Picanol Hosts Successful Open House For The Presentation Of Its OptiMax-i Rapier Machine

IEPER, Belgium — September 11, 2015 — Picanol looks back on a successful Open House at its headquarters in Ieper where it presented its new rapier technologies. From Tuesday, September 8 to Friday, September 11, 2015, the Picanol team gave a live demonstration of the OptiMax-i, its new rapier machine. This open house also saw Picanol providing a sneak preview of its new TerryMax-i rapier weaving machine for terry cloth. Almost 300 visitors from more than 25 different countries attended the Open House in Ieper. The new rapier machines will be making their international debuts at the ITMA Milano fair in November 2015, where Picanol will be presenting its new technologies in Hall 1, Booth D 101.

“It has been a pleasure to be able to demonstrate over the past few days our new rapier technologies to our many European customers. Following the strong interest of our customers in our new rapier offerings, we decided to organize a pre-launch event in anticipation of ITMA Milano. With the new OptiMax-i we have set a new benchmark in the rapier industry because this is the fastest industrial rapier weaving machine in the world. Thanks to its innovative design, the OptiMax-i is also the most versatile and user-friendly rapier machine with the lowest energy consumption on the market! It can be adapted to a wide range of fabrics, which means that it provides weavers with a great deal of flexibility in reacting to changes in market requirements” explained Johan Verstraete, VP Sales, Marketing & Services at Picanol. Another highlight of the Open House at Picanol was the sneak preview of the TerryMax-i, a new machine for weaving terry fabrics that is for the first time available in a rapier format.

In line with its new marketing campaign ‘Let’s grow together’, in which Picanol uses visuals of children during their different stages of growing up in life, a group of children of some of the Picanol employees had the honor of collectively unveiling the new OptiMax-i rapier machine. “At Picanol, we live up to the slogan ‘Let’s grow together’ as we are convinced that we can help our customers to grow. We’ve done it in the past and we are very determined to continue to do so in the future. We offer a wide variety of machines and services that enable weavers to create every type of fabric imaginable. As growing is the essence of doing business, this is why we endeavor to make our machines more energy-efficient, more versatile, user-friendly and easy to set.”

Posted September 15, 2015

Source: Picanol
 

Yazoo Mills Completes Manufacturing And Distribution Center Expansion Project

NEW OXFORD, Pa. — September 10, 2015 — Yazoo Mills has completed a 45,000-square-foot expansion at its Manufacturing and Distribution Center, located in Hanover, Pa. After only three years in operation, the company doubled the size of this facility to a total of 90,000 square feet. Yazoo now operates two, state-of-the-art facilities totaling 240,000 square feet. Through increased production at the Manufacturing and Distribution Center, Yazoo is affirming its position as a leading manufacturer of paper tubes and cores.

The Manufacturing and Distribution Center expansion is integral to Yazoo’s growth strategy and the company is excited to be embarking on this next phase of investment. The investment in the newly expanded facility reflects the strength of Yazoo’s business and the increasingly important role that their service levels contribute to the company’s success.

This facility houses the largest stock paper tube and core program in the industry and with the increased square footage, Yazoo will be able to add more to their offerings. The expansion will also enable Yazoo to continue to fulfill their long-term commitment to deliver customer satisfaction, speed to market, and quality, American made products.

Posted September 15, 2015

Source: Yazoo Mills
 

The Rupp Report: Another ITMA 2015 Preview

Germany-based Thies GmbH & Co. KG will exhibit at ITMA, the international textile machinery exhibition to be held in Milan, Italy, from November 12-19, 2015. Thies reports the company concentrates on sustainable product solutions and focuses on the development of innovative, intelligent and integrated concepts for yarn and piece dyeing. Founded in 1892, the family company combines many years of commercial, product and application experience under the slogan “Passion for innovation.” At ITMA, Thies will highlight the following products:
 
iCone
The new iCone yarn-dyeing machine is said to be ideal for bleaching and dyeing fibers in different forms such as packages, warp beams, combed tops or flock. According to Thies, the latest forms of flow analysis allow the piping system, the pump and the pump impellers to be optimized, reducing pressure losses and therefore lowering power consumption. iCone claims to offer the ability to dye in a traditional manner using reciprocating liquor circulation or else to opt for ultra-short liquor circulation from one side only, and a liquor ratio of 1:3.6.
 
The machine is very useful and is said to be able to match to the requirements of each application. The delivery spectrum of the iCone is complemented by the very latest, user-friendly control systems. These integrate the in-house developed green functions that provide users with standardized programs for exploiting the optimization potential in different process steps.
 
Thies reports iCone can be integrated without problems into existing dyeing houses. Existing dryers and material carriers can be adapted after consultation. The yarn-dyeing machine will be exhibited at the booth.
 
iMaster H2O
The established iMaster H2O machine has been further optimized. According to the manufacturer, the 2015 version incorporates various new detail improvements, many of them developed in response to suggestions from customers and users. The iMaster H2O machine will also be exhibited at the booth.
 
iMaster Mini
At the exhibition, Thies will introduce the iMaster mini to the world for the first time. This is a fully equipped variation of the iMaster H2O offering a load capacity of 20-80 kilograms (kg) for small production runs and laboratory work. One aim is to operate the iMaster mini using the same parameters as the iMaster H2O production version. According to Thies, if a company undertakes the testing and optimization phase on the iMaster mini, the lab machine will allow a company to incorporate new kinds of fabrics, recipes and processes in the production sequence more effectively and more cost-efficiently. Another version of iMaster for the treatment and finishing of light- to mediumweight terry fabrics is the iMaster F, which has chambers with capacities of up to 400 kg.
 
soft TRD SIII
According to the company, soft-TRD SIII combines the “perfect running conditions of the famous soft TRD SII with the latest short liquor ratio technology.” Liquor ratios starting at 1:5 mean a variety of sensitive fabrics can be treated gently. The soft-TRD SIII should be suitable for finishing polyester fabrics thanks to a mounted high-performance temperature control system on the machine.
 
MPS-G
The MPS-G is s new, multi-functional supply system for chemicals, solids and dyes. It operates using a gravity-feed system that is ideal for treating products of different consistencies, whether liquid, viscous or solid, according to Thies. Liquid chemicals are processed fully automatically, while dyes and the like can be added manually at any time. The MPS-G has a compact design and practicability, and is recommended for small dye houses, groups of machines or continuous systems.
 
DyeControl
According to Thies this tool allows a transparent analysis of the treatment processes and rinse, wash and dye baths are monitored online and displayed graphically. The visual representation of the process curves facilitates control of turbidity and determination of the dyeing extract from the liquor. The user can see how and when dyes transfer from the liquid phase onto the fibers or, for example, detect bath saturation during rinsing.
 
Daily Talks
Thies will present daily talks in Milan on a wide range of topics in several languages. Interested visitors can preregister at Thies@ThiesTextilmaschinen.de. The Thies team is looking forward to welcoming visitors to present its latest developments.
 
Visitors can view the full Thies product range in Hall 14, Booth C106.
 
September 8, 2015

 

ICAC: Limited Cotton Consumption Growth Expected in 2015-16

WASHINGTON — September 1, 2015 — High domestic cotton prices and low polyester prices in China, the world’s largest consumer of cotton, have made its cotton spinning sector less competitive. The Cotlook A Index and the price of polyester in China were essentially equal during most of the 2000s, with cotton sometimes the cheaper of the two. The price series diverged in 2009-10, and cotton prices have remained substantially above those of polyester since then. During the build-up of official reserves, domestic cotton prices, as measured by the China Cotton Index, were around 144 cents/lb, but quickly fell when the government announced it would no longer buy cotton for its stockpile. Domestic prices continued to fall in August 2015, averaging 95 cents/lb and narrowing the gap with international cotton prices. However, polyester prices have also fallen during the same period, maintaining the spread between cotton and polyester. The lack of competitive pricing for cotton, coupled with turmoil in its stock markets, has curtailed growth in China’s cotton spinning sector. Consumption is projected to reach around 7.7 million tons, far below the peak of ten million tons in the mid-2000s. In recent years, mill use has shifted to lower cost countries, primarily in Asia, as cotton spinning has become less competitive in China. In 2015-16, world consumption growth will likely be limited, because international cotton prices remain higher than competing manmade fibers. World cotton consumption is forecast to grow by 2 percent and reach 25 million tons, which remains below the volume consumed just before the global economic recession. In addition to China, India and Pakistan are the largest consumers of cotton and these three countries alone account for 64 percent of world cotton consumption. Consumption in India and Pakistan is anticipated to increase by 3 percent, to 5.6 million tons and 2.6 million tons respectively. World cotton area is projected down 7% in 2015-16 to just under 31 million hectares due to significantly lower prices in 2014-15. The world average yield is expected to decrease by 3 percent to 764 kg/ha with world production down 10 percent to 23.7 million tons. Limited growth in demand will not make a large impact on world ending stocks, which are expected to be reduced by 6%, or just over 1 million tons, to 20.4 million tons.

World cotton imports are projected to remain stable in 2015/16 at 7.6 million tons. China’s imports are forecast to decrease by 12% to 1.6 million tons, marking the fifth season of decline after peaking at 5.3 million tons in 2011/12. Imports outside of China would offset China’s decline, rising by 3% to 6 million tons with gains in the next three largest importers. While exports from the United States are projected to decrease by 9%, due largely to reduced production, it will remain the world’s largest cotton exporter. After falling 51% in 2014/15, India’s exports may recover by 21% to 1.2 million tons in 2015/16.

* The price projection for 2015/16 is based on the ending stocks/consumption ratio in the world-less-China in 2013/14 (estimate), in 2014/15 (estimate) and in 2015/16 (projection), on the ratio of Chinese net imports to world imports in 2014/15 (estimate) and 2015/16 (projection). The price projection is the mid-point of the 95% confidence interval: 62 cts/lb to 93 cts/lb.

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: ICAC
 

Shaw To Expand South Carolina Carpet Fiber Plant

Columbia, S.C. — August 26, 2015 — Shaw Industries Group Inc. has announced it is investing at least $45 million in its Lexington County, S.C., carpet fiber plant for additional capacity for both nylon and polyester production. The investment will create more than 50 new jobs.

“We’re excited to congratulate Shaw Industries on the decision to expand its operations in South Carolina,” said South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. “This $45 million investment and plans to create more than 50 new jobs is terrific news for our manufacturing industry, Lexington County and our state as a whole. We look forward to watching Shaw continue to grow here in South Carolina and around the world for many years to come.”

The plant’s new polyester extrusion operations will include the use of recycled plastic beverage bottles — expanding Shaw’s use of the material. On average, Shaw recycles three billion plastic drink bottles annually at its Clear Path Recycling facility in Fayetteville, N.C., a joint-venture with DAK Americas. Fiber made from that recycled plastic is used in Shaw’s ClearTouch® residential carpet products. This keeps a significant volume of waste out of the landfill and saves 1.9 trillion BTUs of energy each year — enough energy to power more than 51,000 U.S. homes a year based on the average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer in 2013.

Production on the new equipment will begin at the Lexington County plant in the fourth quarter of 2015. In the past two years, Shaw has committed more than $600 million in capital investments to enhance its operations, including $350 million in expansions that will add 1,000 new jobs in the U.S. to its hardwood, carpet tile and resilient manufacturing as well as other key growth areas as those facilities reach full capacity.

“By continuing to invest in our people, processes and products, Shaw is able to provide a diverse product mix, innovative design, and the greatest quality and service to our customers,” said Shaw Chairman and CEO Vance Bell.

“As a leader in the manufacturing renaissance, the Palmetto State experienced a 13.5 percent increase in manufacturing job growth over the last four years,” notes South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “Today’s announcement by Shaw Industries is proof that, with our positive business climate and world-class workforce, South Carolina’s success in manufacturing will only continue.”

Shaw acquired and began operating the Lexington County site from Honeywell International Inc. in 2005. The plant employs approximately 290 associates. Shaw operates seven plants in South Carolina, employing more than 1,500 associates statewide. Those interested in joining the Shaw Industries team should visit the company’s jobs page online.

“We are extremely pleased that Shaw Industries, a global leader in flooring products, is desirous of expanding its Lexington County facility. This new venture by Shaw proves that the Company’s top management has faith in Lexington County’s leadership as well as its workforce. Lexington County Council remains committed to providing an atmosphere that fosters growth for our long term existing industries,” said Lexington County Chairman Johnny Jeffcoat.

Central S.C. Alliance Chairman Mike Brenan stated, “On behalf of the Central SC Alliance, we congratulate Shaw Industries on their continued innovative practices and on their recent announcement of an expanded extrusion operation. Shaw Industries has been a vital manufacturing facility in Lexington County for nearly a decade, and we look forward to their continued growth.”

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: Shaw Industries Group
 

Milliken & Company Acquires Springfield

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — September 8, 2015 — Today, Milliken & Company, a global innovation company, announced its acquisition of Springfield LLC, a manufacturer of technical, performance and flame resistant (FR) fabrics for the safety apparel, fire service, military and occupational markets. Springfield is based in Jericho, New York with offices in Rock Hill and manufacturing facilities in Gaffney and Lyman, South Carolina.

“As Milliken continues to build for the future, we remain committed to delivering innovations that ‘do good’ — adding value to daily lives, improving health and safety and helping to make the world more sustainable,” commented Joe Salley, president and CEO, Milliken & Company. “With this acquisition, we will further improve the user experience for industrial workers, first responders and military personnel with performance-driven protective apparel that does not sacrifice comfort or safety.”

This acquisition is the latest initiative in Milliken’s expanding presence in the global industrial workwear and military fabrics markets. Springfield’s portfolio of flame resistant (FR) and non-flame resistant fabrics provides Milliken with enhanced technical resources and delivers additional advanced-engineered textile solutions.

“Springfield’s expertise is an excellent complement to our existing products and capabilities,” said Jeff Price, president, specialty fabrics division, Milliken & Company. “It further enables Millliken to deliver valuable, comprehensive textile solutions designed to improve comfort, protection and safety.”

“Springfield is excited to join a strong values-based company with a rich heritage of innovation,” shared Ed Shogan, CEO, Springfield LLC. “By combining our collective technical expertise, market insights and supplier relationships, we will continue to deliver exceptional products and services to the workwear and military fabrics markets.”

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: Milliken & Company
 

Back From Bangladesh, NRF Executives Say Garment Factory Safety Is Improving

WASHINGTON — September 8, 2015 — National Retail Federation executives returning today from a visit to Bangladesh said a report issued by the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety reflects improvements in garment worker safety they saw during tours of factories and other facilities.

“The Alliance is doing important work to ensure the safety of Bangladeshi workers who make clothing worn by millions of Americans and other consumers around the world,” NRF Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French said. “We saw first-hand in the past few days that significant progress has been made to improve conditions at factories in Bangladesh and that work is on track to see more improvements in the future.”

“Worker safety is a top priority for U.S. retailers whether those workers are here in our stores or in a factory on the other side of the world,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “That’s why we went to Bangladesh to see for ourselves what is being done.”

French and Gold spent two days in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka last week as part of a week-long trip that also included factories, warehouses, consolidation centers and ports in Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. In Dhaka, the two met with the U.S. labor attaché, Alliance executives and executives of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. They also toured factories, including one of the first to complete the Alliance’s audit and compliance program, and visited a laboratory that conducts factory testing.

NRF helped bring together 26 apparel brands to form the Alliance in response to the 2013 Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Dhaka that killed more than 1,100 people and injured more than 2,500.

The Alliance’s annual report, which was released in Dhaka on Thursday and is being released today in the United States, shows that as of July more than 500 of the 662 factories used by member companies had received the first of two major safety inspections conducted by the Alliance to create a safer environment for garment workers. The factories had completed between 20 and 80 percent of repairs and six had passed final inspection. The Alliance said it had completed work with the International Finance Corporation to provide $50 million in affordable, long-term loans to factory workers and another $18 million in assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development for upgrades to factories that might not be eligible for the IFC program.

The report also cited a University of Texas study that found knowledge and awareness on fire safety had improved among the workers after participating in the Alliance training program.

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: NRF
 

30 Years In Business For Z-LASER

FREIBURG, Germany — August 1, 2015 — Since Z-LASER’s founding in 1985, the company has been an innovative manufacturer of intelligent laser technologies. Since its inception, applications in the fields of metrology, industrial machine vision, positioning, and medical technology have been developed. Z-LASER’s products are exclusively developed and manufactured in Freiburg, Germany and serve as illumination for high-quality 2D and 3D camera based applications as well as a visual positioning aid in various industries.

Besides high performance and industry proven (IP67) lasers, the company also offers computer based laser projector systems. Additionally, Z-LASER develops and manufactures highly customized OEM solutions, which are being designed in close cooperation with the customer.

In 2015, the company celebrates its 30-years standing!

About The Company
The current owner K.-M Zimmermann founded Z-LASER in 1985. The one-man show grew into a medium-sized company with more than 85 employees, sales offices in Italy and Canada, and 10M EUR turnover. Over the years, more than 60 international sales partners have been established. The network contains of machine manufacturers, local sales representatives, and general distributors. For years, Z-LASER is a fixed participant of leading fairs like LIGNA (Hanover), VISION (Stuttgart) or Photonics West (San Francisco). In 2015, the company has been present at 18 exhibitions and events worldwide.

Lasers In Action
Laser generated lines, dots, crosses and further projection types are being used for exact positioning of material in all kind of industries. Besides positioning tasks, Z-lasers are being used in combination with
industrial cameras for an automated quality control of objects or surfaces.

Mathematical angle functions (triangulation) create altitude profiles, which are being evaluated for possible errors. For this purpose, Z-LASER offers advanced laser technologies such as fibercoupled laser systems and customized laser solutions for sensor manufacturers.

Visionary laser products
Z-LASER concentrates on individual laser manufacturing for industry and science. Therefore, laser products are improved regularly, like the established ZM18 modules series. Since beginning of 2015, the new edition ZM18T3 is available with temperature stabilization. As it is common in many productions, also lasers get more powerful and smaller at the same time. The R&D department is already working on the realization of these features, which will be released with the successor ZX. One part of this project is the development of very small laser modules for OEM applications or limited space with superb projection quality.

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: Z-Laser
 

Milliken Acquires Assets Of Ontera Modular Carpets Pty Ltd

SPARTANBURG — September 2, 2015 — Today, Milliken & Company announced its acquisition, through its subsidiary Milliken (Australia) Pty Ltd, of the assets of Ontera Modular Carpets Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Cavalier Corporation Limited. Based in Australia, Ontera is a leader in the design and manufacture of commercial modular carpet, currently providing Milliken-branded products as part of its offering.
 
This acquisition is the latest initiative in Milliken’s focus on global growth within its floor covering division, as the company formally enters a new region noted for great market potential.
 
“Ontera and Milliken share a long history,” said Joe Salley, president and CEO, Milliken & Company. “Our partnership succeeds because of similar unwavering commitments to quality, innovation and environmental stewardship. This acquisition is a natural progression of our relationship.”
 
Founded in 1985, Ontera is headquartered and has operations in Northmead, Sydney. The company has licensed Milliken technology for more than 30 years.
 
“The addition of Ontera, a well-respected brand, to the Milliken portfolio strategically positions us to enhance our customer base and customer service in Australia and New Zealand,” shared Jim McCallum, president of Milliken’s floor covering division. “We are excited about the potential that our combined technological capabilities and market insights will bring.”
 
“At Ontera, we have long been impressed with Milliken’s technological capabilities, innovative designs and clear commitment to sustainability,” said Ontera CEO Dean Harriott. “It’s exciting to be part of this world-class company. Our customers will benefit from Milliken’s global product development capabilities, technologies and insights accrued during its 150-year legacy.”

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: Milliken & Company
 

GIS Components For Ink Delivery Systems (IDS) Now Available To Wider Market

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom — September 7, 2015 — Global Inkjet Systems (GIS) — a supplier of industrial inkjet systems, components and services — today announced that it is now making its components for Ink Delivery Systems (IDS) available to non-GIS customers.
 
Launched in September 2014, the GIS ink system components range comprises electronics, software and a portfolio of customisable header tanks and peripherals. Initially the products were available only to customers who were already using GIS printhead drive electronics and software. Now any inkjet system developer can have access to the IDS components product range.
 
Nick Geddes, CEO explains: “We’ve had a very positive response to the components concept. We found that many companies prefer not to purchase a full IDS — they want more flexibility, more control over the final configuration and where it’s positioned on their machine. The GIS ink system components give them this greater sense of ownership over the final system and a route to cost reduction.”
 
GIS is not supplying complete Ink Delivery Systems. Instead the company offers a range of standard components and design consultancy that allow OEMs to integrate customised solutions according to their commercial and technical needs.
 
“We work with customers to design and configure a system tailored to their specific requirements” said Peter Stanier, GIS Senior Systems Engineer, adding “We design custom parts if required and we adopt a “building block” approach allowing machine builders to source their own components such as ink pumps and filters, which reduces their costs.”
 
Each Ethernet networked GIS ink control board can control from 1-6 fluids/inks independently. Two or more boards can be connected for systems that require 7-12 fluids/inks and beyond.
 
The GIS ink system components can be used with almost all industrial inkjet printheads and the majority of ink types including aqueous, UV curable and functional fluids – subject to materials compatibility tests.
 
Many inks and printheads have specific flow mode requirements which are fully supported by the GIS components.

  • End shooter mode for printheads such as Konica Minolta 1024/1024i/1800i, Ricoh MH2420 (Gen 4) / MH2620/MH2820 (Gen 4L) / MH5420/MH5440 (Gen 5), Kyocera KJ4A/B range
  • Low flow recirculating for end shooter printheads using inks that can benefit from recirculation
  • Controlled, adjustable flow recirculating for printheads such as Xaar 1002, TTEC CF1/CK1, Fujifilm StarFire and Samba 

The GIS header tank designs also take into account different flow modes, space restrictions and ink capacity requirements for different applications and printer sizes.  
 
For companies requiring additional support, GIS also offers a range of pressure control, heating, filtration, degassing and refilling systems, plus design consultancy and technical support.

Posted September 8, 2015

Source: GIS
 

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