RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — June 9, 2011 — AATCC announces the winners of its sixth annual
Materials Research Poster Competition for students. The competition (developed by AATCC’s Materials
Interest Group) aims to promote innovative product development from a material structures design
perspective. Submissions were invited from both graduate and undergraduate students. All entries
were evaluated on concept originality, research quality, clarity, and results.

Winning entries in each category received cash awards of US$1,000 for First Place and US$500
for Second Place. Winners also receive complimentary student registrations for the 2012 AATCC
International Conference. 

Industrial/Technical/Sports Materials

1st Place:
An Investigative Study: Heat Dissipation in Firefighter Suits by Julisha Joyner, Doniece
Bolds & Michael Charguluaf of North Carolina State University

2nd Place:
Zar Golf…When Technology Meets Fashion by Jessica Salazar of Texas State University

Medical/Biomedical/Protective Materials and Devices 

1st Place:
Citric Acid Crosslinked Electrospun Zein Fibers for Biomedical Applications by Qiuran
Jiang & Wei Li of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

2nd Place:
Fabrication of Hollow Nanoparticles from Corn Storage Protein Zein for Potential Biomedical
Applications by Helan Xu & Yue Zhang of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Functional/Smart/Nano Materials 

1st Place: 
Zinc Oxide/Nylon 6 Plasma-Assisted Electrospun Fibers for Warfare Protective Applications
by Narendiran Vitchuli, Joshua Nowak, Rupesh Nawalakhe & Michael Sieber of North Carolina State
University

2nd Place:
Fluorescent Surface Coatings for Aerospace Composite Damage Detection by Ryan Toivola of
the University of Washington

Entries were judged by: Radhakrishnaiah Parachuru, Georgia Tech, Robina Hogan, Omni Tech
International/Hogan Consulting, and Perry Grady, North Carolina State University/AATCC.

Posted on June 10, 2011

Source: AATCC

RegionaLink LLC, based in Salt Lake City with an operational office in Guatemala, has opened it
doors to offer 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, where rising prices and other concerns are making
sourcing in that region a less attractive solution. The new company, led by Managing Director
Alejandro Arias, has received initial investment backing from three executives with extensive
experience in apparel sourcing and supply chain technology, including: Carlos Arias, president of
Denimatrix LP, the Guatemala-based denim apparel manufacturing subsidiary of Plains Cotton
Cooperative Association; Kurt Cavano, chairman and CEO of TradeCard Inc., a New York City-based
supply chain collaboration platform for brands, retailers and their partners; and Walter T.
Wilhelm, founder of Walter Wilhelm Associates, a Salt Lake City-based consultancy serving the
apparel, footwear and retail sectors.

“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 two-pronged fee
structure that will vary on a client-to-client basis. First, the company will charge a fixed fee to
represent the client in the region and provide access to RegionaLink’s network of factories;
up-to-date business and socioeconomic information for each country involved in the supply chain;
and assistance in the product development, costing and sampling stages of the supply chain process.
Second, it will charge a percentage fee upon order placement to cover services related to order
management, factory compliance, quality control and shipping.

The company also will charge fees to the factories under a yet-to-be-determined structure
based on business prospectiveness, and marketing and promotion with U.S. and European brands and
retailers.

In addition to providing sourcing services to brands and retailers, Arias said RegionaLink
also will be beneficial to U.S. yarn and fabric producers that are 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.”

June 7, 2011

Sandow Media Corp. — a developer of multichannel, vertically integrated luxury print and online
brands, with offices in Los Angeles; Boca Raton, Fla.; New York City; and North Carolina — has
acquired New York City-based materials consultancy Material ConneXion Inc. and its sister company
and strategic design consultancy Culture & Commerce Inc.

“The acquisition of Material ConneXion and Culture & Commerce is a pivotal step for us,”
said Adam I. Sandow, chairman and CEO, Sandow Media. “Material ConneXion’s unparalleled expertise
in materials, sustainability and design, coupled with its expanding global presence will bring
substantial knowledge to our corporation and greatly magnify our business connections and
international reach. Culture & Commerce’s leadership position at the intersection of the
business and design worlds provides a valuable, strategic resource for ourselves and clients. With
Sandow supporting them, the synergistic opportunities are exciting and limitless.”

“Sandow’s business acumen and passion for developing innovative brands makes the company a
perfect partner to take our companies to the next stage,” said Michele Caniato, president, Material
ConneXion and Culture & Commerce. Caniato will continue to lead the two companies.

Material ConneXion’s membership-based Materials Libraries offer more than 6,000 advanced and
sustainable materials and consulting services through locations in the United States, Europe and
Asia. The company recently announced plans to open 10 additional Materials Libraries throughout
China by 2017, and to launch a new online Materials Database this year.

June 7, 2011

Amann & Söhne GmbH & Co. KG (the Amann Group) — a Germany-based developer of sewing and
embroidery threads for a range of applications — has introduced Xtreme-Tech, a high-performance
sewing thread based on ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) Dyneema® fiber
manufactured by DSM Dyneema, the Netherlands. The company received an Innnovation Award, which
recognizes outstanding product innovations and solutions, for Xtreme-Tech at the inaugural
Texprocess processing textile and flexible materials trade show held last month in Frankfurt.

Amann Group developed special twisting, coating and coloring techniques to create
Xtreme-Tech, which the company reports is easy to process and to dye. The low-weight, high-strength
thread is suitable for applications with high safety requirements, including sailing, haulage
ropes, paragliders, fishing nets, aerospace, load restraint/lifting systems and protective
clothing; as well as sports gear such as climbing equipment, ropes and harnesses. Amann initially
developed Xtreme-Tech for its customer AmSafe Industries Inc., Phoenix, which is currently using it
to develop super-strong cargo restraint systems for Freighter Aircrafts.

“Most companies already know about the impressive properties of Dyneema fiber in terms of
durability and strength, but have not been aware of its outstanding performance in sewing thread,”
said Yvonne Engelen, vice president, innovation, DSM Dyneema. “As a highly sustainable solution for
many applications, Amann’s new Xtreme-Tech with Dyneema will enable many companies to optimise
their products as a result of stronger seams, and in many cases increase the lifetime of their
products.”

Amann Group and DSM Dyneema have entered into a strategic trademark agreement under which the
companies will market and sell Xtreme-Tech and other new products they plan to develop in
partnership.

June 7, 2011

MIAMI — June 1, 2011 — NGC® Software today announced that Vesi Incorporated, a designer and
manufacturer of better collegiate sportswear, has selected NGC’s Extended PLM and ERP software as
an integrated system for supply chain management. Vesi, which has elevated game-day apparel to a
fashionable lifestyle collection for men and women, will implement NGC’s PLM and ERP software
across all of its brands in order to provide transparency throughout the company, improve
collaboration with overseas vendors, and streamline reporting and business processes.

Easy to use, flexible reporting capabilities were a key factor in Vesi’s selection of NGC’s
ERP . “We needed to provide our key personnel with easier access to our ERP system, and our entire
team appreciated the user-friendliness of NGC’s new ERP system,” said Dale Davidson, vice president
and COO, Vesi Incorporated. “NGC’s ERP will improve transparency, both internally and with our
external vendors, and it provides better information flow with all the reporting enhancements.”

With NGC’s Extended PLM software, Vesi will be able to improve collaboration with its trading
partners, while streamlining the design-production process. “One of our biggest challenges over the
years has been communication with our overseas vendors,” Davidson said. “The lack of consistent
transparency between our vendor partners and ourselves in regard to Time and Action calendars has
just become too cumbersome to accommodate. Furthermore, the elimination of data entry functions by
transferring information directly from the PLM system to the ERP software was very enticing.”

Vesi had experience using NGC’s first-generation ERP and turned to NGC again when selecting
its new ERP and PLM systems. “Our experience with NGC is the reason why no other ERP/PLM vendor was
chosen,” Davidson said. “When it comes to systems, the primary concern for our business is the
ability to have a vendor that I can totally trust in regard to implementation and support. We have
been a customer of NGC for over 10 years, and in terms of customer service and technical support,
they have always — I repeat, always — exceeded expectations.” 

“NGC appreciates the long-time working relationship with Vesi, and we’re glad to bring
important new reporting and collaboration capabilities to Vesi through NGC’s latest ERP and
Extended PLM solutions,” said Mark Burstein, president of sales and marketing, NGC.

Posted on June 6, 2011

Source: NGC Software

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — June 2, 2011 — BigSky Technologies LLC announced the issuance of the first in a
series of patents for their GreenShield® fabric finish technology. GreenShield is a new process for
water-, oil-, and stain-repellency that replaces the conventional polymer-based chemicals with
particle-based green nanotechnology, reducing the use of fluorochemicals by as much as 10 times.

The proprietary technology covered by the patent represents a new application for biomimicry
by truly simulating the natural water repellency in the microscopic roughness of a lotus leaf
surface. Undetectable to human touch, the microscopic surface roughness of fabric treated with
GreenShield finish allows water and oil to roll off the surface, resulting in superior water- and
oil-repellency and stain-resistance. The water-based formulation is safe and environmentally
friendly, reduces fluorocarbons by 6-10 times, but at the same time maintains the hand and feel of
fabrics, and is permanent with excellent wash-durability.

The patent, number 7,879,743, marks a major milestone for the two-year-old company, which
manufactures textile finishes inspired by nature. “Our goal was always a greener stain-resistant
technology,” says Dr. Cathy Fleischer, Managing Partner, BigSky Technologies LLC. “We have been
able to scientifically mimic the repellency of the lotus leaf, using 6-10 times fewer fluorocarbons
in the process. That’s a first.”

GreenShield is certified by SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) to deliver outstanding
stain-resistance to fabrics while reducing the amount of chemicals that negatively impacts the
environment.  Products coated with GreenShield were tested and verified as 6-10 times lower in
fluorine relative to competitors by Galbraith Laboratories, one of the largest independent testing
facilities in the world. 

Posted June 3, 2011

Source: PRNewswire

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — May 31, 2011 — Atlas Copco Compressors LLC has purchased assets related to the
compressor business of the Tencarva Machinery Company, a distributor of Atlas Copco products for
many years. The acquired business operates in Tennessee, Virginia, MIssissippi, Maryland and
Delaware.

“This acquisition supports the development of our aftermarket business and brings us closer
to customers in an important geographic region of the United States,” said Stephan Kuhn, business
area president, Atlas Copco Compressor Technique.

The acquired compressor business will be incorporated into the East Region of Atlas Copco
Compressors in the United States. Atlas Copco will operated from Tencarva’s current locations for a
period of six to 12 months. After divesting the compressor business, the Tencarva Machinery Company
will continue to sell mainly industrial pumps.

Approximately 37 employees in sales and service roles will join Atlas Copco from the Tencarva
Machinery Company as a result of this acquisition.

Posted June 3, 2011

Source: Atlas Copco