Newark, Ohio-based TenCate Advanced Armor North America — a division of the Netherlands-based Royal
Ten Cate NV — has introduced a full line of personal protection products that offer improved
protection for law enforcement and military officers.

The line includes:

• two soft body armor materials — TenCate Aramid-Shield™ 1000, a unidirectional aramid ballistic
  material; and TenCate Pro-Tector 1000, a woven aramid laminate multi-threat material;
• the TenCate Themis™ family of five soft body armor inserts that protect against ballistic,
  fragmentation, spike and edged blades; and
• the TenCate Cratus™ family of 14 hard body armor plates that protect against the complete range
  of handgun, edged blade, and rifle threats commonly seen in law enforcement and military
  operational environments.

“Using our advanced materials technology and armor design capabilities, we have developed a
full line of soft and hard body armor products that offer higher levels of life saving capabilities
than what is available on the market today,” said Mark Bajko, vice president and general manager,
TenCate Advanced Armor North America. “Our North American product line combined with our
comprehensive European personal protection products contribute and enhance our company’s mission of
protecting people and their working and living environment.”

August 6, 2013

Wellford, S.C.-based specialty chemicals manufacturer StarChem LLC has introduced StarTex™ Resin
6036, a formaldehyde-free reactant for finished fabrics and garments. The company reports the
reactant provides good shrinkage control and shade protection; is non-yellowing on whites; and
imparts a smooth, soft hand.

StarTex Resin 6036 is applied from a pad bath to cellulosic/polyester blends at 8 to 12
percent on-weight-of-bath (owb) concentrations, and to cellulosic fabrics at 12 to 20 percent owb.
The amount needed depends on variables such as fabric construction and blend, and wet pick-up. The
resin may be cured with a magnesium-based catalyst such as StarTex Catalyst HC, and may be diluted
by mixing with cold water.

August 6, 2013

Germany-based Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH now offers a redesigned version of its HKS
warp-knitting machine, the HKS 2-SE for the production of stretch charmeuse and double tricot
fabrics for swimwear, sportswear and lingerie applications. The “S” stands for “short stroke,” and
the “E” stands for “elastane.” Only elastane yarns can be processed in guide bar GB 2.

According to Karl Mayer, the HKS 2-SE can achieve record-breaking speeds of 4,400 revolutions
per minute (rpm) in the production of stretch tricot fabrics, compared to the previous benchmark of
4,000 rpm. The company reports that the new model also consumes less energy and generates less
noise than the earlier-generation HKS 2-3 E at comparable speeds, and the redesign has resulted in
a lighter-weight, more stable machine.

The new model features a 130-inch working width, which can be increased to 132 inches; and it
is available in E 32, E 36 and E 40 guages.

August 6, 2013

Up to now, a dobby or Jacquard machine has always been connected with the weaving machine. Every
weaver knows the problems with high-speed weaving. Stop-and-go is just one problem; marks in the
fabric after a stop or a restart contribute to inferior-quality products.

Any inconsistency in the process causes problems, and the higher the speed of the propeller
shaft during production, the higher the forces. Consequently, the wider the machine, and the
greater the distance between the harnesses of the Jacquard machine, the greater are the vibrations
on the entire system.

For decades, the weaving community around the world has asked for a system that would avoid
all these problems. A new development called SyncroDrive from Germany-based weaving machinery
producer Lindauer Dornier GmbH might be the solution.

For the first time, there is a possibility to separate the weaving machine from the dobby or
Jacquard machine. This means there is the possibility to have an independent shed. All limits are
eliminated in weaving, because the weft insertion is freely programmable.

Separate Drives

In conventional weaving systems, the weaving machine and the Jacquard machine have separate
drives with servo motors. In Dornier’s SyncroDrive system, there is no shaft drive, but there is a
connection via an electronic beam. Air-jet machines have a drive connected directly to the main
shaft.

Also, the rapier weaving machine with a nominal width up to 290 centimeters (cm), like the
air-jet machine, has a direct drive. Rapiers with a nominal width from 300 cm up have a direct
drive with a flywheel connected directly to the main shaft. The Jacquard machine has a direct drive
with a flywheel on the main shaft. For the shedding device, relatively small motors are needed — 6
to 8 kilowatts, depending on the number of boards.

Patented

The patented SyncroDrive is a low-maintenance drive system without clutch-brake unit, with a
separate motor for the shedding device. The inventor of the SyncroDrive was Valentin Krumm, the
former head of weaving technology at Dornier and predecessor of Gerhard Bögl, the current head of
the Technology Center for Weaving Technique in Lindau, Germany. Krumm is also the mastermind behind
Dornier’s positive rapier weaving machine. The intelligent drive design has extremely small speed
variations compared to conventional direct drives.

The SyncroDrive reads the desired weft insertion and stores it. The last weft insertion
remains memorized during the next startup. The Jacquard machine’s shed formation speeds up, for
example, over eight to TEN insertions to reach the specified speed. Similarly, the weaving machine
speeds up over one weft insertion to reach the specified speed. The synchronization of the two
machines starts when both have reached the specified speed. Then, the true weaving process — the
weft insertion — begins. If the job is completed or stopped, the last insertion is memorized while
the machines shut down. The shed formation shuts down over eight to ten insertions to a full stop.
The weaving machine shutdown is carried out over one weft insertion to a standstill.

Through the use of the SyncroDrive, the propeller shaft is eliminated, so problems such as
start and stop marks no longer exist, which has a very positive impact on the whole weaving system.
The SyncroDrive does not operate with cams, because a cam motion can’t be run independently.

Thanks to the machine’s soft start and stop, start and stop marks are avoided. Also, the last
reed beat-up is perfectly executed because the SyncroDrive memorizes the last weft insertion. The
Jacquard machine is separated from the weaving machine and can shut down smoothly.

Advantages

The propeller shaft used in conventional weft insertion is replaced by an electronic beam.
Therefore, vibrations in the Jacquard machine’s frame are minimized. The ground vibrations are
reduced, and speed variations are less than 3 percent. In a top-class weaving mill, using
SyncroDrive, the oscillations were reduced by more than 50 percent. When the author physically
tested the machine, the vibrations were very low.

Dynamic Warp Guide

Dornier mentions that the highly dynamic warp-yarn guide unit (DWG) enables weaving with the
lowest possible warp tension level, leading to a significant reduction in warp-end breaks. Through
its synchronous movement with the shed motion, this patented, roller-free unit guarantees an ideal
tension balance between the opening and closing shed motions even at maximum machine speeds.

More detailed information will be provided in an upcoming issue of

Textile World
.

July 30, 2013

Cincinnati-based Standard Textile Co. Inc. — a vertically integrated provider of total textile
solutions for healthcare, hospitality, industrial laundry and decorative products markets — will
invest more than $2.5 million to expand the terry towel manufacturing operations, including new
technology for terry towel finishing, at its Union, S.C., plant. The expansion will create 15 jobs,
and is expected to be completed by the end of September.

“We are excited about the opportunity to expand our existing operations in Union County,”
said Russ Ogle, plant manager, Standard Textile. “South Carolina has provided us with a skilled
workforce and an excellent environment in which to do business. We appreciate all the support we’ve
received from state and local officials.”

In addition to its Union plant, Standard Textile has manufacturing centers in Enterprise,
Ala., Augusta, Ga., and Thomaston, Ga.; and seven distribution centers throughout the United
States.

July 30, 2013

Winston-Salem, N.C.-based apparel manufacturer HanesBrands Inc. has agreed to acquire Iselin,
N.J.-based global intimate apparel marketer Maidenform Brands Inc. for approximately $575 million.

HanesBrands reports the acquisition will complement its Innovate-to-Elevate strategy, which
integrates its brands, low-cost supply chain and product innovation; create growth and cost-savings
opportunities; and increase its reach to serve retailers. The company plans to leverage its
low-cost supply chain, including its own global manufacturing operations supplemented by
third-party manufacturing, to enhance Maidenform’s value to retailers and consumers. Maidenform
currently sources all of its products from third-party manufacturers.

The acquisition also will combine the strengths and capabilities of the companies’
portfolios and allow for the cross-introduction of new products. Maidenform’s average-figure bra
business will complement HanesBrands’ full-figure bra business. In addition, Maidenform is known
for its shapewear, and HanesBrands is known for its panty business.

“We are looking forward to Maidenform joining the Hanes family,” said HanesBrands Chairman
and CEO Richard A. Noll. “Maidenform has great brands that consumers trust. Combining the
complementary strengths of both companies creates a lot of growth opportunities.”

The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2013.

July 30, 2013

Austria-based Andritz Group recently opened a plastic film production competence center at its
Andritz Biax location in Foshan, China. At a recent customer day to mark the opening of the center,
guests were offered tours of the 8,000-square-meter facility, demonstrations of the biaxially
oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film production line, and presented with information from experts on
the latest advancements in BOPP film production. Andritz also introduced guests to its patented
stretching technology for special films — Mechanical Simulteneous Stretching System (MESIM) — and a
high-speed chain track system with patented clips. Andritz reports 170 people from more than 70
companies attended the opening event.

In other company news, Andritz has received an order from China-based Chuzhou Jinchun
Non-woven Fabric for a high-speed spunlace line. The line comprises a Jetlace 3000
hydroentanglement unit, dewatering system and Perfodry Advantage dryer. The
17,000-ton-annual-capacity line will be used to produce fabrics ranging from 30 grams per square
meter (g/m2) to 80 g/m2 for the hygiene industry. The new line will bring Chuzhou Jinchun’s total
spunlace capacity to 32,000 tons per year. The company produces spunlace fabric rolls for wipes,
hygiene, man-made leather and filtration applications.

July 30, 2013