Rock Hill Distribution LLC, Greenville, has been established to represent Germany-based large-format, computer-controlled flatbed cutter manufacturer ARISTO Graphic Systeme GmbH & Co. KG in the United States.
Rock Hill Distribution will supply Aristo’s precision cutting solutions, which are used in the textile, apparel, upholstery, digital graphics, packaging and gasket manufacturing industries.
“We’re excited to serve as the U.S. provider of ARISTO’s award-winning precision cutting solutions,” said Kevin Grabiec, president, Rock Hill Distribution. “We understand the unique capabilities of our manufacturing partners, and will utilize ARISTO’s innovative technologies to develop customized workflow solutions that will improve the way our customers do business.”
April 8, 2014
Rock Hill Distribution Represents ARISTO In The United States
NCTO Elects Officers During 11th Annual Meeting Held In Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 8, 2014 — James C. Self III, President and COO of Greenwood Mills, located in Greenwood, SC was elected to serve as Chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations during the group’s 11th Annual Meeting held at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC March 25-27.
James C. Self III was named President of Greenwood Mills in 2005. He is the first member of the Self family to lead the privately held company since 1997. Self joined Greenwood Mills in 1991 and has held several management positions during his career both in the United States and abroad with responsibilities for purchasing, production planning, sales and manufacturing. He is a graduate of Clemson University and holds an MBA from the University of South Carolina.
Jeffrey Price, President of the Specialty Fabrics Division of Milliken & Company, located in Spartanburg, SC, was elected as Vice Chairman of NCTO.
Elected to the NCTO Board of Directors during the various Council meetings were the following:
- Fiber Council — Bill McCrary of William Barnet & Son (Chair); John Freeman of Nan Ya Plastics America; and Mark Ruday of DAK Americas
- Yarn Council — Kenny Goodman of Richmond Specialty Yarn (Chair); John Bakane of Frontier Spinning Mills; James Chesnutt of National Spinning Co.; Peter Iliopoulos of Gildan Activewear; William Jasper of UNIFI.; and Anderson Warlick of Parkdale Mills
- Fabric and Home Furnishings Council — David Hastings of Mount Vernon Mills (Chair); Norman Chapman of Inman Mills; Monte Galbraith of Denim North America; Joe Gorga of ITG; Kathie Leonard of Auburn Manufacturing; and Jeffrey Price of Milliken & Company
- Industry Support Council — Ludovic Petrois of Staubli (Chair), Joni Davis of Duke Energy, and Bob Sage of Saurer Inc.
Jasper’s last order of business as Chairman was to announce appointments to the following offices of NCTO: President and CEO — Augustine Tantillo, NCTO; Secretary — Mike Hubbard, NCTO; and Treasurer — Robin Haynes, NCTO.
Posted April 8, 2014
Source: NCTO
ITMF-ICCTM: HVI Guidelines Updated
ZURICH, Switzerland — April 8, 2014 — The ITMF International Committee on Cotton Testing Methods (ICCTM) approved updates to the Guidelines for Standardized Instrument Testing of Cotton during its meeting in Bremen/ Germany on March 18, 2014. The Guidelines are a joint effort by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) Task Force on Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC) and the ICCTM.
The Guidelines provide specific instructions on the conditioning of cotton samples, operation of instruments and instrument testing laboratories and the handling of data in the evaluation of the quality of cotton fiber. The purpose of the Guidelines are to assure standardized testing procedures so as to ensure results that are accurate, precise and repeatable and are thus useable by the cotton and cotton textile value chains in both the marketing and use of cotton fiber.
The major changes approved at the ICCTM meeting in Bremen included updates to the basic ASTM reference documents, a recommendation that climate data in each laboratory be averaged over a 5 to15 minute interval, cautionary guidance in the use of rapid conditioning equipment, requirements for the continuous identification of samples handled within laboratories, requirements regarding calibration material, information on within-instrument and inter-instrument variations, information about participation in CSITC Round Trials and recommendations regarding the handling of data by laboratories.
The Guidelines are available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Copies are available at www.itmf.org and www.csitc.org.
Posted April 8, 2014
Source: ITMF
Sigmatex Adds Equipment, Employees At Runcorn, UK, Facility
Sigmatex Group — a United-Kingdom-based manufacturer of carbon fiber textiles for composite material applications — is investing 2.8 million euros to add equipment and employees at its Runcorn, UK, site.
The investment includes an additional state-of-the-art Liba Multiaxial line; a Meyer Powder Coating line featuring infrared heating and a belt press; and a number of new Dornier looms, research and development looms and Open Reed Weaving technology with multiaxial weaving capabilities.
The company reports it also will increase its workforce at the facility by more than 20 percent. Production is expected to come on-line in the second quarter of 2014.
“Through the commitment of the board, the considerable efforts of the workforce, Sigmatex will continue to lead material innovation within the composites market through textile and operational excellence,” said Ian Marchant, general manager, Sigmatex.
Sigmatex manufactures spread tow, 2-D woven, unidirectional, non-crimp multiaxial and 3-D textiles and recycled fabrics. In addition to its Runcorn site, the company has operations in Rochdale, UK, Benicia, Calif., and Shanghai.
April 8, 2014
TSG Finishing Launches QuickFinish Program
North Wales, Pa.-based commission fabric finisher TSG Finishing LLC has introduced QuickFinish, a program to offer fabric mills, designers and manufacturers fast service for its stain-repellent and backing treatments.
Under the QuickFinish program, TSG will ship out goods it receives before noon in two days for stain repellent and in three days for stain repellent and backing combination.
“Lead times are tight and many orders depend on how fast the customers can get their products,” said Bud Styles, director of sales, TSG. “Our customers need a fast option on basic finishes, and we are answering that need.”
Styles said the company will add more processes to the QuickFinish program as demand increases.
April 8, 2014
Bolger & O’Hearn Launches Formaldehyde- And APEO-Free Binder
Fall River, Mass.-based specialty chemicals producer Bolger & O’Hearn Inc. has introduced Altoma Binder 10580, an eco-friendly formaldehyde-free and alkylphenol ethoxylate (APEO)-free print and finish binder for textile and nonwoven substrates. The company reports the product offers good fastness properties and mechanical stability while retaining a soft hand, enabling it to be used in printing, finishing and coatings.
April 8, 2014
ICAC: Negative Impact Expected from Chinese Policy and Polyester
WASHINGTON — April 1, 2014 — The uncertainty on how China will handle its large reserves next season and the significant gap between polyester and cotton prices does not bode well for cotton consumption in China and, by extension, countries that have heavily exported cotton to China in recent seasons.
In 2013/14, the Cotlook A Index has averaged 90 cents per pound while polyester in China averaged 73. However, in March 2014, the price of polyester in China dropped below 70 cents per pound, to about 66 cents, while the Cotlook A Index has averaged about 97 cents. Given the substantial cost difference, cotton’s share of the market is expected to continue its decline this season. However, consumption in absolute terms is expected to rise by 1% to 23.6 million tons in 2013/14 and by 3% to 24.3 million tons in 2014/15 as a result of the recovery of the world economy and growth in world population. Although cotton mill use in China is expected to decline this season to 7.9 million tons from 8.3 million tons in 2012/13, it will still be the largest consumer in 2013/14.
Earlier this year, the Chinese government announced that it would end its reserve policy, and test a target price policy in Xinjiang. In 2013/14, the government bought approximately 6.3 million tons of cotton, 42% of which came from Xinjiang, and sold about 930,000 tons. However, sales are expected to increase as Beijing Cotlook reports that the Chinese government will lower the starting auction price from 18,000 Yuan per ton to 17250 yuan and will allow spinners to purchase one bale of import reserve for every 3 bales purchased from Xinjiang warehouses. The Secretariat does not anticipate that reserve sales in 2013/14 will exceed 3.7 million tons, which is the volume of sales made in 2012/13. The Secretariat estimates that the Chinese government currently holds 12.8 million tons in the reserve. Total ending stocks for China (including private sector holdings) are expected to be 11.5 million in 2013/14, which account for 58% of world ending stocks.
Please click table to view larger
Posted April 8, 2014
Source: ICAC
Composites Germany Joins The EuCIA
FRANKFURT — April 7, 2014 — Composites Germany, the trade association founded in 2013, has replaced the AVK — Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. (Federation of Reinforced Plastics) as a member of the EuCIA (European Composites Industry Association).
Through its membership of the EuCIA, Composites Germany will be able to represent the interests of the German composites industry even more broadly at the European level. Importantly, it also provides European representation for German companies operating in the area of high performance composites/CRP via the EuCIA.
Dr. Elmar Witten, Managing Director of the AVK and Spokesman for the Management of Composites Germany will retain his position on the board of the EuCIA. Composites Germany was founded by four major organisations in the German fibre reinforced composites industry: AVK — Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. (Federation of Reinforced Plastics), Carbon Composites e. V. (CCeV), CFK-Valley Stade e. V. (CFK-Valley) and Forum Composite Technology in the VDMA (VDMA). With a total of over 750 member companies in these four organisations, Composites Germany is the largest national association under the European umbrella of the EuCIA.
The EuCIA is the umbrella association of the European composites industry representing the national composites associations and their member companies in Europe.
Posted April 7, 2014
Source: AVK-TV GmbH
Yazoo Mills Increases Production Capacity
NEW OXFORD, Pa. — April 1, 2014 — Over the past few years, the increase in demand for Yazoo’s products has pushed their manufacturing lines to full capacity. With this high increase in demand for paper tubes and cores, Yazoo Mills is expanding production capacity by adding two additional winding lines. The addition will increase their total winding lines to 12, which is the largest number of winding lines under one roof in the United States.
The addition of the two new lines will create more scheduling flexibility, add production capacity, and will assist the company to enhance efficiency with processing more orders. Yazoo Mills is nationally recognized for their swift turnaround time and this additional capacity will guarantee its customers will continue to receive this level of service. The delivery and implementation of the two new winding lines is expected by June 2014.
Posted April 7, 2014
Source: Yazoo Mills
Lenzing AG Appoints Thomas Riegler To The Position Of Chief Financial Officer
LENZING, Austria — April 7, 2014 — The Supervisory Board of Lenzing AG appointed Thomas Riegler (44) to serve as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer for a period of three years effective June 1, 2014.
Born in Graz, Thomas Riegler studied business administration and has accumulated more than 20 years of professional experience in the field of financial management. He worked for Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and held top international management positions in the Daimler Group. For example, he contributed his expertise to the restructuring of Chrysler, and served as CFO of Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg N.V. Subsequently he spent three years as the CFO of the publicly listed company Centrotherm Photovoltaics AG, and most recently as CFO and Commercial Director of Spheros Holding GmbH.
Thomas Riegler has excellent contacts to international banks and financial institutions, and boasts capital market expertise along with experience with companies undergoing a phase of transformation, operational and strategic reorientation or restructuring.
As a consequence, the Management Board of Lenzing AG will consist of four members as of June 1, 2014: Peter Untersperger (Chairman of the Management Board, CEO), Friedrich Weninger (Member of the Management Board, COO), Robert van de Kerkhof (Member of the Management Board, CCO) and Thomas Riegler (Member of the Management Board, CFO).
Posted April 7, 2014
Source: Lenzing
