Technical Textile Innovators Presented State-Of-The Science Advancements At IFAI Advanced Textiles Paris Conference

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — July 19, 2010 — Building on the success of the first two IFAI Advanced
Textiles conferences (in Berlin and Brussels), IFAI presented a third successful edition in Paris
16-17 June, in the modern Congress facilities of UICP (right next to the Eiffel Tower).

 

The Industrial Fabrics Association International hosted 70 participants from Europe and the
U.S. at the 2010 conference, which focused on major applications of technical textiles and
investigated new technology solutions and material aspects. Twenty-three exciting lectures gave
insights into interesting applications in the areas of medical, architecture, protection and
security; as well as sports and agriculture.

 

Two prominent keynote speakers set the tone for the exciting developments within this growing
industry. Frédérique Mutel, President and CEO of JEC Group, France, gave an outstanding overview of
the global composite industry figures and trends. JEC has been the lobbying platform for the
international composites industry for 50 years; and boasts a network of 250,000 professionals
worldwide.

 

The composites industry today accounts for about 55,000 jobs worldwide and is a 60 billion
Euro business. Mutel revealed high growth rates for composites in Asia and especially for
thermoplastics and wind energy applications.

 

The second distinguished keynote speaker was Kim Glas, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of
Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, who presented an interesting overview of U.S.
advancements in protective and medical textile applications. “The U.S. and European advanced
textile manufacturers are leaders in innovation, performance and quality,” Glas assessed. “The
major areas for research and development into advanced textiles are engineered polymers and fibers,
lightweight composite materials, air permeability and breathability, FR and chemical and biological
protection,” she said.

 

A session covering “Natural fibres and fibre composites for various industrial applications,”
was presented by Loek de Vries, President and CEO of Royal TenCate, the Netherlands. TenCate’s
development during the last 10 years is a paradigm for innovation and how to cope with the
challenges of changing markets.

 

De Vries’ visionary presentation was geared to innovations in fibre-reinforced composites. He
demonstrated that the permanent drive toward innovation is a truly strategic alignment that
generates growth and prosperity. He also highlighted global trends such applications as safety and
protection, sustainability and environment; and corresponding market themes such as the reduction
of energy consumption, water management, environmental protection and personal safety.  
The session entitled “Performance textiles in sports, wellness, health and care” was presented by
Philippe Courtenay, Head of Sourcing Apparel, Adidas, who outlined Adidas’ new concepts in active
sports and personal training. Adidas was the main sponsor of the world football competition in
South Africa. Courtenay leads a team of 500 people located in 15 countries sourcing 300 million
garments per year.

 

Among the other excellent speakers were Dr. Liz Mallen from Dow Corning Ltd., UK, who
introduced a brand new active protection system; Dr. Bodo Wixmerten from Huntsman Advanced
Materials GmbH in Switzerland; as well as Gordian Overschmidt, Managing Director Zendome GmbH,
Germany.

 

Presentations were also given by representatives from Rettenmaier and Archema in France,
Ferrari Textiles and Cousin Biotech, France; Daimler AG and Freudenberg Research Services, Germany;
as well as the well-known research institute Denkendorf and university Dresden.

 

IFAI Advanced Textiles ’10 partnered with CLUBTEX, the French association for the promotion
of the technical textiles conference. Karine Wallois from CLUBTEX chaired the session on products
and technologies for medical applications. Nine other associations and government institutions also
supported the conference: 

  • IVGT, the German association for technical textiles
  • GermanFashion, BESPO Germany
  • ITMF, the International Textile Manufacturers Federation,
  • U.S. Department of Commerce
  • UIT, Union des Industries Textiles, the French Association of Textile Industries
  • Espace Textile
  • European Textile Services Association (ETSA)
  • European Safety Federation (ESF)
  • Association of Italian Textile Machinery (ACIMIT)

Norafin and Bluestar Silicones were the 2010 sponsoring companies for the conference.

 

According to IFAI President and CEO Stephen Warner, “IFAI’s Advanced Textiles conference
gives voice to the new spirit and game-changing technologies in the textile industry. IFAI’s
mission is to inspire you, and we bring the network and knowledge together which showcases
future-looking experts in the field of technical textiles.” 

Posted on July 20, 2010

Press Release Courtesy of IFAI

Dow Corning Introduces Deflexion™ Brand Name For APS Flexible Impact Protection

Midland, Mich.-based Dow Corning Corp., a supplier of silicone products for textile applications,
has introduced the brand name Deflexion™ for its active protection system (APS) silicone-based
flexible impact protection fabric technology, originally launched in 2006
(See Quality Fabric Of The Month: ”
Protection
On Demand
,” July/August 2006)
. Intended as both a performance textile and an
impact-absorbing material, Deflexion is designed to absorb and disperse the shock of impact,
providing protection without the added bulk and stiffness of traditional padding and body armor.
Dow Corning reports the material is flexible, breathable, washable and durable; and may be cut and
sewn directly into clothing.

Dow Corning offers two Deflexion technology platforms: the S-Range 3D spacer textile
technology; and the TP-Range thermoplastic technology. Based on these two platforms, the Deflexion
materials are available on rolls in various thicknesses, weights, flexibilities, and breathability
and protection levels. It can be cut into different shapes, and it also may be layered. Possible
applications include sports apparel, such as base-layer shirts and protective equipment; as well as
footwear, medical devices, personal protective equipment and luggage.

July 20, 2010

Delta Apparel To Acquire HPM Apparel

Activewear apparel manufacturer Delta Apparel Inc., Duluth, Ga., has agreed to acquire Wendell,
N.C.-based HPM Apparel Inc., doing business as The Cotton Exchange. The Cotton Exchange – which
sells decorated apparel to college bookstores, the U.S. military and other retailers under The
Cotton Exchange, TCX and Just For Us brands – will keep its headquarters and operations in Wendell,
and its 290 employees will retain their jobs after the acquisition. 

“We are excited about the acquisition of The Cotton Exchange as it continues our strategy of
growing the company’s business within the college bookstore market and further strengthens our
military and retail channels,” said Robert W. Humphreys, chairman and CEO, Delta Apparel. “In
addition, this business provides us additional U.S. screen print and embroidery capacity, further
enhancing our speed to market initiatives. Delta Apparel is eager to begin working with the
existing management team to continue to grow ‘The Cotton Exchange’ as well as the company’s other
brands.”

July/August 2010

Oerlikon Neumag Announces Carpet Yarn Line Sales

Oerlikon Neumag, Germany — the nonwoven, bulk-continuous-filament (BCF) carpet yarn and man-made
staple fiber machinery business unit of Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG — reports that since
the start of 2010, it has completed more than 20 BCF carpet yarn line orders by major carpet
manufacturers in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, China and Russia. Polyester yarns account for
more than half the 100,000-plus tons of production capacity.

According to Oerlikon Neumag, polyester demand has grown because the yarns are more
cost-efficient to produce than other yarns, among other reasons; and it is expected that the growth
rate for polyester will outpace the rate for other carpet fibers.

July/August 2010

Dow To Shutter XLA Production

The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich., will exit its Dow Fiber Solutions (DFS) business and shut
down production of DOW XLA™ stretch fiber over the next six to 18 months. The company said the
action is in line with its strategy to streamline and focus its business portfolio, and follows a
determination that DFS could not compete with Dow’s other performance businesses for further
investment and expansion.

Dow launched DFS and its core Dow XLA fiber technology in 2002, and apparel featuring the
olefin-based soft stretch fiber began appearing in retail markets in 2004. The fiber withstands
extreme chemicals and temperatures up to 220°C as well as harsh dyeing, bleaching, mercerizing and
garment-washing conditions; and is compatible with both natural and man-made fibers.

DFS’s XLA production facility, located in Tarragona, Spain, will continue to fill customers’
current and final orders for the fiber. After final shut-down of the XLA operation, the facility
will be considered for an alternative use within Dow. In the meantime, Dow also will be exploring
future alternatives for the business.

July/August 2010

Picanol Introduces Cordless Air-jet Weaving Feature

Picanol NV, Belgium, has launched a feature for air-jet weaving machines that enables weaving
without the filling catch cord. The fully automatic Cordless feature has a mechanical clamp at the
right-hand side of the machine that moves along with the reed. Picanol reports tests conducted on a
range of fabrics have indicated the Cordless design improves filling tension evenness, reduces air
consumption, improves selvage quality, enables increased speeds on delicate yarn and significantly
reduces filling waste when weaving with elastic yarns.

The Cordless feature is linked to a central microprocessor that processes data from sensors
and detectors on the weaving machine, enabling real-time calculations and adaptations to the
system’s valve timings. Picanol also reports the Cordless feature is compatible with all types of
reeds.

July/August 2010

Avery Dennison Celebrates 75 Years

Pasadena, Calif.-based Avery Dennison Corp. is celebrating its 75th anniversary. From its
establishment in 1935 by R. Stanton Avery — who developed the first self-adhesive label and
label-making machinery and received 18 patents for his pressure-sensitive materials and production
technologies — the company has grown into a $6 billion global enterprise.

July/August 2010

Trützschler Renames Its India Subsidiary

Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, has renamed its India-based subsidiary from Trumac
Engineering Co. Pvt. to Truetzschler India Pvt. Ltd. The company is involved in Trützschler’s
spinning and card clothing segments, and will begin to support its nonwovens division in India.

Trützschler and A.T.E. Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. established Trumac as a joint venture in 1979.
The business began manufacturing blow room machines, and over the years, it added cards and draw
frames to its production line. In more recent years, Trumac has transitioned into making and
marketing Trützschler branded machinery in India. The company has expanded and updated its
manufacturing facilities to support the changes to its product line, and Trützschler decided the
name change would highlight “the transformation from production facility to fully integrated
producer and service provider.”

July/August 2010

Fashion Futures


A
s two colleges of fashion design showcase their students’ creativity, they also honor
those who paved the way. New York City-based Pratt Institute’s annual senior class fashion show was
preceded by a slide presentation highlighting the dynamic career of designer Catherine Malandrino,
the school’s 2010 Fashion Icon. Student awards in several categories were announced during a runway
show of their work. 

RadiciSpandex Corp., Gastonia, N.C., sponsored a fashion competition for the junior class at
Kent, Ohio-based Kent State University’s Fashion School. This year, Jeffrey Chow, Poleci’s creative
director for contemporary womenswear, was selected as designer judge to receive the “Stretch to the
Future” Award. He also helped select student scholarship award winners for the best-designed
stretch eveningwear, swimwear, activewear and lingerie.


Pratt Institute


Malandrino is the fifth designer to receive Pratt’s Fashion Icon award, established in 2006
to honor outstanding talent in the fashion industry. Previous recipients are Ralph Rucci, Carmen
Marc Valvo, Narcisco Rodriguez and Diane von Furstenberg.

Malandrino, who was born in the French Alps and educated in Paris, worked at the couture
houses of Dorothée Bis, Louis Féraud and Emanuel Ungaro before she moved to New York City. In 2002,
her SoHo boutique was featured in the hit cable television series “Sex and the City.” Currently,
she designs two collections: Catherine Malandrino, a line of contemporary apparel; and Malandrino,
a runway line that includes accessories. Her company operates 11 boutiques globally, and her
collections are sold in more than 400 stores worldwide.

Women’s sportswear, eveningwear and bridal fashions, menswear and costume designs appeared
on the runway to showcase the work of 22 Pratt seniors. In addition to designing and making each
garment, several students embellished fabrics with their own prints, hand painting or other
decoration. Other students pieced and patched different fabrics to create dramatic effects.

KA1

Pratt senior Kasia Wisniewski, winner of the Debi Jones Bridalwear Award, designed this gown
featuring laser-cut satin and paillettes. Photographed by Rene Perez


In the sportswear category, Kathleen Su created a shaggy short jacket featuring
red/green/black stars and stripes, and worn over short shorts and a scoop-neck top in green and
black.  Julie Ann Mollo, who interned with Betsey Johnson, dazzled the audience with a liquid
gold jacket that had black and white bullseyes at the elbows and read, “with the band.” It was worn
over a short, ruffled, black and gold skirt.  

Jennifer Damm worked as a student curatorial intern at the Museum of the City of New York
and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. Her collection was called Try Angles. A body-skimming
dress was made of pieces of triangular-cut sateen in different shades of red. Another featured
overlapping green triangles connected with metal studs.

Three students, Nina Zilka, Jeff Dodd and David J. Krause, have formed their own company,
the twentyten, and are making casual sportswear. They showed a lot of layered pieces in black and
white. Knitted leggings, cutout tops, paneled jackets, and body-skimming knit dresses are some of
the components.    

A lot of the menswear was loose and fluid. Kristen Steinman, who won honorable mention,
showed side-draped jackets. K. Paige Regan, who said her aim is to bridge the gap between high
fashion and New York street style, showed a side-buttoned long jacket in black and white checks
that had inserts of black and white zigzags.

In the costume segment, Alessandra Hammet, who interned with the Boston Ballet costume
department, designed a collection called [M] Alice: Nightmare in Wonderland. Alice was sweetly
dressed in layers of softly colored chiffon; other costumes were bold and dramatic. The Queen was
clad in black and white tight britches and flounces of black and red sheer fabrics cascading at the
back from a tight, bare bodice and a jaunty feathered crown. 

Rayneese V. Primrose, winner of the Martin Izquierdo Costume Design Award, called her
collection, Thriller: Death to the Homecoming Queen. Her “prom?” queen was clad in a black,
low-cut, nail-studded top; tight leather shorts; and layers of black tulle.

Evening- and bridalwear was innovative and pretty. Devin Cole stated her goal is to fuse
fine arts with fashion. She painted and printed cotton gauze for her wedding party including four
bridal attendants. Her prints were soft and romantic. 

Christine Brown, honorable mention winner in eveningwear, spray-painted satin and overlaid
it with lace for her collection of strapless short gowns. 

Laser-cut satin and paillettes decorated one of Kasia Wisniewski’s gowns. Another, in tucked
chiffon, had touches of sequins. Wisniewski won the Debi Jones Bridalwear Award. 

Timothy Kuzmeski, who interned with Chado Ralph Rucci, was recipient of the Rene Hunter
Eveningwear Award. His gowns, in black or white taffeta or tulle, were designed with layers and
layers of ruffled fabrics. Some of the models looked as if they were wrapped in masses of flower
petals.


RadiciSpandex “Stretch To The Future” Awards At Kent State


Chow was this year’s honoree judge at the RadiciSpandex “Stretch to the Future” student
design competition held at Kent State’s Fashion School.  Fifty-one juniors entered the
competition. The Underfashion Club was sponsor of the lingerie award. Other award categories were
swimwear, activewear, eveningwear and a Grand Prize Overall. 

Chow began his career in the early 1990s as a sportswear designer for Marc Jacobs at Perry
Ellis, and later worked at Esprit International and Tommy Hilfiger in the United States, and for
Pucci in Florence, Italy. He has been Poleci’s creative director for about a year. The Poleci label
is sold internationally through department and specialty stores including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom
and Harvey Nichols; and at Poleci’s own stores in New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. 

KA2

Left to right: Paula Dancie, Kent State University instructor; Bethany Clark, activewear
winner; Kim Hall, RadiciSpandex marketing manager; Jeffrey Chow, designer honoree judge; Samantha
Hawkins, eveningwear and Grand Prize winner; and Emily Aldredge, Kent State studio director, pose
with “Stretch to the Future” winning designs. 


Kim Hall, RadiciSpandex marketing manager, presented the “Stretch to the Future” award to
Chow. Previous honorees have included Betsey Johnson, Dana Buchman, Nicole Miller, Nanette Lepore,
Carmen Marc Valvo and Marc Bouwer. 

One of the objectives of the competition is to educate aspiring designers about how to
combine creativity and function using fashion fabrics that contain highly technical fibers. All of
the fabrics selected by the students were circular or warp knits, and all contain RadElast®
spandex.

Fabrics for the competition were donated by ABC Elastic Corp., Brooklyn, N.Y.; Contempora
Fabrics Inc., Lumberton, N.C.; Cyberknit Fabrics, New York City; Darlington Fabrics, Westerly,
R.I.; Guilford Performance Textiles, Wilmington, N.C.; McMurray Fabrics, Aberdeen, N.C.; Monte
Textil S.A., Guatemala; Polartec, Lawrence, Mass.; Rentex Mills, Quebec, Canada; Sextet Fabrics,
East Rockaway, N.Y.; and TDB Tecidos, Brazil.

Samantha Hawkins won the eveningwear and the Grand Prize Scholarship awards totaling
$5,000.  Her winning design was a black satin halter-neck gown with a tucked top in stretch
fabrics from Guilford Performance Textiles and McMurray Fabrics. Bethany Clark was the activewear
winner, receiving $2,000 for her body-hugging exercise suit in yellow stretch fabrics from McMurray
and Polartec.

The $2,000 swimwear prize went to Ashley Gerber for a navy and red two-piece high
corset-like suit made in fabrics from Guilford and McMurray. Phillip Fry won the lingerie award,
also $2,000, for his bra and panty set in fabrics by Polartec and TDB Tecidos.

July/August 2010

Atlanta Textile Shows Exceed Expectations


F
rom Tuesday, May 18, through Thursday, May 20, 2010, the East Coast edition of Techtextil
North America and its concurrent Symposium; the triennial SPESA Expo and its concurrent seminars;
and the quadrennial ATME-I
® Megatex — American Textile Machinery Exhibition-International
® — colocated in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) for Textile and
Sewn Products Industry Week (TASPIW). The event — which brought together machinery and technology
suppliers for the technical textile and nonwovens as well as traditional textile sectors, in
addition to sewn products equipment and services suppliers — was a great success: Taking into
account crossover visitors from the three shows, total attendance reportedly exceeded 8,000.

Both exhibitors and attendees agreed the colocation of the shows made for a convenient,
cost-effective and productive event.

TASPIWGlenRaven

Glen Raven Inc. presented its range of technical fabrics at Techtextil North
America


“The colocation did exactly what we had hoped — it created a bigger and better event for
our attendees and exhibitors,” said Stephanie Everett, group show director of textile shows, Messe
Frankfurt Inc., Atlanta — producer of Techtextil North America and the U.S. subsidiary of
Frankfurt-based trade show organizer Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

“The opportunity to bring the industry together under one roof – multiple events in one
location with a crossover of some audiences – provided value for both the exhibitor and the
attendee, almost one-stop shopping,” said Clay Tyeryar, president, Falls Church, Va.-based American
Textile Machinery Association (ATMA
®), which co-organized ATME-I Megatex with United Kingdom-based Mack Brooks
Exhibitions. 

“The changes we have witnessed in the global sewn products industry have convinced us more
than ever that all segments of the industry must work together to remain competitive,” said Dave
Gardner, managing director of Raleigh, N.C.-based Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the
Americas (SPESA), producer of SPESA Expo. “The colocation of SPESA Expo, Techtextil North America,
and ATME-I Megatex provided a unique opportunity for visitors to see leading exhibitors that supply
the full spectrum of their production needs. Visitors gained the ‘under-one-roof’ convenience to
see first-hand all the products and services they need to successfully operate in this changing
world.”

TASPIWZimmer

Left to right: Horst Ros, Roland Zimmer and Dirk Leiber of ATME-I Megatex exhibitor Zimmer
America Corp. take a break to pose for a picture.



Excellent Traffic


Everyone reported high traffic at TASPIW. “Traffic was very good — there was always a buzz
on the show floor,” Everett said.

“Traffic has been much better here than it was four years ago,” said Mark A. Reese,
president, Greenville-based Measured Solutions Inc., a Techtextil North America exhibitor. “The
format and layout are very good. We saw customers we expected and some we haven’t seen in years
that showed up.”

High-quality traffic at the show meant serious interest and exhibitors leaving with
potential leads. “Traffic was really good, and it wasn’t just bodies milling about, it was
customers — current customers, prospects, our agents in South America — it was good-quality
traffic, with decision-makers, those seeking information,” said Kim Hall, marketing manager,
fashion apparel, for Gastonia, N.C.-based RadiciSpandex Corp., an ATME-I Megatex exhibitor. “I was
quoting prices, which is incredible — it’s usually not like that at a show, it’s usually just
information-gathering. We were even able to make customer referrals. We received a lot of inquiries
— there were very targeted, specific questions about products, prices and deliveries, and I found
that very encouraging.”

According to Hall, Spartanburg-based ITEMA America Inc., which shared a booth with
RadiciSpandex, saw a lot of its largest customers at the show.

“People were wanting to buy, rather than asking questions. A lot of decision-makers were in
the crowd,” said Gerald Schwartz, president, Tucker, Ga.-based G.S.I., a SPESA Expo exhibitor. “We
found it valuable with respect to conversing with current contacts as well as exploring business
opportunities with new ones.”

The colocation of the three shows also enabled a crossover of potential customers. “A lot of
the exhibiting companies are also customers of ours,” SPESA’s Gardner said. “There was a lot of
crossover of who’s a customer and who’s a supplier. An exhibitor in one booth was the customer of
the exhibitor in the next booth.”

TASPIWcontempora



Gerald Cauthen, Contempora Fabrics Inc. (right), visits with attendees at SPESA Expo.


A Positive Vibe


A new excitement seemed to fill the air at the event. “There was a positive mood, exhibitors
were upbeat, they were pleased with the attendance and the strong traffic — the overall feeling of
the show was very optimistic,” ATMA’s Tyeryar said.

“People on all fronts in the industry seem to have a more positive outlook, especially in
regard to new products,” said Rodney Gibson, executive vice president, operations, Enka, N.C.-based
Basofil Fibers LLC, a Techtextil North America exhibitor.

“There is an overall optimism here,” said Ronen Hagin, CEO, Alpharetta, Ga.-based Datatex
TIS Inc., an ATME-I Megatex exhibitor. “We’re still not getting quite the traffic we used to, but I
know it will come back.” Hagin also mentioned the countries that seem to be doing the best are
Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and China.

“Everyone’s been so down in the dumps for over a year now, and it was great to have that
positive energy — it wasn’t from just one individual or a few companies, but truly was across the
board,” RadiciSpandex’s Hall said. “Even the most conservative individuals in our booth saw how
positive the show was and the traffic that came through the booth, and made comments that they
couldn’t believe it; it’s almost like people came to the show not expecting it to be great.”


Expectations Exceeded


Though exhibitors were cautiously optimistic, many reported their expectations were
exceeded. “The show has been much better than we expected,” said Tim Beach, knitting machine parts
sales representative, Charlotte-based Groz Beckert USA Inc., a Techtextil North America exhibitor.
“People are leaving the show with a much better feel for the market than they came with.”

“The show was better than we expected – and I’ve been very happy with the blending of the
shows,” said Joseph A. Okey Jr., president, Charlotte-based American Monforts LLC, an ATME-I
Megatex exhibitor.

“So many people went into the show with low or no expectations because they don’t know
what’s going to happen out there right now,” Gardner said. “It was so much better than anybody
anticipated. That was the message across the board: People went in with low expectations, and we
beat them in almost every case.”

TASPIWMorrison

Left to right: Alan Robinson, Buddy Humphrey and Jay White, Morrison Textile Machinery Co.
exhibited at ATME-I Megatex.



An Improving Market


The market was evidently a topic of interest for all. “Everyone was very inquisitive
regarding the market going forward,” said Scott Malcolm, president, ITEMA America. “Some of the
first questions out of people’s mouths when they came up to us at the booth were ‘How’s business?’
and ‘What do you see going forward?’ Everyone’s a little reluctant to get too excited about the
upswing.”

“The textile industry in the United States was already extremely challenged before the
recession hit, so the last two years have seen our exhibitors and attendees struggling to survive
in the current climate,” Messe Frankfurt’s Everett said. “Our goal was to provide an event that
would help generate new business and create a spark again in the industry. And from the feedback we
have been receiving, that is exactly what we have accomplished.”

“We are seeing an uptick in the apparel market, with activewear and ready-to-wear the two
strongest categories right now,” Hall said. “And the nonwovens market is especially strong for us –
our spandex goes into incontinence pads, diapers, and more. RadiciSpandex made a decision four
years ago to focus on that market because it’s more stable and doesn’t have the ups and downs that
the apparel market does.”

There was a greater-than-expected turnout of U.S.-based companies, indicating that domestic
manufacturers are back in business. “The market — and North American companies in particular —
seems to be slowly recovering from the still challenging economic situation,” said Michael
Jaenecke, brand manager, Techtextil Worldwide.

Gardner said he sees business increasing in the United States, which is a very encouraging
sign. “Mel Berzack, a SPESA board member and president of Jefferson, Ga.-based Sewn Products
Equipment Co., reported that from the Miami show three years ago to the Atlanta show this year, it
went from 50-percent international/50-percent domestic to this year having over 70 percent of their
leads come from the United States,” he said.

Gardner believes the increased number of U.S. decision-makers for equipment and technology
at the show was a result of three things: location, business improvement and the colocation of
shows. “When we were in Miami, we were considered to be a Central America/Latin America show —
which was true at one time — but we could not get anyone from the automotive, shoe industries, any
of these, to go to Miami; but they did come to Atlanta this year, which showed us the move was not
only good from the geographic perspective, it opened the show up to other sectors of the sewn
products and textile industry such as leather, footwear, luggage, home furnishings and automotive.
We even had a lot of aerospace companies there because they wanted to see cutting composites and
new composite technologies. We found that the colocation, especially with Techtextil, really
increased our show turnout, and with the right people. We even had people at the SEAMS booth say
this was the best show they’d been to in 25 years. These are people who are manufacturing in our
country, which shows us that business is coming back slowly but surely. We are seeing more and more
companies bringing some of their manufacturing back to this region, so we’re very positive — more
so than we’ve been in years — about textile business coming back to the country.”

TASPIWMalcolm

Scott Malcolm, ATME-I Megatex exhibitor ITEMA America Inc., said participants were very
inquisitive about the market going forward.



Techtextil North America


Messe Frankfurt reports the seventh edition of Techtextil North America hosted 233
exhibitors from 22 countries and featured international pavilions from Belgium/France, Canada,
China, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Taiwan.

“We are extremely pleased with the results of Techtextil North America this year, and
especially pleased with the success of the colocation,” said David Audrain, president, Messe
Frankfurt Inc. “This has created a wonderful foundation for growth as we move forward with our
permanent colocation and partnership with SPESA,” he added, referring to a recently announced
partnership between Messe Frankfurt and SPESA to launch Texprocess Americas in 2012.

“Techtextil North America 2010 turned out to be one of the best Techtextil shows we ever had
in the USA,” Jaenecke said.

Attendees, likewise, expressed enthusiasm over the quality of this year’s show.

“There was a good cross section of suppliers represented,” said James Chesnutt, president,
National Spinning Co. Inc., Washington, N.C. “This is definitely the best show I’ve been to in
years. It was well organized and our company benefitted greatly.”

“This expo was a great way to see innovative products and equipment from all around the
world under one roof,” said Rick Ranhotra, process engineer, Atlanta-based Georgia Power Co. “As a
supplier to the industry, I found it helpful to gauge which other suppliers and countries were
committed to a presence in the technical textiles industry.”

A highlight of Techtextil was the Technology Showcase 2010, which featured 13 exhibitors
that have completed their latest developments, innovations or products within the last four years.
Technology displayed included protective textiles with high-visibility, reflective,
flame-retardant, antimicrobial, waterproof, abrasion-resistant, and temperature-regulating
features, among other technologies.

TASPIWMeasured

Mark Reese, Measured Solutions Inc. (right), speaks with a Techtextil North America
visitor



Techtextil North America Symposium


The concurrent Techtextil North America Symposium presented the latest developments in the
technical textiles/nonwovens sector in 13 sessions including 70 presentations by leading industry
experts. Attendees were free to move from session to session to hear what interested them.

“The symposium was the smoothest I’ve seen it,” said William C. “Bill” Smith, symposium
director.  “Overall, attendance was good; although registration numbers may have been a bit
down, it seemed to hold up very well in this recession year. Attendees were enthusiastic.”

In his technical textiles State of the Industry speech in the opening session, Smith began
by stating that the industry has bottomed out but is on its way back up. He noted that although the
economy is improving, the consumer has a lack of confidence in it, which impacts the technical
textile industry both directly and indirectly. He emphasized that the future of technical textiles
lies in innovation.

“The secret to prospering in the industry is to find the areas of opportunity and potential,
up and down the chain — and outward — and line extension, and exploit them,” Smith said. He also
pointed out that there are a lot of companies starting up in the United States.

According to Smith, the best-attended session was “Military – Developments to Impact the
Industry,” with topics including doing business with the Department of Defense; fibrous armor
materials; nonwovens in military applications including uniforms; and nanotechnology for military
applications. The “Medical & Biotechnology” and “New Product Development” sessions drew large
audiences as well.

“We are coming out of a ‘great recession’ – it will be a long process in many areas, and
people know they must be prepared,” Smith said. “Symposiums like ours provide a great learning
experience.”

TASPIWPourdeyhimi

Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi of the Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University was
session chair of the Techtextil North America Symposium’s “Filtration — Practical Opportunities in
Nonwovens” session.



SPESA Expo


SPESA reports that of the industry executives and professionals that attended SPESA Expo
2010, 85 percent were buying decision-makers or influencers, with more than 2,800 business owners,
presidents and top-level executives attending. The expo featured 224 exhibitors representing the
entire concept-to-delivery sewn products supply chain, including new exhibit categories such as
fabrics and trims, product development services, production and supply chain services, information
technology and software solutions. More than 80 percent of attendees were from North America-based
companies, many of which also have operations in Central America. Approximately 8 percent of
attendees came from South America and 6 percent from Asia. More than one-third were from apparel
companies. One thousand visitors participated in the 30 SPESA Expo Forum conference and seminar
events.

“We are pleased to see such an impressive industry response to our 2010 event,” said Benton
Gardner, president, SPESA. “The signs of economic and industry recovery were evident with the
greater-than-expected turnout of U.S.-based companies and the increased levels of top
decision-makers in attendance. Virtually all of our exhibitors reported that the show met or
exceeded their expectations.”

“The colocation approach to trade shows was a tremendous success,” said Frank Henderson,
SPESA chairman and president of Henderson Sewing Machine Co. Inc., Andalusia, Ala. “What the SPESA
Board of Directors and leadership envisioned truly came to fruition in Atlanta. In the global
economy today, companies’ ability to thrive will depend on their ability to cooperate and
collaborate.”


SEAMS


Columbia, S.C.-based SEAMS, the National Association for the Sewn Products Industry, debuted
the “Made in USA Supply Chain” pavilion at SPESA Expo. The 2,000-square-foot pavilion featured
products made by SEAMS member companies, as well as individual exhibits by U.S.-based companies
that provide manufacturing and other services for the soft goods supply chain.

“Our pavilion was extremely busy,” said SEAMS Director Sarah Friedman. “Many of our
exhibitors wrote orders at the show. We had major brand names and retailers come by to talk about
getting some of their products produced in the United States. Quite frankly, they were surprised to
find a complete USA supply chain available.”

Supply Chain pavilion exhibitors reported heavy traffic, with some saying they were busier
at this show than they had been in some 20 to 25 years. “This was non-stop traffic, and I’ve never
been to a show like that,” said DeeDee Harris, Tuscarora Yarns Inc., Mt. Pleasant, N.C. “Usually
there is a lot of downtime, and this time we had no downtime.”

“Everyone agreed that we’ve never seen such consistent high-quality traffic at a trade
show,” said Dr. Christine W. Cole, Clemson Apparel Research, Pendleton, S.C. “We’re really
optimistic about 2010.”

SEAMS exhibitors also seemed very happy with the cross traffic resulting from the shows’
colocation. “Many of the people that came to this show came to see the equipment at the other end
of the building,” said Gerald Cauthen, Contempora Fabrics Inc., Lumberton, N.C. “Of course, if they
need something to sew on, they also need something to sew. As a fabric company, we thought SPESA
Expo was a very, very successful show. We were able to get face-to-face time in a good, active
atmosphere. … It was busy all three days. We made some great contacts and solidified some
situations.”

   


Texprocess 2012


Messe Frankfurt and SPESA recently announced a partnership to co-operate, co-produce and
co-launch the new Texprocess Americas trade show, to debut April 24-26, 2012, in Atlanta at the
GWCC

(See “Messe Frankfurt, SPESA To Launch Texprocess Americas In 2012,” www.
TextileWorld.com, April 27, 2010)

. SPESA no longer will produce SPESA Expo, but instead will support Texprocess Americas, the
first U.S. edition of Texprocess – which will debut in Frankfurt May 24-27, 2011, as a biennial
exhibition presenting machinery, processing technology, information technology and services for the
making-up of textiles and other flexible materials. Texprocess Americas will be held in
even-numbered years alongside Techtextil North America to present the largest technical textiles,
nonwovens and sewn products industry event yet.

Messe Frankfurt also is gearing up to produce the next West Coast edition of Techtextil
North America and its concurrent symposium, to be held March 15-17, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las Vegas.


ATME-I Megatex


According to the show organizers, ATME-I Megatex drew more than 3,500 visitors from 38
countries, with approximately 9 percent of visitors coming from outside the United States. The show
featured 154 exhibitors, 70 of which were from abroad — with 19 exhibiting from Germany, 15 from
Italy and eight from Switzerland — among other foreign exhibitors.

“Exhibitors were pleased with the participation and are optimistic about the future – they
see a light at the end of the tunnel of a challenging economy,” Tyeryar said. “The Western
Hemisphere still holds a lot of promise for the textile industry. We’re focused on the business
that’s here as well as what’s happening in Asia and other parts of the world. We’re very supportive
of our customer base here in the United States, so we were very pleased with the participation of
our U.S. partners.”

TASPIWMonforts

Joe Okey, American Monforts LLC (left), speaks with ATME-I Megatex attendees.


AATCC International Conference


The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) colocated its
International Conference with ATME-I Megatex. According to AATCC Executive Vice President John Y.
“Jack” Daniels, attendance was up over the prior year’s conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Daniels
reported there was excellent traffic at the booth on the show floor, while the organization
conducted its three simultaneous educational tracks on another floor in the hall. He also said
AATCC gained many new individual and corporate members.


Future of ATME-I Megatex


ATMA officials have reported future ATME-I Megatex shows will be delivered on a cycle and in
locations consistent with industry wants and needs. “Ideally, the show will be repeated in two to
three years with approaches similar to this year and those of 2006, when the exhibition was
presented side-by-side with that of Industrial Fabrics Association International,” said Will
Motchar, ATMA co-vice chairman, and president and CEO, Lexington, N.C.-based Navis Global. “ATMA
has been approached by a number of parties seeking to colocate with ATME-I Megatex, and it appears
that several strong options exist for the next event.”

Atlanta and Charlotte are the primary potential venues, but other locations also are being
considered, according to ATMA officials. “We will continue to seek venues and alliances to match
the wants and needs of our members with their customers,” said Udo Skarke, ATMA co-vice chairman,
and CEO of Duncan, S.C.-based Erhardt + Leimer Inc.

July/August 2010

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