CT Nassau — an Alamance, N.C.-based producer of mattress tape and mattress ticking fabric — is investing more than $4 million to expand its Burlington, N.C., mattress ticking manufacturing plant. The company reports increased demand for its mattress ticking fabric.
Approximately $1.5 million of the investment will go toward adding 37,500 square feet (ft2) to the existing 41,500-ft2 plant. CT Nassau already has invested $1.8 million in machinery to fulfill additional capacity, and expects to add additional equipment worth some $750,000 in 2014. The company also added 10 employees over the past 18 months.
“We are very excited about the opportunities this expansion presents,” said Carl Carpenter, vice president of manufacturing, CT Nassau. “It will allow us to be more adequately equipped to respond to market demands and react to our customer’s needs.”
Founded in 1991, CT Nassau operates a 75,000-ft2 mattress tape plant in Alamance that produces approximately 6 million yards of mattress tape a week, in addition to its Burlington plant, which currently produces more than 80,000 yards of mattress fabrics a week. The company employs 110 people at the plants.
January 28, 2014
CT Nassau To Expand Burlington, N.C., Facility
Engineered Solutions Acquires Rocan’s Assets
Engineered Solutions PLLC — a Charlottesville, Va.-based provider of textile research and consulting services for the textile, apparel and related industries — has purchased the intellectual and technical assets of Rocan Inc. — a Greensboro, N.C.-based provider of consultant and technology management services for the textile, apparel, and related industries. The acquisition includes a technical library containing a collection of reference files and publications relating to the flammability of textiles.
Engineered Solutions and Rocan Inc. partnered in 2009 to expand research services and a range of technical services related to textile product flammability. Rocan’s founder, Clyde T. Canter, has retired but will continue to serve as an advisor to Engineered Solutions, and its president, Hardy Poole.
Engineered Solutions’ laboratory in Burlington, N.C., is equipped to perform microscopy and chemical analysis of textile materials as well as flammability testing in accordance with government and voluntary industry standards.
January 28, 2014
Merger Of KARL MAYER And LIBA On Track
OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — January 24, 2014 — As announced earlier, on January 1, 2014 KARL MAYER acquired majority ownership of LIBA Maschinenfabrik GmbH. Integration of the two worldwide leading companies in areas of development, manufacturing and delivery of warp knitting and technical textile machinery is implemented according to plan.
At this point in time, renaming has been addressed. As a member of the KARL MAYER Group, from now on, LIBA Maschinenfabrik will be incorporated under the name KARL MAYER LIBA Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH.
In addition, the processes that started at the end of last year to work out “Best of Both Worlds” solutions for products, processes and concepts are progressing well. In the middle of this year, this project will be finalized. In the meantime the business of both parties in terms of products and market approach will be unchanged. All important tasks will be completed as before.
Following completion of the “Best of Both Worlds” projects full integration of LIBA into the KARL MAYER business unit structure will start. This step should be finalized at the end of 2015. Customers will then benefit from a strong partner with a unified approach and optimized products and solutions.
Posted January 28, 2014
Source: Karl Mayer
Debate Heats Up On Renewal Of Trade Promotion Authority
The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014, introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, along with House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp, R-Mich., would establish congressional negotiating objectives and rules for the White House to follow when engaged in trade talks. When these rules are followed, legislation to implement negotiated trade agreements would receive expedited consideration by lawmakers and would not be subject to amendment. The bill would authorize TPA for four years, with an option to renew for an additional three years.
The bill’s introduction was welcomed by the Obama administration, which has consistently urged lawmakers to renew TPA, but it does not currently have the full support of congressional Democrats. Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin, D-Mich., said the Baucus/Hatch/Camp bill “has fallen far short of adequately replacing the failed 2002 TPA model” and that what is needed is “a more robust structure that meets today’s challenges.” Levin’s concerns were echoed in a Jan. 15 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from 11 Democratic senators, who said that “renewal of TPA in a form that resembles [the 2002 law] would be unacceptable” and that “TPA must be replaced with a new trade agreement negotiation and approval process appropriate to 21stcentury trade agreements and consistent with the constitutional role of Congress in trade.” The senators said they favor stronger provisions on transparency, congressional involvement, currency manipulation, labor, the environment and other issues, which Levin is working to include in his own TPA legislation.
Other Democrats have also shown hesitation to support the Baucus/Hatch/Camp bill. Many are concerned about a lack of transparency into, and congressional involvement in setting the priorities for, the trade agreements that TPA would be used to implement. Others (joined by a few dozen Republicans) have said they oppose delegating to the White House the authority given by the Constitution to Congress to regulate international trade. There are also those who believe previous trade liberalization agreements have damaged the U.S. economy and are unlikely to vote for a measure that would expedite more such pacts.
House Republican leaders believe their members will support TPA and are pushing for at least 50 Democratic votes for the bill. Republicans have called on President Obama to get personally involved to shore up those votes but acknowledge that senior administration officials, including U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman, have been more active in working to bolster Democratic support. Some Democrats, in turn, say the price of their approval may be compromises such as extending the Trade Adjustment Assistance program or tougher provisions on certain issues. While some Republican members have raised concerns about TPA,International Trade Dailyquoted former Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, as saying that “conservatives will embrace this bill because it increases economic freedom while directing any White House to negotiate trade agreements to the priorities of Congress.”
Given the intensity of the rhetoric on both sides, prospects for enactment of a TPA bill remain unclear. Senate Finance held a hearing on the Baucus/Hatch/Camp bill on Jan. 16, and there are reports that the committee could mark up the bill within the next few weeks. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he will wait until a clearer consensus on the bill emerges among Democrats before deciding whether to bring it up for a vote. The fact that Baucus will likely be departing in the next few months to serve as U.S. ambassador to China, and the reported interest of his likely successor, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in strengthening parts of Baucus’ TPA bill, will also likely complicate matters.
Posted January 27, 2014
Source: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
EDANA and INDA Launch New Shared Mission and Vision
BRUSSELS, Belgium, and CARY, N.C. — January 27, 2014 — EDANA™ and INDA® associations for the nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry based in Europe and North America, respectively ̶ today announced that they will harmonize their mission and vision to advance the success of their member companies.
Responding to the needs of each association’s member companies, including those companies who belong to both organizations, this new initiative was drawn from the values and missions pursued by both associations for their more than 40 years of operation.
INDA and EDANA have kept parts of each association’s individual positions that are essential to their own nature and character, and have formed a mutual position that not only strengthens the relationship between the two associations, but seeks to provide cohesion and consistency on a global basis. Each organization will continue to operate independently.
The new joint vision for INDA and EDANA is to provide “global leadership to create an environment beneficial to sustainable and profitable growth of the nonwovens and engineered fabrics and related industries to best serve their customers.”
The new joint mission is to be “recognized within the global nonwovens and engineered fabrics and related industries as the associations that consistently provide products, services and events of the highest value to members and industry participants worldwide.”
Members of both global organizations are involved in the complete nonwovens supply chain from raw materials, machinery and equipment to roll goods, converters and end products. The services provided by each association are similar in nature, but unique in delivery and influence.
Both associations provide services in product stewardship (safety standards, test methods and sustainability); government and regulatory affairs; commerce and innovative industry events; industry awareness and trust; and training, education and market research.
“The vision and mission of our organizations direct what we do — how we serve our members is distinctly different. Harmonizing our vision and mission statements makes sense in this increasingly global industry. Our respective members need the assurance that the essential services provided by their industry association will be consistent in structure and intent, yet tailored to locally defined needs,” said Todd Bassett, Chair of the INDA Board of Directors.
“In defining our joint goals, we established ‘what do we do or aspire to do.’ How we implement these strategic goals will continue to differ, based on our respective members’ needs and their specific business and social environments,” said Patricia Featherstone, Chair of the EDANA Board of Governors. “We will continue to act based on our local requirements and demands, but with a greater level of compatibility and support both for and from our partner association.”
Posted January 27, 2014
Source: INDA
Hohenstein Institute Releases Results Of Long Term Nanoparticle Study
Hohenstein Institute, a leading global provider of technical testing and certification for apparel and textile products, recently publicized results from two three-year nanotoxicity studies conducted in cooperation with multiple organizations and designed to understand and quantify the safety of nanoparticles for people and for the environment. Hohenstein scientists, Dr. Jan Beringer and Dr. Timo Hammer, presented key study findings related to textile products in a webinar entitled “Nanotechnology: Human Health and the Environment.” Hohenstein’s research concluded that the tested textiles treated with nanoparticles posed little to no risk to human health or ecosystems. The webinar recording is available on the Hohenstein Institute website at http://www.hohenstein.com/en/advanced_training/e_learning/e_learning_2/e_learning.html
Hohenstein Institute played a key role in the TechnoTox project to assess risk to human health of nano-functionalized textiles including silver nanoparticle (Ag-NP) enhanced fabrics. For the UMSICHT study, Hohenstein determined how silver nanoparticles leach from fabrics, providing critical data for partners to evaluate the impact of silver nanoparticles on the environment. Hohenstein’s key research conclusions included the following:
- For the TechnoTox study, Hohenstein conducted a broad scale consumer wear test with Ag-NP enhanced antimicrobial apparel. Hohenstein determined that silver nanoparticles acted effectively upon bacteria introduced via perspiration but had no detrimental impact on the skin’s naturally occurring protective bacteria and caused no skin irritation. Additionally, the use of Ag-NP treated apparel did not build resistance in the undesirable bacteria.
- Hohenstein’s proprietary cellular modelling technology also indicated that the inhalation, absorption, and ingestion of any silver nanoparticles released from the tested fabrics had no negative effect on human organ or tissue functions.
- Hohenstein studied the impact of processing Ag-NP enhanced fabrics on textile mill effluents and also measured the release of nanoparticles in home laundry simulations. Their data was key input to the larger UMSICHT study which found no significant risk of damage to aquatic ecosystems, sewage treatment plants, or landfill operations.
Hohenstein works closely with textile and apparel manufacturers to confirm that their specific nanoparticle enhanced products work as designed and are safe to use. Certificates and Quality Labels are available and include Biological Safety, Antibacterial efficacy, Skin Flora Neutral, and Skin-Friendly. When performed during the product development phase, Hohenstein testing can confirm, correct, or enhance product performance and can provide objective data for fact-based marketing efforts.
Dr. Beringer will be attending Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City January 22-25 and is available to discuss these study findings in the Hohenstein Institute Booth #62024.
Posted January 27, 2014
Source: Hohenstein Institute
Walmart Announces $10 Million Fund To Spur Innovation And Support U.S. Manufacturing
WASHINGTON — Jan. 23, 2014 — Today, Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon joined 280 of the nation’s mayors in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Meeting to announce a new fund for innovation in American manufacturing and a new supplier commitment to bring production of bikes and jobs to South Carolina.
The $10 million fund for innovation:
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will fund the five-year program and work in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to launch it in March. The fund will provide grants to innovators in the manufacturing sector and seeks to create new processes, ideas, and jobs that support America’s growing manufacturing footprint.
“If we want to grow manufacturing and help rebuild America’s middle class, we need the brightest minds in our universities, in our think tanks, and in our towns to tackle obstacles to U.S. manufacturing,” said Simon. “The $10 million fund will identify and award leaders in manufacturing innovation and help us all work together to create opportunity.”
Last year Walmart announced that it will buy an additional $50 billion in American products. That’s $50 billion more than it does today 10 years from now. Walmart estimates that its $50 billion pledge, in the 10th year, will result in Walmart buying an additional $250 billion cumulatively over the next 10 years. This pledge is in an effort to grow U.S. manufacturing and encourage the creation of U.S. jobs.
The Boston Consulting Group predicts that this $250 billion investment will create one million jobs, when you include the jobs in manufacturing and related services.
Kent Bicycles:
Kent Bicycles announced it is moving production from overseas to Clarendon, S.C. According to Kent, when at full capacity in 2016, they will have added at least 175 jobs and will be assembling 500,000 bikes annually. The company, based in Parsippany, N.J., expects to start production in the fall of 2014.
“We look forward to bringing production to South Carolina,” said Arnold Kamler, owner of Kent Bicycles. “Our company moved all manufacturing overseas in 1990 because it was so much more cost effective. When Walmart made its commitment to U.S. manufacturing last year, it opened our eyes to restarting some manufacturing here. We attended Walmart’s August manufacturing summit and were able to focus our efforts quickly and make things happen with South Carolina.”
“Those that have already taken the risk to move or expand manufacturing in the U.S. tell us they are experiencing a first-mover advantage—a significant leg-up in terms of market-share and momentum,” added Simon. “Kent Bicycles is taking the opportunity to become one of those first-movers with its facility in South Carolina.”
“It’s exciting to see a leading manufacturer, like Kent Bicycles, choose South Carolina to manufacture bicycles, a mainstay of an American childhood. We celebrate the company’s decision to create at least 175 new jobs and produce a half a million bicycles annually in Clarendon County, and we are pleased that Walmart’s commitment to domestic manufacturing is accelerating real progress on the issue,” said South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
Walmart also announced that it will host its second U.S. manufacturing summit in Denver, Colo., in August 2014. One focus of this year’s summit will be connecting manufacturers in need of component parts to factories with excess capacity.
“Many factories aren’t operating at full capacity. By working together, we have an opportunity to repurpose or help add production to some of these communities,” said Simon. “This will help rebuild the American supply chain to support U.S. manufacturing and create more jobs.”
Walmart’s first summit in August 2013 brought together more than 1,500 attendees, including 500 suppliers, 34 states and government officials to discuss opportunities to create jobs, restore communities and drive economic growth.
Additional supplier information:
- 72 percent of Walmart suppliers believe that manufacturing in the U.S. will be cost favorable within four years or less.
- 40 different departments at Walmart are in active discussions with suppliers to manufacture here.
For additional information about Walmart’s commitment to U.S. manufacturing, visit: corporate.walmart.com/us-manufacturing.
Posted January 23, 2014
Source: Walmart
Clariant’s New Cool Black Masterbatches Help Polypropylene Carpet Fibers Beat the Heat
CHARLOTTE — January 22, 2014 – Clariant, a world leader in Specialty Chemicals, today announced the introduction of black masterbatches specially formulated to reflect heat-generating near-infrared light rays so that carpeting stays cooler. Light in the visible spectrum is absorbed so that color development is comparable to that of standard pigments.
Tradenamed REMAFIN® Cool Black, the tailor-made masterbatches are intended to replace more conventional products that use carbon black pigments. Polypropylene (PP) carpet yarns made with new Cool Black masterbatches are ideal for carpeting used outdoors on decks or boats where the heat of the sun can make dark surfaces uncomfortable to walk on. The same technology can be applied in such textile applications as apparel and upholstery and in resins other than PP, including polyester and nylon.
REMAFIN Cool Black was developed at the Clariant facility in Dalton, Georgia, USA, which specializes in production of masterbatches that go into fiber-based end-products such as carpets and various types of textiles. The plant houses an application development lab with a pilot-scale fiber line so yarn samples produced in almost any color and new formulations can be tested. Here, Clariant engineers compared how yarn made with conventional carbon-black pigments performed against Cool Black formulations. Yarns made with Cool Black masterbatches remained about 10°C and about 20°F cooler than the control samples. Acceptable color saturation was achieved at 7% masterbatch loading, which was comparable to the loading used with the carbon black masterbatch. Details about the test results are available to interested customers.
“Black pigments that reflect the sun’s heat have been used in other applications,” says Peter Prusak, Head of Marketing – Clariant Masterbatches North America. “However, carpet fibers are so thin that pigments must be thoroughly dispersed or else agglomerates can create problems in the fiber spinning process. We believe this is the first time Cool Black technology has been available to producers of carpet fiber.”
Developed in the United States, REMAFIN Cool Black masterbatches are available globally through regional and local Clariant offices in more than 55 countries. Clariant Masterbatches has outstanding knowledge about adding color and functionality to synthetic fibers and can help create brilliant colorful solutions in carpets, clothing, automotive interiors, non-wovens and artificial turf. Additive masterbatches enhance durability, UV stability, flame retardancy, antibacterial and many other performance properties.
Posted January 23, 2014
Source: Clariant
Polartec Introduces Polartec® PowerWool™
Constructed as a bi-component knit with a polyester exterior and an itch-free merino wool interior, Polartec Power Wool keeps the skin dry through three complimentary mechanisms: higher breathability via wool’s movement of moisture in a vapor state, designed touch points on the interior to draw sweat away, and a broad surface area on the exterior for rapid drying. Polartec Power Wool is available in primary next-to-skin styles, form-fitting stretch styles, and patented High Efficiency grid styles which offer maximum breathability, compressibility and the highest warmth per fabric weight.
“Alone, wool and synthetics each have their own advantages and disadvantages, but together, with the right mix and construction, Polartec Power Wool maximizes the performance benefits of each,” says Allon Cohne, Polartec global marketing director.
Polartec® Power Wool™ will become available to consumers in the collections of some of the world’s leading apparel brands.
Posted January 23, 2014
Source: Polartec
T-ChIP™ Teams With SciVera, Program Available January 22
Elon, N.C.-based T-ChIP™ [Textile Chemical Information Profile] is a new chemical hazard and risk assessment program designed to assist textile and textile chemical manufacturers by providing the latest human and environmental toxicological data on commercial textile chemicals. T-ChIP also conducts verifiable hazard and risk assessments and provides manufacturers a hazard and risk profile for a product’s individual ingredients beyond information provided in a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The program is set to launch on January 22.
To provide clients with the most complete and reliable data, T-ChIP has partnered with Charlottesville, Va.-based SciVera LLC, creator of an extensive chemical toxicology database. SciVera will provide T-ChIP with the hazard assessment data for ingredients used in commercial textile chemicals.
“SciVera has created one of the most extensive and well respected chemical toxicology databases in the world,” said Dina Dunn, cofounder, T-ChIP. “Through our partnership with SciVera, we provide clients with cost-effective, reliable and thorough analyses using the very best and very latest information available. T-ChIP and SciVera do this work within a confidential framework that protects proprietary formulas and trade secrets, a service never before available in the textile industry.”
In order to protect intellectual property, chemical manufacturers can disclose a detailed list of ingredients found in their products using T-ChIP’s secure portal. T-ChIP then conducts a detailed analysis of those ingredients and generates a hazard/risk assessment report on a product for a client without revealing any proprietary formulation trade secrets.
“The launch of T-ChIP greatly simplifies the product chemical assessment process for the textile industry,” said Joseph Rinkevich, founder, SciVera. “In addition to providing an effective analytical and reporting function, T-ChIP is also a powerful chemical management tool. Each T-ChIP report provides textile manufacturers with a detailed understanding of the hazards and risks associated with their chemical compounds down to the component level, leading to safer processes at the facility and safer products for the market.”
According to T-ChIP, knowing more about the hazards and risks associated with using various textile chemicals can help a manufacturer manage chemicals responsibility, and in turn become a greener manufacturer that produces in a more sustainable manner. In addition, a detailed T-ChIP report allows manufacturers to share information with brands and retailers that are more commonly requiring chemical information from their suppliers.
January 21, 2014
