.

A&E regularly evaluates all of the global yarn spinning, dyeing and finishing facilities in which the company has ownership to provide the information contained in its annual sustainability report. Categories measured in this report include: Water Stewardship, Solid Waste, Carbon Footprint and Energy Conservation, Product Stewardship, Social Responsibility, Employee Health and Safety, Sustainable Products, and Areas of Improvement.

This year’s notable Sustainability Highlights include:

Water Conservation

  • Over 1.1 billion liters of wastewater has been recycled and reused since 2013
  • Nearly 1 million liters of wastewater are recycled and reused each day of operation
  • 41% reduction in global water consumption (liters per kg of thread) since 2006

Solid Waste

  • Zero-Waste-to-Landfill status has grown to 16 global manufacturing operations and support facilities in 2017, with 5 other operations over the 91 percentile mark. A&E’s global goal is to achieve this sustainability designation in every manufacturing operation worldwide.

Carbon Footprint and Energy Conservation

  • 6% reduction of global carbon footprint (CO2e in kg per kg of thread) since 2006
  • 44% of the fuels used to create steam at A&E dyeing operations were renewable and carbon neutral in 2016
  • 10% reduction in global power consumption (kwh per kg of thread) since 2006

In 2016, A&E developed and implemented its Product RSL Environmental Profile (PREP) form in order to collect Restricted Substance List and environmental data on all dyes and chemicals used by our operations. A&E is on track to comply with the chemical restrictions contained in the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Compounds (ZDHC) program by the end of 2018.

Posted June 1, 2017

Source: American & Efird

 

Hexcel Has Entered Into Exclusive Negotiations To Acquire French Composites Company Structil

STAMFORD, Conn. — June 1, 2017 — Hexcel Corp. announced today that it has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire all of the shares of Structil S.A. (Structil), a French producer and supplier of high-performance composites to the aerospace, defense and industrial markets.

The proposed transaction is subject to review by relevant employee representative bodies and approval from the applicable French authorities. Assuming those reviews and approvals are successfully completed, the acquisition is expected to close in 2017.

Structil is a joint venture between Safran Ceramics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Safran, and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation — formerly Mitsubishi Rayon Corp. The company employs approximately 70 people at a 68,000-square-foot production plant on a seven-acre site in Vert-le-Petit, France, about 25 miles south of Paris. Structil’s 2016 sales were approximately $21 million. The company’s product lines include prepregs, structural adhesives and pultruded profiles used in engine nacelles, aerospace interiors, military jets and more.

Safran Ceramics CEO Gerard Frut said: “The project proposed by Hexcel would make Structil an integral part of the strategy applied by a global leader in advanced composites, with solid experience in production, widely recognized by its customers, especially in France, where it invests regularly. It offers an excellent technological and industrial fit with Structil, which will immediately benefit from the new environment offered by Hexcel to catalyze its development.”

Hexcel’s Chairman, CEO and President, Nick Stanage, said: “By combining Structil’s advanced composites product portfolio of prepregs, adhesives and pultrusions with ours, this acquisition would further enhance our product offerings to our customers in aerospace and industrial, providing an expanded choice of advanced composite solutions. The integration of the Structil team would also further strengthen our development capability and technologies for next generation aerospace and industrial applications. Hexcel is a Safran First Circle supplier, and this project will further reinforce our strong 30-year-long partnership.”

Posted June 1, 2017

Source: Hexcel Corp.

Teijin Develops New Sweat-Suit Fabric, 4-dimentional Bulky DELTAPEAK®

TOKYO, Japan — June 01, 2017 — Teijin Frontier Co. Ltd., the Teijin Group’s fiber and products converting company, announced today that it has developed new sweat-suit fabric, 4-D bulky DELTAPEAK® combining high quality with excellent absorbance and quick drying thanks to a unique patent-pending four-layer structure.

Bulky, light and extra-soft 4-dimentional bulky Deltapeak will be released in time for 2018 autumn/winter collections, mainly for sports apparel. Annual sales are expected to rise to 500,000 meters by the fiscal year ending in March 2019.

New sweat-suit fabric is the latest addition to the Teijin Frontier’s Deltapeak series which enables a highly integrated combination of physicality, functionality and quality. It offers a superior combination of look, feel, high-cushioning and high-elasticity. It is expected to meet demands for casual, functional synthetic materials substituting for cotton in a wide variety of applications.

Main features of new line of Deltapeak:

  • Bulkiness: Lightweight and thick;
  • Look and feel: Soft touch and luxurious appearance;
  • High resilience: High cushioning, resiliency and elasticity for comfort;
  • Low drape: Beautiful shape; and
  • Absorbent and quick-drying: Due to different densities of surface and middle layers.

Going forward, Teijin Frontier expects to combine this new fabric with other multifunctional materials for sportswear, fashionwear, uniforms and additional applications.

Posted June 1, 2017

Source: Teijin Frontier

Indorama Ventures Closes Deal To Acquire Glanzstoff

BANGKOK, Thailand — June 1, 2017 — Indorama Ventures Plc Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global chemical producer, has announced that the deal to acquire the Glanzstoff Group tire cord and single-end cord business has been concluded and will add to the company’s portfolio of choice auto sector solutions. Glanzstoff is Europe’s largest manufacturer of both tire cord fabrics and single-end cords, projecting IVL into a strong position for further growth with its extant pre-eminence in the rayon, aramids, nylon 6,6 and polyester businesses within the auto segment.

Indorama Ventures entered into the tire cord business in 2014 with the acquisition of Germany-based PHP Fibers. The company also owns one of the most prominent polyester tire fabric businesses in China, Performance Fibers. Work commenced at the beginning of 2017 to expand the Performance Fibers manufacturing line due to increased demand from China’s improving economy. Glanzstoff is also currently implementing a single end cord project in China that will commence production in Q4, 2017.

Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures said: “This is an outstanding asset in our portfolio and one we have acquired as part of our long-standing ambition to establish a solid foothold in the European auto sector, especially in relation to the tire business. Over the past five years, IVL has invested substantially into creating a diversified earnings stream via its High Value-added (HVA) portfolio. Diversification into HVA, which now accounts for 50% of the Company’s core EBITDA, has allowed us to deliver robust earnings on a sustained basis. In order to ensure sharp focus, the business is further segmented into high-growth industry verticals, including Automotive and Hygiene, and is driven by investments in intellectual property and innovations.”

“The key,” Lohia added, “is the focus on our core areas of strength and a willingness to invest and then reinvest to take advantage of our global resources. The Glanzstoff acquisition takes us from polyester and nylon 6,6 into rayon but that is still not far removed from our current portfolio as it will enhance our product offering to major customers. In a few short years, the HVA segment has skyrocketed and now delivers revenues of around $ 3 billion and serves segments that individually grow at around 7 percent year-on-year.

“The automotive segment is a key investment driver for IVL within its rapidly-expanding HVA portfolio. IVL is at the forefront of developing new solutions, providing a unique global manufacturing footprint, an unparalleled product portfolio together with sustainable solutions making it the number one fiber partner for the automotive industry. The Glanzstoff acquisition provides a strategic fit to the automotive segment in the HVA portfolio. Geographically, we will enter Luxembourg, Italy and the Czech Republic, providing us the convenience of production bases nearby our major customers. As a world-class chemical company we expect to continue providing high growth and sustainable returns for our shareholders,” Lohia concluded.

Posted June 1, 2017

Source: Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL)

AmeriPride Services Announces Steiner Family Scholarship Recipients

MINNEAPOLIS — May 31, 2017 — AmeriPride Services today announced the winners of the new Steiner Family Scholarship award program for children of employees. The annual scholarship program awards up to 12 academic scholarships to children of company employees each year.

“We were very pleased with the response and the many great and qualified candidates that applied for the award in the inaugural year of this scholarship program,” said Bill Evans, President and CEO at AmeriPride. “This program supports our mission to provide career development and education opportunities for our employees and their families.”

Dependents of employees from across the organization and at every location are eligible to apply and applicants are evaluated and selected by Scholarship America, the nation’s largest administrator of scholarship programs for corporations and foundations, based on a variety of factors. This year’s recipients came from all across the company, including Edmonton, Alberta; Fresno, California; Lethbridge, Alberta; London, Ontario; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Monroe, Louisiana; Springfield, Missouri; Topeka, Kansas; Toronto, Ontario; Twin Falls, Idaho; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Watkinsville, Georgia.

Scholarships can be used for full-time college or vocational school education and are renewable for up to four years. The scholarship program was endowed by the late Larry Steiner, former CEO and family owner of the company, who passed away just a few months ago.

“I know Larry would be very pleased that this program was able to help so many of our employees in its first year,” said Evans. “What a great legacy he has left for the company and employees that he loved.”

Posted May 31, 2017

Source: AmeriPride Services

INDA Co-Sponsors RISI Asia Pacific Hygiene Symposium 2017 2nd Annual Symposium Focused On Absorbent Hygiene To Be Held In China

CARY, N.C. — May 31, 2017 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced it is cosponsoring the 2017 RISI Asia Pacific Hygiene Products Symposium to be held November 7-8, 2017 in Shanghai, China. The first edition of the symposium drew more than 130 attendees from 76 countries to hear about the latest advancements and trends in the Asia Pacific hygiene market.

Themed “Hygiene Markets in Asia Pacific: From Now to 2020,” industry experts will present cutting edge information on baby diaper and disposable hygiene trends, nonwovens for evolving markets, China’s adult incontinence market, online sales in China, and equipment for tomorrow’s hygiene products. Participants will also be presented best practices across the Asia Pacific disposable hygiene supply chain and exchange ideas for improving their business and products.

“INDA has again joined with RISI in co-sponsoring the Asia Pacific Hygiene Products Symposium in China this coming November,” said INDA president Dave Rousse. “Participants will gain keen insights on important issues affecting the hygiene market in China as well as make connections for new business. This second edition Symposium should prove invaluable for those in the nonwovens industry in that region.”

Posted May 31, 2017

Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

Chomarat Develops A New Generation Of Multiaxial Carbon Fabrics For Higher-Performing, More Competitive Composites For The Aerospace And Automotive Markets

LE CHEYLARD, France — May 31, 2017 — As the first textile producer to join the AMRC, Chomarat is developing the technologies and processes of the future to help the composites industry become more competitive vis-à-vis metallic solutions.

“Now that composites have demonstrated their technical performance, we must also demonstrate their technical and economic relevance. Joining the AMRC gives us the opportunity to pass along our vision, and also to work with key players like Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Airbus in developing the technologies of the future,” says Chomarat Group Managing Director Michel Cognet. In this way, the Group implements its innovation strategy in the highly strategic automotive and aerospace sectors. Through its reinforcements, it furthers the quest for composites that are compatible with high production rates.

NCF HP2: INVENTING A NEW GENERATION OF CARBON TEXTILES

Chomarat has brought Solvay, Mécanium and the University of Nantes together for the joint NCF HP2 project to develop a new generation of multiaxial carbon fabrics, along with the associated textile processes for producing thermoset composites parts for the aerospace and automotive industries.

Chomarat is sponsoring the project, which has a budget of 4 million euros and has obtained seal of approval from the Techtera, Axelera and Viameca competitive clusters. “We are embarking on a 42-month adventure with our partners. Our group sets great store by the cross-pollination that occurs in collaborative projects. That is an integral part of our innovation strategy. The solutions that are developed will provide answers in terms of mechanical properties, weight lowering, and cost-effectiveness, which are priority criteria in aerospace and automotive!” concludes Chomarat Group R&T Director Philippe Sanial.

Posted May 31, 2017

Source: Chomarat

Bebop Sensors Announces Marcel Modular Data Glove Solutions For Virtual Reality Oems

BERKELEY, Calif. — May 31, 2017 — BeBop Sensors, Inc. announced today BeBop Sensors designed Marcel Modular Data Gloves for OEMS in the Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality markets. Designed for accurate control and navigation in VR/AR environments, the BeBop Data Gloves are available to OEMs in five, 10, and 14 sensor versions. The data gloves provide haptic feedback and sense knuckle and abduction motion of the human hand.

Data Gloves for Real-Time Control of Games & Environments

BeBop’s basic configuration provides high speed sensor processing as well as a 6 or 9 DoF (Degrees of Freedom) IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), which measures acceleration and angular rate. Fast, deterministic sensing provides sub-frame latency at 120 Hz for real-time control of games and environments. Designed by award-winning musical instrument creator and BeBop Sensors CEO, Keith McMillen, McMillen said: “All controllers need to be accurate and fast. If latency is more than 6-8 milliseconds, you are out of the band.”

Tactile & Audio Haptics Communicate a More Realistic Touch Experience

Mezzanine boards can be added to the printed circuit board assembly stack to add functionality, such as translation and haptic electronics. Haptics built into the fingertips provide a four octave range for complex stimuli that can convey surface quality and object contact. These non-resonant haptic actuators help close the loop of interaction between humans and virtual devices with contact and continuous surface sounds that drive the actuators, communicating a more realistic touch experience. A haptic audio creation kit is available, enabling content creators to customize and add to the haptic library.

Using BeBop’s patented fabric sensor technology, BeBop Sensors’ Marcel Modular Data Gloves are an affordable and robust solution for VR/AR and gaming environments. Key features include:

  • Modular: Marcel is a modular data glove solution.
  • Accurate & Fast: 120 Hz sub-frame latency for real-time interaction.
  • Haptic Technology: contact and continuous surface audio drives haptic actuators.
    BeBop Sensors-designed Marcel Modular Data Gloves are available exclusively for OEMs.

Posted May 31, 2017

Source: BeBop Sensors

Polartec Introduces Polartec® Power Fill™

ANDOVER, Mass. — May 30, 2017 — Polartec® LLC announced the upcoming launch of Polartec Power Fill™. The fabric technology is a best-in-class fill insulation that rounds out the company’s range of temperature-regulating performance fabrics.

Polartec Power Fill is a soft and pliable matrix of spun polyester yarns engineered with a proprietary hollow fiber construction that is softer and more durable, forming thousands of air pockets that continuously capture and contain body heat, while maintaining a resilient, equalized thermal layer between the colder air on the outside and the warmer temperatures on the inside.

A unique controlled melt process bonds the hollow fibers, increasing durability and drapability, eliminating the need for scrims or other stabilizers. This gives Power Fill unmatched warmth and design versatility for a wide range of styles and usage occasions. The polyester fiber’s inherent hydrophobic properties also work to ensure that Polartec Power Fill resists moisture absorption and dries quickly, while maintaining a high warmth to weight ratio.

Made with industry-leading, cruelty-free, 80-percent post-consumer recycled content, Power Fill™ insulation technology provides greater warmth retention in colder conditions, without added weight or bulk.

“We’re proud to deliver an insulation technology to our customers that enables the design of better products with Polartec premium quality,” says Polartec CEO Gary Smith. “Polartec created the category of active insulation with our industry leading range of Alpha™ temperature regulating product offerings, and now Power Fill continues with innovative fill solutions for the coldest conditions.”

Polartec Power Fill is being shown to customers now in 60, 80, 100 and 135 g/m2 weights, and will first become available to consumers in Fall 2017 product from Polartec customer Triple Aught Design.

Posted May 30, 2017

Source: Polartec® LLC

Shandong Ruyi To Invest $410 Million In Yarn Spinning Facility

China-based Shandong Ruyi Technology Group (Ruyi) reports it will invest $410 million in a former Sanyo manufacturing plant in Forrest City, Ark., to convert it into a spinning facility. Ruyi plans to spin more than 200,000 tons of Arkansas cotton into textile yarns at the plant, which will employ up to 800 people. Construction will begin on the plant in late 2017, and production is expected to begin mid-2018. The plant will become Ruyi’s first location in North America.

“Ruyi Group, as the largest textile manufacturer in China, has been expanding globally,” said Qui. “Our manufacturing facility in Arkansas will become the first milestone of Ruyi’s steps into the United States. We are dedicated to provide the product with cutting edge technology and superior quality.”

“Ruyi’s decision to locate in Forrest City brings with it up to 800 new jobs along with a significant economic impact on Arkansas’ cotton farmers,” said Governor Asa Hutchinson.

“This project is tremendously important to Forrest City and St. Francis County not just for the great jobs it brings to our region, but also for the value to the cash crop on which the Arkansas Delta economy has been based for more than 100 years,” said Kay Brockwell, economic development consultant for Forrest City. “Our cotton already goes around the world to clothe people, and now our growers will have the security of a market for their crop right here at home. There is great significance in the fact that the continuing globalization of the Delta will go hand in hand with our rich and proud agricultural history.”

May/June 2017

1...1,5151,5161,517...2,503Page 1,516 of 2,503

Sponsors

Breaking News

Load more

Digital Issue

2025 Quarterly Issue Number I

View Latest Digital Issue

FEATURED ARTICLES

© Copyright 2017 Textile Industries Media Group, LLC.