Recent Developments In Dyeing


F
 or centuries, water has been the most important element in textile finishing. Today, it
constitutes an increasingly expensive medium.

Germany-based Then Maschinen GmbH’s Airflow® dyeing concept was invented by Wilhelm Christ
and subsequently patented in 1978 by Then, which produced the first prototype. Over the years, the
system was developed further according to the requirements of the industry.

Dyeing 2
The long tube design, superior fabric displacement and gentle polytetrafluoroethylene rods
contribute to the success of smooth treatment meeting high quality demand for Then Maschinen’s
newly developed Airflow® Lotus 200 dyeing machine.


Air Instead Of Water

Airflow was the key element of the technology, as air is an ideal transport medium. The
replacement of dye liquor with air as a method of transporting piece goods in jet-dyeing machines
was a big step toward reducing water and chemicals consumption. Compared to the jet system in which
the nozzles are filled with liquor, nozzle pressure is negligible, thus offering optimum protection
of sensitive textile surfaces. At the same time, the use of the mass flow principle provides a
major improvement in fabric hank laying, thus preventing creasing.

The moisture-saturated airflow ensures the uniform distribution of temperature on the fabric
and in the machine, constituting a prerequisite for even and reproducible dyeing. Moreover, the low
level of liquor in the dyeing boiler means the fabric is lighter than in conventional machinery and
can therefore be accelerated quickly to high speeds. Thus, the risk of draft or strain is minimal,
which is particularly advantageous with regard to the finishing of items containing elastane
fibers.

The high transportation speeds of the fabric result in very short fabric turn time. High
heating-up gradients are possible because a very low liquor ratio is maintained. The unique ability
to use a hot drain system and rinsing with fresh water in a running wash system considerably
reduces the time required for the dyeing process.

The Airflow technology represents the combined result of the entire range of possibilities
provided by the technology. Through the interplay of all technical possibilities and functions,
economic and ecological advantages over the traditional dyeing technology are achieved. The main
advantages are as follows:

  • unlimited flexibility with regard to all fiber – except pure wool – and fabric weight classes
    between 30 and 800 grams per square meter, as well as all standard market dyestuffs;
  • the lowest liquor ratio on the market: approximately 1:2 for man-made fibers and 1:3 to 1:4 for
    natural fibers, depending on the article and structure;
  • energy savings of up to 40 percent, thanks to a frequency converter, and the use of air as a
    transport medium, while all other systems need water;
  • a reduction in the overall process time of approximately 25 percent; and
  • lowest water/wastewater levels.


The New L-shape Airflow

However, the Airflow dyeing machine had one disadvantage: dyeing of extremely delicate
fabrics didn’t give a perfect result. Current and future trends pointing toward more and more
lightweight fabrics with high contents of elastane in finest yarn counts and gauges prompted the
next stage of Airflow machinery design.

To meet the required voluminous hand as well as top-grade quality standards, the world’s
first long-tube Airflow machine, the Airflow Lotus 200, was developed. The new dyeing machine
incorporates the latest advances in Then’s Airflow technology and operates according to the
original aerodynamic principle. The dye liquor passes the self-cleaning filter and is then evenly
applied and finely distributed as a mist with the aid of the blower, assuring outstanding
penetration, according to Then.

DyeingA
Schematic drawing of the Airflow® technology: Air is the key element, and is said to be the
ideal medium to transport piece goods in dyeing machines.


Handling Delicate Fabrics

The Airflow Lotus 200 is said to be especially suitable for the wet finishing of delicate
cellulose- and man-made-fiber knitwear and woven fabrics with a high percentage of elastane. Such
fabrics are used in the automotive, lingerie, sports-, leisure- and swimwear segments. Close
attention has also been paid to the achievement of significant savings of precious water and energy
resources — similar to the Airflow Synergy dyeing machine.

Extremely safe and gentle product running and outstanding displacement comprise Airflow Lotus
200’s characteristics. With its concept in machine design, unmatched results in process technology
and unparalleled achievements regarding economy and ecology, the new machine will substantially
extend the field for aerodynamic applications, Then reports.

The newly designed dome blower ensures that the fabric is transported just by air. This means
the liquor actually is used to do what it is meant to do: dyeing only. The liquor ratio is reduced
to between 1:2 and 1:5 and provides savings in terms of water and water treatment, chemical, and
energy costs. This will bring up to 80-percent savings of liquor compared with costs associated
with outdated hydraulic machines, as well as significant savings of time. Shortest cycle times and
loadings of up to 1,200 meters for lightweight fabrics and up to 200 kilograms for average articles
allow high daily production rates.


Polyamide Dyeing

Most of the fabrics for lingerie, swimwear and automotive applications are made of polyamide.
That’s why the new L-shape dyeing machine handles fabrics made of 100-percent polyamide with the
same results as previously mentioned fabrics. Then’s Roland Adrion, senior sales manager, says that
“current and future trends point towards more and more lightweight fabrics with high contents of
elastane in finest yarn counts and gauges. Meeting the [voluminous hand specifications] as well as
top-grade quality standards were there when we developed the world’s first long tube Airflow
machine, the Airflow Lotus.” Perhaps a more appropriate name for the new machine would have been
“Longflow.”

March/April 2010

In Memoriam: Kayser Winsiang Sung, Editor-in-Chief And Publisher, Textile Asia

Kayser Winsiang Sung, editor-in-chief and publisher of Textile Asia, passed away peacefully at the
age of 90 on January 12, 2010 in Hong Kong.

He was born on October 1, 1919 in Nanjing, China. After honing his journalistic skills as
chief reporter and feature editor of Chinese newspapers, he joined the Reuters News Agency as
reporter, translator and feature writer in 1947. He was transferred to Hong Kong in 1949 and
remained with Reuters for the next ten years.

In 1959, he was asked to join the Far Eastern Economic Review, and was managing editor and
publisher there until 1968. In 1964, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for journalism and
literature jointly with Richard G. Wilson, then editor of the Review. The Magsaysay Award was in
recognition of “their accuracy, impartiality and continuing search for facts and insights in
recording Asia’s quest for economic advance.” The citation also said: “In their editing of the
Review, they have demonstrated that journalism can play a constructive role in fostering healthy
growth.”

Since 1960, Kayser Sung has applied his journalistic acumen to the Asian textile industry,
editing the bilingual Hong Kong Textile Annual and the Asian Textile Annual and Survey. His
expertise was recognised in 1965 when he was asked to join a four-member textile experts group in a
joint research project on the Asian textile industry for the Economic Commission for Asia and the
Far East (ECAFE) of the United Nations. The textile industry was at that time the most substantial
industrial activity undertaken by developing nations, which were moving from being textile
importers to exporters.

In 1970, Kayser Sung established and co-founded Business Press, Ltd., with the late Cha
Chi-Ming, a noted Hong Kong industrialist, and started publication of the monthly journal Textile
Asia – the Asian Textile and Apparel Monthly, devoted to the coverage of the textile industry in
Asia and the world. He was an expert on quotas and trade agreements, and an outspoken critic of
protectionism, which he viewed as a threat to the economic welfare of developing countries, and
could stunt growth in rich developed countries. A 2,022-page chronicle of his writings on the
textile industry, Asia in the Textile World 1950s to 2000, was recently published by Business
Press, Ltd. He remained editor-in-chief and publisher of Textile Asia for 40 years until his
passing. He has just reached the age of 90 years and was planning for the celebration of the 40th
anniversary of Textile Asia at the time of his passing.

In addition to the Magsaysay Award, Kayser Sung garnered numerous citations during his long
career. In 1983 he was awarded the Medal of the Council of the Textile Institute, Manchester, in
recognition of his outstanding contributions to the textile industry in Asia. It was the first time
that a journalist has received this honour from the Textile Institute. In 1999, he was elected to
the companionship of the Textile Institute, an honour limited to 50 life members. In 2004, he
received a certificate of honour from Professor Xu Mingzhi, President of Donghua University, at the
Textile Institute World Conference in Shanghai, China. He was chairman of the Textile Institute
(Hong Kong Section) from 1986 to 1996, and world vice-president of Textile Institute International
from 1993 to 1996.

In 2006, he was one of 100 recipients receiving the China Enterprise Award for Creative
Personalities in a convocation ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China.

Kayser Sung has a long standing association with the Hong Kong Economic Association. He was
vice-president from 1966 to 2000; and a member of its executive committee thereafter.

Kayser Sung is devoted husband of Eleanor Wu I-Wan, whom he married in Xi’an, China, in 1945.
They had met when they were both teachers in a school for gifted orphans in Xi’an. While in Xi’an,
he collaborated as librettist with the Korean composer Han You-Han in composing the first classical
Korean opera, Arirang. Eleanor was the female lead in the opera. 

Kayser Sung is loving father of Lilian, Emily, Vicky and Max, loving father-in-law of Swee
Chua, Teddy and Helen, and loving grandfather of Kevin, Jennifer, Kimberly and Richard.

In Memoriam Donation

The ‘Kayser Sung Memorial Fund’ at ‘The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’ has been
established in support of the development of Institute of Textiles & Clothing. For donation to
the fund please contact:

-Ms Janet Wong (王妙瑜小姐)Development Manager (拓展經理)Alumni Affairs and Development Office
(校友事務及拓展處)Tel: 852-3400 3306   Fax: 852-2364 5467  Email:
aljanet@polyu.edu.hk

Office address: Alumni Affairs and Development Office, Room M1504,15/F, Li Ka Shing Tower,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong (香港紅磡香港理工大學李嘉誠樓M1504室)

Submitted by Vicky Sung

March 23, 2010

Atlanta Hosts Textile & Sewn Products Industry


M
 achinery and technology suppliers for the highly technical and nonwoven textile as well
as traditional sectors, and sewn products equipment and services suppliers will colocate in Atlanta
when Textile and Sewn Products Industry Week (TASPIW) opens its doors at the Georgia World Congress
Center (GWCC) Tuesday, May 18, through Thursday, May 20, 2010. TASPIW will comprise three
well-established trade shows: the East Coast edition of Techtextil North America (TTNA) and its
concurrent TTNA Symposium; the quadrennial ATME-I® Megatex — American Textile Machinery
Exhibition-International®; and the triennial SPESA Expo and its concurrent seminars and related
events.

Although visitors need register to attend only one show, that registration will gain them
access to all three, which will be held in GWCC’s Hall B. Under the TASPIW umbrella, all three
shows will be participating in the U.S. Commercial Service’s 2010 International Buyer Program,
which promotes 35 selected U.S. trade shows and their exhibitors internationally and brings
delegations of foreign buyers to the shows in search of business opportunities.

ttna
Visitors to Techtextil North America 2008 examine military apparel on display at an
exhibitor’s booth.


Techtextil North America

Show organizer Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, through its Atlanta-based U.S. subsidiary,
Messe Frankfurt Inc., this year will be putting on its seventh TTNA. For TASPIW, the East Coast
North American edition of the world-renowned Techtextil brand of trade shows will be moving from
its usual location in the Cobb Galleria Centre in suburban Atlanta to colocate with ATME-I Megatex
and SPESA Expo at GWCC downtown.

TTNA is dedicated to the technical-textile/nonwovens sector of the textile industry, and is
the only trade show in the Americas that covers the full vertical spectrum of that sector —
including research and development, raw materials, production processes, conversion, further
treatment and recycling. The North American show, inaugurated in 2000, originally was a biennial
event located in Atlanta in even-numbered years, in alternation with the flagship Techtextil
exhibition held in Frankfurt in odd-numbered years. The brand has since expanded, and the show now
has several editions held in major textile regions around the world. TTNA itself was expanded last
year as well to include a West Coast edition in Las Vegas in odd-numbered years that alternates
with the East Coast show in Atlanta.

To help attendees find providers of the products, services and technologies pertinent to
their needs and interests, TTNA exhibitors will be classified according to 12 application areas:

  • Agrotech, including agriculture and forestry, horticulture and landscape, animal husbandry,
    fences and more;
  • Buildtech, including membrane, lightweight and solid construction, civil engineering and
    industrial construction, temporary construction, interior construction, earth, water and traffic
    route construction, agricultural construction, and more;
  • Clothtech, including specialized high-tech materials for apparel and footwear;
  • Geotech, including civil engineering, earth and road construction, dam engineering, dump
    construction, ground isolation, drainage systems, and more;
  • Hometech, including furniture, upholstery and room design, carpets, floor coverings, and
    more;
  • Indutech, including filtration, cleaning, mechanical engineering, chemical industry, electrical
    industry, seals, sound absorption products and more;
  • Medtech, including medical applications and biomaterials, hygiene, rescue organization
    equipment, and more;
  • Mobiltech, including automotive, shipbuilding, aircraft, aerospace, rail and transportation
    textiles, motorcycle and bicycle construction, and more;
  • Oekotech, including environmental protection, recycling and disposal applications, and
    more;
  • Packtech, including packaging, protective cover systems, sacks, big bags, storage systems and
    more;
  • Protech, including personal and object protection; and
  • Sporttech, including sports, leisure, activewear, outdoor, equipment and outfits, and sport
    shoe applications, and more.

Products and services offered include: fibers and yarns; wovens, scrims, braids and knitted
fabrics; nonwovens; coated textiles and canvas products; composites; Bondtec including adhesive,
bonding, laminating, finishing and other processes and materials; research, development, planning
and consultation; technology, machinery and accessories; publishers; and associations.


TTNA Symposium

The TTNA Symposium, under the direction of William C. Smith, Industrial Textile Associates,
has earned high ratings as a forum for presenting the latest developments in the technical
textiles/nonwovens sector. The schedule includes 13 sessions and more than 65 presentations by
leading industry experts covering cutting-edge technologies and applications, industry developments
and trends, and issues that impact the technical textiles sector. 

Kicking off the symposium as part of the General Session Tuesday morning, keynote speaker Kim
Glas, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for textiles and apparel, will speak about relevant
trade issues and the Department of Commerce’s Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative. The opening
session also will include a global industry overview, a look at U.S. manufacturing and discussions
related to the technical textiles sector.

Subsequent sessions will cover subjects related to natural fibers and sustainable materials,
technical textiles research, military developments, new product development, nonwovens,
smart/intelligent fabrics, high-performance narrow fabrics, fiber and yarn developments, protective
textiles, technology and medical textiles/biotechnology. The ever-popular session on technical
textiles research, led by Dr. Martin Jacobs, executive director of the National Textile Center,
will present some of the latest research being conducted at universities associated with the center
as well as poster sessions showing recent student work.

megatex
Machinery for printing labels on T-shirts will be among the range of machinery to be shown
at ATME-I® Megatex.


ATME-I® Megatex

Owned and organized by the Falls Church, Va.-based American Textile Machinery Association
(ATMA) and United Kingdom-based Mack Brooks Exhibitions, ATME-I Megatex 2010  will draw
textile manufacturers and professionals from around the world to see the latest textile
manufacturing machinery, equipment, accessories, supplies and services for the yarn and fiber,
weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, and nonwoven industries, among other industries.

ATME-I was first held in 1915 in Greenville as the Southern Textile Exposition. In 1969, ATMA
became involved with the expo, and the show’s name was changed to American Textile Machinery
Exhibition-International. It continued to be held in Greenville until 2006, when it moved to
Atlanta. The show last took place in October 2006, and was colocated under the Megatex umbrella
with IFAI Expo 2006 and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ (AATCC’s) 2006
International Conference and Exhibition. That overall event saw a combined total attendance of more
than 13,000 visitors and suppliers from more than 80 countries. According to 2006 show registration
records, nearly 25 percent of attendees were owners, CEOs or other management personnel; 13 percent
were responsible for technical, operations, planning or purchasing; and 13 percent were involved in
manufacturing/production and research and development.

Exhibit categories at this year’s ATME-I Megatex will include:

  • machinery for spinning preparation, man-made fiber production, spinning, winding, texturing,
    twisting, auxiliary machinery and accessories;
  • testing and measuring equipment
  • pneumatic equipment and air-conditioning plants;
  • transport, handling and packing equipment;
  • equipment for liquid, air and solids recycling;
  • software for design, data monitoring and processing (CAD/CAM/ CIM) and integrated
    production;
  • automatic controls and data collection systems including process controls;
  • technical information sources, education and associations and professional services;
  • machinery, apparatus, accessories, supplies and services required for the general maintenance
    of plants and equipment;
  • allied industrial activities;
  • weaving preparatory and weaving machinery, tufting machinery, auxiliary machinery and
    accessories;
  • knitting and hosiery machinery, auxiliary machinery and accessories;
  • washing, bleaching, dyeing, printing, drying, finishing and making-up machinery, auxiliary
    machinery and accessories;
  • other machinery and accessories;
  • cut and sew machinery and accessories for the making-up industry;
  • textile testing and measuring equipment, laboratory equipment, electrical equipment, air
    compressors and air dryers, lubricants and lubricating equipment;
  • mill and process supplies for weaving, knitting and finishing plants;
  • dyestuffs and chemical products for the textile industry;
  • associated goods and services for the textile industry; and
  • agents and distributors.

ATME-I Megatex will conduct a series of educational, networking and business seminars in
tandem with the show as well. The ATME-I Megatex Golf Day, organized by ATMA, will be held prior to
the show. As part of TASPIW, ATME-I Megatex also will host an exhibitor networking party for all
visitors and exhibitors. Show organizers will release event details as the show nears.

Colocating alongside ATME-I Megatex will be the AATCC International Conference, which will
feature three educational tracks, a poster session, student paper competition, student textile
bowl, welcoming reception and awards luncheon. The educational tracks will feature presentations
applicable to all aspects of the textile industry; and will include Concept 2 Consumer®, Chemical
Applications, and Materials.

spesa
Demonstrations of machinery and technology for the sewn products industry will be offered
by many SPESA Expo exhibitors.


SPESA Expo

SPESA Expo 2010 and its concurrent symposium, owned and produced by the Sewn Products
Equipment Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), Raleigh, N.C., covers the entire concept-to-delivery
sewn products lifecycle. The expo will offer a complete range of equipment technology and services
for all sectors of the global sewn products industry including apparel, footwear and accessories;
home furnishings and upholstery; luggage and leather goods; technical and industrial textiles;
safety and protective gear; and automotive and transportation interiors. Visitors will have the
opportunity to observe live demonstrations and new product introductions from exhibitors
specializing in cutting, spreading, sewing, pressing, finishing, design and production software
solutions, sewing threads, needles, purchasing, logistics, and more.

As of

Textile World
 ‘s press time, SPESA reported booth sales had already surpassed the total exhibit space
occupied in the previous SPESA Expo, held in Miami Beach, Fla., in May 2007. The organization also
reports that attendee registration is very strong, surpassing the numbers seen at the same point
prior to SPESA Expo 2007.

As a result of strong exhibitor and attendee response, SPESA has added several new exhibit
categories to this year’s expo, including fabrics and materials, trims and components, product
development services, production and supply chain services, and information technology.

The expo also will feature a variety of new attractions, including the first-ever “Made in
USA Supply Chain,” pavilion, presented by Columbia, S.C.-based SEAMS, the National Association for
the Sewn Products Industry. The pavilion is expected to cover more than 2,000 square feet and will
feature 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.

“Supply Chain of the Americas” will highlight opportunities and resources available to sewn
products manufacturers, brand marketers and vertical retailers in the Western Hemisphere. Designed
to complement the expo, this exhibit will expand the event’s coverage to the entire
concept-to-delivery sewn products lifestyle – adding a new direction for the show, which in the
past primarily has showcased machinery and technology.

Other new attractions include the IT Showcase, which will display innovative enterprise- and
industry-specific software solutions; the Cool Zone 2.0 exhibit, featuring exciting new
technologies that are changing the sewn products industry; and numerous country and regional
pavilions from Latin America, Asia and Europe.

SPESA will hold several pre-show events on Monday, May 17, beginning with a workshop from
9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. titled “Exploring Lean Business Practices” and an executive conference from
1:00 to 5:00 p.m. titled “Building the Supply Chain of the Future – Case Studies From Today.” Both
will feature speakers from Cary, N.C.-based [TC]
2, a provider of technology development and supply chain improvement solutions for the
apparel, sewn products and related soft goods industries.

On Monday evening, SPESA will host an Industry V.I.P. Opening Gala to benefit the American
Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) Education Foundation, which supports and recognizes
students and institutions that contribute toward the advancement of the apparel industry. The
event, to be held at the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., will offer an
evening of networking and entertainment. 

The SPESA Expo Forum will offer 30 workshops and seminars during the course of the expo.
Activities will kick off with a headliner breakfast Tuesday morning that will include a program
titled “Global Sourcing Perspectives — Things to Consider,” led by Laura Rowen, director of
manufacturing, Brooks Brothers; and Dr. Mike Fralix, president and CEO, [TC]
2. Other presentations will cover a wide range of topics of interest to sewn products
industry leaders.

For more information about Techtextil North America and TTNA Symposium, visit
www.techtextilna.com. For more information about ATME-I®
Megatex, visit
www.atmei-megatex.com. For more information about SPESA
Expo, visit
www.spesaexpo.com. Online registration for the exhibits is
free. In addition, registration for activities associated with each exhibition is available at the
respective websites.

March/April 2010

Hightex Adds Weaving


T
 urkey is seeing increased technical textiles and nonwovens demand, reports the Export
Promotion Center of Turkey. The country is gearing up to host Hightex 2010, the 3rd Istanbul
Technical Textiles & Nonwoven and Weaving Technologies Trade Fair, May 15-18, at the Tüyap
Fair, Convention and Congress Center in Istanbul. The show again will present a wide range of
technical textile and nonwovens technologies, raw materials and intermediate products. In a change
from previous editions, this year’s event also will exhibit weaving technology. Show organizer
Teknik Fuarcilik Ltd., Istanbul, feels the weaving industry’s ability to persevere and continue
developing new technologies has made it an important category to integrate into Hightex’s
comprehensive offerings. 

Exhibits will be indexed in five groups:

  • technology, such as airlaid, crosslapping, meltblown, spunbond and wetlaid;
  • machinery and accessories including waste-handling, printing, dyeing, embossing, laboratory and
    tufting;
  • raw materials including polymer chips, fiber, yarns, adhesives and chemicals;
  • finished materials, organized into agricultural, apparel, industrial, transport, protection,
    sports, building, food, home furniture, cosmetics, ecological, geo, medical and packaging textiles
    application categories; and 
  • smart textiles.

Hightex2010
Hightex 2010 will fill Halls 7, 8 and 9 at the Tüyap Fair, Convention and Congress Center
in Istanbul, Turkey.


Size And Scope

As of

Textile World
 ‘s press time, projected Hightex 2010 visitor and exhibitor numbers were not available. The
show’s first edition in 2005 recorded 318 exhibitors, including 162 from abroad; and 10,000
visitors, including 1,500 from abroad. In 2007, there were 320 exhibitors, including 170
international companies, from Turkey and 20 other countries; and 10,000 visitors, including 3,200
from outside Turkey.

Visitors to each show came from Turkey and some 35 other countries including Iran, Syria,
India, Pakistan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, the Netherlands, France, Belgium,
Germany and Greece, among other countries.


Technical Textiles Congress

The 4th International Technical Textiles Congress will be held at the Tüyap Fair concurrently
with Hightex 2010. Hosted by Dokuz Eylül University’s Department of Textile Engineering, Istanbul,
the congress will give researchers and industry professionals the opportunity to network, discuss
opportunities and exchange ideas. Papers will be presented on a variety of topics including:
functional fibers; nano technical textiles; medical textiles; protective clothing; military
textiles; filtration textiles; composite materials; smart and interactive textiles; packaging
textiles; automotive textiles; sporting textiles; agricultural textiles; and geotextiles, civil
engineering and construction textiles.

To learn more about the congress or to register for the event, visit
http://web.deu.edu.tr/ttk.

IDEA10: Looking Ahead


T
 he Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), Cary, N.C., will bring together
the nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry in Miami Beach, Fla., in late April for IDEA10, the
International Engineered Fabrics Conference & Expo. The triennial event will be held Tuesday
through Thursday, April 27-29, at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which has hosted the last
three IDEA events.

Scenes From IDEA07
idea1
The exhibition floor is seen from above

idea2
Visitors and exhibitors engage in a lively disccussion in one of the IDEA07
booths.

As of

Textile World
 ‘s press time, the exposition floor already was almost 90-percent filled. INDA reports more
than 375 companies will be exhibiting — more than 80 of which will be first-time exhibitors —
from around the world. At IDEA07, 44 percent of exhibitors and 40 percent of attendees came from
outside the United States, making it the most international IDEA show in history.

INDA President Rory Holmes expects nearly half of this year’s exhibitors to be foreign-based.
“The international acceptance of IDEA10 reaffirms the event’s role as a truly global event and
points to the global strength of the nonwovens industry as a whole,” he said.

Organizers are expecting approximately 6,000 visitors from more than 70 countries to convene
at IDEA10. At the expo, attendees will be able to  see everything from raw materials to
finished products, and observe manufacturing processes in operation.

Targeted sectors include automotives, composites, consumer products, filtration, geotextiles,
home furnishings, hygiene, medical, nanotechnology, personal care, protective apparel, technical
textiles and wipes, among others.

The expo will begin with a welcome reception Monday evening, April 26, at the convention
center’s glass-walled Skywalk, which overlooks the convention floor.

idea3
Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG shows spunbond fabrics produced using its Reicofil
technology.

idea4
Visitors examine materials manufactured by Colbond B.V.


Conference Program

Holmes noted that the nonwovens industry and the U.S. economy are rebounding from the recent
economic downturn. “With a global economy showing signs of recovery, bringing with it a renewed
need for the products made by the nonwovens industry … the timing is perfect for IDEA10,” he
said.

According to INDA, organizations looking ahead for opportunities that will emerge in a
post-recession economy will have a competitive advantage over those that are focused on short-term
operations. With this in mind, INDA has organized the IDEA10 conference with a focus on market
forecasts and trends of the engineered fabrics industry by region. Six speakers with industry
expertise will discuss the current state of the industry and where it is headed, as well as how the
global recession has impacted the hygiene, wipes, construction, filtration and medical markets.

Tuesday’s discussions will cover Market Trends & Data: Europe & Asia. Fiber and
textile economist Jacques Prigneaux, who directs the business information services of
Brussels-based EDANA, the International Association Serving the Nonwovens and Related Industries,
and supplies industry analyses to the European nonwovens community, will speak about Europe. Peter
Bohlander, who has worked with Asia-based nonwovens firms for 25 years, will present market
information and address engineered fabric industry issues specific to Asia.

Wednesday’s sessions will cover Market Trends & Data: North & South America. Rory
Holmes will share insights from his 40 years of industry experience. INDA Director of Market
Research and Statistics Ian Butler, who has written more than 100 statistical reports covering
every region of the world, will present data on South America.

Thursday’s seminars will cover Market Trends & Data: Emerging Markets & Technologies.
Samir Gupta, managing director of Business Co-ordination House – an India-based technical textiles
and nonwovens consulting firm — will discuss emerging markets in India. Keith Osteen, a principal
with Smith, Johnson & Associates, who has 31 years of engineering and research expertise in
production and technology development, will shed light on the complexities of research and
development in emerging technologies.

ideaschedule


Achievement Awards

The IDEA10 Achievement Awards, sponsored by INDA and Nonwovens Industry magazine, will
recognize new product and technical developments within the global engineered fabrics industry that
have been introduced since IDEA07. The awards will be presented to innovations in five categories:
Equipment Achievement, Roll Goods Achievement, Raw Material Achievement, Short-Life Product
Achievement and Long-Life Product Achievement.

IDEA TV, a new offering this year, will feature live interviews, developing news and
features; and will be broadcast over the Internet from the show floor. The broadcast will be
available to IDEA attendees for viewing via email and Internet connection.


Registration

There are a variety of registration options for IDEA10 attendees, ranging from full
expo/conference registration to partial participation. Early-bird discounts are offered through
April 9. “IDEA10 is about the potential of the business of nonwovens,” Holmes said. “It will offer
attendees and exhibitors a look at the next generation of products for the nonwovens and engineered
fabrics industry — the products and processes that will drive this industry and its companies into
the future.”

For more information about IDEA10, contact INDA +919-233-1210; fax +866-851-5761;
www.idea10.org.

March/April 2010

Protectionist Fears


A
 s businesses around the globe battle with difficult economic conditions, it is
interesting to observe the relationship between government and industry. It is clear countries like
China and India see the importance of their manufacturing bases, and it makes one wonder why the
U.S. government doesn’t – with the exception of the auto sector.

A recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report, “Career Guide to Industries, 2010-11
Edition,” states that  “wage and salary employment in the textile, textile product, and
apparel manufacturing industries is expected to decline by 48 percent through 2018, compared with a
projected increase of 11 percent for all industries combined.” In every category within the
industry, from accountants to truckers, BLS forecasts close to 50-percent employment reductions
from a total of 497,100 jobs in 2008.

The report softens the blow by discussing increased productivity and specialization in
high-value products, and even touts industrial fabrics. Keep in mind that the author is BLS, so the
report is focused on jobs, not industrial output. But it is hard to visualize 250,000 workers
representing the entire U.S. textile industrial complex in 2018.

There was a time when U.S. textiles were considered an essential industry. It is always
striking when delving into the history of some of the U.S. industry’s key players to see what a
significant part of their history concerns stepping forward to supply the war effort during World
War I and World War II, as well as more recent conflicts. But those are uncomfortable things to
consider when discussing industrial policy. The United States prefers a kinder, gentler, global
vision of the world, one in which the concept of an essential industry is easily abandoned — or
outsourced, particularly if it means offering access to U.S. consumers in trade for a false sense
of security and influence in the world. The Berry Amendment, which focuses on domestic supply to
the armed forces, helps support domestic production, but there is more to the story.

Textile, textile product and apparel manufacturing — the three sectors the BLS considers —
present great business opportunities regardless of where they are located around the world. Global
demand for textile products generally increases annually. Within that framework, why do U.S. policy
makers choose to make the conditions for doing these businesses in the U.S. less advantageous?
There are domestic producers that remain strong in every sector, but the U.S. government doesn’t
make that easy. Whether it be tax policy, healthcare costs, pending cap-and-trade legislation or
the need for textile executives to become masters of U.S. trade law, the feeling is that the
government is a wild card. What ever happened to a government that supports policies that provide
incentives for capitalists to invest in what the U.S. could mine, grow or make? In an era of huge
trade deficits, promoting U.S. manufacturing seems like a no-brainer, but there are smarter brains
a work. Fear of being called protectionist, quiet reminiscences of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act,
fear of starting trade wars – these fears would not apply if the U.S. weren’t overly dependent on
imported everything.



March/April 2010

A Changing Industry


N
 ew data point up an ongoing shift in overall mill strategy that’s making for a lot
smaller but increasingly efficient domestic textile/ apparel complex. Looking at size first, the
latest figures show capacity in the basic textile sector fell about 7 percent over the four
quarters ending late last year. And for more highly fabricated mill products and apparel,
comparable capacity reductions of 6 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively, are reported. These
declines were far above the 1-percent-or-so slippage noted in overall U.S. production potential
over the same period. But many of the closings involved older, relatively inefficient facilities —
and, in most cases, are leaving the industry in better competitive shape. The fact that textile
productivity has continued to improve over the past year would certainly seem to confirm this
conclusion. Still another indication of a stronger industry: U.S. mills have shown few signs of
cutting back on purchases of new plants and equipment. Indeed, according to the Institute for
Supply Management, a grassroots organization of the nation’s top purchasing executives, textile
mills actually plan to increase capital outlays for the coming year. And the same is true of
apparel producers. To be sure, the spending numbers are not nearly as robust as they were a few
years back. But they do indicate that domestic producers mean to be major players in the global
textile/apparel industries – both for now and over the long haul.


An Improving Business Outlook

There are also indications that demand will continue to edge higher as Washington puts more
emphasis on reducing unemployment. The new budget calls for billions of dollars in new job-creating
measures. Adding to this are proposals to extend federal unemployment benefits and a program to
double U.S. exports. To be sure, not all these proposals will be given the green light, but some
new moves to prop up the economy will almost certainly be approved. The big question: How much can
this help? One hint comes from the Congressional Budget Office estimates on what happened with last
year’s big stimulus package. The group figures this extra spending helped boost employment in the
third quarter of 2009 by between 600,000 and 1.6 million — enough to raise gross domestic product
anywhere from 1.2 to 3.2 percent. And similar results are likely this year if the Democrats and
Republicans can finally agree on some overall strategy. Top business analysts also are cautiously
optimistic. Thus, several polls of these leading prognosticators find all pretty much agreed on
2.5- to 3-percent economic growth for 2010. True, this won’t guarantee any significant pickup in
domestic textiles and apparel. But it will almost certainly prevent any further declines and
hopefully set the stage for some modest pickup by late in the year or early 2011. Another factor
likely to help: After a recession, consumers tend to put replacement of worn-out clothing and
linens at the top of their shopping lists.

bftexindexesma10


A Changing Trade Picture

The past month or so has also raised questions on future trade trends. On the export side,
the Obama administration proposes to double overall outgoing shipments to $2 trillion within five
years. Any such move would hopefully increase export promotion efforts; put more pressure on U.S.
trading partners to open up their markets; and result in more trade agreements. Imports could be
affected by upcoming Washington talks with China, which are now almost certain to include stronger
demands for upward revaluation of that nation’s currency, the yuan. And it makes sense: Many
financial analysts say the yuan is still undervalued by the same 25 to 40 percent as in 2005 when
Beijing okayed small upward adjustments. Latest U.S. import figures would also seem to confirm a
major currency imbalance. Thus, cheap Chinese textile and apparel shipments to the United States
are again accelerating — jumping 13 percent and 27 percent, respectively, in November and December
2009. True, these year-to-year comparisons are with earlier recession levels. Nevertheless, it’s a
trend that can’t be allowed to continue. Add in the fact that other nations are also pressing for
change, and some upward yuan revaluation may not be that far off.

March/April 2010

Effects Of Obama’s Push Questioned By Textile Makers


P
 resident Barack Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next five years and creating
two million jobs has been met with considerable skepticism by textiles and other manufacturing
industries. They feel a more productive approach would be an assault on what they say are illegally
subsidized low-cost imports that displace American jobs.

Since the president announced the export-expanding goal during his State of the Union
address, administration trade officials have been making an all-out effort to sell the benefits of
exports. Under a National Export Initiative announced by the president, the Office of the U.S.
Trade Representative, the Small Business Administration, the Export-Import Bank and other federal
agencies have been working on programs to attack overseas trade barriers and facilitate more
two-way trade in other ways. A centerpiece of this effort is Congressional approval of the Panama,
Colombia and South Korea free trade agreements (FTAs), negotiated by the Bush administration, that
have been bogged down in Congress. U.S. textile manufacturers are not particularly concerned about
Panama, as little trade is involved, but they strongly support the Colombia pact, as it has a rule
of origin for apparel imports that presents opportunities for exports of yarn and fabric. On the
other hand, they strongly oppose the Korean agreement because South Korea has a large textile
industry of its own, and they see few opportunities for U.S. exports. They also feel the agreement
could result in a significant increase in imports that under the agreement could enter the United
States duty-free.


Other Actions

The Obama administration is taking preliminary steps to negotiate a Trans-Pacific Partnership
(TPP) that it says will broaden sourcing opportunities for U.S. retailers and increase market
access for U.S. exports. The TPP would include Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru,
Singapore and Vietnam. U.S. textile manufacturers object to Vietnam’s inclusion, saying that
because of its non-market economy, it will be “another China.”

In a move that could benefit U.S. textile manufacturers, the administration is pursuing ways
to help make financing more readily available to companies interested in exporting. In a recent
meeting with textile executives, Kim Glas, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for textiles and
apparel, said her office is seeking ways to gain access to additional loans and grants to help
bolster exports. This is particularly important where the United States has FTAs with countries
that have financing problems.


Import Issues

While U.S. textile manufacturers welcome these initiatives, they are more concerned about the
high level of imports, which they say can never be offset by increasing exports. In the five-year
period preceding the recession, textile and apparel exports averaged around $18 billion, while
imports rose from more than $83 billion in 2004 to $93 billion in 2008. During that period, textile
and apparel employment fell from 698,000 to 406,000.

Textile industry lobbyists continue to focus on the need for the Obama administration and
Congress to address what they see as currency manipulation by China and other countries, which they
view as an illegal subsidy for their exports. In the pre-recession five years, China’s textile and
apparel exports to the United States rose from $14.5 billion in 2004 to $32.6 billion in 2008. In
addition to the need to address the currency issue, the National Council of Textile Organizations
says other subsidies must be eliminated, and the government needs to help find ways to facilitate
increased access to credit and other financing for exports.


Labor Reform Legislation Sidelined By Congress

One of organized labor’s top priorities, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), has been
sidelined and is unlikely to resurface any time soon in its original form, if at all. With the
election of President Obama and control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the
hands of Democrats, organized labor was bullish on the chances for its long-sought legislation that
would bring about major changes in the way union-organizing elections are conducted. The
centerpiece of EFCA is the so-called “card check” that would authorize the National Labor Relations
Board to recognize a union if more than 50 percent of workers signed cards voting for a union. The
legislation also shortens the time for organizing efforts, imposes $20,000 fines on employers found
guilty of violating worker rights during an organizing campaign and provides for federal
arbitration if companies and unions are not able to agree on certification.

In 2007, the House passed a form of free choice legislation only to have it blocked by a
Republican-led filibuster. Following last year’s election, supporters of the legislation felt they
might have the votes to get the legislation passed in the current session, but nothing happened, as
the Obama administration had higher priorities. Hopes for passage of the legislation were further
dimmed by the Democrats’ loss of their 60-member margin to override filibusters, but in the case of
this legislation, support from conservative Democrats is not a sure thing. Business opponents of
the legislation say it would deny workers’ rights to privacy and violate the democratic process of
a secret ballot. On the other hand, the bill’s supporters say it would prevent intimidation of
workers during an organizing effort and stop efforts to thwart elections with delaying tactics.

There were reports late last summer that supporters of the legislation were willing to give
up the card check in order to get other elements of the bill, including the establishment of
timetables, arbitration and stiff penalties for violations of worker rights. That did not exactly
fly with labor leaders, and nothing happened. The fact that President Obama did not even mention
EFCA in his State of the Union address was a matter of additional concern, but Eddie Vale, a
spokesman for the AFL-CIO, says the act is still one of labor’s top priorities, and “we still think
we can get it done.”

March/April 2010

Wetekam Monofilaments US Opens In Spartanburg

Germany-based Dr. Karl Wetekam & Co. KG has opened Wetekam Monofilaments US Inc. in Spartanburg
to serve the North American technical monofilament and artificial grass markets. Wetekam
Monofilaments has begun importing products from Germany, but also will begin production on 10
monofilament lines it purchased from Spartanburg-based Teijin Monofilament US Inc. last year after
Tokyo-based Teijin Group liquidated its U.S. monofilament subsidiary as part of its restructuring
measures
(See ”
Teijin
Restructures Polyester Fibers Business, Consolidates US Film Production,” August 18,
2009). Production likely will be established in the Spartanburg area, although an exact
location has not yet been determined.

The company will manufacture technical monofilaments for polyester, polypropylene,
polyethylene and varieties of nylon, as well as artificial grass yarns based on various polymers
and polymer blends. Those yarns can be produced in a range of colors and shapes and may be
texturized or twisted to meet customer specifications.

Michelle Diaz and Bruce Stroupe, former employees of Teijin Monofilaments US Inc., will lead
Wetekam Monofilaments US.

March/April 2010

Trützschler Acquires HOW’s US Business, Expands In Greer, SC

Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, Germany — represented by Charlotte-based American Truetzschler Inc.
and Trützschler Card Clothing (TCC) — has acquired all production facilities, patents, and
copyrights of John D. Hollingsworth on Wheels Inc. (HOW) — a Greenville-based designer,
manufacturer, servicer and tester of textile equipment, which shuttered its operations on Dec. 30,
2009, as a result of the impacts of the U.S. textile industry’s continued decline.

The takeover will enable TCC to continue HOW’s production at its existing facilities. TCC,
founded in 2003, manufactures a full range of card and roller card clothings for the spinning and
nonwovens industries. The company has introduced new manufacturing processes with integrated
in-process quality controls and runs a global service network.

HOW specialists have joined Trützschler’s U.S. sales and marketing team and American
Truetzschler’s field service.

American Truetzschler also is investing $3.5 million to expand its operations in Greer, S.C.,
and will create 30 jobs in the process.

“Our operations in Greer are an important part of our company’s total manufacturing capacity,
and we are pleased to expand our production capabilities with a facility there,” said Detlef
Jaekel, vice president, Technical Division, American Truetzschler. “South Carolina will provide us
with an excellent business environment and a skilled workforce to suit our needs.”

The investment in Greer will enable American Truetzschler to expand both its textile
machinery and card clothing manufacturing operations. It will immediately begin adding equipment to
the facility.

In 2003, Trützschler acquired all of HOW’s activities outside the United States and Canada,
including production facilities in Brazil, Mexico and Germany, as well as HOW’s European service
stations. Those activities have operated under the name Trützschler Hollingsworth Card Clothing and
Service, while HOW continued production for its U.S. and Canadian operations at its Greenville
headquarters.

March/April 2010

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