Chicago-based private equity investment firm Wind Point Partners has acquired Greenfield,
Mass.-based Argotec Inc. — a producer of custom-engineered, high-performance thermoplastic
polyurethane (TPU) films and sheets — for an undisclosed price.

Wind Point Partners made the acquisition in partnership with Guy Broadbent, who has 27 years
of experience in the plastics, specialty chemicals and technical/manufacturing industries and will
serve as Argotec’s president and CEO.

According to Argotec CEO and Chairman of the Board Bruce Wilby, the sale of the company is a
long-planned exit strategy for Co-Chairmen Dick Barnes and Steve Wolkenbreit, who founded the
company in 1988 and plan to retire after the sale.

“Argotec’s customers can feel secure in the knowledge that the company remains in the hands
of the same senior management who provided the day-to-day leadership that brought us to where we
are today,” Broadbent said.

“The new ownership will ensure capital is available for continued plant expansion,
organizational development, further improvements in product quality, and the ongoing innovation
that is demanded by the industries we serve,” Wilby said.

June 11, 2013

Propex Operating Co. LLC — a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based producer of man-made carpet backing and a
provider of infrastructure and packaging solutions — has announced plans to shutter its Nashville,
Ga., plant and consolidate most of the woven geotextiles production at that location to its carpet
backing manufacturing facility in Hazlehurst, Ga., over the next six months.

The company reports it has a surplus of North American capacity directly resulting from
Federal defense cuts, stimulus elimination and the industry’s shift to nonwoven products, and that
it reduced staff at the Nashville facility over the past few months in an effort to better align
the capacity and demand for its woven geotextiles products.

“While this activity had a positive impact on the unit cost, continued soft demand eroded the
gains realized by that temporary action,” said Mike Gorey, president and CEO, Propex. “The economic
indicators tell us that it is prudent to consolidate our manufacturing operations into one location
at this time as our current global footprint provides more than enough capacity to service the
stabilization and woven GEO marketplace. Our strategic business model shifts our focus to be the
worldwide solutions provider in growing markets, and therefore the Nashville facility will be
closed.

“This decision is not a reflection on the workforce in Nashville. It is instead the
reflection of an aggressive marketplace driving pricing pressure from domestic and imported
competitors,” Gorey continued.

In addition, Propex will make a multi-million dollar investment to expand the Hazlehurst
plant’s capacity to begin producing Isis®, its recycled polyester woven backing for commercial
carpet tile. The company has seen increasing global demand for Isis, which it introduced in 2011
and currently manufactures at its plant in Germany.

“Our decision to manufacture Isis in Georgia shows our commitment to provide innovative
products to support the continued growth of the US carpet industry,” said Dave Gartshore, vice
president, Propex Furnishings Solutions and Curv® Composites Divisions. “Our strategy is to
maintain our leadership position continuing to innovate and enhance Isis for commercial tile as
well as developing other innovative products for the markets we serve.”

Propex expects the Hazlehurst expansion to be complete during the summer of 2013, and reports
it will create a significant number of jobs.

June 11, 2013

Laconia, N.H.-based Madeira USA Ltd. — a producer of embroidery threads for the decorated apparel
and home fashion industries — now offers reflectra® Stitchfoil, a thin, polyurethane-based elastic
transfer foil that creates reflective effects in different lighting conditions.

The brightly colored foils may be used for visibility in all lighting conditions, while
translucent foils may be used to create hidden special effects. Reflectra Stitchfoil is suitable
for transfer to a variety of materials including cotton and polyester/cotton and polyester/acrylic
fiber blends, and it may be used to decorate T-shirts, sports and leisure wear, caps, bags, flags
and pennants. The appliqué material comes in 40 Pantone®-matched color and finish options.

Madeira reports that materials used to manufacture reflectra Stitchfoil are Oeko-Tex®
Standard 100 certified to be free of harmful substances.

June 11, 2013

Polartec LLC — the Lawrence, Mass.-based producer of Polartec® technical performance fabrics —
announced a return to the upholstery business with the launch of “Fit by Polartec®” collection
developed in partnership with contract fabric company C.F. Stinson Inc., Rochester Hills, Mich.

Polartec reports the new knit fabric collection is based on its Polartec NeoShell® outdoor
fabrics, and is manufactured in the United States at its bluesign® certified manufacturing plant in
Lawrence. Three styles in the collection — Aero, Flex and Profile — are bluesign approved. The line
offers a variety of fabric styles including an architectural knit structure, structural mesh-faced
fabric, melton wool-like fabric, diamond motif fabric and plush velvet-type fabric.

“We have optimized and adapted the performance of [NeoShell] technology for upholstery,
namely incredible moisture barrier technology and durability in a breathable, highly comfortable
seating material,” said Allison Spahr, vice president of global design, Polartec.

“It’s not entirely clear which is the harsher environment, the top of Mount Everest or
seating in a medical waiting room, but we have worked closely with Polartec to bring their advanced
textile science and valued brand to the commercial interiors and furniture markets,” said John
Rowan, director of sales and product development, C.F. Stinson.

The fabric line will be introduced at NeoCon 2013 in Chicago this week.

June 11, 2013

Nordson Corp. — a Westlake, Ohio-based producer of precision dispensing, plastic extrusion,
injection molding, electronics testing and inspection and surface preparation equipment — has added
TruFlow™ meters to its family of OptiBond™ variation management solutions for nonwovens
manufacturers.

According to the company, TruFlow positive displacement meters enable consistent and accurate
monitoring and control of actual material flow rates during all phases and line speeds of
production for nonwovens, book and product assembly and packaging applications. The meters operate
across a flow range of 10 to 500 cubic centimeters per minute in a variety of material viscosities
and temperatures.

Nordson reports the meters feature a durable design that offers simple installation and
minimal maintenance; and their compact size and simple connections allow them to be adapted to most
production environments.

June 11, 2013

LENZING, Austria — June 6, 2013 — This week Lenzing AG is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its
business operations together with 3,000 invited guests  – employees,  customers, business
companions, politicians and partners. The company presented the book “75 Years  of Innovation”
published on this occasion, which honors Lenzing’s role as the driving force of innovation in the
industry.

The global market leader with fibers made of wood

Several decades ago there were more than 30 viscose fiber production plants in Europe. Today
there are only two, one of which is the headquarters of the internationally operating Lenzing
Group. The Austrian company has emerged as a global player as well as the market and technology
leader for man-made cellulose fibers. Lenzing fibers were once a cheap substitute for cotton. In
the meantime, they are highly sought-after premium products which are valued due to the renewable
raw material of wood and the environmentally-compatible production.

Thanks to its innovative strength Lenzing has helped the more than 100-year-old viscose
technology to reach new heights. Ultimately innovations to minimize the environmental burden of the
production process have made Lenzing the best practice model in the industry. At the same time the
company developed  TENCEL®, a completely new and forward-looking technology which will shape
the cellulose fiber industry in the coming decades.

75 years ago Lenzing manufactured 30,000 tons of fibers per year. In the meantime the fiber
production volume of the Lenzing Group will soon reach a level of 900,000 tons.

Innovation as the key to success

For decades Lenzing boasted above-average expenditures in research and development, thus
establishing the company as the pacemaker in the entire sector. Today the Lenzing Group is the
undisputed innovation leader in the man-made cellulose fiber industry.

The Lenzing Group operates the world’s leading research center for cellulose and fiber
chemistry at the Lenzing site. About 170 employees work there to further develop products and
production technologies. Some 1,400 patents and patent applications in 57 countries demonstrate the
effectiveness and performance of this team of specialists. Research expenditures of  about EUR
28 mn annually underline the importance the Lenzing Group attaches to research and development. An
important objective of research projects is to develop ecological production methods and
sustainable products with increasingly specialized areas of application.

Tencel — the fiber technology of the 21st century

The further development of TENCEL technology remains the main focal point of Lenzing’s
research efforts. In addition to three TENCEL plants, Lenzing also operates three pilot facilities
in which new applications for TENCEL fibers are developed and tested on a  semi-industrial
scale. The fourth Tencel factory, involving investments of more than EUR 130 mn, is currently under
construction at the Lenzing site in Upper Austria. It will commence operations in 2014 and 
mark the  next technological step for TENCEL.

Learn more about the rise of the Austrian fiber producer to the world market leader of
man-made cellulose fibers: http://75years.lenzing.com/en.html

Posted June 11, 2013

Source: Lenzing

GENEVA, Switzerland — June 10, 2013 — Effective February 6, 2013, the Indonesian government began
to enforce a mandatory Indonesian National Standard SNI 7617-2010 related to azo dyes and
formaldehyde content in fabrics for baby and children’s clothing. SGS is pleased to announce that
it has been accredited to perform azo dye testing according to the new standard.

The Ministry of Trade Republic of Indonesia has appointed SGS Indonesia as National
Accreditation Body of Indonesia (KAN) accredited testing laboratory to perform azo dye and
formaldehyde content testing for fabrics in baby and children’s clothing. The Indonesian National
Standard SNI 7616:2010 became effective on February 06, 2013.

The SNI requirement states that all children’s and babies clothing products imported or
Indonesian produced, distributed and marked clothing for babies and children shall meet the
Indonesian National Standard (SNI) requirements for safety assurance and consumer health.

– This Standard specifies the requirements for azo dyes and formaldehyde content for baby and
children clothes.

– This Standard applies to the fabric used in clothes for babies and children up to age
36months and on fabric used in clothing for children over the age of 36 months that are directly in
contact with the skin.

The requirements for azo dyes and formaldehyde content in fabrics for baby and children’s
clothing are outlined below:

Carcinogenic Azo Dyes

Clothing for babies and children under 36 months of age: Not Detected (Based on SNI
ISO14184 if less than 20 ppm is reported as Not Detected.)

Clothing for babies and children above 36 months of age: Prohibited

Formaldehyde

Clothing for babies and children under 36 months of age: 0 ppm

Clothing for babies and children above 36 months of age: maximum 75 ppm



Posted on June 11, 2013

Source: SGS