Andritz: On The Way To Complete Solutions

Rarely has an industry changed so much its basic structure as has the nonwovens industry. From
humble beginnings in the 1960s, with an endless list of machinery suppliers, it has become a
high-tech industry with sophisticated machinery suppliers. And, the machinery industry now offers a
portfolio with turnkey and complete production lines.

The list of companies that have acquired complementary suppliers is impressive. One of the
latest groups to move in this direction of providing complete solutions is Andritz AG, Austria,
whose Pulp & Paper Division has three daughter companies:

  • Andritz Küsters, Krefeld, Germany — producer of machines and technologies for the nonwovens and
    technical textiles industry, including wetlaid nonwovens lines, deflection controlled calenders and
    finishing equipment;
  • Andritz Perfojet, Montbonnot, France — engineer and manufacturer of nonwovens lines and
    innovative solutions for spunlace, spunjet and through-air drying technologies; and
  • Andritz Asselin-Thibeau, Elbeuf, France — designer, builder and supplier of turnkey drylaid
    nonwovens lines including cards, crosslappers, drafters and needle looms.
AndritzLukas

Andreas Lukas, senior vice president and division manager, KNB Division — Andritz’s
Nonwoven and Plastic Film business


Complete Production Lines


Today, Andritz provides complete production lines for hygiene, household, filtration,
agriculture, construction, geotextiles, automotive and other applications. It also supplies
individual machines, rebuilds and modernization strategies, including in-house automation
solutions.


Textile World
 talked to Andreas Lukas, senior vice president and division manager, KNB Division — Andritz’s
Nonwoven and Plastic Film business — during the opening earlier this year of the company’s new
technical laboratory line in Montbonnot. Lukas discussed the future of the group and the advantages
related to its recent acquisitions. “The main advantage of such a combination and network of
companies is to share technology,” he said. “We can now supply nonwovens technologies from web
forming to finishing.”


TW: But technology was certainly not the only reason for the acquisitions, was
it?

Lukas: No, the combined know-how of the three teams will bring us innovative
products and process improvements. This plan is in line with our company philosophy to stay near
the customer and create added value for his products.


TW: What are the targets of this combined array of companies?

Lukas: We take the best ideas from each company to build a strong entity.


TW: What is your experience in the markets so far after the acquisitions?

Lukas: The reactions from customers and the markets are positive. Some even say
that there is no difference between now and then.


TW: Have you registered any success since the acquisitions?

Lukas: Since Perfojet and Asselin-Thibeau became group members, we have increased
our market share.


New Pilot Line


The new technical center in Montbonnot is committed to high-performance spunlace production
and is equipped with the latest carding, hydroentanglement, dewatering, impregnation, low add-on,
and drying technology innovations. The opening and blending section comes from France-based Laroche
S.A., and can process any type of fiber.


TW: What is the purpose of the new pilot line?

Lukas: We want to be state-of-the-art. With the acquisition of Asselin-Thibeau, we
have the possibility to become a major player in the nonwovens sector. Especially, the new Isoweb
TT card will play an important role. The card is designed for a wide range of products and has an
output capacity of up to 700 kilograms per hour (kg/hr) with a machine direction:cross direction
(MD:CD) ratio of 1.5:3.5. The pilot line was designed to meet the highest demands of the spunlace
market and will support our customers in their research, and product and process development. The
Jetlace hydroentanglement unit is equipped with patented injectors that generate high-quality water
jets for highest performance up to 400 bars water pressure. The Perfodry 3000 through-air dryer
provides efficient moisture removal — up to 1,000 kg/hr at high throughput speeds and with low
energy consumption.

The configuration of this high-performance pilot line will give Andritz customers the
opportunity to produce webs from 18 to 500 grams per square meter with an operational speed of up
to 400 meters per minute.


Market Situation



TW: How do you see the current market situation?

Lukas: The year 2013 is a challenge. On the one hand, spunbonds and also
geotextiles made of spunlaced fabrics have considerable overcapacities. Needlepunched material is
in a better position — new automotive and filtration applications are the driver here. Spunlace for
wipes has still some room for new products and growth potential — we are looking optimistically
into the future.


TW: What is your top seller?

Lukas: The new card is showing astonishing success. The reasons for that are the
performance to produce a lighter-weight web with good mechanical properties, easy handling and a
short payback.


TW: Which market is more important for you — Europe or Asia?

Lukas: Europe is still very important for us if it’s about high-tech products.
Many ideas for new products and processes are born in Europe. For more mass-market-oriented
products, it’s definitely Asia.


TW: What percentage of your production do you export, and what are your most
important export markets?

Lukas: In 2012, it was 100 percent for Perfojet and 90 percent for Küsters and
Asselin-Thibeau. China is important, but so are India and Turkey.


A Look Ahead



TW: Let’s take a look into the crystal ball: Will the export share of your group
further increase?

Lukas: I don’t think so.


TW: How do you see the future in the Asia-Pacific Rim?

Lukas: We don’t think the Chinese market will further grow at the same speed.
However, it will remain on a very high level. On the other hand, markets like Indonesia and Vietnam
will become more important. And we think this is the case for all sectors of the nonwovens/textile
industry.


Aims And Targets



TW: What will be the key points of your activities in the next few years ?

Lukas: Our main focus is the development of new technologies and new products. We
are looking first for better power efficiency and a reduction of process costs over the whole
production process.


TW: How will you reach these goals?

Lukas: Proximity to the customers is the main issue. We must also further adapt
the characteristics of the countries in which we are working. We want to understand every customer
to fulfill his requirements in the best way. That’s why we opened a new Service Center in Wuxi,
China.


TW: What do you see going forward?

Lukas: We see trends toward biodegradability and even more flexible production,
which will raise costs. Also, the recycling of used fibers and fabrics will be an issue. Regarding
fibers, polypropylene, polyester and different types of man-made cellulosic fibers will be on top
of the list.


TW: What do you expect from this assembly of companies for the future?

Lukas: We expect higher performance. If three companies join their power and
know-how into one unit, this should culminate in better performance and a better market position.


TW: Do you plan other acquisitions?

Lukas: We do not acquire a company to show growth, but only to strengthen and
enhance our portfolio. Thus, it could happen, but it’s not a necessity.

September/October 2013

Orders Still Coming In; Spinners Look To Innovate

As the end of the third quarter approaches, demand remains strong for many spinners, as has been
the case for most of the year.

“We are still seeing very strong orders for ring-spun cotton yarns,” said one yarn broker.
“It’s been that way since the middle of last year and shows no sign of slowing anytime soon.”

A spinner added: “We are continuing to see increased demand for many types of yarns. With
ring-spun availability tight, a lot of customers are ordering more blends and synthetics.”

For the first time in years, yarn manufacturers have had stable business conditions for an
extended period. In recent times, periods of high demand and high prices have been quickly followed
by a precipitous drop in both. “For the past 14 or 15 months, we’ve probably had more alignment
with demand and capacity than we’ve had in quite a while,” said one yarn buyer. “I can buy anything
I need right now at a reasonable price. I might have to wait a bit longer for some products, but,
at least for the present time, this has not been a big issue. Stability has been what the industry
has needed for a long time, and our hope is that it keeps going this way.”


Industry Can’t Afford Complacency


While stability is what the industry has sought for so long, one industry observer warned
U.S. textile manufacturers not to become complacent: “It is easy for anybody to relax when things
go well for a while. But the textile industry in the United States cannot afford to do that. China,
for example, has a huge cotton reserve, and has the capacity, if it wants, to flood the market with
low-cost products. Other nations – Vietnam with its apparel capacity, for example – can impact
global demand and prices as well.”

He continued: “For U.S. manufacturers, it is important to keep their eyes on the ball and
continue to invest in doing things that create real differentiation, such as speed to market,
product diversity and superior quality. These are the things, in the end, that will keep the U.S.
competitive, regardless of what others do.”


Innovate To Differentiate


Added a spinner: “We need to keep investing in the industry to make sure we can do things
better, more efficiently and with better quality, while still maintaining some degree of price
competitiveness. Right now, I like how our industry is positioned, and if we can convince our
government not to give away the store, I think the industry could be primed for a period of
growth.”

Product diversity, along with expedited delivery, remain the keys to success, spinners and
industry experts agree. “It’s important that we keep looking at the market and see where we can
establish a unique position,” said one specialty spinner. “Our goal is to make products that no one
else can or will. It keeps us running steadily. Our margins have been strong because our customers
cannot get our products from anyone else.”

Added another spinner: “We have become masters of the quick change. Over the years, as
customers have been demanding more and more specialty products, and making shorter orders in the
process, we have learned how to do short runs efficiently. It is way different from the days when
we just tried to run as much and as fast as we could. The market just doesn’t work that way
anymore.”

Adapting to demands of today’s global economy hasn’t been easy for an industry once tied to
a single business model. “It was just a matter of survival,” said one yarn broker. “Many of my old
customers have gone away. We had to look for suppliers that were willing to do things a bit
differently. We knew we were never going to win on price alone, but there are other ways –
innovation, quality and delivery, for example – where we can compete with anyone.”


Cotton Prices Inch Down


Average spot cotton quotations for the base quality of cotton – color 41, leaf 4, staple 34,
mike 3.5-3.6 and 4.3-4.9, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9 – in the seven designated
markets measured by the U.S. Department of Agriculture averaged 84.38 cents per pound for the week
ended August 22, down from 86.63 cents the previous week, but up from 70.90 cents reported for the
same week last year. Prices have remained relatively stable for most of 2013.

September/October 2013

A Look At Fall ’14

New looks for Fall 2014 are developed from old archives. Fabrics can be double-faced, ultralight,
soft and brushed; resist the elements; and are sustainable. There are knits that look and feel like
wovens, and wovens that resemble knits. Lacquered, waxed, bubbled, tweed, flocked or perforated
surfaces are selling. And denim – or the look of denim – is everywhere.

Creativity and imagination starred at Première Vision New York. At Texworld USA, knitted
fabrics designed and made in America were selling. Denim specialist Kingpins showed fabrics, fibers
and findings.



Première Vision New York


At Première Vision New York, suiting fabrics were lightweight and had a casual look. Robert
Noble, United Kingdom, was inspired by its archives from the 1850s. Recolored Shetland wool tweeds
are hairy, light and available in coordinating patterns. There are tartans; gun club, glen and
windowpane checks; and solids.

Picchi S.p.A., Italy, is selling bright-colored, textured woolen fabrics. Bouclés, heathers,
thick twills, felted fabrics and flannels coordinate with enormous yarn-dyed plaids, box textures,
camouflage prints, flocked patterns and perforations. Pink, yellow and hot blue are favorite
colors.

BTD, Turkey, has polyester/viscose blends that look and feel like wool. Some have a stretch
yarn. There are novelty weaves and new finishes for an antique, brushed, waxed or tie-dye look and
touch. One best seller is soft-touch denim in a blend of cotton, polyester, viscose and elastane.

Velcorex since 1828, France, has corduroy that looks like denim. Ultra-lightweight,
narrow-waled, printed, jacquard-patterned, embossed, coated and overdyed – a lot is happening with
corduroy and velvet.

Italy-based Profilo S.n.c.’s denim is woven of cotton/viscose. There are jacquard patterns,
shine, camouflage looks, velours and leather looks. Some are spotted, coated, or appliquéd with
metallic dots.

Alcantara, Italy, sells a sustainable line to Armani, Fendi and Ferragamo. Its core business
is automotive fabrics. Washed polyester/polyurethane suedes are printed, embossed, embroidered,
quilted, laser-engraved or pleated.

Knitted outerwear fabrics at A-girl’s Co. Ltd., Japan, look and feel like wovens. There are
reversible wool/cotton/nylon knits for peacoats, flat stretch cotton/polyester terry, lightweight
wool pile, and TENCEL®/cashmere/polyester tweed or herringbone digital prints for dresses.

Jacquard knits at Bel Maille, France, look and feel like neoprene. Other fabrics include
engineered stripes and printed knits for lingerie. New yarn mixes include silk/cotton/viscose or
wool/cashmere/nylon blends.

KA1

Miroglio Textile showed huge allover patterned fabrics at Première Vision New
York.

High performance is the specialty at Frizza S.p.A. and Olmetex S.p.A., two Italian firms
that sell outerwear fabrics. Double-faced, bonded and resistant to the elements are givens. At
Frizza, there are shiny/dull bubble and reflective jacquards, dimensional patterns, metallic
allovers, and coordinating fabrics. Olmetex has transparent silk water-repellent fabrics, wax-hand
cottons, matte/shine camouflage patterns and cotton/silk washed poplins.

Digitally printed fabrics are multicolored, huge and allover at Miroglio Textile S.p.A.,
Italy; Sprintex S.A.S., France; and KBC, Germany. There are landscapes, melted stripes, flowers,
geometrics, abstracts, paisleys and skins. Miroglio has printed velours. Flowers are sometimes
fractured and coordinate with checks. Sprintex is showing tapestry prints and florals on misted or
checked grounds. At KBC, paisleys combine with foulards, and animal prints are selling.

London-based Liberty Art Fabrics’ best seller is small, ditsy flowers. New base fabrics
include brushed or bonded Tana lawn, denim, water-repellent nylon for outerwear, cotton stretch
gabardine and Harris Tweed. And there is a new line of digital prints.

For evening, France-based Denis et fils and Solstiss S.A. showed dazzling lines. At Denis et
fils, coordinating jacquards and metallic patterns combine paisleys, stripes, and florals. Solstiss
has stretch laces combining flowers with geometrics, and a mix of modern with traditional.


Texworld USA


At Texworld USA, along with fabrics, there were areas devoted to apparel and home textiles
sourcing.

At Texworld and at Kingpins, the International Oeko-Tex Association presented its STeP By
Oeko-Tex® system for certifying sustainable production and working conditions in the entire textile
industry supply chain. STeP looks at chemicals, environmental protection and management, social
responsibility, quality management, health, and safety.

Lenzing AG, Austria, exhibited at Texworld and Kingpins. At Texworld, it centered a large
area of spinners, knitters and weavers that use Tencel and Lenzing Modal®. At its own booth, it
promoted denim, chambray and activewear. Tencel/cotton blends are strong. “People want more
crossover from day- to activewear,” said Tricia Carey, senior merchandising manager, Textile
Fibers.

Buhler Quality Yarns Corp., Jefferson, Ga.; and Tuscarora Yarns Inc., Mount Pleasant, N.C.,
showed Modal and Tencel. At Buhler, there are fine-count air-jet yarns that have excellent drape,
and soft-touch slub yarns. Tuscarora showed dope-dyed Modal, mock-twist yarns, slubs and nubs,
vintage-look denim yarns of cotton/Modal, and polyester/flax blends.

Buhler customer Design Knit Inc., Los Angeles, custom-develops fabrics – all U.S.-made –
with a focus on Tencel, MicroModal®, luxury Supima® and flax. Of special interest are stripes,
sheer to heavy tweeds, double-faced fabrics, pucker, slubs, heathers and tonal effects.

KA2

Attendees view fabric samples at Texworld USA

Laguna Fabrics, Los Angeles, has fast deliveries and a sample stock program. Single and
double knits weigh in at 4 to 12 ounces. Current favorites include heathers, piqués, French terries
and thermal knits.

Texollini Inc., Long Beach, Calif., has true indigo-washed knits. Scuba, a soft,
nylon/LYCRA® double-knit, has the look and feel of neoprene. Most fabrics are for activewear, and
all are knitted in the Americas.

Springs Creative Products Group LLC, Rock Hill, S.C., showed fabrics from its True Timbers
print division as well as brocades, organzas, sequined fabrics and activewear fabrics.

Thermore S.p.A., Italy, is selling thermal insulation to LL Bean, Eddie Bauer, Nautica,
Nike, Levi’s and Ralph Lauren. One new ultralight style is called Thermore Aria®.

At Parlamis Tekstil, Turkey, yarn dyes, prints and jacquards in blends of wool, silk, linen
and synthetics are selling. Crepe is a best seller.

Isil Tekstil, Turkey, has baroque prints and batiks on viscose jersey and lightweight
wovens.

Hemp Fortex Industries (Rushan) Ltd., China, spins, knits and weaves blends of organic and
recycled cotton, recycled polyester, silk and linen into mens- and womenswear fabrics.


Kingpins


Denim producers and fiber companies presented developments at Kingpins. Cotton Incorporated,
Cary, N.C., showed new types of printing including foil-printed denim, digital prints, and ozone
and laser prints.

Invista, Wichita, Kan., showed wovens with a knitted look and knits that look and feel like
wovens; four-way stretch with XFIT Lycra; and performance denims for menswear.

At Lenzing, there was an explosion of chambray and super-skinny jeans with stretch.

KA3
KA4

top to bottom: Teresa Zugay, Cotton Incorporated, shows a foil-printed denim concept at
Kingpins; Jean Hegedus, Invista, and Andrew Olah, Olah Inc. and Kingpins, take a break at Kingpins
to smile for the camera.

Bayer CropScience AG, Germany, introduced its e3 sustainable cotton program for its
Certified FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton.

The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich., exhibited its SILVADUR™ antimicrobial,
odor-control treatment, which was featured in India-based Arvind Ltd.’s denim line.

Arvind also showed organic cotton denim dyed with natural indigo; denim woven of 100-percent
linen or yarns from recycled coffee grounds; natural indigo overdyed in gray or brown; and
wax-finished denim.

Tavex, Spain, showed stretch for menswear. Coated denims are popular, especially with color.
Blue on gray and earth tones on indigo were noted.

Bests at Cone Denim, Greensboro, N.C., include sustainable selvage denims with an indigo
warp and weaves using CRAiLAR® Flax blends.

There is a lot of Tencel in Spain-based Textil Santanderina’s line. Fabrics include embossed
and brushed denim, coating on indigo dyes that can be washed down, waxed coatings and shiny looks.

September/October 2013

Quality Fabric Of The Month: A Sea Change For Microfibers

By Janet Bealer Rodie, Contributing Editor

Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, Tenn., has developed a new technology platform for manufacturing microfibers for wetlaid nonwovens applications including filtration, specialty papers and battery separators. Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers, made using islands-in-the-sea bicomponent fiber technology and a water-dispersible sea polymer, can be produced in a variety of shapes and sizes using a range of synthetic fiber polymers. The manufacturing process yields high-surface-area microfibers measuring less than 5 microns in diameter that are highly uniform and are processed easily in a wetlaid system.
The first Cyphrex microfibers are round polyethylene terephthalate fibers, and other varieties are in development. “In the future, you could see a wedge-shaped fiber or a flat fiber, or perhaps something different,” said Fred L. Dulin, Eastman’s director, microfibers platform,
noting the different shaped fibers could be blended together to answer needs for various applications. Fibers made with other polymers are also in the works.

QFOM

Eastman Cyphrex™ microfiber pulp enables high-performance, high-value solutions in
nonwovens markets such as air, water or fuel filtration; specialty papers; and battery
separators.

The water-dispersible sea polymer is removed from the bicomponent fiber using hot water — a gentler process that does not impact the microfiber itself, compared to the harsh, caustic process
that is typically required to dissolve conventional sea polymers, and which impacts fiber uniformity. “With the water-dispersible sea, the microfibers are consistently round and within a
very narrow distribution of diameters,” Dulin explained, adding that a more uniform fiber enables more finely tuned-in properties, such as porosity or other characteristics desired in the end product.

“We really seem to be unlocking our customers’ ability to overcome trade-offs,” he said. “In a lot of filtration applications, for example, if you go for a higher level of particle capture, you give up capacity or filter life.” In contrast, Cyphrex can enable gains in both particle
capture and capacity.

Dulin said Cyphrex processes very much like a cellulosic fiber. “Traditional synthetic fibers can tend to disperse rather poorly, and there’s a hesitancy to use them for that reason,” he noted. “Our customers can easily blend Cyphrex with cellulose, glass and other fibers according to the overall performance they desire.”
Eastman also is working on a slightly larger version of the initial product. “A slightly larger fiber will be able to provide a more open sheet,” Dulin said. “It also can be blended with
smaller fibers to dial in a level of porosity based on the amounts of the two fibers in the blend.”

Ahlstrom Corp., Finland, is using Cyphrex in Ahlstrom Captimax™, a diesel filter media for use in vehicle applications, and potentially in hydraulic and fuel water separation applications. The company notes that with the media’s increased capacity, the filter can be reduced in size and yet provide the comparable capacity of a conventional larger filter, while also offering increased efficiency and improved fine-particle filtration.

For more information about Eastman Cyphrex™ microfibers, contact +800-EASTMAN; microfibers@eastman.com; eastmancyphrex.com.

September/October 2013

It’s A Textile Architecture World

At first blush, the provocative headline — “4 Smart Textiles You’ve Yet to See” — in a recent issue
of Popular Science seems out of place. The article predicts what it deems are the textiles to watch
for in the near future — self-repairing fabric, water-soluble fabric, environmentally responsive
fabric that shifts shape or changes color in response to temperature, and “bio-leather” — all meant
to inspire fashion designers. Indeed, high fashion is grabbing its share of headlines these days.

As Textile World has previously reported, designers of fashion and products for wellbeing are
being inspired by new textile developments, and many designers are taking advantage of new textile
capabilities and applying them to new medical and other end-use applications. Although architecture
tends to follow trends rather than lead, it is starting to adopt some of the advanced developments
in textiles first used by fashion designers.

ArchitecturalA

The Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway, designed by FTL Design Engineering Studio, is
sheltered by a single layer of ETFE. First developed as insulation for electronics
applications,  ETFE has been adapted successfully to architecture, inspiring new forms. Photo
courtesy of FTL Design Engineering Studio


Technology Transfer — Historic Antecedents


Most new material innovations in architectural construction come from outside the industry.
For example, the mid-20th century development of the now-ubiquitous glass curtain wall was
influenced by the automobile industry’s perfection of neoprene window seals for windshields. This
new technology found its modernist ideal in Eero Saarinen’s design of the General Motors Technical
Center — built in Warren, Mich., in 1955 -where he applied neoprene to the center’s glazing façade
system.

More recently, the adaptation of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) — first used as an
insulator for electronics applications — to architectural use has opened many new possibilities for
building design and function, most notably seen in the 2008 Beijing Olympics water sports venue.

Today, architecture is no less beholden to new technologies. In truth, they have always been
the drivers of both new design and better construction as improvements in material performance and
construction methods are made in response to economic as well as environmental demands, such as
increased sustainability and energy efficiency standards. New textiles are playing a growing role
in innovative architecture and construction.

There are several research areas in which textile innovation is beginning to influence
architectural design, including medical, military and fashion textiles. Another major influence is
not so much a research area, but a social trend — the increasingly mobile nature of business,
culture and daily activity.


Medical Textiles


Many developments in the medical device market have parallel developments in the construction
and architecture design markets, such as textiles that are able to sense and react to environmental
conditions (See “Medical Textiles: How Smart Do They Have To Be?,” TW, November/December 2012).
Architects are finding practical use of fabric coatings that help to fight bacteria or reduce
pollutants in the air — such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) — by applying them in healthcare facility
and clinic designs in which these specialized textiles are used to provide enclosures or
partitions. Healthcare worker apparel can be treated with the same antibacterial/antipollution
finish. Ongoing research in this area will yield many new possibilities, and it is expected to be
the most fertile field of interest for architecture and construction.


Military Research


Following a trend that began 150 years ago during the American Civil War — which saw the
production of lightweight, portable fabric camp furniture and tents — military research into
materials and performance characteristics continues to drive innovation on the architectural front.
A short list of recent innovations includes flexible photovoltaics (PV), low-pressure fabric
airbeams, and non-radiant fabrics that render military tents or deployable structures invisible to
an infrared heat signature.

The architects and fabric structure experts at New York City-based FTL Design Engineering
Studio have worked closely with the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering
(RD&E) Center, Natick, Mass., on lightweight fabric airbeam-supported structures designed for
use in the Middle East. These deployable structures also incorporate flexible PV panels that help
to generate electricity for lighting the interiors.

ArchitecturalC

Research and collaboration between FTL Design Engineering Studio and the U.S. Army Natick
RD&E Center produced the innovative Large Area Night Maintenance Shelter deployable structure
supported by fabric airbeams and covered by laminated fabric. Photo courtesy of FTL Design
Engineering Studio


Fashion Drivers


New material developments regularly find a willing partner in couture, as the fashion media
are very adept at publicizing anything new, and designers are in constant need of fresh ideas. For
example, in recent years, fashionistas have embraced the use of “smart textiles,” including
textiles that can carry data as well as lumens — electrotextiles that display a message or colorful
pattern — or textiles that feature high-performance capabilities for combating specific biological
problems (See “French Technical Textiles Industry: Futurotextiles 3: Nexus Of Technology And Art,”
TextileWorld.com, March/April 2013).

ArchitecturalB

A coating of TiO2 on the fabric of the Herself Dress, created by British fashion designer
Helen Storey, works to break down pollution and freshen the air. Photo courtesy of Maxime
Dufour


Society On The Go


New mobility is driving the need for lighter-weight materials and the demand for more
data-metric information about the environments that people move through. New methods of collecting
and transmitting the data are coming online and will help both the designers of spaces as well as
the users of the spaces in ways that bring greater understanding. For example, the French company
Bodysens S.A.S. has developed a protective hood for firefighters with sensors in the lining that
measure heart rate and other vital signs of the user, and that allows hands-free communication via
digital radio transmission between user and colleagues. Another promising technology involves
chromographic textiles that change color in response to temperature changes. This textile
technology could very well be adapted to the design of medical facilities in which close monitoring
of the environment may be critical and a visual reference to fluctuations may assist doctors and
technicians with treatments.

Lighter, more mobile buildings will be necessary as rapidly shifting public gatherings and
dynamic groups like meetups, impromptu performances and such will require flexible, dynamic spaces.
Pop-up stores will be possible because of durable, lighter-weight materials that provide protection
and colorful, customized graphics.


Future Possibilities


Another area to watch would be composites. As with air and transportation applications,
composites are going to see increased importance in construction as designers seek greater
performance characteristics at lighter and lighter weights to reduce the building carbon footprint.
High performance and extreme light weight are, increasingly, qualities that can only be attained
with the use of textiles.

Editor’s note: Bruce N. Wright, AIA, is an architect/journalist living in Minneapolis.

September/October 2013

Expanding Opportunities In Textiles

Michael Robertson is president and CEO of the Fairfax, Va.-based Specialty Graphic Imaging
Association (SGIA), a trade association with a membership base of more than 4,000 printers and
industry suppliers located in 80 countries. Last year, the SGIA Expo drew more than 21,000
registrants, and in May, it was recognized as one of the fastest-growing shows in America by Trade
Show Executive magazine. This year, SGIA will be colocating its event with the Industrial Fabrics
Association International’s IFAI Specialty Fabrics Expo 2013 in Orlando October 23-25.

Robertson has been with SGIA since the early 1980s, constantly striving to move the industry
forward. As CEO, Robertson is a proponent of investigating and supporting new technologies. The
growth of the industry, he believes, rests in its acceptance and development of new markets based
on new technologies, and he is dedicated to helping SGIA members understand and prepare for the
challenges and competition inherent with new technology. Robertson’s goal for the association is to
make it the primary information resource for the industry. SGIA’s mission is to provide members
with the know-how, advice and knowledge to help them succeed.

Robertson

Michael Robertson, president and CEO, SGIA





Textile World: Please give us a short description of SGIA, its members and
scope.

Robertson: Specialty Graphic Imaging Association members are center stage in the
specialty imaging world. Digital printing, screen printing, embroidery, sublimation and pad
printing are their primary imaging technologies, and they use them to create products or add value
to existing products.

The SGIA community comes together once a year at the SGIA Expo. The SGIA Expo is one of the
100 largest trade shows in the U.S.


TW: The opening statement on your website says that “SGIA is the only
international association for specialty imaging.” What is specialty imaging?

Robertson: Specialty imaging encompasses a wide array of products that are either
enhanced through a printing process or produced through imaging technologies. Our largest industry
segment is focused on graphic products for retail customers. SGIA members create point-of-purchase
displays, signs, banners and advertisements. They image on paper, vinyl, plastics, glass, metal
and, of course, fabrics. Other SGIA members focus on decorating apparel, producing OEM [original
equipment manufacturer] markings and manufacturing printed electronics parts. Each of these
disciplines is a specialty imaging application.


TW: How would you describe the textile industry’s involvement in specialty imaging
printing? What are the types of fabrics being used?

Robertson: The SGIA community is using imaged fabric to address a number of
graphic applications today. Fabrics are popular because they are lightweight and easy to store and
ship, and they provide a different feel than rigid signage or large-format graphics. We’re seeing
many new mounting systems for fabric applications, too. Added finishing capability certainly helps
grow the imaged fabric market. In fact, imaged fabric is one of the fastest-growing areas in
specialty imaging.

TopValueFabrics

At the 2012 SGIA Expo, Top Value Fabrics displayed an example of imaged fabric, a
fast-growing area of specialty imaging.


TW: Do you see new markets for textiles in the printing industry?

Robertson: Absolutely. The ability to customize fabrics through imaging offers
opportunity in just about every market where fabric is used today. Plus, imaged fabrics have become
a major competitor in graphics markets where vinyl and rigid substrates were once the only game in
town.


TW: Are there any special issues of concern for the industry?

Robertson: SGIA dedicates a major effort to keeping members informed of
legislative issues. The equipment and consumable manufacturers are very active in developing
products and capabilities that meet the needs of the community while providing safe and sustainable
solutions.

The globalization picture has changed dramatically in the past few years. We’ve seen print
buyers make a strong move toward localized production. They need high-quality imaging, quick
turnaround and flexibility as their customer base shifts. With the latest imaging technologies,
SGIA members in the U.S. and Canada are very cost-competitive with global print providers and much
better at addressing the rapidly changing marketplace.


TW: This year in Orlando, the SGIA Expo will be colocating with the IFAI Specialty
Fabrics Expo. What is the synergy between your two events? How does each add value to the other’s
event?

Robertson: We’re very excited to have the partnership with IFAI. Fabrics are an
important media for specialty imagers. We believe the IFAI colocation will be an idea-starter for
our community as members consider new uses for imaged fabrics. Also, I expect the SGIA community to
use the colocation to find new and different finishing applications that also could lead to new
products and opportunities. For the IFAI community, I anticipate they will consider fabric imaging
possibilities on a new scale by visiting the SGIA Expo.


TW: What will be new this year at the SGIA Expo?

Robertson: You can count on many exhibitors unveiling new imaging capabilities at
the expo. You’ll see new hardware, an expanded array of media and substrates, and consumables that
target specific market segments. This year, we’re introducing the Digital Textile Printing Zone.
Here, participants will benefit from a wealth of information on digital textile printing including
technical and design requirements, recommended workflows, color management tips, finishing
techniques and recommended best practices for a variety of ink and fabric combinations.

One of the biggest values at the SGIA Expo is the expertise of the attendees. The expo is an
amazing learning experience.


TW: What is the future of printing on textiles?

Robertson: In a word, the future of printing on textiles is “profitable.”

September/October 2013

Kayser-Roth To Expand North Carolina Operations, Add 100 Jobs

Greensboro, N.C.-based intimate apparel and hosiery manufacturer and marketer Kayser-Roth Corp. is
investing up to $28 million to expand its Burlington, N.C., and Asheboro, N.C., plants, which
manufacture legwear under its signature No nonsense® brand. The expansions are part of the
company’s No nonsense Sock Initiative with Walmart, which is expanding its Made in the USA program.
In addition to expanding the facilities and installing equipment, Kayser-Roth will add 50 jobs at
each facility.

Kayser-Roth produces more than 90 percent of its No nonsense tights, socks and sheer hosiery
in the United States. The expansion will increase production capacity for that brand by 30 percent.

“Walmart is proud to be working with suppliers like Kayser-Roth to increase domestic
production and create jobs that will support the middle class,” said Bill Simon, president and CEO,
Walmart U.S. “Growing business with existing suppliers supports our goal of purchasing an
additional $50 billion in U.S. manufactured products over the next 10 years.”

“The No nonsense Sock Initiative with Walmart represents a business model demonstrating our
mutual commitment, cooperation and trust with all stakeholders in creating more jobs and more Made
in the USA products,” said Kevin Toomey, president and CEO, Kayser-Roth Corp. “We’ve figured out
how to make a better product at a better price here in America, and working with Walmart has been a
tremendous asset in creating more jobs here at home. Together we are making a difference…one job
and one consumer at a time.”

September 10, 2013

Auburn Manufacturing Begins Facility Expansion

Auburn Manufacturing Inc. (AMI) — an Auburn, Maine-based developer, manufacturer and marketer of
textile products for extreme-temperature industrial applications — has begun construction on a
22,500-square-foot expansion of its Kittyhawk manufacturing facility in Auburn. The company is
investing $1.4 million to nearly double the size of the facility and add a number of employees.

“The new expansion will not only facilitate our current growth, it also will provide the
extra space we need for our continued focus on innovation, particularly in the areas of coatings,
nanotechnologies, and heat protection enhancements,” said Kathie Leonard, president and CEO, AMI.
“With this new expansion we will have the opportunity to continue developing the most advanced,
safest and high-quality flexible barriers against extreme-temperature challenges.”

AMI recently unveiled product enhancements to its line of Ever Green® R/R insulation covers,
including Ever Green HS for hot service, Ever Green ET for elevated temperature, and Ever Green CHW
for chilled water systems. The company also has added products to its hot work line, including
AMI-TUF® TR translucent heat and fire barrier for data center protection, hot and cold aisle
containment, and hot work containment enclosures; a line of extreme barrier composites for heat
containment; and an expanded line of extreme temperature tapes and tubing for the pyrotechnics
industry.

AMI expects the expanded Kittyhawk facility to be fully operational this month, and already
plans an additional facility expansion in three to five years. The company’s Mechanic Falls, Maine,
manufacturing plant is currently running at full capacity.

September 10, 2013

The Rupp Report: ITMF Conference 2013, Part 1

The 2013 ITMF Annual Conference opened on September 8 in Bregenz, Austria. The overall theme is
“Rebalancing the Power between Manufacturing and Retail.” After the first day of the conference, it
was quite astonishing to see how much the attitude of this inner circle of the classic cotton
market has changed.

The New Approach

Years ago at an ITMF conference, it was virtually not allowed to mention the generic name of
a man-made fiber such as polyester or polyamide. However, over the last few years, the organizers
have even invited speakers from the man-made-fiber world and their fibers and yarns businesses.

For many decades, cotton was a raw material second to none, with a unique market position. In
this context, every man-made fiber was considered to be an enemy of cotton. Today – fortunately –
the cotton community is watching very carefully the fiber trends around the world, and their
respective applications. For an outside observer, it is amazing to see how the cotton industry is
looking at itself to hold its undisputed but challenged position in the global fiber market.

The ICAC View

In his remarkable opening speech for the Cotton segment of the conference’s Fiber Session,
Terry Townsend, Ph.D., soon-to-be-leaving executive director of the International Cotton Advisory
Committee (ICAC), gave an overview of the present and past situations in the cotton industry. He
mentioned the crucial situation in August 2011, when cotton prices skyrocketed. However, he
emphasized that prices today are back to a relatively stable level. Some years ago, the prices
among the major competing fibers – such as polyester filament, viscose (rayon) and cotton – began
to get closer. Today, he mentioned, cotton prices are sometimes higher than viscose prices. On the
other hand, the market share of cotton in apparel and home furnishings has dropped from around 75
percent down to some 55 percent.

Among the major concerns for the cotton industry is the ongoing discussion about
sustainability. Townsend asked the audience how one should measure and read sustainability. He
strongly urged the whole production chain to take this issue very much into consideration. Only if
the whole production chain takes care of this ever-more important matter will it be possible to
maintain the existing trust and confidence for cotton in the future.

Better Than Its (Current) Image

Fritz Grobien, president of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, talked about “The New Meaning of
Sustainability.” The Bremen Cotton Exchange organizes one of the most renowned cotton industry
gatherings with its biennial International Cotton Conference. Grobien underlined the importance of
what Townsend said – that the whole upstream production chain must become active in order to reach
the target for the cotton industry. He spoke about the fear of people on Main Street regarding some
environmental issues relating to cotton. Probably one of the most important issues today is that of
genetically modified products. One may understand that some people hesitate to eat genetically
modified food, and today even to wear genetically modified cotton. Some other common concerns in
the textile industry from the consumer side are prices, child labor, use of pesticides, water
quality, global warming and food additives.

Grobien said that today, more than 29 million hectares of land are used to grow cotton in the
Northern Hemisphere. Regarding cotton growing, the farmers have succeeded in the past years to
reduce the following:

  • land use – 30 percent;
  • soil erosion – 68 percent;
  • water for irrigation – 75 percent; and
  • energy – 36 percent.

Grobien strongly emphasized the fact that the textile chain must deliver what the customer is
asking for. As he said, “There is no excuse for the retailers not to know where their goods are
coming from.” At the end of the day, it is the customer who decides about sustainability,
traceability and confidence in a product. Grobien’s conclusion was that the industry is responsible
for securing production and demand.

It is obvious that the cotton community in all four corners of the world is very much
concerned about the image and the future of the industry. The people involved have been talking
about this concern for some 10 years so far. At the ITMF conference, it was apparent that the
situation is very much in mind, and some minds are really changing.

September 10, 2013

Crailar Technologies To Acquire European Wet Processing Facility

Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Canada-based Crailar Technologies Inc. has announced plans to
acquire a European fiber dyeing facility that has been in operation for more than 30 years in one
of Western Europe’s most prolific flax-growing regions.

The facility can produce more than 250,000 pounds of CRAiLAR® Flax fiber weekly, and its
capacity can be expanded. In exchange for the facility, Crailar Technologies would retire
approximately $1.2 million of the vendor’s debt over three years. Crailar also would sign a 10-year
lease with the option to purchase the building housing the facility, with a renewal option for
another 10 years.

“Acquisition of this facility would accelerate our production timeline by six to nine months;
eliminate construction risks inherent with a ‘green field’ project; and substantially reduce the
capital required to achieve one million pounds per week of capacity,” said Ken Barker, CEO, Crailar
Technologies Inc. “The plant is also is located in an area known for flax growing excellence,
thereby providing an abundant source of feedstock, and ties in perfectly with our European flax
fiber sourcing initiative.”

Last year, the company started Crailar production at its first fully integrated
commercial-scale facility in Pamplico, S.C.
(See ”
Crailar
Set To Start Up Pamplico Processing Facility,
TextileWorld.com, November/December 2012).

September 10, 2013

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