THS Constructors Awarded Contract For Fitesa Simpsonville Expansion

GREENVILLE, S. C.  – January 8, 2014 —  THS Constructors has been awarded and started construction of the multi-million dollar plant expansion for Fitesa Simpsonville, Inc. in Simpsonville, S.C. Fitesa has facilities in Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Sweden, Germany, Italy and China.

The awarded project consists of renovations and additions to Fitesa’s current production facility which manufactures nonwoven fabrics for hygiene, medical and industrial specialty applications. THS’s scope includes process infrastructure, overhead cranes, resin material handling, mechanical and electrical systems along with working closely with Fitesa to assist with overall coordination of the process equipment installation. The project commenced shortly after Christmas and is set for completion in the Fall of 2014.

Based in Greenville, THS Constructors is a general contractor that provides design-build, design-bid-build and construction management services to clients in the industrial, distribution, healthcare, office, research and development, institutional and retail markets. Its service area encompasses both Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia, and they also have an office in Atlanta, GA.

Posted January 9, 2014

Source: Fitesa Simpsonville

China Still Dominates World Cotton Market

Cotton plantings for 2014/15 will start in a few months in the northern hemisphere, which accounts for about 90% of world production. World area is expected to decline due mostly to the expected decline in China. In 2013/14, the Secretariat estimates that China’s cotton area is 4.6 million hectares, a decrease of 8% from 2012/13 and a further decline to 3.9 million hectares is expected for 2014/15. However, this may change as planting does not start until March, and on December 26, Xinhua News reporting on a rural work conference indicated that trial subsidies for cotton and soybeans may be part of China’s reforms for agriculture to be implemented next year.

Global cotton mill use is expected to continue growing in 2014/15, on the basis of continued recovery in global economic growth. However, a small gain in cotton prices could constrain the increase in demand for cotton, particularly if the price of polyester remains low.

While the divergence between cotton production and consumption is expected to narrow in 2014/15, there is still a significant global supply of cotton and stocks are growing. World stocks at the end of the current season are forecast to be 20 million tons, 56% of which will be in China. As of December 27, China’s reserve holds 11.8 million tons of cotton.

World trade is expected to decline in 2014/15 by 9% to 7.7 million tons, due in large part to the continuing decline of China’s imports. Although China’s production is expected to be lower in 2014/15, its consumption is also declining and its government currently holds enough stock for one-and-a-half years without any further imports or production.

The ICAC Secretariat sends their best wishes to all in the cotton and other natural fiber industries for the New Year.


* The price projection for 2013-14 is based on the ratio of ending stocks to mill use in the world-less-China in 2011-12 (estimate), 2013-13 (estimate), 2013-14 (projection), and on the ratio of Chinese net imports to world imports in 2012-13 (estimate) and 2013-14 (projection). The price projection is the mid-point of the 95% confidence interval: 81 cts/lb to 103 cts/lb.

Posted January 7, 2014

Source: ICAC

The Rupp Report: 2014 – The Dawn Of A New Age?

For some hundreds of years, the 14th year of a century has generated a fundamental change for the rest of the century. Some of these events still have an influence on the development of global history.
 
In 1714, George I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Elector of Hanover in what is today Germany, was crowned King of Great Britain and Ireland. With HRM Queen Elizabeth II, the family is still in charge.
 
The year 1814 was a memorable year for Europe: The battle of Paris in that year was one of the last battles of the Napoleonic Wars and provoked finally the first abdication of Napoleon and the start of a virtually new setup for Europe, which is still valid today.
 
The year 1914 saw the assassination of the heir apparent of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which led to World War I. The outcomes of this tragedy and World War II are still palpable today.
 
2014
And this year could be the dawn of a new age: fortunately, not through a military war as in the previous two centuries, but through other rules of the game, and probably another type of war: a commercial war. As Europe is still debating how to create a unified European Union and the future of its common currency, another country is gaining power in every sense of the word: the Middle Kingdom, or the People’s Republic of China.
 
Some years ago, China started a race to the top of almost everything: power, influence and market strength. As the Rupp Report has mentioned before, there is currently no crisis at all in China in view of a 0.5-percent lower growth rate, as the government has a very long-term strategy. This strategy sets China on a long trail — again — but this time, not with a fight, but with brain, people and perseverance. The achievements in the last 25 years are just staggering. Nobody can deny that these days, no political or economic decision can made without incorporating China. The reason for this absolute will to power is probably concealed deep in the past of the country:
 
Dark Past
Over the last few centuries, empires and kingdoms in Asia — India, Japan and China, for example — lost their power. The British Empire crushed the Indian subcontinent by sheer power and a lot of money given to the maharajas. China, on the other hand, was squeezed among international interests from different countries. The Boxer Rebellion is just one example, when the British Empire flooded China with opium and nearly the whole country was addicted to the drug. The rest is history. No one should forget that only more than a hundred years ago, a conference among European countries took place to consider one single question: how to divide China among them. It was the same procedure that had already happened in Africa. And after World War I, the winning Allies gave the ex-German territories in China to the Japanese, without asking the Chinese people. The outcome of this horrifying time is also well-known. All if this history still lingers in the heads of the Chinese population, and the country is still thinking back to its history, which explains quite a lot of the behavior of modern Chinese politicians.
 
Bright Present
China started to calm down politically after the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong. It was Deng Xiao Ping who opened the country a little for the first time in the late 1970s. In parallel with this opening, the education of Chinese people soared. Many Western people would be amazed at how much the Chinese know about European history. How much do Westerners know about China, with the exception of Mao? Probably not that much. It would be good and valuable for the Western Hemisphere if they knew more about China and its past in order to understand its journey to the top. And this journey seems to be unstoppable. Some years ago, the global networks were talking about things that happened mostly in the Western world. Today, China is in the news every day, whatever the reason may be — political, social and economic issues.
 
In the endeavor to replace the U.S. dollar as the leading and most important currency, China plays the major role. The internationalization and free convertibility of the renminbi is growing. The agreement of the BRIC states — Brazil, Russia, India and China — in 2012 regarding trade in local currencies underlines these activities.
 
For a few weeks now, it has been possible to execute clearings of renminbi in London. Experts estimate that already 17 percent of China’s external trade is executed in renminbi, which was unthinkable a few years ago. To further break the dominance of the U.S. dollar as the leading currency in the oil business, China is planning to establish future contracts in renminbi.
 
Strong Overall Power
Decades ago, it was said: “If the US gets a cold, the rest of the world has pneumonia.” Today, it is different: if China starts to chase any kind of resource or raw material, whether it be power, steel or cotton, the prices and the global system are shaken. Everybody remembers the cotton turmoil a few years ago, when raw cotton prices tripled due to the purchasing efforts of the Chinese government. At ITMA 2011 in Barcelona, Spain, one big cotton merchant said to the Rupp Report: “if I keep my cotton contracts, I lose US$20 million. If I break the contracts I can make US$80 million-plus.” Not an easy decision to take.
 
Almost every day, there is some nagging with China somewhere: and it is more than astonishing to see that the Western world still thinks that China is in the weaker position. No way! Europe, for example, is losing very much time and is still busy fighting internal struggles, while China as a unified nation thinks in very long terms. The ultimate goal is to become again a global power. The list of examples is very long.
 
Some people say China is still dependent on the United States because China is holding billions and billions in U.S. treasury bonds. The main reason is definitely not monetary policy, but the policy to have political power over the global financial system. And they got it. The current problems with the negotiations about the WTO are another example that China is holding all the aces of the game.
 
In his famous book “The Art of War,” written around 500 BCE, the ancient Chinese writer Sun Zi (Sun Tzu), a military general, strategist and philosopher, stated that one should only start a war from a position of strength and never from an inferior position. Through history, China has always been one nation with a strong will to hegemony and not a conglomerate of equal nations like Europe.
 
The global textile industry was the first sector to be tackled by China. Step by step, the Chinese have taken over all sectors of the industry, and China is the undisputed number-one player in all sectors of the entire textile chain. Most of the textile production chain has moved in the last 20 years to China. And — still having the ancient European behavior in their minds — the Chinese make no concession on their way to the top, either on the political or financial floor.
 
No Concession
ITMA Asia gives another example of Chinese behavior: After two successful shows in Singapore in 2001 and 2005, alternating with ITMA Europe, the Chinese took over ITMA Asia in a deal with CEMATEX, the European Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association and owner of the ITMA label. The goal and understanding of the European Textile Machinery people was to stop some other local exhibitions and to have one single important textile machinery show in Asia. The result: there is an ITMA Asia + CITME every two years, the Chinese are making the rules, and none of the local shows have been cancelled. Off the record, many people complain about these facts. Will something change?
 
The Challenge
The year 2014 will be very interesting: China is continuing with its power play politically and the outcome is fragile. It seems the Western world should start to get ready for the dawn of a new age, probably a Chinese age. And don’t forget: there will be another ITMA Asia + CITME in June 2014.
 
On Jan. 31, 2014, the year of the horse starts in the Chinese zodiac. The horse is said to be restless, always in search of new adventures. The year 2014 promises to be full of excitement and adventure. New projects should be executed now. However, the year of the horse can also hectic and be full of stress. Happy New Year!
 
January 7, 2014

Date And Location Confirmed For The INDA/EDANA OUTLOOK™ Latin America 2015 Nonwovens For Hygiene And Personal Care To Meet From The 3rd To The 5th Of March, In Sao Paulo, Brazil

BRUSSELS and CARY, N.C. — December 19,  2013 — The two global nonwovens associations, EDANA and INDA, today announced that the confirmed date and location for the first edition of OUTLOOK™ Latin America will be held on 3rd – 5th March 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  The conference is co-organized by both associations and with support from the Brazilian Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Association (ABINT).
 
OUTLOOK™ Latin America is part of EDANA’s Outreach programme that includes an extension to the reach of its established events to new markets, and offers a unique conference and networking event for the nonwovens personal care products industry. During the event, opportunities to promote your company and services will also be made available. “With both interest and investments across Latin America attracting strong interest from across the nonwovens supply chain, this event offers not only a unique opportunity for businesses to promote their presence, but also a must-attend chance to meet and speak with the local and global personal care and hygiene nonwovens industry.” said Pierre Wiertz, General Manager of EDANA.
 
“We are delighted to partner with EDANA to reach beyond traditional markets and organize a world-class event in the southern half of our hemisphere.  Latin American producers of nonwoven products in Personal Care represent a growing element of our membership, with several companies operating in both North and South America.  This jointly organized event fulfils objectives of both associations in a single event, and highlights the importance of this growing and dynamic market,” said Dave Rousse, INDA President.
 
With a focus on providing opportunities for their member companies and local businesses, the focus of the conference and event will be to ensure the sustainable development of the nonwovens and related industries.
 
The OUTLOOK™ conference series is directly aimed at the producers and converters of nonwoven materials and their related industries for personal care products and wipes.  With 11 editions in Europe and its first edition in Asia Pacific in 2013, the series has attracted more than 4,000 participants from across the globe.

Posted January 7, 2014

Source: INDA

SURTEX® Announces designext® 2014 Judges

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — January 7, 2014 — SURTEX® announces the judges for the 2014 International Student Design Competition, designext®, that honors outstanding art & design students for exceptional surface design work.

The judges will convene on February 3rd and 4th to view and score more than 100 entries from well-known design schools around the world.  Four winners will be selected and invited to display their work at SURTEX, from May 18-20 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City.  Each winner will have his/her portfolio professionally critiqued by the experts, and be invited to participate in show events to round out their educational experience. One Grand Prize Winner will be named and awarded a $1000 cash award.

designext® has a history of judges that are well respected in the art and design community.  This year’s expert judging panel includes:

  • Dorothy Cosonas, Creative Director of Knoll Textiles and Knoll Luxe; recipient of the best of NeoCon Gold awards for KnollTextiles upholstery collections in 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2012, as well as for her textile collaborations with fashion designer Rodarte (2010) and SUNO (2013).
  • David Laubach, Director of Design, Avanti Press, Inc.; directs New York and Detroit Avanti creative teams for all product development, merchandising, licensing and advertising.
  • Bonnie Mackay, Principal at BMackay Consulting, recent Director of Creative & Marketing at MoMA, (Museum of Modern Art); directed and developed the MoMA Retail rebranding of the catalog, website, packaging, advertising, store redesign and in-store renovations.
  • Susanne Martinez, VP, Design and Product Development, SFERRA Fine Linens; duties extend beyond product development and offerings – head of the company’s design team, in charge of all product offerings.

“Having your work critiqued by some of the best and top professionals in the industry is a major plus for these students. The experience and feedback they will receive at SURTEX is invaluable,” says Penny Sikalis, GLM Vice President and SURTEX show manager.  

In its 28th edition, this year’s competition theme will be “STREET INSPIRATION”. Participating students are being asked to submit original surface designs inspired by what they think will be “street influences” in the year 2020. Submissions are to include a collection of six surface designs for one of the following categories: WEAR, WORK, LIVE and PLAY.  

For moredesignextcompetition details or information on judges, please visit www.surtex.com or contact Michelle Daniels at mdaniels@glmmarkets.com or 914-421-3216.

Posted January 7, 2014

Source: SURTEX

Zimmer Austria Installs COLARIS-NF Line At Skytex, Introduces CombiPRINT-PP7

Austria-based textile and carpet finishing machinery supplier J. Zimmer Maschinenbau GmbH (Zimmer Austria) reports its has installed a complete COLARIS-NF continuous printing line for narrow fabrics at Skytex Mexico S.A. de C.V., a Mexico-based producer of tapes and ribbons for home fashion, garments and rugs, among other applications.
 
Skytex previously produced solid-color ribbons in-house and imported printed ribbons to sell in mass markets. With the new COLARIS-NF continuous printing line, Skytex now is able to produce printed ribbons in-house and bring them to market as fast as it does its solid color ribbons, eliminating lead times.
 
Zimmer reports it completed installation of the Colaris-NF in less than two weeks, and that the printing line is the first of its kind. Features include: unwinding of two spools; positive feed-in tension control for two ribbons; inline pretreatment system for special applications; infrared dryer after the pretreatment; Colaris-NF digital printing system; twin cylinder thermofixation; wash boxes; final drying cylinder; and exit X&Y axis rewinder for two ribbons.
 
In other company news, Zimmer Austria has teamed with SeattleChem LLC — a Seattle-based provider of advanced specialty chemical technologies including textile printing and machinery, and polymers — to develop CombiPRINT-PP7, an oil-free powder thickener system for use with carpet and textile printing technologies.
 
The companies report the system offers advantages over oil-based thickeners including: excellent print definition and penetration with unmatched color yield; high performance and thickening properties; a simple cleaning and drying process; an environmentally friendly, non-toxic and non-hazardous process; compatibility with ChromoJET and screen printing; and cost efficiency, as it typically does not require additional chemicals such as penetration agents, foaming agents, antifoam and acid donors.
 
CombiPRINT-PP7 system is compatible with all dyes used for carpet printing, including those for nylon, wool, acrylic, polyester and cationic polyester.
 
January 7, 2014
 

APDN Completes Large-Scale Trial Of SigNature T To Protect Cotton

Stony Brook, N.Y.-based Applied DNA Sciences Inc. (APDN) — a provider of DNA encrypted and embedded anti-counterfeiting technology and authentication solutions — announces it has successfully completed a large-scale trial of its SigNature T® anti-counterfeiting platform. The trial involved using the technology to mark international cotton crops to protect them from counterfeiting and dilution.
 
SigNature T uses APDN’s botanically derived SigNature DNA markers to mark and authenticate fibers, yarn, fabric, garments and labels at any point along the supply chain, from distributor to retailer to consumer (see “APDN Launches SigNature T Anti-Counterfeiting Technology For Textiles,” TextileWorld.com, Dec. 17, 2013).
 
APDN conducted the trial with a globally well-respected textile organization at an undisclosed location on foreign soil. SigNature DNA was applied to five tons of the finest extra-long-staple (ELS) cotton, and according to APDN, its scientists were able to identify the difference between authentic and counterfeit in every test at each major step of the cotton logistics chain, from ginning through finished product. In addition, the APDN mark on the cotton withstood aggressive processing, industrial washing and other harsh treatments and stresses.

“We believe that the great success of this trial shows that the APDN anti-counterfeiting platform for textiles will be the worldwide gold standard for brand identity assurance in textiles,” said APDN CEO and President James Hayward, Ph.D. “APDN can now mark massive volumes of product, on both American and foreign soils, and assure integrity of the textile supply chain at an unprecedented level.”
 
This is the second such use of the company’s SigNature T platform for textiles and apparel. APDN has teamed with Supima — the Phoenix-based nonprofit trade association of American Pima cotton growers — to mark, identify and protect 100-percent U.S.-grown American Pima or ELS cotton from counterfeiting and blending. Work began in November 2013 to mark nearly 50 million kilograms of cotton at a major cotton grower and is expected to continue through February 2014.
 
January 7, 2014

Shaw Industries to Exit Area Rug Business Converting Ringgold, Ga., facility to Luxury Vinyl Tile Manufacturing

DALTON, Ga. — January 6, 2014 — Shaw Industries announced today that it is exiting the area rug business and will convert the current Ringgold, Ga. rug facility into a new state-of-the-art luxury vinyl tile (LVT) manufacturing facility.  

“The economics of the rug business today simply do not allow for future growth or encourage further investment,” according to Vance Bell, Chairman and CEO. “We have been intentional about exiting this business at a time when more opportunities exist for our associates.”  

The vast majority of the 400 associates employed by the Shaw Living Rug Division will have opportunities at other locations in the company. Customers will be serviced through a transition period.  

LVT is the fastest growing category in the flooring market today. Shaw has been participating in this market for three years, but up until this point has not manufactured LVT. In repurposing the current facility to a new LVT manufacturing site, Shaw will be able to shorten the timeframe to begin manufacturing the product, utilize an existing facility, and keep jobs in the Ringgold area.  

“We will continue to invest in businesses where we see future growth and opportunities,” continued Bell. “Over the past few years, we have developed a significant business and market-leading position in the LVT flooring category. This new facility will provide domestic manufacturing for a portion of our product line, allowing us to further enhance our product development, service, and overall customer satisfaction.”

Shaw plans to invest over $100 million in its new LVT manufacturing facility and when complete, the investment is expected to generate 200 new jobs in the Ringgold, Ga. area. This investment follows $250 million in other recent expansion announcements by Shaw in carpet tile, hardwood flooring, yarn extrusion, and distribution. 

Posted January 7, 2014

Source: Shaw Industries

NSA Introduces TrueComfort™ FR Knit Shirt Collection

National Safety Apparel (NSA) — a Cleveland-based manufacturer of industrial protective apparel — has introduced the TrueComfort™ FR Knit Shirt Collection of lightweight knit shirts offering flash-fire and arc-flash protection.
 
The shirts are made from a 5.5-ounce 100-percent cotton FR fabric and meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2112: Standard on Flame-resistant Garments for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Flash Fire and NFPA 70E®: Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace® requirements.
 
Styles in the TrueComfort™ FR Knit Shirt Collection include Henleys, polos, mock turtlenecks, long turtlenecks, and long-sleeve T-shirts, as well as custom options; and colors include navy, grey, khaki and orange.
 
January 7, 2014

Colombiatex Of The Americas 2014 Invites You To Act

MEDELLIN, Colombia — December 13, 2013 — From January 21 to 23, 2014, the twenty-sixth edition of Colombiatex of the Americas will be held in Plaza Mayor Medellín.  It is expected to generate business opportunities for more than USD 150 million, thanks to the consolidation of the Fair as the starting point of the businesses for the year and the support of the Office of the Mayor of Medellín, Proexport and important allies, who — each year — are committed to this comercial space.

This time, we will have 9,600 m2of comercial exhibitions, where nearly 1,750 international buyers from 28 countries, 8,400 national buyers and more than 500 exhibitors from countries, such as Colombia, India, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, Ecuador, Peru, Singapore, Italy, the United States, Turkey, and Portugal, among others, will gather.

“This year in Inexmoda, we are inviting entrepreneurs to go Beyond Limits, as we are aware that it is time to act, to seek alternatives to reach consumers in surprising ways.  We must understand that the shopping experience goes beyond choosing and paying; now there are more benefits and added values involved to maximize their initiatives.  It is giving users a voice, listening to them and allowing them to participate in the construction of the brand to meet the objectives proposed,” stated Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, Executive President of Inexmoda, in referring to the call Inexmoda is making to the industry in 2014.

This Fair, organized by Inexmoda, is the leading textile, supply, machinery and chemical sample for clothing and home in Latin America, characterized by opening the business agenda on the continent and being the place where supply and demand meet in all the segments of the business and for all the universe of cloth.

One of the guests at Colombiatex de las Américas 2014 will be the Pacific Alliance (Alianza del Pacífico).  “Together with Mexico, Peru and Chile, Colombia is working on an agreement that positions these countries as a block in the global market, leveraging the competitive advantages that each one of the members offers and approaching the markets with which free-trade agreements exist.  These allies aim to have a greater connection to negotiate among themselves and unite to develop projects to other countries,” added Carlos Eduardo Botero Hoyos, Executive President of Inexmoda.

Likewise, to encourage the business in the Fair, the National Business Encounter will be held, in which nearly 15 domestic buyers, invited by the Medellín City Cluster — a project led by the Office of the Mayor of Medellín in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of Medellín for Antioquia — will have the opportunity to boost domestic consumption through previously scheduled appointments with Fair exhibitors.  This is a dynamic stage to boost businesses of the sector companies to a national scale.

The Fair will once again honor the relevant role of Jeans for the industry, making it the undisputed protagonist with Denim Review, the space that brings together the national and international companies that are innovation leaders in this category.  In its fourth edition, it will be located in the Plaza Cultural and present unique experiences around the world of Denim.  One of the most outstanding speakers is “Denim Lovers,” an association of companies that share their love for indigo, presenting elements under one roof that print a particular language on a garment.

For the second year in a row, Inexmoda is inviting participants to celebrate Denim Day on January 22, by wearing their best denim clothes.  At night, a blue atmosphere will cloak the closing of Colombiatex with Blue Night, where, together with Don Juan, Fábrica de Licores de Antioquia, Diegeo and Campari, attendees will enjoy an atmosphere of fashion and creativity.

The academic quota will be provided by the Inexmoda — UPB Knowledge Pavilion, a no — cost space where more than 15,000 attending participants and those who wish to do so online, via streaming, are updated on topics from the textile industry, experiences in diverse markets and technological innovation.  The ingredient of trends will be in the Textile and Raw Material Forum, the arrival point at the Fair, located in the Green Pavilion Entrance Hall.  This is a space to get close to the color harmonies of the Spring-Summer 2014 season and see the fashion concepts.

The important novelty this year is Fash.Mob — Industry for Creativity, which will be found in the Plazoleta of the Fair.  It is a social, outdoor space that associates the industry and creativity.  In this urban plaza, fashion in an unstructured form will show the many uses of textiles and how they transcend to the final product, through stagings held throughout the day.Under the concept Beyond Limits, Inexmoda is inviting Fashion System entrepreneurs who participate in Colombiatex of the Americas 2014 to share their knowledge, to join forces, to be amazed and to act.  The date is January 21, 22 and 23, 2014, in Plaza Mayor Medellín.

Posted January 6, 2014

Source: Colombiatex de las Americas 2014

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