150 years ago — on 16th April 1862 — Charles Terrot (1831-1903) and the businessman Wilhelm
Stücklen founded the Terrot factories.

This marked the beginnings of what is now Terrot GmbH and makes it the world’s oldest large
circular knitting machine manufacturer that is still in business.

On 13th of July 2012 the company celebrated its 150th anniversary. Almost 200 guests from all
over the world followed the invitation of Andreas von Bismarck and Peter Schüring, both Managing
Directors of Terrot.

At the Terrot site at Paul-Gruner-Straße the guests expected a site tour through the
mechanical production and the assembling hall, followed by ceremonial act in the Terrot assembly
hall. At the center of the official speech stood the outstanding and eventful company history as
well as strategic goals and opportunities of the company in the future. Further highlights were the
visit of the Industrial Museum of Chemnitz and the subsequently city tour by bus. In the evening
has taken place a dinner ceremony with 150 invited guests.

Terrot has made major contributions to the development of the global textile industry based
on expertise gained as a result of 150 years of experience and its many innovations and it is still
able to demonstrate its technical prowess. Terrot will continue to place great importance on
research and development in future too in order to continue to maintain its position in the global
markets through its technical expertise and innovations. This will safeguard the company’s success
and continued existence.

“Currently we are producing 55-60 circular knitting machines per month,” says Managing
Director Peter Schüring (72). Terrot circular knitting machines are sold worldwide. They are
operating in textile factories in India, China, Turkey and Brazil. Terrot generates an annual
turnover of 30 million euros with a staff of currently 200 employees.



Posted on July 17, 2012

Source: Terrot GmbH

TOKYO, Japan — July 17, 2012 — Teijin Ltd. announced today that it will expand its supply
capability for dimethyl terephthalate (DMT), a petrochemical used as a raw material in producing
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and for other specialty chemical applications. The company’s
existing DMT production facility at the Matsuyama Factory in Ehime Prefecture, Japan, will add a
new line that processes DMT into high-purity briquettes, the form suited for external sales.
Capital expenditure for the expansion will be approximately one billion yen. Construction will
begin in October, with operations scheduled to begin in April 2013.

 

The expansion will enable Teijin to double its annual supply capability for DMT from the
current 50,000 tons to 100,000 tons, making the company one of the largest DMT suppliers in the
world. By 2016, the company plans to roughly triple its current revenue of approximately 5 billion
yen from DMT sales.

 

DMT is a petrochemical produced from mixed xylene. When polymerized with ethylene glycol,
DMT can be used as a raw material for PET. In the past, DMT was widely used for this application,
but now purified terephthalic acid (PTA), which can be mass-produced at larger facilities, has
become the raw material of choice for general purpose PET production. As a result, the number of
global DMT manufacturers has been declining, and only a few retain systems for processing DMT for
external supply.

 

However, due to the fact that functional particles can be added to DMT at low temperatures,
that DMT dissolves easily in a solvent and can easily be made to react, and that DMT is neutral,
offering little interference with the function of additives-all characteristics PTA lacks-there is
increasing global demand for DMT as a raw material for specialty chemical applications. Examples
include specialty polyesters, elastomers, adhesives, and other alternatives to glass with superior
chemical resistance.

Teijin has been producing DMT as a raw material for in-house production of polyester fibers,
films, and other materials since 1964. In the 1980s, with the establishment of technologies to
process DMT into flakes, enabling long-term storage, Teijin began external sales and has been
expanding that business while establishing other advanced processing technologies. The company’s
total production capacity for DMT is 230,000 tons per annum, of which the company will have the
capability to process 100,000 tons for external sales upon completion of the expansion, doubling
the current external supply capability of 50,000 tons.

July 17, 2012

Source: Teijin Ltd.

HATTERSHEIM, Germany — July 2, 2012 — Climate catastrophes have caused shortfalls in the supply of
natural fibers, there have been increasing difficulties in the wool market, and there is a growing
global focus on sustainability. These factors have brought man-made fibers more into the foreground
again — and mainly polyester.  Fiber manufacturer Trevira is meeting this trend with a new
fiber for high quality clothing, one that shows great potential in terms of innovation, coupled
with supreme comfort for the wearer, and it is recyclable.

The new fiber is called Trevira Moisture Control and supplies these requirements. The
company reports fabrics made from Trevira Moisture Control have the proven characteristics of
Trevira apparel textiles, including very good pilling properties, fastness to color, resilience and
easy care qualities. In addition, they offer an improved semi-dull appearance, soft handle, and
optimal moisture management.

Research at the Hohenstein Institutes has demonstrated in terms of appearance and comfort
that in every respect a suit made using 100% Trevira Moisture Control matches a classic business
suit made using 100% wool. Made from the new fibers, the Trevira suit offers elegant, high quality
looks; very good wear properties; and its standard of comfort is assessed by Hohenstein as “very
good.”

Wear trials conducted at airlines have shown that a uniform in 100% Trevira Moisture Control
guarantees the wearer an optimal feel good effect, accompanied by high standards of resilience. The
fiber profile has a special dual channel system that accelerates transport of condensation
molecules given off from the skin, from inner to outer layer. Moisture conducted onto the textile
surface is quickly dispersed there and evaporates rapidly. In this way the inner side of the
textile touching the skin stays drier, preventing an unpleasant chill effect.

Textiles containing the new fibers are suitable for use in corporate wear, business clothing
or sportswear. Trevira Moisture Control may be used 100% or in blends with wool.

Trevira Moisture Control: properties at a glance

• Very good moisture management
• Rapid dispersion and evaporation of moisture
• Quick drying
• Good pilling characteristics
• Easy care
• Washable with good fastness standards
• Pleasant handle
• Good electro-static properties
• Resistant to UV light and chlorine

Posted on July 17, 2012

Source: Trevira

CLEVELAND — As our infrastructure ages, workers across the country are working tirelessly to keep
the lights running. Unfortunately, many times this requires exposure to dangerous, and
unpredictable cramped spaces, confined and underground.

As a result, National Safety Apparel’s Research and Development team has designed a safety
product specifically for these conditions: a high-tech suppression blanket to protect workers from
arc blasts in underground vaults, switchyards, tunnels, and any other confined space.

National Safety Apparel spends a significant amount of time and energy on design and testing
to ensure the safety of the workers, and this product is no exception. The ArcGuard Blanket™ is one
of the few arc suppression blankets available today that has been tested and rated per ASTM F2676.

The blanket is designed to be attached to fixed points near the arc flash hazard area to
redirect the release of energy that may occur. NSA offers high-strength Kevlar® webbing straps to
beused with the blanket.

Technical Information:

• Tested to ASTM F2676
• Meets OHSA 1910.269(T)(7)
• Meets NFPA 70E-2012
• Maximum Arc Current Imax = 25 kA
• Breakopen Threshold Performance = 362 kA*cycles

July 17, 2012

Source: National Safety Apparel

DULUTH, Ga. — June 26, 2012 — AltaBlue™ touch series adhesive melters from Nordson® Corporation
provide control and flexibility for precise, demanding hot melt adhesive applications. These
high-precision, variable-speed melters use an intuitive, touch screen operator interface and
simplified maintenance to maximize production uptime and product quality. AltaBlue touch melters
deliver the performance requirements for nonwovens production as well as for product assembly
applications such as woodworking and filter.

The Optix™ user interface improves operator experience and minimizes training for set-up and
operation. System status is displayed on-screen with a remote-visual-system light tower option
available as well. Control features include recipe development and storage, graphing and data
logging. Routine maintenance is simplified with single-tool, easy-access panels and doors,
disposable basket-style filters, and accessible tank isolation valves.

AltaBlue touch melters offer production flexibility with advanced delivery control modes
including:

• key-to-line control
• pressure build and control
• manual
• flow control

Variable-speed AC motors and up to four dual stream or single-stream pumps help
manufacturers meet specific delivery requirements.

­­­The AltaBlue touch series also enables pressure and flow monitoring and control through
optional control boards. This integrated solution can measure and control material delivery and
dispense rates in response to production rate changes. Material consumption is reduced while
production efficiency and product quality are improved with this variation management.

Nordson also reports its Allegro™ elastic attachment nozzles from uniformly apply hot melt
adhesive to elastic strands using a novel air-assisted contact coating technology for precise
adhesive deposition. Concentrated delivery of hot melt adhesive to individual elastic strands
enhances bond integrity for improved creep resistance. Applications for single or multi-strand
attachment include elasticized legs, leg cuffs and waistbands on disposable nonwovens infant
diapers, training pants and adult incontinence products.

Patent-pending Allegro nozzles accommodate high-speed production, speeds up to 650 meters
per minute, while supporting elastic centers as close as two millimeters. Integral strand guides
stabilize strand position and post adhesive-application process air forms adhesive around each
individual elastic strand. Exceptionally-low coating variability is achieved and add-on rates as
low as 0.025 grams per coated meter optimize adhesive efficiency and maximize product performance.

The robust design and all-steel construction deliver exceptional durability and resistance
to the wear associated with high-speed elastic handling, as well as simplify cleaning and
maintenance. And, Allegro nozzles offer a wide operating window, across a variety of process
conditions as well as a broad range of elastic and adhesive materials.

Allegro elastic attachment nozzles are compatible with Nordson Universal™ modules. In
addition to standard nozzle configurations, special nozzle strand configurations and nozzle lengths
up to 175 mm for many-strand applications may be ordered.

July 17, 2012

SAN DIEGO — July 10, 2012 — The United States and its eight TPP partners made important progress at
the 13th Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiating round that concluded today.  The talks,
which were held July 2-10, continued the march forward toward conclusion of the more than 20
chapters under negotiation between the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New
Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.  The TPP Agreement is a key trade initiative of the
Obama Administration, which is seeking to support jobs for American workers by boosting American
exports to the dynamic Asia-Pacific region, promote manufacturing, innovation, and
entrepreneurship, and at the same time, reflect in the agreement important values on key issues
such as worker rights and the environment.

 

This week’s talks made further substantial progress across the chapters, reflecting
significant preparatory work done by each of the TPP countries since the previous negotiating round
in Dallas in May.  Negotiating groups made particularly significant progress in a number of
chapters, including customs, cross-border services, telecommunications, government procurement,
competition policy, and cooperation and capacity building.  In addition, the negotiating
groups moved their work ahead substantially on other issues, including rules of origin, investment,
financial services, temporary entry, and other issues.  Notably, the United States tabled a
new proposal in the intellectual property rights group having to do with copyright limitations and
exceptions.  Negotiators will now take the progress made in the various chapters back to their
capitals for review.

 

The nine countries continued intensive discussions on the ambitious tariff packages they are
seeking to conclude that will provide access to each other’s industrial goods, agriculture, and
textiles markets.  They also advanced their discussions of how to promote regional supply
chains to further augment the benefits of the agreement.  In addition, they discussed specific
commitments on liberalization of their markets for services, an area where the United States and
other TPP countries see potential new opportunities from the agreement.  

 

The U.S. Government recognizes the importance of obtaining as broad a range of input from
the public as possible throughout the TPP negotiations; the active engagement we are undertaking is
refining our negotiating positions and will result in a better agreement.  This negotiating
round featured numerous opportunities for nearly 300 people who had registered to meet with U.S.
and other TPP negotiators.  On July 2, the first day of the negotiating round, a Direct
Stakeholder Engagement Forum was held at the negotiating venue, which enabled representatives of
industry, non-governmental organizations, academia, and the general public to meet directly with
negotiators to discuss specific TPP issues.  Some stakeholders also chose to make formal
presentations to negotiators.  On July 3, the Chief Negotiators from all nine TPP countries
held a briefing with stakeholders, and the U.S. Chief Negotiator also participated in a roundtable
discussion hosted at the University of California, San Diego.  On July 6, negotiators from all
nine TPP countries participated in an event hosted by the AFL-CIO and other groups, which featured
remarks from Congressman Bob Filner, San Diego Port Commissioner Scott Peters, and Lorena Gonzalez,
Secretary-Treasurer/CEO of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council of the AFL-CIO. 
There were also numerous additional meetings between negotiators and interested parties throughout
the negotiating round.

 

During this round, USTR also notified Congress of its intent to enter into TPP negotiations
with Mexico and Canada on July 9 and 10, respectively.  This notification triggers a 90-day
period during which the Obama Administration will consult with Congress on objectives related to
these new entrants to the TPP negotiations.  Mexico and Canada will join the TPP negotiations
once current TPP members successfully conclude their domestic procedures.

 

The 14th Round of TPP negotiations will take place in Leesburg, Virginia on September
6-15.  We will provide further information about public events surrounding this round of
negotiations as soon as it is available; however, we urge all interested parties to save these
dates.

July 17, 2012

Source: USTR

SINGAPORE — July 12, 2012 —  DyStar and its owner, the Zhejiang Longsheng Group, celebrate 115
years of technical Indigo synthesis at Ludwigshafen, Germany, where the first commercially feasible
manufacturing process was launched. 

 

The history of synthetic Indigo goes all the way back to 1897, with the introduction of,
“pure indigo” from BASF. Demand for synthetic Indigo dyes was so huge that by 1913, natural indigo
had been almost entirely replaced. To date, more than 260,000 tons of the dye has been produced at
the Ludwigshafen production plant. This is sufficient to dye about 26 billion pairs of jeans which,
if lined up end-to-end, would cover the distance from the earth to the moon 87 times. 

 

With its patented DyStar Indigo® Vat 40% Solution, DyStar has contributed to the continuing
success story of synthetic Indigo. “Pre-Reduced Indigo is a very consistent and clean type dye”
notes Dean Barley, Denim Dye Department Manager from Mount Vernon Mills. “Having a consistently
clean Indigo helps us produce more first quality denim day in, and day out. More first quality
goods also generate more money to the bottom line.” 

 

The constant improvement of the manufacturing process over the years has paved the way for
DyStar’s current success. The numbers speak for themselves with double digit growth rates in the
major denim manufacturing areas e.g. 40% growth in South Asia. 

 

“In anticipation of greater demand for DyStar Indigo® Vat 40% Solution and an increased
market share, the DyStar Group is planning to expand capacity at its Nanjing Indigo plant in
China,” said Harry Dobrowolski, CEO of the DyStar Group. The expansion reaffirms DyStar’s
commitment to the denim industry.

 

As global awareness of environmental issues created by the textile supply chain increases,
Brands, Retailers and their industry partners are looking for more sustainable solutions for their
businesses. With the recently announced project to develop electrochemical dyeing of Indigo in
collaboration with RedElec, DyStar is maintaining its position as the leading sustainable solution
provider. 

Posted on July 17, 2012

Source: DyStar

Germany-based Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik recently introduced the TM 4 T-EL four-bar terry
tricot machine, which features integrated electronic guide bar control (EL) and the KAMCOS® Motion
Control/Multi Speed system for extended design capabilities. Options for the single- or
double-sided loop-pile fabrics include smooth edges, relief-like ribs and 3-D chessboard patterns
with large repeats if desired. The fabrics are suitable for the production of beach towels and
textiles for cleaning products. Additional design elements – such as cord-like rib constructions,
rectangular patterns in different sizes, flat edges and multicolored effects – can be created in
the vertical flat stripes by selecting the appropriate threading-in arrangement. Flat edges may be
sewn into hems, or embroidered with a trademark. According to the company, the warp-knitted terry
cloth fabrics have a soft feel with firmly anchored loops.

The machine runs at 1,400 meters per minute (m/min), and features electronic controls for
yarn let-off, ground guide bars and fabric take-down. All machine parameters and data can be input
using the touchscreen controls, with a USB stick or via the manufacturer’s computer network.

The company plans to launch a version of the machine for cotton processing. The TM 4-TS EL
should be available during quarter 4 2013.

July 10, 2012

Switzerland-based specialty chemicals manufacturer Clariant International AG now offers Arkophob®
FFR, a long-lasting, fluorine-free water repellent finish targeted to fabrics used in outdoor,
leisure and sportswear applications.

Arkophob® FFR is based on a dispersion of modified fat compounds and, according to Clariant,
offers water repellency levels similar to that of C6-based fluorochemical finishes but superior to
water repellency levels offered by existing fluorine-free finishes on the market. In addition, the
finish provides fabrics with good washfastness; improved abrasion and tear resistance, and
sewability; and a soft hand.

“Clariant’s Textile Chemicals is committed to develop products and processes that are safer
and gentler for the consumer and for the environment; and with Arkophob FFR we have achieved that,
plus a leap forward in performance,” said Georg Lang, head of Product Group Finishing, Business
Unit Textile Chemicals, Clariant. “We perfected the Arkophob FFR technology over several years, to
ensure we were able to introduce a differentiated solution that delivers what it promises to
retailers and brands.”

July 10, 2012