Berkley Capital LLC, Miami, has purchased a majority stake in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based The Crypton Companies, comprised of Crypton LLC and Nanotex LLC. Crypton reports the move enhances its growth strategy and allows for expansion into additional business lines and applications for its technology. A new entity will be formed with Berkley Capital the majority owner, while Crypton cofounders Craig and Randy Rubin, and President Lance Keziah will own a minority share.
Keziah will take on the role of CEO of the new company managing all aspects of the business. Craig and Randy Rubin will both assume the titles founder and vice chairman. Craig will advise the company in research and development as well as plant processing; Randy will be the company’s primary brand ambassador. Berkley Capital’s President Frank Medici will be the chairman of the board, and Managing Director Thomas Ghegan will become a director of the new entity.
The company will maintain its headquarters location in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., its research and manufacturing facility in Kings Mountain, N.C., as well as its operations in Hong Kong.
“Berkley brings with them a deep knowledge and vision of where our company could go in its next stage of growth, so it was an ideal scenario to partner with them to move our company forward along the existing business lines now and for future ones under development,” says Craig Rubin.
“We chose to partner with Crypton and Nanotex because of their global reputation for performance and strong brand recognition,” said Berkley Capital President Frank Medici.
“By working with their established and proven management team, Berkley will be able to build upon the strong foundation that the Crypton team have built and help bring the organization to its next evolution in producing performance products for the home, contract, apparel and other businesses.”
Sri Lanka-based MAS Holdings is set to acquire 108-year-old textile manufacturer Acme-McCrary Corp., Asheboro, N.C., and plans to invest approximately $20 million to open its first manufacturing and development center in the United States in Asheboro. The new facility will create 133 jobs according to the office of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.
“North Carolina enjoys a worldwide reputation as a center for textile research and workers,” Governor Cooper said. “Our excellent business climate and location offer international firms an ideal place to reach and serve customers in the United States.”
MAS owns 48 production facilities in 15 countries and employs more than 85,000 globally, but the facility in Asheboro will become its first manufacturing location in the United States.
“We are delighted to be associated with Acme-McCrary, whose values and philosophy are very much in alignment with MAS,” said Mahesh Amalean, chairman of MAS Holdings. “Our presence in the Western Hemisphere enables us to strengthen our value propositions of speed and flexibility offered through on-shore and near-shore operations to our customers. It also enables us to engage and strengthen our continued association with academia and research institutions in the U.S.”
“We are pleased to be a part of MAS Holdings’ location of a manufacturing facility in our hemisphere,” said W.H. Redding Jr., chairman of Acme-McCrary. “MAS Holdings brings to North Carolina an exemplary corporate culture and a growing business. Their concern for environmental impact is world class and keeping and growing textile jobs in North Carolina is exciting.”
The One NC Fund provided a performance-based grant of $575,000 to facilitate the deal. In order to receive the grant, MAS Holdings must keep the 374 existing job at Acme-McCrary, as well as meet additional job creation and capital investment targets that have been set.
Spartanburg-based Milliken & Company reports it has acquired the assets of Keystone Aniline Corp., Inman, S.C.
Milliken hopes its synergies with the family-owned, privately-held producer of dyes, pigments, pigment dispersions and polymers will allow it to bring an expanded portfolio to its customers, and position the company for global growth
“Milliken and Keystone Aniline Corporation share a long history of innovation, environmentally responsible manufacturing and relationship building — core values which connect us in practice, perspective and approach to values-based business,” said J. Harold Chandler, president, CEO and chairman, Milliken.
“By combining our product portfolios and specialized colorant knowledge with Milliken’s solutions and expertise, we create business and market synergies that will drive new global opportunities and better meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said John Andrews, CEO, Keystone.
The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) — owner of the ITMA textile machinery exhibition — has announced exhibitors may now reserve floor space online at itma.com for ITMA 2019, to be held in Barcelona at the Fira de Barcelona,Gran Via, June 20-26, 2019.
More than 1,500 exhibitors from 45 countries are expected to participate in the event.
The Arlington-Va.-based Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) recently held its annual spring conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte. The conference was titled, “Building Competitive Advantage in Textiles … New Value Drivers,” and featured a wide variety of helpful and interesting presentations.
David Adkins, director of the Americas, Sales, Lenzing Fibers, was the keynote speaker on the first day of the conference and he spoke about the man-made cellulosic fiber market. Other presenters covered a wide range of topics and came from such companies as Patagonia, The Textile Foundry, Sigma Technologies, Daikin America Inc., Brooks Sports Inc., Wells Fargo Securities LLC, TS Designs, Nilit America Inc. and PCI Wood Mackenzie.
During the meeting, the board of directors elected Machell Apple, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based True Textiles, as president to serve a two-year term. Apple replaced outgoing president Roger Crossfield, managing partner, CTC Development Co. LLC. Other officers elected to serve during the 2017-19 term include first vice president Hardy Sullivan, Crypton LLC; second vice president Dan Sistrunk, Milliken & Company; and secretary/treasurer Aladair Carmichael, PCI Wood Mackenzie. Jim Netzel, Dak Americas; Chris Schultz, Applied Materials – Newell Brands; Meredith Boyd, Unifi Inc.; and Kim Hall, Pharr Yarns, will serve as directors during the 2017-19 period.
Sponsors for the spring conference included Gold Sponsor Premiere Fibers Inc.; Silver Sponsor Pulcra Chemicals LLC; Bronze Sponsors Burlington, DAK Americas LLC, PolySpinTex Inc. and Techtextil North America; and Patrons and Exhibitors Sponsors 4M Plants S.r.l., American Fiber Manufacturers Association, Clariant Masterbatches, Durafiber Technologies, Glen Raven, Goulston Technologies Inc., Industrial Fabrics Association International, Milliken & Company, National Council of Textile Organizations, Stein Fibers Ltd., Unifi Manufacturing Inc. and William Barnet & Son.
SYFA will hold its fall conference October 26-27, 2017, at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel.
Announcements of investment in the U.S. textile industry continue with regularity. Expansions, and investment in new plant and equipment continue to expand the U.S. textile industry, which is attracting foreign direct investment.
A stunning announcement on May 10 came from one of largest textile companies in China — Shandong Ruyi Technology Group Co. Ltd. (Ruyi). The company stated: “Ruyi will invest $410 million in the former Sanyo manufacturing facility in Forrest City, Arkansas.” The company will create as many as 800 new jobs and plans on processing more than 200,000 tons of Arkansas cotton annually. The Sanyo facility has been vacant for 10 years.
“Ruyi Group, as the largest textile manufacturer in China, has been expanding globally,” said Ruyi’s Chairman Yafu 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.”
Founded in 1971 and headquartered in Shandong province, Ruyi has two publicly listed companies as well as 20 wholly owned and holding subsidiaries. The company employs 30,000 people globally and has a footprint in many countries outside of China including Japan, Australia, India, Pakistan, France, Germany and Italy, among other countries.
The State of Arkansas offered up to $4 million in grants linked to job creation. Ruyi will also receive an annual cash rebate that is equal to 5 percent of total payroll for 10 years, also linked to new job creation. Additionally, the state will provide sales tax refunds on building materials, taxable machinery and equipment linked to the new project.
Drivers for investment seem to be consistent — a great cotton supply chain, inexpensive and stable power, dependable infrastructure and access to ports, high-performance employee base that can manage automation, and near-to-market production. By locating in Arkansas, Ruyi also will comply with the “yarn forward rule.” When Ruyi ships yarn to a CAFTA or NAFTA member country, goods made with its U.S.-manufactured yarn will be eligible to re-enter the United States duty free.
There has been much reported about the resurgence of U.S. manufacturing, although growth has slowed. According to CNBC: “The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity dropped to a reading of 54.8 last month, the weakest reading since December, from 57.2 in March. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in manufacturing, which accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. economy. The ISM index had risen since last November, scaling a 2-1/2-year high in February, amid optimism over President Donald Trump’s pro-business policy proposals. It has declined in the last two months and some economists say the retreat probably reflects caution among business as they await implementation of the proposals.”
Investments like Ruyi’s can keep the momentum going — let’s see what happens next.
Spinners report orders continued to improve in May, with some yarns in particularly high demand.
“We are seeing demand for ring-spun and air-jet yarns pick up significantly,” said one spinner. “Inquiries and orders have been on the rise since March, and we are optimistic that the slump we experienced is over.”
Another spinner reported high interest in some specialty yarns. “Business has been increasing across the board,” said one specialty spinner. “If there is one area we continue to be disappointed in, it would be in yarns for home furnishings, which have not come back as strong as we expected.”
A yarn broker noted interest in blends continues to be high among some of his customers. “These folks went to blends a few years ago when the price of cotton got so high. They liked what we gave them and have had, to this point, no desire to go back.”
Despite the uptick in business, orders for some spinners remain smaller than they would like. “It has been this way for some time,” said one spinner. “Orders are smaller than they used to be. Volatility of pricing and demand, and fear of a sudden economic downturn, makes customers afraid to order any more than they absolutely have to have.”
“Business is stronger at this point than we expected,” said another spinner. “But most of the orders we have are in relatively small volumes. We keep hearing that a lot of program business that left in anticipation of a completed TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) is coming back to this hemisphere now that TPP is off the table. But we have yet to see it to any significant degree.”
For the most part, spinners are satisfied with where they are at this point in the year. “We got off to a slow start this year, but business is now in line with our expectations. It’s not the best it’s ever been, but it is better than it was. Last year was disappointing, and so was the beginning of this year. But things seem to be getting back to normal.”
Consumer Confidence Remains High
One reason for optimism is the continued high consumer confidence in the future of the U.S. economy. The Consumer Confidence Index, published by the Confidence Board, reached its highest level in March since December 2000. Despite a slight decline in April, the Board reports that consumer confidence remains high.
“Consumer confidence declined in April after increasing sharply over the past two months, but still remains at strong levels,” said Lynn Franco, Director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “Consumers assessed current business conditions and, to a lesser extent, the labor market less favorably than in March. Looking ahead, consumers were somewhat less optimistic about the short-term outlook for business conditions, employment and income prospects. Despite April’s decline, consumers remain confident that the economy will continue to expand in the months ahead.”
“Consumer confidence is a critical factor is our business,” said one yarn executive. “Most textile products are discretionary buys, and when consumers are scared or uncertain, they buy only what is absolutely necessary. So when consumer confidence is high for an extended period, it generally means good things for our business.”
Cotton Prices Decrease Week-To-Week, But Up Year-To-Year
Average quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 74.33 cents per pound for the week ending May 11, 2017. The weekly average was down from 75.69 the previous week, but up from 59.26 cents reported for the corresponding period a year ago. Spot transactions reported in the Daily Spot Cotton Quotations for the week ended May 11 totaled 3,507 bales. This compares to 838 bales reported the previous week and 7,555 spot transactions reported for the corresponding week a year ago. Total spot transactions for the season were 1,556,676 bales compared to 1,432,122 bales for the corresponding week a year ago. The ICE July settlement prices ended the week at 79.18 cents, compared to 78.91 cents the previous week.
McCormick Place, Lakeside Center, Chicago, will host the upcoming Techtextil North America trade show.
Encouraged by exhibitor and visitor feedback, Techtextil North America locates in the Midwest for the first time.
TW Special Report
Registration is open for the 14th edition of Techtextil North America, which will be held June 20-22, 2017, at McCormick Place, Lakeside Center in Chicago. The show is produced by Atlanta-based Messe Frankfurt and focuses on all vertical aspects of the technical textiles industry.
The 2015 edition of the show held in Houston attracted 145 exhibitors from 18 countries and more than 2,800 visitors. As of Textile World’s press time, show organizers reported 151 exhibitors had committed to participate in 2017, which confirms Chicago as the largest Techtextil event to be held in North America outside of Atlanta, where the show is located every other year.
When announcing the location for the 2017 show, Messe Frankfurt cited the proximity of McCormick Place to two major airports as well as its easy access by car. According to Messe Frankfurt, Chicago is home to more than 270,000 businesses, more than 400 corporate headquarters and 300 corporate research and development locations, 31 Fortune 500 companies, and offers a private sector workforce of 4 million people. “Our exhibitors and attendees have both requested this location and we delivered with a venue that has new approach to inviting exhibitors and visitors to this center of the Midwest,” said Dennis Smith, president, Messe Frankfurt North America.
Exhibitor Scope
Techtextil North America, like its sister show Techtextil held in Frankfurt, assembles the technical textiles industry from research and development through raw materials and production processes and ending with conversion, further treatment and recycling. Product groups for exhibitors include fibers, yarns, woven fabrics, laid webs, braiding, knitted fabrics, nonwovens, coated textiles, canvas products, composites, adhesives/bonding, research, development, planning, consultation, technology, machinery, accessories, and publishers and associations.
So that show attendees may efficiently find the suppliers they are looking for, Techtextil classifies exhibits according to 12 application areas: Agrotech; Buildtech; Clothtech; Geotech; Hometech; Indutech; Medtech; Mobiltech; Oekotech; Packtech; Protech; and Sporttech. Each application area is represented by a graphic icon displayed on exhibitor booths.
Educational Opportunities
Visitors to Techtextil North America may also participate in the three-day Techtextil North America Symposium. A team of five Advisory Council Members — comprised of Dr. Jesse Jur, assistant professor, Textile Engineering, Chemistry & Science, North Carolina State University; Sam Buff, director, Textile Technology Center at Gaston College; Genevieve Dion, associate professor, Design Department at Westphal College of Media Arts, Drexel University, and director, Shima Seiki Haute Technology Laboratory, Drexel’s Expressive and Creative Interaction Technologies (ExCITe) Center; Dr. Sundaresan Jayaraman, Kolon professor, School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology; and Advisory Board observer Gordon Gillerman, director, Standards Coordination Office, National Institute of Standards and Technology — worked with Messe Frankfurt to craft and develop the 2017 symposium. Titles on the agenda in Chicago include: Smart Textiles in the Connected Car Ecosystem; Optimizing the Design and Fabrication of Functional Fabrics; Smart Textile Product Design; The Technical Textile Industry Talent Challenge; as well as a two-part session on standards. Part 1 is titled Standards and Certification — Trade Facilitators; while part 2 is titled, From Lifestyle Equipment to Medical Devices — Standards and Regulatory Expectations.
Techtextil North America will host Tech Talks powered by the Nonwovens Institute (NWI) for the first time in 2017. The Tech Talks will take place each day on the show floor and will be moderated by Dave Nelson, NWI director, Industry Education and Engagement. The topics to be covered are Nonwovens In Filtration, Nonwovens In Transportation and Nonwovens In Safety.
Research performed by students will be shared as part of the annual Graduate Student Poster Program. Posters showing the students’ work will be on display on the show floor, and the graduate students will have the chance to present their research to live audiences throughout the event.
Collocation
France-based JEC Group is collocating its Future of Composites in Construction trade fair — formerly known as JEC Americas with Techtextil in Chicago.
“Techtextil North America and The Future of Composites in Construction, powered by JEC Group, will again collocate in 2017,” said Kristy Meade, show director, Technical Shows: Textiles, Sewn Products, Equipment and Technology, Messe Frankfurt Inc. “We’re excited to bring the platform that connects the technical textile and composite industries to the city of Chicago.”
The show floor open Tuesday, June 20 and Wednesday, June 21 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. On Thursday, June 22, the show is open from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
For more information about Techtextil North America 2017, visit techtextilna.com.
Quality and affordable fabrics will be on display for visitors at Texworld USA.
New digital printing show Avanprint USA joins the summer lineup of collocated shows in New York City targeted to the apparel industry.
TW Special Report
The Texworld USA sourcing show will take place July 17-19, 2017, at the Javits Convention Center, New York City. The show — produced by Atlanta-based Messe Frankfurt Inc. in partnership with Austria-based Lenzing AG — is based on sister show Texworld held in Paris, and is designed to connect fabric manufacturers with top buyers. As usual this summer, Texworld USA will be collocated with Apparel Sourcing USA and the Home Textiles Sourcing Expo. In addition, Messe Frankfurt will debut a new show to the lineup called Avanprint USA — a digital textile printing-focused event. According to organizers, the four collocated events are sure to offer a one-stop shop for textile buyers, independent designers, fabric sourcing professionals and other industry professional who have an interest in apparel fabric sourcing, apparel design, trends, industry education, manufacturing/private label development services or digital printing.
Texworld USA
Visitors to Texworld USA will find a huge selection of quality and affordable fabrics, trims and accessories from trusted suppliers from all over the globe. In addition to on-trend fabrics and quality textiles in more than 16 categories, visitors also will find sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics, innovative performance fabrics and more on the show floor.
More than 450 exhibitors from more than 13 countries are expected to display their products in July. Exhibitors from Israel, Haiti and Egypt will participate in the show for the first time. The show floor will feature dedicated pavilions showcasing products from Turkey, Colombia, Korea, Taiwan and Pakistan, as well as a Lenzing Innovation pavilion. Messe Frankfurt reports the July show is set to be the largest show in Texworld USA history.
Organizers have revamped the Showcase display area — formerly known as the Trend Forum — which will highlight some of the fabrics that may be found on the show floor including silks, laces, jacquards, shirtings, polyesters, faux furs, findings and trims, and denims. In addition, Messe Frankfurt is adding a new Resource Row section to the show that is dedicated to industry resources including trend forecasts, ethical factory sourcing services, local fashion incubators and more.
Texworld USA also will feature an educational program organized by Lenzing Innovation. Visitors have the opportunity to attend more than 30 complimentary sessions and panel discussions all led by industry experts. Also, a new Texworld USA Floor Sessions program will bring education on to the show floor.
Lenzing Innovation will again offer free-of-charge educational sessions for Texworld USA attendees.
Collocated Shows
Apparel Sourcing USA is a marketplace dedicated to sourcing international manufacturing services. In July, the show will highlight shirting and suiting trends with fabrics and apparel from exhibitors in the Spotlight display area on the Apparel Sourcing show floor. More than 200 exhibitors are expected to participate in the show, and the floor will feature dedicated pavilions from Egypt; Colombia; Guatemala; Suzhou, China; and Pakistan.
The Home Textiles Sourcing Expo — produced by Messe Frankfurt in partnership with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT-TEX) — offers manufacturers, retailers, jobbers, converters, contract specifiers and designers a venue to source fabrics and finished soft goods for home applications. Visitors to this show can see the full spectrum of fabrics and finished soft goods in six categories: window; table; bed; bath; upholstery; and floor.
Messe Frankfurt’s newest offering to the lineup of July shows is Avanprint USA. According to the organizer, the show is a “meeting of fashion and technology and aims to bring together digital printing pioneers and North America’s top apparel design and sourcing professionals over the course of three days in New York City.” The platform will showcase digital textile printing innovations and technologies from machinery to inks, software, and products and services. A trend area at Avanprint USA will showcase digital prints from the exhibitors, as well as house textile printing and design demonstrations. Exhibitors so far confirmed to participate in this inaugural event include Italy-based MS Printing Solutions S.r.l., Danbury, Conn.-based J-Teck USA, Italy-based EFI Reggiani and Kennesaw, Ga.-based Expand Systems LLC
“We are laser focused on creating a comprehensive industry event that can help our visitors save time and efficiently source their fabrics and services,” said Jennifer Bacon, show director — Fashion & Apparel, Messe Frankfurt. “Fashion seasons are moving faster than ever and more collections are being produced each year, so we understand how strapped for time our buyers really are. With the addition of Avanprint USA to the line-up, we are creating one of the largest sourcing destinations in the country — a true one-stop-shop for the industry.”
Admission to the collocated events is free for qualifying trade show visitors. Guests may register online prior to the event, or on-site using photo identification and a business card. Exhibit halls are open on July 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., and on July 19 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
