The redesigned 9-head SDL Atlas Martindale Abrasion and Pilling Tester
Rock Hill, S.C.-based SDL Atlas has released the next-generation Martindale Abrasion and Pilling Tester, which features a new design as well as several improvements.
East Walpole, Mass.-based Hollingsworth & Vose has launched a German-language version of its website located at hollingsworth-vose.com.
Minnetonka, Minn.-based AmeriPride Services has redesigned its website located at ameripride.com. According to the company, the new mobile-friendly site has a modern look and streamlined navigation.
According to the Cleveland-based Freedonia Group, demand in the United States for disposable medical supplies is expected to rise 4.2-percent each year and will exceed $54 billion by 2020.
Lubbock, Texas-based Textile Exchange has released the second set of 13 new documents within the full suite of Material Snapshots, which was produced in 2015 with financial support from VF Corp. and in collaboration with Brown and Wilmanns Environmental LLC.
Zara has unveiled a 47,361-square-foot flagship store in the heart of New York City’s SoHo neighborhood.
West Conshohocken, Pa.-based ASTM International soon will publish D7984, Test Method for Measurement of Thermal Effusivity of Fabrics Using a Modified Transient Plane Source Instrument. ASTM reports the new test method will help garment makers test the thermal properties of clothing.
Switzerland-based Clariant has released the Automotive Edition of its ColorForward 2017 color/trend analysis tool designed for automotive designers and marketers.
Alexandria, Va.-based TRSA has partnered with Universal Unilink to jointly promote services to improve the safety and performance of their member companies.
Alexium International’s Alexiflam™ FR treatments can be customized to meet particular specifications and may be combined with other treatments in a single-pass solution.
By Janet Bealer Rodie, Contributing Editor
Alexium International, Australia and Greenville, S.C., was founded in 2008 to develop textile solutions using Reactive Surface Treatment (RST) microwave technology. RST was originally developed by the U.S. Air Force to make fabric surfaces super-omniphobic to provide soldiers with durable protection against chemical and biological agents used in warfare. In the course of developing the technology further, Alexium’s vice-president of research and development, Bob Brookins, noticed that treated materials exhibited no-melt, no-drip properties. This observation led to development of RST-based flame-resistant (FR) treatments.
Alexium continues to develop RST-based chem/bio solutions for its military customers, but their application requires specialized equipment, which limited RST’s potential penetration into many textile markets. So, Brookins and his team turned their focus to chemical technology to develop an eco-friendly, phosphorus- and nitrogen-based, non-halogenated FR chemistry that can be applied using conventional textile equipment.
Branded as Alexiflam™, the chemistry is available in several iterations including Alexiflam-NF for cotton- and wool-rich fabrics, Alexiflam-SYN for man-made-fiber-based fabrics and Alexiflam SYN-FILL for plastics applications. The textile treatments are suitable for military, upholstery, transportation, bedding, contract, outdoor and workwear applications. They can be customized to meet particular specifications and may be combined with durable-water-repellent, antimicrobial and/or other treatments in a cost- and time-saving single-pass solution.
“There are very few one-size-fits-all solutions out there,” said Dirk Van Hyning, president, Alexium International. “There are so many different fabric compositions and constructions, and the same solution won’t work on every one of them.”
FR 50/50 NyCo uniform fabrics developed under an Alexium/US DoD partnership exceed military FR performance requirements while offering durability, comfort and cost advantages vis-à-vis inherently FR fabrics.
Applying Alexiflam to the fabric is relatively simple. “You drop the chemical into the pad, apply it, run it down a tenter range, and you’re done,” Van Hyning said. “From the variable cost standpoint, it’s about as easy as you can get. Our chemistries are very compatible with other components our customers might want to run, and we also have the ability to make them more compatible if there are any issues.”
Alexium partnered with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to develop non-halogenated FR 50/50 nylon/cotton (NyCo) fabrics that perform to the level of inherently FR fabrics while offering greater durability and comfort, as well
as lower cost. Recent third-party testing has shown that the FR performance of Alexiflam-treated fabrics exceeds DoD requirements, withstanding and even improving after 100 home launderings.
Alexium and the DoD are working to improve the weight and air permeability of the NyCo fabric. The company also is working with two industry partners to provide the requisite fabrics to the DoD.
In the outdoor arena, new Alexiflam treatments in development include one for durable cotton tent fabrics and another for nylon backpack coverings. Alexiflam also is featured on strapping manufactured by Murdock Webbing Co Inc., Central Falls, R.I., for military and commercial customers.
For more information about Alexiflam™, contact Bradi Dobson bdobson@alexium international.com; alexiuminternational.com.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — April 1, 2016 — As part of the Department of Defense effort to partner with the private sector and academia to ensure the United States continues to lead in the new frontiers of manufacturing, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that a leading consortium of 89 universities, manufacturers, and non-profits organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will spearhead a new manufacturing innovation institute in partnership with the Department of Defense to secure U.S. leadership in revolutionary fibers and textiles manufacturing.
Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Alliance, a new non-profit research and development consortium comprised of partners from industry, academia and state governments has been selected to lead this effort following a highly competitive nationwide bid process. The agreement will be managed by U.S. Army Contracting Command — New Jersey Emerging Technologies contracting center and combines $75 million in DoD funds and nearly $250 million in cost sharing from non-federal investments for a total of over $317 million.
The institute will bring together nontraditional partners to integrate fibers and yarns with integrated circuits, LEDs, solar cells, and other capabilities to create textiles and fabrics that can see, hear, sense, communicate, store energy, regulate temperature, monitor health, change color, and more.
For example, the institute will pair the likes of leading audio equipment maker Bose, computer chip maker Intel, and nanofiber manufacturer FibeRio with textile manufacturers and textile users like Warwick Mills, Buhler Yarns, and New Balance. In doing so, the institute will accelerate technology transfer to enable revolutionary defense and commercial applications such as shelters with power generation and storage capacity built into the fabric, ultra-efficient, energy-saving filters for vehicles, and uniforms that can regulate temperature and detect threats like chemical and radioactive elements in order to warn warfighters and first responders. The combination of novel properties such as exceptional strength, flame resistance, reduced weight and electrical conductivity through this institute will lead to significant advancements in this industry.
This new institute is the sixth manufacturing hub to be awarded by the Obama administration through the Department of Defense, and the second announced personally by Secretary Carter who continues to drive innovation and build bridges across public and private sectors to ensure the U.S. military has access to the best technology for decades to come.
WICHITA, KS — March 24, 2016 — INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand fabric, known for durability, comfort and performance, has joined forces with students at ESMOD Paris to bring a new perspective to workwear: How to integrate the rules of fashion into protective work clothing.
Using inspiration from a range of CORDURA® fabrics, ESMOD students will develop a complete style portfolio consisting of several casual designs for both men and women. Designers will begin with traditional work clothing concepts and integrate modern world fashion styling concepts. The goal is to create versatile pieces showcasing style crossover between fashion, sport and work clothing. Selected student designs will be produced using appropriate CORDURA® brand fabrics.
Students will explore a family of CORDURA® fabric technologies, renowned for resistance to abrasion, tears and scuffs: CORDURA® Naturalle™ fabric with the look and feel of cotton; CORDURA® HP Hi-Vis fabric for high visibility solutions; CORDURA® NYCO fabric combining cotton with nylon 6,6 for clothing that is ultra-comfortable and durable; CORDURA® Denim fabric, offering abrasion resistant performance with a traditional denim style; and CORDURA® Combat Wool™ fabric combining the warmth and comfort of wool with durability of nylon. Additionally, students will learn techniques such as printing, dyeing and embroidery to integrate into their finished concepts.
Final designs will be presented on April 6, 2016 at ESMOD Paris. Representatives from the CORDURA® brand team will have the opportunity to select garments to feature in special CORDURA® brand young designer displays at international trade exhibitions including Expoprotection in France (November 2016) and Outdoor Retailer in the United States (August 2016). Young designers will also be able to choose technical textiles from the range of CORDURA® fabrics to support future design activities.
“Innovation is an integral component of our brand ethos. This collaboration is an opportunity for the CORDURA® brand team to share its know-how of performance fabrics, and raise awareness about technical textiles among young designers,” said Cindy McNaull, global CORDURA® brand and marketing director. “The CORDURA® brand strives to empower designers to create the desirable and wearable solutions of today, and tomorrow.” Through opportunities like this, young designers at ESMOD Paris can learn how to work creatively within the technical constraints of certain clothing industry sectors.
Christine Walter-Bonini, managing director of ESMOD, is enthusiastic about this collaborative project: “We are delighted to facilitate this meeting between the young people who are designing tomorrow’s fashions and the CORDURA® brand, because this creates a new link between innovation and tradition, the key theme for ESMOD since 1841.”
BANGKOK, Thailand — April 1, 2016 — Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a world-leading producer of intermediate petrochemicals, completed the acquisition of 100% of the PX, PTA (1,020,000 tonnes) and NDC (naphthalene dicarboxylate) assets of BP Amoco Chemical Company (BP) at Decatur, Alabama, last night (31 March). The acquisition is situated adjacent to the company’s AlphaPet PET plant and has been its main supplier of PTA since the factory was commissioned in 2009.
Mr. Aloke Lohia, Group CEO of Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited said, “This acquisition is a major coup for the company as it brings us competitive feedstock security with scale advantages, technology ownership and innovative products which our customers can rely upon. The Decatur site and its people are a good fit for us and we have together worked for many years and we admire their professionalism and experience.
“Businesses such as Decatur add unprecedented economies of scale and integration to our PET business and supports the growing need of our customers as well as that of our shareholders alike. As we build our scale in North America, we will continue to strive to be the supplier of choice for our customers and drive our growth trajectory as a world-class chemical company,” Lohia said.
The acquisition of the Decatur Paraxylene, PTA and NDC assets coincide with USITC affirmative vote to apply anti subsidy & anti-dumping duties PET resin imports from China, Canada, India and Oman. These trade actions will help improve the supply chain economics and operating rates.
This is the first of 2016 and is expected to be followed in 2nd quarter by the imminent acquisition of the 720,000 tonne PET, PTA and IPA complex of Cepsa in Cadiz, Spain which follows the similar rationale of integration, scale, technology and HVA business in our world-wide portfolio.
Posted April 1, 2016
Source: Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL)
FREMONT, CA. — April 1, 2016 — EFI™ has expanded the technical advantages of its industry-leading Productivity Suite workflow – the world’s top print production ERP system – in one of the company’s most ambitious product expansions to date. By establishing alliances with popular global hotel chains, EFI is expanding the Productivity Suites vision launched in 2015 and enthusiastically received by EFI customers to millions of frustrated business travelers around the world.
EFI’s product expansion – the new EFI Productivity Suites lodging offering – gives business travelers the best in end-to-end integration and automation, from wake-up calls, to complimentary breakfast, to automatically scheduled car service to and from airports and meetings using new tools that automatically capture executives’ calendar entries.
“Many of us at EFI travel a great deal and find it difficult to be productive,” said Guy Gecht, EFI’s CEO. “That’s what inspired us to extend our very successful Productivity Suite printing workflow concept to an entirely new level – with unique features like the ability to order breakfast at 3 am using our new Web-to-Suite application. Now business travelers, especially those who are anxious about business travel or suffer from jetlag, have the opportunity to take advantage of EFI’s many years of productivity and workflow expertise both inside and outside the office.”
In addition to its productivity offerings, EFI has worked with partner hotels to make the hotel stay experience even more comfortable by printing personalized draperies, bedding and upholstery using its EFI Reggiani textile printing technology, and custom flooring printed using EFI Cretaprint ceramic tile printing technology. “In many of the partner hotels,” Gecht added, “textiles and flooring in various themes will be stocked at the hotel and patrons can choose from a selection of relaxing or stimulating themes.”
In order to take advantage of the new, automated lodging workflow offering, travelers must book their hotel rooms through the EFI Productivity Suites reservation portal, a secure, cloud-based hub that drives core back-end functions, reducing the IT burden in physical Productivity Suites hotel sites. With the portal, users select the specific program modules that meet their needs, such as VIP airport transportation to minimize airport wait time, fast, automated room check-in, and automatic WiFi connections for up to 10 devices.
All of the Productivity Suites’ hotel modules have been fully tested by EFI road warriors and are guaranteed to work together for the world’s smoothest business travel workflow.
In addition to themed textiles, future service additions to EFI Productivity Suites hotels are also expected to include the ability to order customized window clings for hotel rooms. Window clings and textiles will be available together or separately for a small extra charge, making the hotel experience more comfortable and customized than ever before.
“I don’t know about everyone else, but I find I am much more productive while looking at my favorite view,” said EFI Vice President of Product Innovation Thomas Foolery. “Since EFI VUTEk® printers can quickly and affordably print window clings with stunning graphic quality, and our textile printing capabilities are unmatched, our users will feel right at home when they enter their hotel room. And since window clings are lightweight, users will also be able to dismount the clings and take them with them in their luggage. However, we do discourage them from taking the bedding with them.”
GAZIANTEP, Turkey — April 1, 2016 — Mogul has introduced meltblown polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) as a new product in its nonwovens portfolio. Mogul’s PBT based production comes as an addition to its existing polypropylene (PP) meltblown products and is intended to increase Mogul’s offerings to the liquid and gas filtration markets.
Meltblown products are used in filtration since their fine fibers provide higher filtration efficiency. PBT products, compared to PP, allow filtration at significantly higher operating temperatures and also exhibit strong resistance to organic solvents and fuels.
PBT finds extensive use in transportation vehicles and heavy equipment as a filter media for hot and aggressive liquids such as hydrocarbon fuels and oil. Unlike PP, which absorbs hydrocarbons and swells, PBT functions well in hydrocarbons. PBT is also used in equipment to filter lubricants and coolants and for gaseous applications such as crankcase ventilation and coalescence filters (moisture removal). The higher temperature rating is also a fit for use in bag house, furnace and industrial hot air filtration applications.
Other uses of PBT include high efficiency blood filtration to achieve consistent high quality (blood contains undesirable water, fats, salts and enzymes) and application in chemical processes and labs whenever chemical resistance is needed for either liquid or gas filtration.
Mogul’s heavier weight PBT meltblown fabrics can be pleated thus creating opportunities in gas and liquid filtration where high efficiency filtration is required. Mogul also considers its PBT product a potential replacement for micro-glass filtration media.
Mogul can provide PET/PBT products in SM and SMS versions.
Mogul CEO, Serkan Gogus, said: “We are impressed with the results of our initial production and believe we will be bringing even more value addition to PBT fabric applications by way of our product’s unique characteristics”
STANLEY, N.C. — April 1, 2016 — As the first pitches of the 2016 Major League Baseball regular season approach, more fans seated close to the action will be protected by screens extending further down the foul lines than in past seasons. Fans in 10 MLB ballparks, however, might not readily notice the change thanks to barely visible systems developed and installed by Promats Athletics, using netting manufactured by NET Systems made with Black Dyneema® material.
Widespread adoption of the product, commonly referred to in the industry as “invisible netting,” comes after Major League Baseball at the 2015 Winter Meetings in Nashville announced recommendations for extended screens to protect fans from batted or thrown balls and other hazards inherent with game play. Hailed by baseball officials as a positive change to keep spectators safe, some fans and groups initially voiced concern that installing additional screening would have a negative impact on the viewing experience.
“For fans, the biggest appeal is that Ultra Cross netting, made with Black Dyneema®, is barely noticeable” said Wayne Oliver, president, Promats Athletics. “Manufacturing safety netting with what’s considered “the world’s strongest fiber,” allows us to preserve the ballpark experience, while offering state-of-the-art protection for spectators.”
Dyneema® fiber has long been utilized by sports protective netting specialty companies due to its superior strength, light weight, and durability — even with prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, rain and other elements. Promats Athletics’ solution uses the unique Ultra Cross system manufactured by NET Systems with Black Dyneema® fiber. Ultra Cross is a knotless braided net. Other systems use twisted fibers rather than braided, and are joined with knots. This results in a thicker, more obstructive screen. Also, knots are the most common failure points identified via third party testing procedures.
Alternative systems also require application of a coating to provide the black color preferred by most sports venues. With Black Dyneema® material DSM Dyneema developed a process to integrate the color into the fiber itself. Thus, the black coloration of Promats’ system will neither wear away when exposed to natural elements nor abrade should protective screens be repeatedly struck by batted or thrown balls.
“The Ultra Cross product made with Black Dyneema® we supply to Promats is the ideal solution to the two most common issues with netting expected to be in place for prolonged periods outdoors,” said Dan Oliver, president, NET Systems. “By using Ultra Cross product the performance and the look will remain unaffected regardless of the natural elements. We’re confident based on the material’s composition, and our experience working with Dyneema® in such extreme applications as protection of aquaculture operations from sharks, that stadium operators will realize a return on investment due to the product’s superior performance.”
Promats Athletics has exclusive access to NET Systems’ Ultra Cross knotless netting made with Black Dyneema® for the baseball stadium market in the U.S.
“We’re pleased to see our customers utilize our novel Black Dyneema® fiber to develop the ideal solution to the challenges faced by baseball facilities seeking to operate with fans’ best interests in mind,” said Edwin Grootendorst, global segment director, DSM Dyneema. “Delivering products that lead to applications such as this demonstrates why our organization continues to make innovation a hallmark of our culture.”
MILAN, Italy — March 31, 2016 — At 2016 edition of Techtextil North America ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, and ICE-Italian Trade Agency have organized a Meeting Point where 10 Italian machinery manufacturers involved in the production of machines for technical textiles will show their innovative solutions.
Among these companies ACIMIT members are: Dell’Orco & Villani, Fadis, PMT Ribbons, Ramina, Rollmac, Saspe, Siltex, Tecnorama, Ugolini.
For the Italian textile machinery industry Techtextil will be a further occasion to show the most updated technology for technical and innovative textiles sector to potential customers.
According to the figures released by IFAI (Industrial Fabrics Association International) US market for specialty fabrics and technical textiles registered a growth in 2014 and the estimates for 2015 are quite positive.
Also Italian exports to US market testify the will of American textile customers to invest in new equipment. In 2015 Italian sales of textile machinery reached a value of about 89 million euro, with an increase of 8% on 2014. In 2015 the most relevant share of the Italian machines exported to US market was for the finishing sector (28%), followed by accessories (26%).
NEW YORK — March 30, 2016 — Alvanon will team up with the Guatemala Apparel and Textile Association (VESTEX) for a “Sourcing Closer to Home” networking event and cocktail reception, in celebration of the upcoming Apparel Sourcing Show’s 25th edition.
The Apparel Sourcing Show is the only annual tradeshow in the Central American region that showcases an integrated supply chain with unique competitive advantages and high added value.
The Event: ALVANON — Sourcing Closer to Home Networking Event will be held Thursday April 7th 2016 from 6PM to 8PM at the Waldorf Astoria New York Conrad Suite.
Alvanon’s Executive Director, Don Howard, along with Guatemala’s Minister of Economy and the team from Guatemala Apparel and Textile Association (VESTEX), will welcome apparel brands, retailers, wholesalers and independent design firms responsible for the rich plethora of sourcing and manufacturing in Guatemala. Their products and services will be showcased at this year’s Apparel Sourcing Show.
As reported by Sourcing Journal in January 2016, Guatemala is providing near-sourcing solutions to US apparel companies: “Valued at $1.5 billion and accounting for roughly 19 percent of all non-traditional product exports (surpassing traditional shipments such as coffee and bananas), Guatemala’s textile and apparel industry is known for its prowess in producing performance fabrics and sportswear,” Sourcing Journal reports. Clients span Walmart and Target to Old Navy and Gap to Puma and Reebok, among others.”
Those attending will be introduced to the new policies and incentives for production in Guatemala, as well as to the advantages of sourcing closer to home. Guests attending the event’s networking reception are encouraged to bring along their most challenging questions regarding any aspect of their business and sourcing closer to home.
