Process Control Debuts Guardian® Series 2 Complete Series

ATLANTA — August 1, 2011 — Process Control has completed the next member of the Guardian® Series 2
family — the 12kg model gravimetric batch blender. This model also introduces the brand new
see-through mixing chamber door that allows for an unobstructed view of material in the mixing
chamber.

The Guardian® Series 2 line of batch blenders is quickly establishing itself as the premier
mixer in the industry. Its unsurpassed accuracy, user-friendly design, and affordable price make it
the new standard in the field of auxiliary plastics equipment.

Process Control began shipping Guardian® Series 2 units in October of 2010 and has received a
huge spike in demand ever since.

FEATURES

The all-new design of Guardian® Series 2 provides precise batch-to-batch dispensing and
consistent homogenous blending. Standard features include off-the-shelf controls, color
touch-screen, removable cartridge V-gate metering, segmented material hoppers, integral drain
chute, and a “No Dead Zone” mixing chamber. Guardian® Series 2 may be configured with
four-to-twelve ingredient hoppers, with each hopper capable of running 0-100% of the recipe with
dispensing accuracy up to +/- 0.02%. Guardian® Series 2 is comprised of four models, including
1.25/2.5kg, 5kg, 12kg, and 18/25kg, with throughput rates to over 10,000PPH.

Established in 1967, PCC has an unending commitment to the design and engineering of advanced
auxiliary machinery for the plastics processing industry. Our goal is to provide the most accurate
equipment and exceptional customer service. We revolutionized processing with development of
Automatic Scrap Recycling for in-line processing of film scrap and the first continuous gravimetric
blending system. Process Control continues to lead the industry with advanced design and innovative
solutions for the global marketplace.

Posted on August 18, 2011

Source: Process Control

Manufacturer Creates Jobs For American Workers

ATHENS, Tenn. — Aug. 8, 2011 — Tuxedo manufacturer G. Alexander l.l.c. bets on consumers’ desire to
buy Made in the USA with their debut tuxedo collection. The G. Alexander Tuxedo Collection,
debuting August 9, 2011 at the International Formalwear Association Expo 30 in Las Vegas, is a
complete reversal of current industry thinking. Michael Priest, managing partner and director of
sales, had this to say: “Choosing to manufacture our tuxedos in the USA was an easy choice.
American workers are far and away the best in the world. Making tuxedos in America gives us the
ability to work side by side with the designers, seamstresses and everyone involved in the process,
while at the same time securing American jobs with every tuxedo made.”

The collection reflects classic styling with a dash of modern updating, displaying the finest
American craftsmanship, not seen in rental tuxedos since the industry-wide decisions to shutter
domestic production and seek offshore labor. The G. Alexander Tuxedo Collection boasts no paid
celebrity endorsers, choosing to put those funds into the product. “Labels are important to
consumers; they rely on them when choosing between products,” said Mr. Priest. “We feel the
strongest statement we can make about our brand, as well as our focus on delivering hands down the
finest tuxedos in the world, is the Made in the USA label.”

Immediately following the debut in Las Vegas the G. Alexander Tuxedo Collection will hit the
runway at the International Prom Association / Southern Independent Formalwear Association
(IPA/SIFA) show in Atlanta. Response from industry insiders who have taken part in the development
has been overwhelmingly positive. Mr. Priest said, “Everyone who has seen the collection has been
excited. Our entire team is ready to take the cover off and let the world see what an American
company can do.”

Samples will begin showing up in tuxedo rental stores and bridal shows across the country in
December 2011 and will be available for rental in February 2012.

Posted on August 16, 2011

Source: G. Alexander l.l.c./PRNewswire

FesslerUSA Celebrates Completion Of Solar Project

ORWIGSBURG, Pa. — August 9, 2011— FesslerUSA, an Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania company that provides
design services and manufactures knit fabric, apparel, and consumer products, today celebrated the
completion of a 450 kW photovoltaic solar power generation system, mounted on the roof of its Deer
Lake vertical manufacturing facility.

The system consists of over 1,600 solar panels covering about half of the facility’s roof. It
will generate about 450,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year, which is enough to power
35 homes per year, and will provide over half of the facility’s current energy usage. According to
Ira Walton, Solar Project Manager, “In the short time we have been operational, FesslerUSA has
already prevented almost 21 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to over 525 trees or saving over 2,400
gallons of gas”.

Bonnie Meck, FesslerUSA’s Chief Operating and Sustainability Officer said, “We are so excited
about the completion of this project — it is a major step forward for Made in USA sustainable
manufacturing.”

FesslerUSA is one of the larger manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania to run the majority
of its operations on solar power, significantly reducing the Company’s energy costs, increasing the
Company’s competitiveness in today’s global economy, and dramatically reducing its carbon
footprint.

Dignitaries in attendance today included State Senator Dave Argall, Schuylkill County
Commissioners Mantura Gallagher and Frank Staudemeier, Congressman Tim Holden, State
Representatives Jerry Knowles and Mike Tobash, among many others.

“A number of Southern Schuylkill businesses supported our celebration today — representing
almost 400 Schuylkill County jobs,” added Walter Meck, FesslerUSA’s CEO. “We appreciate their
friendship and support, as we all share a common goal of keeping small businesses thriving in our
communities.” Food and refreshments for the ribbon-cutting celebration were provided by the Brick
House Grill, Guers Dairy, Healthy Habits Market, Madeline’s Restaurant, The Oak Hill Inn and Philly
Pretzel.

FesslerUSA is a leading producer of exclusively American made quality knit fabrics, apparel,
and consumer products. Continuously operating and employing Pennsylvanians for over 111 years, its
products are made in Pennsylvania and shipped globally. More information on FesslerUSA can be found
at
www.FesslerUSA.com.

Posted on August 16, 2011

Source: FesslerUSA

Retail Container Traffic Drops Below Last Year But Expected To See Gains As Holidays Approach

WASHINGTON — August 9, 2011 — Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports will
remain below last year’s levels for the remainder of the summer before seeing year-over-year gains
again this fall as retailers begin to stock up for the holiday season, according to the monthly
Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Cargo numbers have been down this summer but that’s a reflection of last year’s unusual
shipping patterns more than the economy,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy
Jonathan Gold said. “The economy continues to face challenges, but job growth has been steady and
retailers have been adding jobs themselves as sales improve. Cargo figures for this fall clearly
show that retailers are expecting a healthy holiday season.”

U.S. ports followed by Global Port Tracker handled 1.25 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units
in June, the latest month for which numbers are available. That was down 2.6 percent from May and 5
percent from June 2010. One TEU is one 20-foot cargo container or its equivalent.

June’s volume broke an 18-month streak of year-over-year improvement dating to December 2009,
and declines continued in July, which was estimated at 1.3 million TEU, down 5.7 percent from July
2010. August is forecast at 1.4 million TEU, a 1.6 percent decrease from a year ago. Rather than
indicating an economic downturn, however, the numbers are a skewed comparison against
higher-than-normal numbers last summer, when fears of shortages in shipping capacity caused many
retailers to bring holiday merchandise into the country earlier than usual. Actual retail sales
have seen 12 straight months of growth.

Year-over-year increases are expected to resume in September, which is forecast at 1.48
million TEU, up 10.4 percent from last year. October is forecast at 1.46 million TEU, up 8 percent
from last year; November at 1.31 million TEU, up 6.2 percent; and December at 1.18 million TEU, up
3 percent.

The first half of 2011 totaled 7.15 million TEU, up 3.9 percent from the first half of 2010,
and the full year is forecast at 15.28 million TEU, up 3.6 percent from 2010. Imports during 2010
totaled 14.7 million TEU, a 16 percent increase over unusually low numbers in 2009.

While cargo volume is expected to increase through this fall’s holiday shipping cycle,
Hackett Associates founder Ben Hackett said a number of key economic indicators are raising
concerns about future cargo growth.

“Industrial production in China is weak, bulk commodity imports are declining, and ports are
beginning to report reduced export volumes,” Hackett said. “In the U.S., we have lower private
consumption, lower government expenditure and lower indices like the purchasing managers’ index.
This is cause for concern because it could lead to lower growth of trade volumes.

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by the consulting firm Hackett Associates,
covers the U.S. ports of Long Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast;
New York/New Jersey, Hampton Roads, Charleston and Savannah on the East Coast, and Houston on the
Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at
www.nrf.com/PortTracker or by calling (202) 783-7971.
Subscription information for non-members can be found at
www.globalportracker.com.

As the world’s largest retail trade association and the voice of retail worldwide, NRF’s
global membership includes retailers of all sizes, formats and channels of distribution as well as
chain restaurants and industry partners from the United States and more than 45 countries abroad.
In the United States, NRF represents an industry that includes more than 3.6 million establishments
and which directly and indirectly accounts for 42 million jobs — one in four U.S. jobs. The total
U.S. GDP impact of retail is $2.5 trillion annually, and retail is a daily barometer of the health
of the nation’s economy.

Hackett Associates provides expert consulting, research and advisory services to the
international maritime industry, government agencies and international institutions.

Posted on August 16, 2011

Source: Hackett Associates

IFAI Advanced Textiles Europe 2011 Showcases Exciting New Textile Technologies

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — August 15, 2011 — Leading experts from around the world will gather in Barcelona
at the fourth Industrial Fabrics Association International Advanced Textiles Europe conference. AT
Europe ’11 will co-locate alongside ITMA 2011 with two consecutive morning sessions 26-27 Sept.
2011. ITMA, the world’s largest international textile machinery exhibition, runs 22-29 Sept.

 

AT Europe 2011 is a unique conference designed to unveil valuable insights on new research
and development, with a balance of actual application-based use. Each session is designed to spark
creative thinking for businesses looking for ways to gain a competitive edge.

This week it was announced that Greggory Crouch, U.S. Consul General Barcelona, will give the
Welcome Address in the opening session on “Market Needs.”

  

Crouch has served as U.S. Consulate General Barcelona since 25 Aug. 2009. His previous
overseas assignments span the globe, including Hamburg, Germany (2006-2007); Islamabad, Pakistan
(2004-2005); Fukuoka, Japan (1995-2000); Oslo, Norway (1991-1993), and Washington, DC. More.

 

Following Crouch is Patricia Hualde, Policy Officer for the European Commission, whose talk
is entitled: “The Need of Multi-Disciplinary Innovations for Assuring Sustainable Growth of the
Textile Industry.” Hualde’s presentation sets the tone for the technical textile industry’s future.

 

A distinguished technical advisory committee headed by Prof. Roshan Shishoo, Shishoo
Consulting AB, has designed this unique technical textile conference. 

 

Shishoo’s main research activities have been in the areas of physical, chemical and
mechanical properties of fibers and fabrics and since 1979 he specialized in leading basic and
applied research projects in the area of technical textiles and nonwovens including highly
functional fabrics and garments, medical textiles, absorbent hygienic products, automotive
textiles, protective clothing, bedding and furniture and textile composites. 

 

Prof. Shishoo has published over 200 papers in international scientific and technical
journals and has obtained seven international patents.

 

Other committee members include Jan Laperre, Centexbel; Mary-Lynn Landgraf, U.S. Department
of Commerce; Jos Van Hattum, Norafin (the sponsoring company of the conference); Ronald Seidl,
Jacob-Mueller; Prof. Dr. Thomas Gries, RWTH Aachen University; Claude Levy-Rueff, IFAI European
Representative; Ruth Stephens, IFAI Safety and Technical Products Division; and Kristy Meade,
IFAI.   

The Conference Schedule is as follows: 

 

Market Needs – 26 September 2011 {1300 – 1630} Monday

 

In this session the focus will be on market needs for technical textiles in selected the
market sectors: Personal Protection Clothing & Equipment (PPE), Building & Construction,
Automotives and Shipping. In the PPE area the presentations will cover research and needs of
Standardization and Certification from both European and U.S. perspective. The market and business
needs will be addressed in terms of enhancement of innovations in order to assure sustainable
growth of the textile industry.

 

Opening Presentations –
Setting the tone for the future 

  • Welcome Address by Greggory D. Crouch, Consul General of the United States of
    America in Barcelona
  • Patricia Hualde, EC Enterprise Directorate General, “The Need of
    Multi-disciplinary Innovations for Assuring Sustainable Growth of the Textile Industry”
  • Coffee Break
  • Henk Vanhoutte, Secretary General European Safety Federation, “Personal Protection
    Equipment – European Research & Standardization”
  • Grace & Jeffery Stull, International Personnel Protection, Inc., “Personal
    Protective Equipment – Standards and Certification the US Perspective”
  • Stephania Lombardi, Cannobio Construction, “Membrane Architecture – Insight to
    Problems and the Needs of the Industry”
  • Question and Answer Forum
  • Networking Reception



New Technologies and Manufacturing Processes – 27 September 2011 {1000 – 1300}
Tuesday

 

Many emerging technologies such as nanotechnology are already in the industrial pipeline
aiming at becoming an integral part of various manufacturing processes for the production of
advanced and highly functional textiles. Many important technological advances have been made in
fabric manufacturing processes such as weaving, braiding, and nonwovens technology. This session
will provide presentations on these developments as well as on the topic of performance chemicals
and smart coating technology for producing advanced fabrics.

  • Dr. Jan Laperre, Centexbel, “State of the Art on Industrialization of Emerging
    Technologies”
  • Kevin Myers, Huntsman Digital Printing, “Advances in Digital Printing Inks and
    Technology”
  • Prof. Thomas Gries, ITA-RWTH, “Latest Developments in Fabric Production”
  • Coffee Break
  • M. Wolfgang Schlide, Manager Competence Center Nonwovens, STFI Research Institute,
    “Latest Developments in Nonwovens Technology”
  • Dr. Walter Nassl, Director Technology and Project Management Chemicals, Huntsman,
    “Performance Chemicals for Advanced Textiles”



New Materials and Products – 27 September 2011 {1400-1730} Tuesday

 

This session is divided into two sub-sessions with a special focus on the latest information
about protective textiles and smart textiles. There will be a Q&A period at the end of each
sub-session. Part one will focus on new developments in protective textiles including Natick’s
Future Soldier Systems, Protective textiles in the Security industry and nonwovens based heat and
flame protection materials. 

Part two will focus on smart and interactive textiles. The presentations will analyze some
success stories & bottlenecks in this field and discuss pitfalls in e-textiles area as well as
describe the development of a commercial smart textiles product.

  • Andreas Roepert, Interactive Wear AG, “Smart and Interactive Textiles from the
    Electronics Industry Perspective”  
  • Dr. Thomas Strauch, TexTrace AG, “Smart Textile Products – Woven RFID Labels”
  • Coffee Break
  • Jürgen Graf, Freudenberg Viliestoffe KG, “Nonwovens in Textiles for Heat and Flame
    Protection”
  • Alain Bujold, Mawashi Protection Clothing Inc., “Ergonomics, Biomimicry and
    Protective Textiles in the Security Industry”
  • Dr. Jan Laperre, Centexbel, “Smart and Interactive Textiles – Success Stories and
    Bottlenecks”
  • Q&A Forum and conference wrap-up  

AT Europe ’11 attendees can utilize the ITMA 2011 housing and travel bureau at
http://www.itma2011.beinbeyond.com/Home.aspx. 
 

For more information or to download the AT Europe ’11 brochure visit
www.advancedtextileseurope.com. 

 

Conference Location:

FIRA DE BARCELONA GRAN VIA

Conference Room: Nexe C Room 4.1 (Hall 4)

Av. Juan Carlos I, 58

08908 L’ Hospitalet de Llobregat

Barcelona, Spain

Posted on August 16, 2011

Source: IFAI

Manufacturers Chemicals Adds EcoCare WL Extra To The EcoCare Line

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — August 9, 2011 — Manufacturers Chemicals LLC has developed a new wet process aid
specifically for wool dyeing, EcoCare WL Extra.

According to Kevin Hrebenar, VP Research and Development, “the new product is a superior
wetting agent and scour for wool, but in addition levels acid, milling and premetalized dyes. The
new material gives a retarding effect but more importantly covers barre’. Compared to traditional
processes the BOD and COD can be reduced by as much as 65% and EcoCare WL Extra is made almost
entirely of renewable and sustainable materials.”

Manufacturers introduced the EcoCare line of wet process product for textiles in March of
this year with four products that were developed from renewable materials or otherwise offered
substantial environment improvement. The product line has grown to 9 products already and several
more are in initial trial phase.

Manufacturers Chemicals is a division of Synalloy Corporation.

Posted on August 16, 2011

Source: Manufacturers Chemicals

RegionaLink Offers CAFTA-DR Sourcing Services For Apparel

RegionaLink LLC, based in Salt Lake City with an operational office in Guatemala, is offering
sourcing services to U.S. and European apparel brands and retailers searching for production
capabilities in the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) region as an
alternative to capabilities in Asia. The new company, led by Managing Director Alejandro Arias, has
received investment backing from three executives with extensive experience in apparel sourcing and
supply chain technology, including: Carlos Arias, president of denim apparel maker Denimatrix LP,
Guatemala; Kurt Cavano, chairman and CEO of supply chain collaboration platform TradeCard Inc., New
York City; and Walter T. Wilhelm, founder of apparel, footwear and retail consultancy Walter
Wilhelm Associates, Salt Lake City.

“Many companies are looking to bring production back to the Americas but need help,” said
Alejandro Arias. “RegionaLink’s mission is to provide best-in-class services to brands and
retailers in the United States and Europe seeking to source production in the Central America-DR
region by connecting them to a network of qualified reliable vendors and by continuing to support
the operation from sampling through successful on-time delivery of a quality production. We see
ourselves as a ‘Boutique Sourcing Services Organization’ with a premier network of buyers and
vendors able to attract clients and able to provide a wide variety of services tailored to a
client’s individual needs.”

RegionaLink will charge retailers and brands a fee for services, with a variable two-pronged
fee structure including fixed fees for pre-order services and percentage fees for post-order
services. It also will charge fees to the factories under a structure based on business
prospectiveness, and marketing and promotion services.

Arias said RegionaLink also will be beneficial to U.S. yarn and fabric producers positioned
to take advantage of CAFTA-DR. “U.S. yarns have a big impact in the Central American market,
particularly in knits,” he said. “We’ll contribute by bringing CAFTA-DR product into the United
States.”

July/August 2011

Some Positive Signs

The near-term economic outlook isn’t nearly as bleak as some of today’s purveyors of gloom and doom
would have us believe. True, first-half gross domestic product (GDP) grew at a rather anemic pace.
But now some modest uptick seems likely. Employment and incomes continue to inch higher — at least
enough to put a bit more purchasing power in consumer hands. The topping out of gasoline prices
should also be a plus. Even more important, family financial positions are now showing significant
improvement — with total household net worth rising to more than $58 trillion. That’s up 1.2
percent from the previous quarter and an impressive 15 percent above the early 2009 recession low.
There also has been noticeable improvement in the family debt/income ratio, which dropped from 130
percent in 2007 to just 114 percent at last report. All these developments are bound to have some
positive impact — for as financial situations improve, consumers are more willing to loosen their
purse strings. Further confirmation of better days ahead comes from a recent survey of 67 top
business analysts. It projects a 3.2-percent second-half 2011 GDP expansion — a lot better than the
less-than-2-percent gain of the past six months. Washington’s latest projections are equally
positive. If the Federal Reserve Bank’s latest 2.7- to 2.9-percent projected increase for all of
2011 is correct, this again suggests a second-half gain of more than 3 percent. Other things being
equal, that should be enough to keep the domestic textile and apparel industries in the plus column
for the second straight year.


Cost And Price Trends


Another encouraging sign: The current profit squeeze, fostered by rising costs and only
limited price increases, may also be about to ease. On the cost side, much of the huge cotton fiber
runup of late 2010 and early 2011 has been rolled back. Raw cotton quotes, which earlier this year
were above $2 a pound, have dropped significantly — with the average spot quote in recent weeks
running more than 40 percent under its earlier peak. And, as pointed out in an earlier column, an
improving supply-demand outlook, both here and abroad, is pointing to further cotton easing in the
months immediately ahead. Meantime, some noticeable cost relief is also coming from mill and
apparel makers’ efforts to switch to cheaper and fewer material inputs. There’s a fair amount of
tweaking that can be done to trim costs without affecting the overall quality of the products. Some
of the moves being made: reducing the amount of material waste, eliminating cuffs and pleats,
scrimping on coat linings, using coarser materials for pockets, eliminating decorative stitching,
and last but not least, using cheaper buttons and other parts. True, these moves will generally
trim only pennies rather than dollars off the cost of any given garment. But for apparel makers who
make hundreds of thousands of units, these small cost reductions can add up to significant savings.
Bottom line: Production costs haven’t been rising as much as feared.


Price Hikes Also Help


To be sure, not all of even these reduced cost increases have been passed along to buyers,
but the fact that some have would seem to attest to the U.S. industry’s bottom-line health. At last
report, for example, producer prices in the basic textile mill sector were running 13- to
14-percent ahead of year-earlier levels. And in the more highly fabricated textile product mill
sector, prices were also up, though by a somewhat smaller 4 to 5 percent. Moreover, price levels
are even rising in the extremely competitive apparel sector, in which they have increased by close
to 2 percent since the end of last year. More important, the above-noted textile and apparel
advances should persist for a few more months — though the magnitude of increases should diminish
as the recent cost surge begins to wind down. In any event, these are noteworthy boosts for
industries that have traditionally resisted price boosts -— rarely showing more than a fractional
advance in any given year. Another price-related domestic industry plus: rising textile and apparel
import tags — a trend that is beginning to have some repercussions on industry sourcing. More and
more domestic firms are now said to be actively considering a shift back to Western Hemisphere
sourcing – and in some cases, even a return to U.S. mainland suppliers.

July/August 2011

Techtextil: Showcase For New Ideas And Products

Since its 1985 debut in Frankfurt, Techtextil, the International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles
and Nonwovens, as the organizer, Messe Frankfurt GmbH, has named it, has been among the leading
exhibitions dedicated to technical textiles and their applications. The more than 24,500 visitors
from 96 countries at Techtextil 2011 attest to the show’s success.

Not only the record visitor numbers, but also the fact that 1,207 exhibitors came from 50
countries confirms the importance of Techtextil Frankfurt. On top of that, 55 percent of the
visitors were international — 9 percent more than in 2009. According to the organizers, after
Germany, most of the visitors came from other European countries, Turkey and the United States.
Top-level visitors from India, South Korea, China and Japan also were present.

Techtextil1

Phase change materials, first developed for aerospace applications, today offer a wide
range of application possibilities.


Still Going Strong


After the crisis years 2008 and 2009, most of the global players in the textile machinery
manufacturing sector reported a considerable upswing in 2010 and the beginning of 2011. After the
successful INDEX 11 nonwovens exhibition in Geneva, Techtextil further signals that textiles for
industrial and technical applications are key components for the future success of the textile
industry. Whether and how the current battle on the currency front will influence the markets is
still unpredictable.

The record new visitor numbers go along with the increasing technical textiles applications
and, of course, with more favorable projections for 2011. Many exhibitors said they were surprised
by the number of visitors who had concrete plans and investment strategies for the near future. The
positive mood reflects the fact that research and development of new machinery, fibers, yarns,
fabrics and such are generating new products nobody could dream of some years ago.


New Products


Techtextil is a marketplace for new ideas and products. The list of products is virtually
endless, because there is no standard range: Every product is tailor-made for the end-use.
Following is a very limited selection of products shown.

Austria-based Lenzing AG seems to be in a very comfortable position. Its fibers are derived
from a sustainable raw material, wood. Tencel® is normally used for apparel, but at Techtextil, the
company presented fiber types for a wide range of automotive applications: in powder form for
compounds for injection molding; and as a special fiber type for seat covers, headliners and
carpets. Another application of the viscose fibers is heat protection. Lenzing FR® offers
protection from heat and flame in a variety of applications. Lenzing reports that distinctive
thermal insulation properties combined with permanent flame resistance enable the body to stay cool
and dry, and prevent heat stress and heat stroke. The flame-resistant (FR) fiber is now also
available in colors that remain fast in the textile even after washing.

Flax, or linen, is still an underestimated fiber with excellent inherent properties. Norafin
Industries (Germany) GmbH presented nonwovens made of flax, which combine flax fiber’s natural
characteristics — robustness, ultraviolet resistance, vibration-absorbing properties, relatively
low weight and positive eco balance — with the spunlaced texture. Applications include wind energy,
innovative interior designs, boat building and packaging. The nonwovens can be finished to have FR,
hydrophobic or oleophobic properties.

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been on the market for years. At Techtextil, Outlast
Technologies Inc., Boulder, Colo., presented a new bicomponent fiber featuring a PCM core and
polyester sheath. The fiber is said to combine the PCM’s temperature-balancing property with
conventional polyester fiber characteristics.

Textile membranes have become increasingly important for stadiums and other public
buildings. One problem is the treatment of the fabric. Sanitized AG, Switzerland, presented
Sanitized® PL 24-32, an Oeko-Tex®-certified phthalate-free additive that protects soft polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) against fungi and pink stain. It is also effective against streptoverticillia and is
said to be the first product on the market that offers optimal material and hygiene protection as
well as good ultraviolet and heat resistance.

Weaving is probably the cornerstone of technical and industrial fabrics. Stäubli S.a.s.,
France, producer of dobby and jacquard machines, also supplies clever accessories for technical
textiles weavers: the Magma T12 warp tying machine is especially suitable for coarse to
medium-count technical yarns and polypropylene tapes. Its rigid design features cutting-edge
technologies and includes an optical double-end detection system that checks the separation process
thread by thread, eliminating tying of double ends.

Picanol NV, Belgium, is a leading producer of weaving machines for industrial fabrics.
Marketing Manager Erwin Devloo said he was pleased with Techtextil visitor feedback. Picanol
commits some 30 percent of its product management capacity to technical textiles. A similar
percentage of R&D is dedicated to novelty applications. The company has developed technically
advanced solutions for applications such as tire cord, conveyor belts, canvas, industrial glass,
monofilaments, one-piece-woven airbags, and many more. Devloo said the OMNIplus 800 airjet and the
flexible OptiMax rapier machine are designed for the mid- and high-end technical textiles markets.

Techtextil2

Protective garments comprise one of the most promising technical/industrial fabrics
sectors.


Recycled Fibers


Filature Miroglio, Italy, is following a new path: Its Newlife™ yarn comprises a complete
and certified system of polyester filament yarns made of 100-percent recycled polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) bottles sourced in Italy. By 2015, this fiber should replace all of Miroglio’s
virgin polyester filament yarns. The innovative platform is certified through a comprehensive
production approach and offers a wide range of high-performance recycled PET filament yarn
including partially oriented, flat, textured, microfiber and hollow yarns for numerous
applications. Because the yarns are spun-dyed, additional colors can be supplied as well as the
existing color range.


Happy Exhibitors


According to a survey conducted by Messe Frankfurt, 90 percent of all exhibitors were very
satisfied with the fair results, which are attributed to growing demand from the various
application areas and improved general economic conditions.

Regina Brückner, CEO of Germany-based Brückner Trockentechnik GmbH & Co. KG, a leading
supplier of finishing machinery for industrial fabrics, expressed her satisfaction with this
Techtextil: “Our booth was occupied all three days with a lot of promising and even firm contacts,
particularly those asking for our coating technology.”

Rudolf Feucht, sales manager, Toyota Textile Machinery Europe AG, Switzerland, reported high
demand for glass filament fabrics. He said fine yarns are especially in demand and the Toyota
weaving machines are highly suitable for fine filament glass yarns, which are used mainly for
electronic products.


Expanding Coverage


For some 10 years, there have been discussions about whether Techtextil should last three or
four days. In the beginning, there was an exhibition only; then, an extensive conference program
was launched; and then, Avantex was added to present high-tech apparel textiles; followed by
Material Vision featuring new materials for design and architecture; and, this year, Texprocess
presenting textile and flexible materials processing technologies. More than 500 participants
attended the restructured Techtextil and Avantex Symposiums, which presented some 60 lectures
covering trends and developments for products, materials and technologies. After this extensive
program with all the competing events, many exhibitors feel three days are not enough anymore.

The next Techtextil in Frankfurt will be held for four days — June 11-14, 2013 — again
concurrently with Texprocess and in association with Material Vision.

July/August 2011

Invista Adds Antron® Lumena® Capacity, Product Offerings

Invista, Wichita, Kan., is expanding capacity at its Kingston, Canada, manufacturing plant for the
production of Antron® Lumena® solution-dyed nylon 6,6 with TruBlend™, a carpet fiber featuring
30-percent recycled content. The company anticipates that in the future, TruBlend will become a
primary polymer platform for the entire Antron Lumena color spectrum.

“We are committed to producing Antron Lumena solution dyed fibers with recycled content that
contribute to LEED® [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] points,” said Diane O’Sullivan,
global marketing director, Invista commercial flooring. “The expansion at our Kingston facility
will provide additional capacity for our TruBlend fiber offering and allow us to deliver more color
options being sought by customers.”

In other company news, Invista has added a 900-denier fiber family to the Antron Lumena line.
O’Sullivan said the new denier family supports tufting technology innovations and enables expanded
styling opportunities.

The company also has added pewter, copper, steel and bronze to its Antron Lumena Glimmer™
accent fiber line, which already offered gold and silver.

July/August 2011

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