BRIXEN, Italy — March 14, 2024 — GRUP TRANSILVAE is Vanguard Europe’s newest official partner. The strategic step will build on existing synergies for both companies to capitalize on new growth opportunities. The agreement will cover sales, distribution, service, ink supply and ongoing sales support.
GRUP TRANSILVAE Team
GRUP TRANSILVAE has been a leading supplier of equipment and solutions for the graphic arts industry in Romania since 1991. The company’s enduring philosophy is rooted in honesty and its commitment to integrity is evident in its relationships with employees, partners, and customers, fostering an environment of trust and constructive feedback.
Its portfolio includes a comprehensive range of wide and super-wide digital printing solutions. GRUP TRANSILVAE also offers a reliable authorized service, quality management, and control solutions tailored to the graphics and printing industry, enhancing efficiency and productivity across the workflow. With a strong focus on color management, efficient printing processes, and print quality, GRUP TRANSILVAE has invaluable expertise, establishing itself as a recognized leader in the field.
“We are delighted to announce this partnership with GRUP TRANSILVAE,” said Frank Kirsch, Vanguard Europe’s Sales manager. “This represents an additional significant development in our mission to establish ourselves as a market leader by offering true UV flatbed digital printing systems that are designed in the United States and assembled in Italy. GRUP TRANSILVAE is long-established and has an unrivalled knowledge within the markets it operates. This new partnership will create important new sales opportunities.”
A subsidiary of Vanguard Digital Printing Systems Corp., Lawrenceville, Ga., producing 200 systems a year, Vanguard Europe is moving towards its goal of becoming a leader in the digital flatbed and UV industrial production entry- and mid-level markets by replicating sales successes of its parent company.
This will be achieved by utilizing the global expertise of its resellers, distributors and partners such as GRUP TRANSILVAE. Vanguard, with its industrial printing flatbed systems for signage, decoration, business equipment, industry and packaging, has been part of the Durst Group – manufacturer of advanced digital printing and production technologies – since 2020.
European staff are now based next-door to the headquarters of Durst Group in Brixen in the 5,000 square meter ‘Kraftwerk’ premises. Since Vanguard Europe was established, more than 90 installations of digital flatbed systems have already taken place across Europe.
NEUMÜNSTER, Germany — March 14, 2024 — The new staple fiber technology center of the Neumünster-based plant construction company Oerlikon Neumag, which opened in 2022, is now also available to customers for tests on continuous inline pilot lines for processing various polymers. The ultra-modern technology center initially focused on the further development of polyester fibers.
Polypropylene inline tests for geotextile applications achieve excellent results
Inline staple fiber systems are preferred in the PP process.
Joint tests with a well-known fiber producer show excellent values in the inline process for polypropylene geotextile applications. Tenacities of well over 6 cN/dtex were achieved while residual elongation remained high. This means that the fibers exceed the parameters currently established in geotextile applications. “The demand for geotextiles is growing with higher traffic volumes and increasing climate extremes,” says Oerlikon Neumag Head of Development Dr. Friedrich Lennemann. “We are seeing a trend in fibers towards higher tenacity combined with high elongation. In view of the results achieved, we believe our customers are well equipped to meet this trend with our technology.”
High-tech staple fiber technology center supports the development of new fiber products
The 2100 m² facility provides all interested fiber manufacturers with access to current staple fiber technologies and processes. The modular fiber band processing line allows the variable combination of all components in order to reproduce the respective process. Extensive analysis options provide detailed findings for further development.
Interested parties can also find out more about the product range at this year’s Techtextil in Frankfurt, where the Oerlikon Business Unit Manmade Fibers will be represented at the VDMA stand.
CULVER CITY, Calif. — March 14, 2024 — Active Apparel Group (AAG), manufacturer of performance apparel for the leisure/lifestyle and active market, is proud to announce the seventh anniversary of their partnership with the sustainable textile finishing brand FUZE Technologies.
AAG is the first apparel manufacturer to adopt FUZE’s permanent, chemical-free textile finish, and the only company in China able to apply FUZE in a closed-loop system. AAG leverages the platform to provide a range of performance characteristics to customers, including odor control, UV protection, moisture management, and cooling.
“What sets AAG apart from other manufacturers is our unwavering commitment to workplace equity, quality manufacturing, and performance products,” said Dan Hawker, CEO of AAG. “To maintain these standards, we work with brands that have a similar ethos. FUZE’s commitment to clean and sustainable textile finishes allows us to provide a high level of excellence to our partner brands.”
The FUZE finish, which is one of the only products approved by the EPA to claim “long-lasting antimicrobial efficacy on material,” utilizes gold and silver particles permanently bonded to a wide variety of natural and synthetic materials to achieve a range of performance characteristics. AAG customers employing the FUZE finish create apparel for the yoga, active lifestyle, workout, golf, and swimwear markets.
Still one of the only clothing manufacturers to employ FUZE’s spray application system, AAG finished over 2.9 million square meters of material since the start of 2022. FUZE requires fewer resources to apply and increases product longevity, making it the right choice for reducing apparel waste.
Active Apparel Group will be exhibiting at Performance Days in Munich March 20-21 in booth A17. Meetings can be scheduled by emailing Eimear McDermott Eimearm@activeapparelgroup.com.
SINGAPORE — March 14, 2024 — Epson is pleased to announce that it is planning the construction of the company’s first biomass power plant in Iida City, in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Epson hopes to have the plant in operation in the 2026 fiscal year (ending March 2027) and is working to secure the land and buildings, contract construction, and file the paperwork for power generation.
Conceptual drawing of the Minami-Shinshu Biomass Power Plant
Epson is publicly committed to becoming carbon negative and underground resource free in Environmental Vision 2050. The use of renewable electricity is a key means by which Epson seeks to reach its goal of decarbonisation and, in December 2023, Epson completed the switch to 100% renewable electricity at all Epson Group sites around the world.
The new power plant is intended to provide Epson with self-generated renewable electricity on a continuous basis and reduce the ratio of electricity the company purchases from external power companies, thereby promoting wider public adoption of renewable electricity. Epson plans to construct the plant on the site of the former Kiribayashi Clean Center, which the Minami Shinshu Wide-Area Union shut down in December 2017. The electricity generated will be sold to the market under a feed-in premium (FIP) scheme, and Epson will convert the electricity that it uses into renewable electricity by leveraging the environmental value created through power generation. Moreover, the power is expected to be supplied to local facilities in the event of a disaster or other emergency.
The power plant will not depend on fossil fuels. It will be fueled primarily by unused wood from the Minami Shinshu area, as well as by materials such as tree bark, mushroom culture medium, and some waste wooden pallets from Epson. By utilising wood and bark from neglected forests, Epson will also be contributing to forest maintenance.
Construction of this power plant will increase the ratio of self-generated power and meet the technical criteria of RE100, which emphasises additionality. In the future, Epson aims to create a closed-loop power plant by developing technology for the fixation and utilisation of CO2 produced during power generation.
Epson will continue to promote the wide-spread adoption of renewable electricity, reduce its energy consumption, and circulate resources on its way to realising Environmental Vision 2050.
Power Plant Overview
Name
Seiko Epson Corporation Minami-Shinshu Biomass power plant
Location
2254-47 Kiribayashi, Iida City, Nagano Prefecture (formerly the site of the Kiribayashi Clean Center)
DELANO, Minn. — March 13, 2024 — Easiway Systems, a developer of screen cleaning technology, unveils its latest breakthrough – Easisolv 401N Squeegee and Floodbar Wash. This revolutionary product sets a new standard in cleaning solutions, featuring a first-of-its-kind formula that does not swell squeegee rubber, ensuring extended equipment life and consistent printing quality.
Engineered specifically for automated cleaning equipment, 401N streamlines operations while effectively removing ink from suspension, simplifying cleaning and recirculation processes. Its versatile formula dissolves plastisolv, solvent, and UV inks, adhering to strict quality standards and restricted substances lists, including those of industry giants like Nike, Gildan, and Adidas.
Sara Broghamer, COO remarked, “401N represents a significant milestone in our commitment to innovation and excellence. We believe that this product will redefine industry standards and empower screen printers to achieve unparalleled levels of efficiency, performance, and sustainability.”
Available now, 401N invites screen printers to experience the future of squeegee and floodbar cleaning technology firsthand, promising enhanced efficiency, performance, and peace of mind.
ROCKVILLE, Md. — March 13, 2024 — Secondary Materials and Recycled Textile (SMART) Association, a global organization of companies involved in reusing and recycling textiles and related secondary materials, is pleased to announce the election of board members and officers to terms beginning March 1, 2024. The 2024 SMART Board of Directors will be pivotal in advancing the organization’s mission as the leading industry voice in promoting high standards and best practices for reusing and recycling textiles and related secondary materials.
The newly elected members of the SMART Board of Directors are:
Gloria Avendano, Global Marine Transportation, Inc. 2024-26 (First Term)
Joe Howlett, St. Pauly Textile, Inc. 2024-26 (First Term)
The following Director’s term has not expired and will remain on the board:
Helene Carter, Bank & Vogue Limited 2023-25 (Third Term)
The following individuals are elected for positions on the SMART Board of Directors for the coming year for a two-year term:
Munir Hussain, Textile Recycler, Inc. 2024-26 (Third Term)
Harold Kalfus, Rescon GmbH 2024-26 (Third Term)
Usman Kappaya, J and K Textiles Intl. Pvt. Ltd. 2024-26 (Third Term)
Gina Buty, American Textile & Supply, Inc. 2024-26 (Second Term)
The SMART Board of Directors met on Monday, February 26, 2024, and elected the following board members to serve as Officers for 2024-25. The newly elected Officers took office on March 1 and will serve for a one-year term. The Officers for 2024-25 are:
Brian London, Whitehouse & Schapiro, President
Drew Weinberg, OVASCO, Vice President
Brian Rubin, Erie Cotton Products, Treasurer
Steve Rees, Wipeco Industries, Immediate Past President
Brian London, President of SMART, expressed his excitement about the new additions to the Board of Directors and Officers; “”I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to the newly elected officers and board members joining the SMART family. As we navigate the complexities and challenges inherent in our industry, it is with great excitement that we look to the leadership and vision of our new board to guide us. This group will reinforce and amplify our dedication to fostering the symbiotic relationships among the for-profit textile recycling industry’s various segments, providing a vital platform for networking, education, and advocacy.
Underpinning our enthusiasm is the remarkable growth and evolution SMART has experienced. As we return from our first Latin American based Annual Meeting, this marks a transformative era of global cooperation in textile reuse and recycling. The expertise, creativity, and passion of our dynamic and talented board of directors are instrumental in steering our organization towards unprecedented achievements in this global endeavor.
Their collective vision and leadership are key to unlocking the potential of our industry, driving sustainability, and making a lasting impact on a global scale. As an organization, we stand on the threshold of a promising new chapter, poised to redefine the landscape of textile recycling and reuse.”
Congratulations to the new officers and directors!
SMART would like to thank outgoing board members:
Tony Shumpert (Immediate Past President), Savers
Rick Wolf, Mednik Riverbend,
for their outstanding leadership and dedicated service to SMART.
https://www.smartasn.org/
Posted: March 13, 2024
Source: Secondary Materials and Recycled Textile (SMART) Association
VILA NOVA DE FAMALICÃO, Portugal — March 13, 2024 — For the past three days, representatives from all 43 European partners of RegioGreenTex met for the Annual Consortium Meeting, hosted by CITEVE – the Portuguese Centre for textile innovation.
Co-funded by the European Union I3 Instrument Programme, RegioGreenTex is a €13 million project to promote investments in textile circularity. Research centres, regional clusters, regional development agencies and 26 SMEs collaborate to realise unique pilot projects to transform the textile industry business model from linear to circular.
The annual consortium meeting is a pivotal point to assess the project’s progress and impact. Presentations and workshops have been an essential part of the meeting, along with networking opportunities where partners created synergies and discussed common challenges. Furthermore, all SME partners showcased their results through an exhibition with samples of garments, yarns, fabrics and products: the outcome of the project’s innovation so far. New collaborations and partners are expected to flourish as another outcome and the meeting.
EURATEX, as project coordinator, ensures the successful implementation of this ambitious initiative. Dirk Vantyghem, EURATEX Director General, commented: “RegioGreenTex is an essential piece of our wider plan to implement the EU Sustainable Textile Strategy. Offering investment support to our SMEs is critical to make this green transition a success.”
MILAN — March 13, 2024 — Italian textile technology has always been a reliable partner for the India’s textile industry. Now a new promotional initiative aims to boost trade relations between the two Countries in the textile sector. Indeed 11 Italian textile machinery manufacturers will be taking part in the forthcoming technological symposia scheduled in New Delhi and Mumbai from April 9-12. The two events, organized by the Italian Trade Agency and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will allow Italian companies to showcase their most up-to-date technologies to a selected audience of Indian textile entrepreneurs.
The textile sector is of great significance in the Indian economy, contributing more than 2% of the GDP and allowing the Country to be among the world largest exporter of textile and apparel items. Moreover India represents the third largest foreign market for the Italian textile machinery industry.
Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT commented: “In India textile sector is steadily developing, not only in terms of traditional textiles. The strong growth in demand for technical and innovative textiles in application areas such as geotextiles and medical is another business opportunity for our industry. These symposia will provide an opportunity to highlight the supply of Italian manufacturers, who are at the forefront especially in sustainability and digitization of production processes.”
In 2022 India imported Italian textile machinery for a total value of about 200 million euro. Referring to the first 9 months of 2023, the value shows a slight decrease compared to the value for the same period of the previous year, but the forecast for the current year remains positive.
“These technology symposia are part of a promotional program that ITA and ACIMIT have been developing for years to strengthen trade relations between the two Countries in the textile field, continues Salvadè. In particular, I would like to mention that the first Italian textile technology training center set up was the one established at DKTE’S Textile & Engineering Institute Ichalkaranji (DKTE).”
Posted: March 13, 2024
Source: ACIMIT – The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers
STOCKHOLM, Sweden — March 13, 2024 — Members of TMAS — the Swedish textile machinery association — will display technologies completely in alignment with the major digitalisation theme of the forthcoming Techtextil and Texprocess 2024 exhibitions taking place in Frankfurt from April 23-26.
“Textile manufacturers who don’t embrace the new possibilities of digitalization — in addition to continuing to make sustainable gains — will very soon face obstacles to their progress,” said TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson.
Eton Systems software continuously accumulates, processes and makes all production information instantly available.
Automatic handling
The fully automated and digitized handling solutions for finished garments, home textiles and furniture of Eton Systems, for example, will be demonstrated at Texprocess, at stand F31 in Hall 8 in Frankfurt.
Designed to increase value-added time in production by eliminating manual transportation and minimizing handling, the individually addressable product carriers are fully managed and controlled by the latest ETONingenious™ software. This web based real-time data collection and information system continuously accumulates, processes and makes all production information instantly available to supervisors, quality control personnel and management.
“Our latest software enables full transparency at all stages of making up and assembly,” says Eton CEO Jerker Krabbe. “Over the years we have accumulated significant knowledge of production requirements, customer demand and challenges within the working environment and we are always listening to our customers in many diverse sectors in order to help them further improve and fine tune their individual software platforms. ETONingenious is equipped with an immensely powerful web based graphical user interface fully adapted to the production environment.”
Advances in automation are making the specialised, bespoke machines engineered by Swegea ever more efficient.
Bespoke seams
Also in Hall 8 at Texprocess, at stand D49, Svegea will demonstrate its EC 300-XS colarette technology which is used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.
“Advances in automation are only making the specialized, bespoke machines we engineer ever more efficient,” said Svegea Managing Director Håkan Steene. “At the moment we’re seeing a lot of interest in the reshoring of operations by our customers, to bring final-stage manufacturing closer to the key European and US markets.”
The EC 300-XS collarette cutter on show in Frankfurt is equipped with the latest E-Drive II system providing the operator with a very user-friendly touchscreen, providing full control of the cutting process. An accompanying FA 350 fully automatic roll slitting machine will also be demonstrated.
“A key function is the ability to ensure perfect synchronization of the tubular fabric between the machine’s turntable platform and its upper cutting body,” Steene explained. “We supply a wide range of automatic collarette band cutting machines with capacities to match the needs of our customers.”
Digital finishing
At Techtextil meanwhile, Baldwin Technology Co. will provide full details of how its highly digitized TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology for textile finishing and remoistening not only reduces water, chemicals and energy consumption, but also provides the flexibility to adapt to customer requirements in terms of single and double-sided finishing applications.
TexCoat G4 can reduce water consumption and chemical usage by as much as 50% compared to traditional padding application processes.
Baldwin now has more than 100 systems installed globally, with key reference systems in place for the TexCoat G4 at North Carolina State University and Graniteville Specialty Fabrics in the USA, as well as at Pincroft in England. Most recently, the company has announced the commissioning of a major line at Fakhruddin Textile Mills in Bangladesh.
“Since its introduction, global textile finishers have embraced TexCoat and are now reaping the benefits,” says vice-president of global business development Rick Stanford. “They have been able to increase profitability, cut energy use and reduce their carbon footprint in addition to exercising precision control with our patented precision spray technology.”
Baldwin will be at stand D63 in Hall 12 at Techtextil.
Yarn tension
Assisting in the automated precision of the latest high speed weaving systems is the domain of two further TMAS companies exhibiting at Techtextil.
Celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, Eltex will display the latest Eltex EyETM system for the continuous monitoring of yarn tension on warp beams stand C53 in Hall 12.
The Eltex EyETM eliminates problems when warping, and also in subsequent weaving or tufting processes, monitoring the yarn tension on all positions in real-time and enabling a minimum and maximum allowable tension value it be set. If any yarn’s tension falls outside these values the operator can be warned or the machine stopped.
The Eltex ACT and ACT-R units meanwhile go beyond yarn tension monitoring to actually control yarn tension. This extends the application range greatly. The plug and play system automatically compensates for any differences in yarn tension that arise, for example from irregularities in yarn packages.
“In today’s highly optimised textile production environments, yarn tension has become an important parameter in eliminating faults and ensuring premium quality at all times,” said Eltex CEO Brian Hicks.
Vandewiele Sweden’s latest X4 yarn feeders provide instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.
Accumulated know-how
Vandewiele Sweden AB (stand D20, Hall 12) benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of the market-leading Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.
The company will present its latest X4 yarn feeders with integrated accessory displays (TED) as a new standard, as well as launching its own e-commerce platform – iroonline.com.
The TED function enables weft tension settings to be transferred from one machine to another, enabling a fast start-up the next time the same article is woven. The position of the S-Flex Tensioner is constantly monitored by an internal sensor – even if adjustment is made during power off.
X4 feeders are also available with integrated active tension control (ATC-W) as an option. With the ATC-W active tension control, the required tension is easily set and monitored on the integrated display. Once set, the system constantly regulates itself, ensuring consistent yarn tension during the weaving process which is constantly and accurately measured by the ATC sensor unit, sending a signal to the ATC operator unit resulting in consistently stable yarn tension at the required level.
Supply chain infrastructure
“It is now essential for companies at all stages of the manufacturing supply chain to improve their infrastructures since upcoming legal regulations – such as the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles and the associated digital product passport – will require a corresponding level of digitalisation,” says Premler-Andersson in conclusion. “At the same time, digitalisation is helping manufacturers to meet the sustainability requirements of customers and partners by, for example, improving supply chain transparency and resource calculation. We look forward to discussing the digital solutions offered by TMAS members at the Techtextil and Texprocess shows.”
Posted: March 13, 2024
Source: TMAS – The Swedish Textile Machinery Association
ZURICH, Switzerland and ZEIST, Netherlands — March 13, 2024 — September 8-10, the International Textile Manufacturers Federation and the International Apparel Federation, for the first time in their histories, are jointly holding their annual convention. This year’s venue is the ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. IAF and ITMF organize it with their mutual Uzbek member, the Uzbek Textile & Apparel Industry Association. The theme of the convention is “Innovation, Cooperation & Regulation – Drivers of the Textile & Apparel Industry”.
At the Samarkand convention, IAF and ITMF will bring together the entire supply chain, including raw material suppliers, spinners, weavers, machine suppliers, garment and home textile manufacturers, brands, retailers, solution providers and educators. Industry experts and leaders will discuss the relevance of innovation, cooperation, and regulation for our industry and how they will influence and shape the future. The convention will also introduce the Uzbek textile and garment industry to the rest of the world, providing a good view of this industry, both during the conference program and during the planned factory visits.
Uzbekistan was known as one of the major cotton producers in the world. But in the last 10 to 15 years it has turned from a major cotton exporting to a cotton importing country. During this time, Uzbekistan has developed a textile and apparel that is in an exciting early stage of rapid development.
IAF and ITMF are organizing their annual conventions together out of a strong conviction that the apparel industry and textile industry need to jointly discuss collective solutions for our common industry challenges. Textile and garment manufacturers together hold keys to the solutions that the entire fashion industry relies upon. Reduction of the environmental footprint of textile and apparel products happens at the level of fiber producers, spinners, weavers, knitters, finishers, printers, and sewing operations. Information needed to fill a Digital Product Passport or to run a 3D digital design and development operation requires an effective flow of information between all segments of the textile and apparel value chain.
Samarkand is also a beautiful historic backdrop for the convention’s social events, including a gala dinner and a city tour. Save the dates in your calendar. From September 8-10 our value chain will meet in Samarkand!
For more information go to https://www.itmf-iaf-conference-2024-samarkand.org/
Posted: March 13, 2024
Source: International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
BRIXEN, Italy — March 14, 2024 — GRUP TRANSILVAE is Vanguard Europe’s newest official partner. The strategic step will build on existing synergies for both companies to capitalize on new growth opportunities. The agreement will cover sales, distribution, service, ink supply and ongoing sales support.
