HANNOVER, Germany — April 4, 2024 — As the international platform for carpets and floor coverings in the Middle East and MENA region, DOMOTEX Middle East will bring together top-class exhibitors such as Solomon Carpets, Al Abdullatif, Farrahi Carpets, Royal Gold, Almas Kavir Carpet, Indian art Gallery, Standard Carpets, Card Monroe, Extraweave, Dodhia Synthetics Limited, Heritage Carpet and many more under one roof from 23 to 25 April.
“DOMOTEX Middle East offers the industry an important platform in the region to discover new products, exchange ideas with like-minded people and actively shape the future of the flooring industry. We are expecting a successful event”, says Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director of DOMOTEX at Deutsche Messe AG.
With their innovative products, DOMOTEX exhibitors reflect the vibrant spirit of the industry. Oriental Weavers, one of the world’s largest carpet manufacturers, will be presenting a selection of highlights, including unique woven broadloom products, new indoor and outdoor collections and high-quality machine-made carpets that imitate the look of handmade carpets. The world leader will also introduce a new dyeing concept and address the issue of sustainability with products made from natural materials. “We are looking forward to being part of DOMOTEX Middle East in April. It is the perfect opportunity to showcase our latest innovations and highlights to the GCC and Middle East market,” reveals Yasmine Khamis, Chairman of Oriental Weavers Group.
Caglar Kepekci, Managing Director of Merinos, is also looking forward to the upcoming event and has announced the presentation of exclusive carpet and rug collections “specially developed for the Middle East market”.
Handmade Persian carpets are sought after around the world for their intricate patterns and high quality. Azim Silk Carpet Trading presents a very special specimen in terms of size and craftsmanship: One of the 600m² carpets from the Tabriz Premium Silk Warp collection. This is the largest carpet ever exhibited at DOMOTEX.
Originally handmade by Baluch nomads on the border of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iranian company Zartosht is bringing the beauty of traditional patterns to the masses for the first time. With the machine-made collection, the manufacturer is sharing the rich tradition of the Baluchestan province with DOMOTEX visitors and customers around the world.
In addition to sustainable textile machinery, the Swiss manufacturer Oerlikon will present a new bi-component BCF yarn for carpet production at the ATAG Export & Import stand. This innovative yarn offers higher volume with significantly reduced raw material consumption.
From 23 to 25 April visitors to DOMOTEX Middle East can find out what other new products and global highlights will be on show at the DWTC.
BRIXEN, Italy — April 4, 2024 — Atelie Demetriades, Vanguard Europe’s first customer in Cyprus, has invested in the VR6D-HS digital flatbed to embrace a new era of printing technology at its factory. The company is located in modern well-equipped 1,600 sq/meter facilities at the industrial area Tseri in the center of three towns Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol. With live printing under way at its factory, Atelie Demetriades is now gearing up to enter new markets and expand its €1million turnover by more than a third in the next two years.
Glass providers, hoteliers and retailers will all be targeted by Atelie Demetriades, an established sign-making business that has used roll-to-roll digital printing mostly in the past. Vanguard Europe’s VR6D-HS now offers industrial-scale flatbed production that will expand Atelie Demetriades operations, with new applications now possible on virtually any hard surface.
The VR6D-HS for Atelie Demetriades was supplied through LinoGroup S.A, Vanguard Europe’s distributor in Greece and Cyprus. Features include environmentally friendly LED curing technology, static eliminating ionization bars, 4 vacuum zones, 5-10-15 picoliter drop size, a 1.27m x 2.52m print area and CMYK, white, varnish and embossing options.
Demetri Demetriades, General Manager and Co-owner of the business, said: “We expect to increase turnover by 25-35% in the next two years. Imagine the possibilities for our customers. From custom doors to stunning glass décor and beyond, we’re ready to bring the vision to life. We’ve embraced a new era of printing technology with the VR6D-HS that enables us to print on any hard surface – examples include wood, glass and metal – with vibrant CMYK, white, varnish and 3D embossing options.
“The VR6D-HS is a serious machine. We looked at several manufacturers, but Vanguard was a clear front-runner with its amazing technology and with a price comparison very favorable to competitors. In addition, Vanguard Europe also provides full back-up support and service. It has a good reputation, particularly as it is associated with the Durst Group, which for many years has had an established reputation in the market. We also really like the new design.”
Yiannis Apostolidis, Vanguard Europe’s Business Development Director, said: “In addition to our delight with this first installation in Cyprus, we are proud to be playing an important part in Atelie Demetriades’ environmental and expansions success story. Working closely with customers and partners such as LinoGroup, our mission is to grow business profitably together and provide new business opportunities. Our VR6D-HS is part of a growing portfolio of machines that are incredibly versatility, reliable and productive. And we take heart from the fantastic feedback we received to our important presence at FESPA Global 2024 last month, as we continue to move into new markets such as Cyprus.”
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — April 4, 2024 — Relevant industry trends, pioneering research milestones, new technologies and solutions for the major challenges of our time: with their high-calibre stages, Techtextil and Texprocess are once again making a name for themselves as indispensable knowledge and networking hubs. The two international innovation trade fairs take place together in Frankfurt am Main from 23 to 26 April 2024.
How is AI helping the textile industry? What is happening in recycling and the circular economy? And which innovations have what it takes to be game changers? From sustainability to digitalisation, these are the major and, above all, urgent topics that the leading trade fairs Techtextil and Texprocess address with their selected content programme: In 2024, the Techtextil and Texprocess Forums will once again stand for excellent quality content, speakers and networking, making them valuable platforms for knowledge transfer, professional exchange and business initiation.
Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Jean-Luc Valentin
From AI to circularity: Techtextil Forum takes an innovative approach to the textile future
Digitalisation, sustainability, supply chains, alternative materials, process optimisation and the circular economy: what are the latest research findings, technologies and innovations? And what trends and solutions are driving the global textile industry? Renowned experts will discuss these topics in the Techtextil Forum (Hall 9.1, E70), which will offer around 50 presentations and discussion panels over four days. Ricardo Vega Ayora (ITA Academy, Aachen), for example, will show how artificial intelligence can be used specifically for energy optimisation.
Sophia Merve Ince and Dr Recep Karadağ from Anatolian Colours will report on their particular breakthrough in organic dyes. Textile solutions for the future will be presented by moderator Dr. Jan Laperre (Centexbel) and Lea Zimmermann (DITF). They will discuss the vital role that textiles can play in the context of climate change and highlight a current research project on energy-free, self-cooling textiles.
A strong thematic focus of the Techtextil Forum is on the field of recycling. Johannes Leis (Saxon Textile Research Institute) and Robin Oddon (Techtera), among others, will share their findings on the development of closed-loop processes for the management of composite waste and waste materials. Lorenza Gardella (XLANCE), on the other hand, will demonstrate the recycling possibilities that polyolefin-based elastic fibres open up for new textiles.
Photo: Messe Frankfurt / Pietro Sutera
Texprocess Forum and Denim Talks tackle the hot topics of the industry
The Texprocess Forum in Hall 9.0, B88 will focus on sustainable solutions and technologies for the future. One of the strong content partners is the German Engineering Federation (VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather), which will also start its guided tours of the fair on the topics of digitalisation and AI from here. On stage in the Econogy Talk, co-hosted by VDMA, Federica Giachetti (Morgan Tecnica), Michael McDonald (SPESA) and Günter Veit (VEIT Group) will discuss how sustainability can be implemented with the help of technological innovations.
Another must-have at Texprocess are the Denim Talks in Hall 8.0, D20. With current topics and discussions, industry experts invite to experience the future of the denim industry in a new way. Visitors will gain insights into circular strategies and new processing technologies and meet innovative suppliers and players. The range of topics includes sustainable approaches to washing, destroying, bleaching, lasering, dyeing, recycling, upcycling and customising. Among others, Abdul Jabbar Athar (US Apparel & Textiles) will talk about “Denim Sustainbility – A Nexus Approach” and Enrico Cartabbia (MACPI Americas), who will present the latest innovations for denim finishing.
Highlights: Innovation Awards & Young Professional Friday
With their strong stages, Techtextil and Texprocess cover the relevant topics of the industry. In addition to the specific trade fair themes, the two forums also offer a number of special events: Cross-industry highlights include the festive presentation of the Techtextil and Texprocess Innovation Awards 2024 on the Texprocess stage on 23 April at 12:30 pm.
To mark the twentieth anniversary of Techtextil, all exhibitors who took part in the first Techtextil in 1986 will be honoured on 24 April at 09:00. Another crowd-puller is the Young Professionals Friday on the last day of the trade fair, when both industry platforms will focus on the next generation.
The Techtextil and Texprocess Forums are also the starting point for numerous guided tours, such as the Econogy Tours to exciting companies with sustainable products. Exhibitors and visitors can also conveniently plan their personal knowledge programme on the move using the Techtextil and Texprocess Navigator apps.
SEATTLE, Wash. — April 4, 2024 — In accordance with California’s Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes law (AB 818), state wastewater agencies and industry experts went deep to find out exactly what is passing through—and clogging up—municipal wastewater systems. Today, the Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) alongside the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) and the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) release the results from the largest known domestic sewage collection study conducted to reveal what’s really being flushed down the drain – and shouldn’t be.
“We took a forensic approach to this collection study, engaging industry and wastewater experts to examine our findings and determine what exactly is being flushed and how much of it,” said Adam Link, Executive Director at CASA, a co-sponsor of the Proper Labeling of Wet Wipes Law. “Now that we have the data to see what Californians are flushing and the types of non-flushable items that are causing issues within wastewater systems, local agencies can refine their public outreach and messaging to target specific problems and educate more efficiently.”
Collection and material investigation took place in October 2023 at two locations: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) in Southern California and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) in the greater San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. Wastewater and wipes experts collected, sorted and identified more than 1,700 items pulled from the two locations during peak flow times. Kennedy Jenks, an independent engineering firm, designed the study and compiled the findings into the report.
Why Study What’s Being Flushed?
When products that aren’t meant to be flushed down the toilet wind up in the sewer system, it can cause serious threats to public and environmental health. In fact, estimates show that local public agencies throughout California (and the ratepayers they represent) are spending more than $47 million annually to repair wastewater treatment equipment and respond to sewer overflows caused by improper flushing.1
“Part of keeping communities healthy requires not flushing things we shouldn’t,” said Lara Wyss, President of the RFA. “However, the data to support which non-flushable items to target as part of education campaigns has been lacking. That’s likely why when we surveyed Californians about what they are flushing, the results revealed that approximately 25% think baby wipes are flushable (which is never true) and 60% self-reported that they flushed something they knew they shouldn’t have.2 Our study results reinforce that finding, as more than 99% of materials collected were items that shouldn’t have been flushed.”
So, What’s Being Flushed? And What Does That Tell Us?
The breakdown of items collected from pipes at the two study locations included:
34.1% wipes labeled with the “Do Not Flush” symbol (baby wipes, cleaning wipes, makeup wipes, etc.)
64.9% other non-flushable items (paper towels, period products, trash, etc.)
0.9% wipes labeled as flushable
“We pulled material larger than 1-inch square directly from the bar screens, and it wasn’t until everything was sorted and identified that we could see what we actually had,” said Matt O’Sickey, Director of Education and Technical Affairs, INDA. “There were a lot of paper towels and baby wipes and all of the ‘Do Not Flush’ labeled wipes we collected were fully intact, showcasing why they should never be flushed.”
What Not to Flush—and How We Tell Consumers
According to the Proper Wet Wipes Labeling law, manufacturers of non-flushable wipes, including products such as baby wipes, cleaning wipes, makeup removal wipes and many others that are primarily used in a bathroom setting must include the “Do Not Flush” symbol on the front of the packaging.
The #FlushSmart consumer education campaign promotes the “Do Not Flush” symbol and provides information on what should and should not be flushed. The message shared with consumers is simple: Look for the “Do Not Flush” symbol on wipes packaging, and if you see it – throw the wipe out. Extrapolating from the results of this study, refraining from flushing “Do Not Flush” labeled wipes, paper products and feminine hygiene products would capture over 90% of items clogging sewers.
To view the full study, visit https://www.flushsmart.org/myth-vs-fact/, and to learn more about responsible flushing, visit https://www.flushsmart.org/.
Source: California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) / The Responsible Flushing Alliance (RFA) / The Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) / Kennedy Jenks
WASHINGTON — April 5, 2024 — National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) President and CEO Kim Glas issued a statement welcoming the textile enforcement plan released by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas today as a critical step to combatting import fraud and circumvention of free trade agreement rules and trade laws.
The plan outlines pillars and action items that are essential to improving customs enforcement in response to a wide range of illegal trade practices, as well as fraudulent activities that are worsening the economic crisis facing the U.S. textile industry. The DHS plan comes in response to the industry’s active calls for increased enforcement under free trade agreements (FTAs) and trade and tariff laws.
Statement by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas:
“We strongly commend DHS for the release of a robust textile and apparel enforcement plan today. We also greatly appreciate Secretary Mayorkas’ personal engagement in this urgent effort and believe it’s a strong step forward to addressing pervasive customs fraud that is harming the U.S. textile industry.
The essential and vital domestic textile supply chain has lost 14 plants in recent months. The industry is facing severe economic harm due to a combination of factors, exacerbated by customs fraud and predatory trade practices by China and other countries, which has resulted in these devastating layoffs and plant closures. DHS immediately understood the economic harms facing the industry and deployed the development of a critical action plan.
NCTO has been actively engaged with administration officials including meeting with Secretary Mayorkas to call for an aggressive public enforcement plan and strong penalties to deter fraud and illegal trade practices that are undermining the domestic industry’s competitiveness. As a result of that meeting, Secretary Mayorkas immediately directed DHS personnel to construct a comprehensive textile and apparel enforcement plan, and we are grateful to DHS for swiftly implementing this urgent plan.
Our industry requested DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) take the following essential actions to mitigate this economic harm and to maximize civil and criminal penalties for trade predators, while also creating a significant public awareness campaign.
The industry requests included:
Ramped up textile and apparel enforcement with regard to Western Hemisphere trade partner countries, including onsite visits and other targeted verification measures to enforce rules of origin as well as to address any backdoor Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) violations.
Increased UFLPA enforcement to prevent textile and apparel goods made with forced labor from entering our market, including in the de minimis environment. Immediate expansion of the UFLPA Entity List, isotopic testing, and other targeting tools.
Intensified scrutiny of Section 321 de minimis imports and a review of all existing Executive Branch authorities under current law to institute basic reforms to this outdated tariff waiver mechanism.
We welcome the textile enforcement plan which centers around five elements, including: robust inspections and enforcement of UFLPA; expanding audits and increasing foreign verifications of our free trade agreement rules of origin; increasing inspections and testing of small internationally shipped packages in the de minimis environment; expanding the UFLPA Entity List to identify bad actors in the textile environment; and building stakeholder awareness. Taken together, these actions can help combat an alarming rise in fraud, transshipments, and illegal trade in our sector. We appreciate that these enforcement activities have already been initiated— even before the plan was announced— including increased inspections, audits, and other targeting procedures related to our FTAs and UFLPA. We value these efforts and the increased public awareness that those who violate trade laws will be held accountable to the maximum extent possible as an effort to deter fraud and uphold the integrity of our critical trade rules.
We encourage CBP to continue doing the necessary onsite and other verifications to curb rampant fraud and circumvention of FTA and forced labor trade laws. This intensified enforcement will lead to more transparency in textile and apparel supply chains, which support 500,000 U.S. textile workers and 2 million workers in co-production partnerships within the Western Hemisphere.
It’s critical these ongoing actions are backed up by strong civil and criminal penalties to act as a deterrent to bad actors who have been circumventing rules and trade laws and harming U.S. textile and apparel producers as well as our Western Hemisphere trade partners. Punishing the bad actors quickly and amplifying these penalties are essential measures to deterring the illegal trade that is undermining this essential sector.
We also appreciate DHS ramping up inspection of de minimis packages. While this plan is specific to textile and apparel enforcement, it’s important to note that we are aware that the administration is also exploring other avenues, including regulatory changes, to address concerns regarding de minimis shipments. This was a critical request made by our industry and many other stakeholders. We commend the administration’s expeditious review and urge them to close de minimis to the maximum extent possible under their current authorities. This loophole in U.S. trade law facilitates 4 million duty-free packages a day, putting a significant strain on CBP resources, making it virtually impossible to enforce U.S. laws, and significantly hurting domestic manufacturers and retailers.
We also urge Congress, without delay, to pass critically needed comprehensive de minimis reform legislation, given the urgency of the situation and the economic harm this loophole is causing.
We look forward to continuing frequent communication with the CBP and DHS teams to ensure effective enforcement of our trade laws and trade agreements as part of these ongoing and intensified activities for our sector.
We are grateful for all the strong bipartisan support on the Hill in amplifying the urgency of the needs of our sector. Our industry stands ready and willing to do whatever is necessary to help ensure this plan is a success in stopping predatory trade practices and fraud from undermining this critical industrial base in order to help drive business back home. We are grateful to Secretary Mayorkas and the entire DHS team for this essential plan and are committed to working with DHS in full support of these upgraded enforcement activities. NCTO also looks forward to Secretary Mayorkas’ keynote speech at our annual meeting on April 9th in Washington, D.C.”
Posted: April 5, 2024
Source: National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)
ZURICH — April 5, 2024 — The last ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) was conducted in March 2024. It reveals a textile business climate with signs of cautious optimism amidst ongoing challenges.
Despite a slight recovery in the business environment from November 2023 to January 2024, the overall situation remained dire in March 2024, underscoring the persistent difficulties companies face across the textile value chain.
Weak demand continues to be the central concern, overshadowing slight improvements in order intake and capacity utilization rates.
Order intake in March 2024 indicated a marginal improvement, particularly in South-East and South Asia, with fiber producers and weavers/knitters experiencing the most significant growth.
The global average order backlog dipped slightly while capacity utilization rates saw a minor increase to 70% in March, reflecting a slow adaptation to the prevailing economic conditions. The industry’s resilience is also evident in the relatively low rate of order cancellations, suggesting a degree of stability despite weak demand. Inventory levels are considered average by most survey respondents.
In the US, inventories of brands and retailers remain high while wholesalers have successfully reduced inventories to near pre-pandemic levels.
For more information, please see www.itmf.org or contact secretariat@itmf.org.
Posted: April 5, 2024
Source: International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
PARIS — April 4, 2024 — Lectra, supplier of technology solutions accelerating the transition to Industry 4.0 for the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, announces the appointment of Antonella Capelli as President of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, effective May 1, 2024. Already a member of the Executive Committee since January 1, 2024, Antonella Capelli takes over from Fabio Canali, who is retiring.
Lectra currently operates in 74 countries in the EMEA region, with over 500 employees in 17 locations and 4,000 customers. At the forefront of digital transformation, the EMEA region, which accounted for 33% of the group sales in 2023, has always been a driving force for Lectra, which continuously propels the deployment of its new offers dedicated to Industry 4.0 there.
“On behalf of all Lectra teams, I would first like to extend my warmest thanks to Fabio Canali for his exceptional investment since he joined Lectra, twenty years ago. Fabio brilliantly guided our team in Italy, then in Southern Europe and North Africa, where together, they delivered outstanding performance. His leadership and expertise have been essential to the success of numerous offers launched over the past decade”, says Daniel Harari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lectra. “I am particularly pleased that Antonella Capelli is taking over to continue Lectra’s development in the EMEA region. For over ten years, she has demonstrated her excellent understanding of our customers’ challenges, and her ability to accelerate the company’s growth in this region. I have no doubt that Antonella will make a very positive contribution to the Industry 4.0 transition of the companies that place their trust in us in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”
Antonella Capelli began her career at IBM Global Business Services, in IT project management, digital innovation and consultative sales for the fashion market. In 2013, she joined Lectra as Professional Services Manager for Italy. She then moved into a sales role in 2017, gradually increasing her responsibilities in Italy and the Southern Europe and North Africa region. She holds a master’s degree in management and production engineering from the University of Milan-Politecnico (Italy).
“I am particularly honored and excited to be able to support Lectra’s success in a region where our customers’ challenges can be very diverse”, says Antonella Capelli. “I’m looking forward to working closely with all EMEA teams to provide solutions that will enable players in the fashion, automotive and furniture industries to pursue their digital transformation. My ambition is to foster our collective success .”
MILAN — March 26, 2024 — The technical textile industry gathers in Frankfurt, where Techtextil, the leading global fair for technical and innovative textiles, will take place from April 23 to 26. Over 50 Italian textile machinery companies will exhibit in Germany. Among them, 30 will be present at the Italian Pavilion organized by the Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (Hall 12.0, booth A06 and B11). Among the companies exhibiting in this area ACIMIT associates are the following ones: Aeris, Bematic, Beschi, Bombi, Castello, Color Service, Ferraro, Gualchieri e Gualchieri, Guarneri Technology, Mariplast, Monti-Mac, Pentek, Rollmac, Salvadè, Sariel, Sicam, Srs, Stalam, Tecnomeccanica Biellese, Testa, Texera, Toscana Spazzole, Ugolini, Unitech, Zanfrini, Zappa.
The sector of technical and innovative textiles continues to grow at a rapid pace. In 2023, the global trade of these items reached 44.7 billion euro, with an average annual growth rate of 4.4% between 2009 and 2023. The European Union contributes 35% to the sector’s global trade. Germany and Italy are among the leading exporters of technical textiles, along with China, the United States, and Japan.
The growth of the sector, both in terms of production and consumption, has led to an increase in demand for specialized machinery for this particular segment. Italian textile machinery manufacturers have long expanded their technological supply to meet the new needs of clients operating in this specific sector. In fact, over 100 ACIMIT member companies already work for sector clients.
Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT, comments: “Techtextil continues to be a fundamental reference point for Italian manufacturers working or wanting to enter the business of technical and innovative textiles. The versatility of the Made in Italy technologies is well-suited to be used in the various application fields of technical textiles, and it is capable of meeting the different requests that will come from the many visitors of Techtextil.” The Italian firms present at Techtextil represent only a part, albeit a significant one, of the companies in Italy producing machinery for technical textiles and nonwovens.
Posted: April 4, 2024
Source: The Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT, The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufactures
MANCHESTER, UK — April 3, 2024 — New fibers continue to be developed for a wide range of technical textile applications.
Currently, they include fibers based on organic or recycled feedstocks to meet sustainability targets and others with new functional properties for advanced high performance applications. Many of them will be showcased at the forthcoming Techtextil 2024 exhibition which takes place in Frankfurt, Germany, from April 23-26.
Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET) specialises in bespoke fibre extrusion and spunbond and meltblown nonwoven systems.
The development of specific multifilaments, monofilaments and nonwovens for niche fiber applications — more than 70 to date — is very much the specialist field of BTMA member Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET), along with designing the bespoke fiber extrusion and spunbond and meltblown nonwoven systems to successfully produce them.
Following the opening of its expanded Fibre Development Centre with considerably enhanced facilities more than doubling capacity and increasing efficiency at the start of 2023, FET, which will be at stand A84 in Hall 12 at Techtextil has significantly accelerated the number of technical trials it has conducted for clients.
“We work closely in collaboration with customers ranging from huge multinationals to start-ups and spin-out companies,” explains FET managing director Richard Slack. “At present we’re doing a lot of work with biopolymers and recycled fibers, because they all have different characteristics and behaviors and need specific handling and processing parameters, but we specialize in processing challenging materials.
“Another area we’re heavily involved in is in medical devices where there’s a lot of interest in resporbable products and how to influence absorption. Producers are looking at how to enhance the durability of implantables, for example, which would be advantageous in specific surgical procedures,” he adds. “In terms of new high performance products, one example we’re currently working on is hollow fibers, not from conventional polymers but from high temperature engineering polymers such as PEEK, as well as small scale nonwovens from engineered polymers for applications such as filtration.
“We’re also investigating the potential of certain olefins to achieve the high-strength and other desirable properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene – UHMWPE. At present UHMWPE’s availability is dependent on being able to order in tons, but there is a lot of demand for lower quantities for tailored small-scale projects, and we see much potential in an olefin with a long molecular chain that we believe could potentially meet 80-90% of this market’s needs.”
Splicing
Resource efficiency in the processing of extremely expensive fibres like carbon is a key benefit of the latest Airbond splicing technologies.
Resource efficiency in the processing of extremely expensive fibres like UHMPWE, or carbon and aramids, is a key benefit of the latest splicing technologies of Airbond (Hall 12, stand E31).
Pneumatic yarn splicing is a clever process established in the textile industry for joining yarns and works by intermingling individual filaments closely together, to make joint which are stronger and flatter than knots.
The patented splicers in Airbond’s latest range are 3D printed, making them both lighter and stronger, and now enable the splicing of yarns in sizes of up to 16,000 tex – compared to the 1,200 tex most splicing machines can handle.
“Understanding the physics behind splicing has enabled us to change the characteristics of the air in the splicing of fragile or ultra-large yarns,” explained Airbond research engineer Carwyn Webb. “We have increased the limits of normal splicers by a factor of ten, which will enable a huge reduction in expensive waste.”
Testing and fault detection
Sophisticated systems for the testing of fibers and advanced materials will also be showcased by BTMA members James Heal (Hall 12, stand A40 at Techtextil 2024) and Verivide (Hall 12, stand A70), both of whom have established strong ties with major producers of technical textiles over many years.
The precise detection of faults during the production of technical fabrics has meanwhile recently been significantly advanced with the introduction of the latest WebSpector automated fabric inspection system by Shelton Vision (Hall 12, stand E54)
Building on its market leading vision system for plain, single color textiles, Shelton’s patent-pending image processing techniques now recognize and adapt to complex patterns – even those on fabrics with significant distortion and deformation.
Sophistication
Other BTMA members who will be exhibiting at Techtextil 2024 include Avocet (Hall 11, stand B25) the manufacturer of Cetaflam high performance flame retardant (FR) chemicals, Ascotex (Hall 12, stand B41) a specialist in the development and application of yarn guides, and Vandewiele UK (Hall 12, stand D20) the UK arm of Bonas Textile Machinery specializing in high capacity jacquard technology for the weaving industry.
“While sustainability is without doubt driving the agenda these days, there’s always a demand for new feedstocks and fibers that add new functionality, as well as sophisticated new technologies for processing them and exploiting their advantages,” says BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “Techtextil is an essential show for many BTMA members and we see growing opportunities in a number of rapidly expanding markets with exponential growth for our members.”
Founded in 1940, the British Textile Machinery Association actively promotes British textile machinery manufacturers and their products to the world. The non-profit organization acts as a bridge between its members and the increasingly diverse industries within the textile manufacturing sector.
Posted: April 4, 2024
Source: The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA)
SINGAPORE — April 3, 2024 — The ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 exhibition has attracted heightened levels of interest since it was launched in Milan last June. Drawn by the regional market opportunities, many leading textile technology brands are looking forward to apply for their booth space when online space application opens from 9 April 2024.
The Singapore edition is scheduled to be held at Singapore Expo from 28 to 31 October 2025. It is owned by CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex).
According to the show owners, there is a huge increase in enquiries from machinery manufacturers as the Singapore exhibition targets not only South and Southeast Asia, but also from very important markets in the Middle East.
Mr. Ernesto Maurer, president of CEMATEX, explained, “These regions present vast opportunity for our members as technology buyers from these textile and garment hubs are sourcing cost-effective and sustainable solutions to modernise and upgrade their production.
“The Singapore exhibition complements our ITMA exhibition in Europe and the ITMA ASIA + CITME exhibition in China. The platform will help to broaden our exhibitors’ market focus and diversify their reach, enabling them to effectively engage with many of the buyers who were not able to attend these two exhibitions previously. For these buyers, we are convinced, Singapore is more accessible due to its closer proximity to their home countries, but even more so due to its visa-friendly policy.”
Mr Gu Ping, president of CTMA, said: “The combined exhibition in Singapore has opened a new phase of development for CITME. We are excited to bring our members along as we ride the wave of regional opportunities through the Singapore edition.”
Mr Daisuke Murata, president of Japan Textile Machinery Association (JTMA), said: “We congratulate the ITMA ASIA + CITME owners for making the decision to have a second exhibition in Asia. The Singapore exhibition will be useful for our members to better penetrate other regional textile hubs in Asia, and as far as the Middle East.”
Prominent textile technology providers are also eagerly eyeing the start of space application for the combined exhibition.
Ms Rebekka Dilo of Dilo Systems GmbH shared that the group is looking forward to the Singapore edition of ITMA Asia + CITME 2025. She enthused, “As an important gathering of the whole textile industry, it is a great opportunity for us to present our latest innovations.” Ms Chandrima Chatterjee, secretary general of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), welcomed the staging of the exhibition in Singapore. She said: “This expansion of the exhibition from Shanghai to Singapore recognises the growing needs of the Asian textile industry, especially India. The industry today is looking for technologies to meet its need for optimising production, minimising supply chain risks, better control of quality and finishes, and enhancing sustainability in all aspects of production.”
She added: “We look forward to the Singapore exhibition to address these needs and help this biggest textile manufacturing and exporting region of the world leverage the latest in technology and innovations.”
Live Webinar
To mark the opening of space application, a webinar titled Springboard to Regional Markets will be held on 9 April 2024 (Tuesday) at 3pm SGT. To register for the live session, visit https://www.itmaasiasingapore.com/webinar/9apr.
Billed as The Leading Textile Technology Exhibition Driving Regional Growth, ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 is expected to gross 60,000 square metres. It aims to attract over 600 exhibitors and a visitorship of 30,000.
The combined exhibition is organised by ITMA Services and co-organised by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co., Ltd.
HANNOVER, Germany — April 4, 2024 — As the international platform for carpets and floor coverings in the Middle East and MENA region, DOMOTEX Middle East will bring together top-class exhibitors such as Solomon Carpets, Al Abdullatif, Farrahi Carpets, Royal Gold, Almas Kavir Carpet, Indian art Gallery, Standard Carpets, Card Monroe, Extraweave, Dodhia Synthetics Limited, Heritage Carpet and many more under one roof from 23 to 25 April.
