July/August 2006



Karin Malmstrom
 has joined
Cotton Council International, Washington, as its China and Hong Kong director.

Midland, Mich.-based
The Dow Chemical Co. has appointed President and CEO

Andrew N. Liveris
 chairman of the board, and

William H. Weideman
 vice president and controller.

Greenville-based
Batson Group Inc. has named

Charles Little
 group manager with responsibility for capital equipment sales and marketing; and has
hired

Bruce Kalley
 as service and spare parts manager, with responsibility for service and spare parts sales
for original equipment manufacturers.

Performance Fibers Inc., Richmond, Va., has named

James A. Johnson II
 vice president, chief information officer, with responsibility for the company’s global
Information Technology group.

Precision Custom Coatings LLC, Totowa, N.J., has hired

Moe Kovangji
 as general manager.

Paris-based
Lectra has appointed

David Rode
 president of Lectra USA Inc., where he will be responsible for all company business in
Canada, Mexico, the United States and the Caribbean. The company also named

Guido Turco
 product lifecycle management business development manager for Italy.

Tolland, Conn.-based
Gerber Technology has presented the Gerber WebPDM® Achievement Award to

Christina Wong
 , a recent graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising’s International
Manufacturing & Product Development program. The company also has welcomed

Linna Lin
 , a customer solutions center coordinator, as its 200th full-time employee in greater
China.

Dalton, Ga.-based
Thomas Industries LLC CEO

Jerry L. Thomas
 has assumed the role of board co-chairman and will head a special committee tasked with
identifying strategic business opportunities. Also,

Dick Bierie
 now is president, Marketing & Sales.

WestPoint Home Inc., West Point, Ga., has named

Chris N. Baker
 COO.

Kellwood Co., St. Louis, has appointed

Jeffery Streader
 president, Operating Services Division;

Gail Cook
 , president, David Meister brand; and

James Weinberg
 CEO, Halmode suit and dress division.

Blue Bell, Pa.-based
Acme-Hardesty Co. has named

Cynthia A. Cox
 president and promoted

Wulan Gerile
 to global sourcing manager.

Emeryville, Calif.-based
Nano-Tex Inc. has promoted

James P. Curley
 to president and CEO, and named him to the company’s Board of Directors.




Mark Welles
 has joined
TradeCard Inc., New York City, as vice president of sales in Asia Pacific.

Consoltex Inc., Quebec, has named

Sirio De Luca
 president, Commercial Operations.


Jessica Franken
 , associate director of government affairs for the
Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry, received the Alexis de Tocqueville
Award upon her recent graduation from Fairfax, Va.-based
George Mason University’s School of Public Policy.

Omnova Solutions Inc., Fairlawn, Ohio, has elected

Robert A. Stefanko
 to its Board of Directors.

The
American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), Research Triangle
Park, N.C., has named the following Concept 2 Consumer/Computer Integrated Textile Design
Association design competition winners: Print Design, Interior Design —

Andrea Singer
 , Philadelphia University, first place, and

Elizabeth Newcomb
 , North Carolina State University (NCSU), second place; Print Design, Apparel Design —

Carla Rickenbacher
 , Drexel University, first place, and

Christine Schmitt
 , Savannah College of Art and Design, second place; Product Design, Interior Design —

Jessica Roush
 , NCSU, first place, and

Elizabeth Newcomb
 , second place; and Product Design, Apparel Design —

Colleen Keller
 , Cornell University, first place, and

Cora D. Smith
 , NCSU, second place. AATCC also presented awards in its inaugural Engineering Design
Competition, Medical/Biomedical Fibrous Structures Area to

Harold D. Dillow
 ,

David J. Janowiecki
 ,

Chloe Zhuang Wan
 and

Marc R. Williams
 , University of Kentucky, first place; and

Hang Liu
 and

Hong Yu
 , University of Georgia, second place.

Precision Roll Grinders Inc., Allentown, Pa., has named

William “Bill” Cargile
 general manager of its Texarkana facility.


William E. Giblin
 , president and CEO, Tweave Inc., Norton, Mass.; and former chairman, National Textile
Association, Boston, recently received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from
the
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

American Fibers & Yarns Co. (AF&Y), Chapel Hill, N.C., has hired

Roger Morelock
 as vice president of operations for its Bainbridge, Ga., facility.

The Board of Directors of Dalton, Ga.-based
Shaw Industries Inc. has elected

Vance Bell
 to succeed Robert E. Shaw as CEO effective Sept. 1, 2006. Shaw, a co-founder of the
company, will remain on the board. The board also has elected

Randy Merritt
 president of the company. Merritt succeeds Julian Saul, who recently retired.


July/August 2006

Fostering Cotton Quality


C
 ary, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated unveiled its MILLNet software for Windows® at its
recent Engineered Fiber Selection® (EFS®) System Conference, which also included presentations on
cottons sustainability, global cotton yield and consumption, and the home and apparel textile
markets. The eight panel presentations at the 19th edition of the conference, which was held over
two days in Greenville, emphasized technology’s role in the sustainability and worldwide
competitiveness of cotton fiber.

Cotton Incorporated Board Chairman S.
Louie Perry explained in his opening remarks that technology is key in “giving us a leg up in the
field and the factory,” adding that “[k]eeping up with technology advances keeps your business on
the cutting edge.”


cottonaward

Cotton Incorporated President and CEO J. Berrye Worsham (left) presents the 2006 Cotton
Achievement Award to Sara Lee Branded Apparel’s Vern C. Tyson at the recent EFS® System
Conference.



The latest addition to the company’s EFS System, a suite of cotton management software
programs, is MILLNet software for Windows, which tracks the purchase, receipt and use of cotton
using high-volume instruments (HVI) classification data. Features of the new program include
enhanced graphics and customization of reports, graphs, and other data. Users also may export data
to Microsoft® Office applications such as Word or Excel.

The EFS System, which includes other programs such as EFS-USCROP™, QRNet32, MILLNet and
MILLNet32™, allows for the evaluation, inventory and handling of different types of cotton fiber
for the production of high-quality yarn. According to the company, program users apply each cotton
fiber’s unique properties to their growing, ginning, spinning and processing methods, allowing them
to produce statistically uniform cotton mixes for specific end-uses.

“Over the past 20 years, the increased use of the EFS System software and the feedback from
users at these conferences have helped us keep the software in step with our clients needs,” said
Charles Chewning Jr., vice president, Fiber Management Research Group, Cotton Incorporated.

Another conference feature was a special presentation on cottons sustainability and how it
compares to that of man-made fibers. Because of certain agricultural advancements such as
genetically modified seeds and integrated pest management, cotton growers have reduced the amount
of land, water and pesticides needed, according to research presented at the conference. Conference
attendees also reviewed an attitudinal survey that showed consumers perceive cotton to be
environmentally friendly.

Additionally, Cotton Incorporated honored Vern C. Tyson, vice president of cotton purchasing
for Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Sara Lee Branded Apparel, as the 2006 Cotton Achievement Award
recipient. Tyson manages the purchasing, warehousing and distribution of cotton for Sara Lees seven
manufacturing operations, which account for approximately 13 percent of the total US cotton
consumption, said J. Berrye Worsham, president and CEO, Cotton Incorporated, during his
presentation of the award.

Since 1991, Cotton Incorporated has given the award to individuals who have increased cottons
profitability by advancing the marketing of the EFS System and US Department of Agriculture HVI
testing.



July/August 2006

Mohawk Industries – Growth & Innovation


I
 magine in the textile industry building a business that is growing — growing in revenue,
growing in product offerings, and growing ownership and support of its supply chains. After
spending time with the 2006

Textile World
 Innovation Award honoree, Mohawk Industries, it becomes apparent many of the traditional
barriers to growth have been removed and the company succeeds through innovation.

As evidenced by Mohawk’s expansion from a $300 million company when it went public in 1992 to
one with projected sales of $7 billion in 2006, growth is central to the Mohawk success story.

But, where is the innovation? The simple fact is innovation plays a major role in almost
every facet of the company — in product, process, business strategy, marketing, brand management
and serving the customer. Mohawk’s track record speaks for itself. The company has a culture that
forces solving problems and developing opportunities without being bogged down by traditional
solutions. An example would be adapting to changing consumer tastes in floor covering.

Instead of seeing this as a crisis, Mohawk saw an opportunity, entered the hard-surface arena
and redefined floor covering. In doing so, it created opportunities for retailers and consumers.
Its product range broadened, and it developed sales and marketing solutions to support the
redefinition. The potential crisis was really an opportunity that strengthened all facets of the
company and positioned it as a total floor covering solutions provider.

The following pages attempt to illustrate just how much is going on inside Mohawk and how
willing the company is to invest in its future. With a history that stretches back to 1878, when
four brothers bought 14 secondhand weaving machines and entered the carpet business, this is a
company that knows its business. It is also a company that is keenly aware of new opportunities.

Issues like sustainability are ever present. Mohawk recycles 25 percent of all the plastic
bottles used in North America each year into 160 million pounds

of carpet fiber. In 2007, the company expects to offer carpet under the SmartStrand™ made
with DuPont™ Sorona® polymer brand — carpet containing innovative biobased man-made fiber.

Mohawk’s associates are key to the company’s success. As Jeff Lorberbaum, Mohawk president
and CEO, said in his interview with

TW
 , “There is no alternative to bright, motivated people who like to succeed focused on a
common vision.” That vision has been sustained under conditions of tremendous growth. When asked
the key to Mohawk’s success, Lorberbaum said, “Continuously reinventing everything we do and
executing it with a vengeance.”

Congratulations to Mohawk Industries and all of its associates company-wide. Thank you for a
great story of growth and innovation.


July/August 2006

Textiles Have Stake In Legislation


A
 s the 109th Congress winds down between now and November, the US textile industry and
importers have a vital stake in some of the issues that may or may not be dealt with in an
atmosphere charged with politics as the congressional election campaign unfolds. For the most part,
textile issues are in the area of international trade, where decisions made now will have a major
impact on the future shape of the industry. In some cases, congressional action is expected this
year, while others likely will have to wait for the new Congress in 2007.

Berry Amendment — The Berry Amendment, which directs the Department of Defense
(DoD) to buy its textiles and apparel from domestic courses whenever possible, will be acted upon,
but there is an effort by Rep. Robin Hayes, R- N.C., to expand the requirement to the Department of
Homeland Security. Past efforts by DoD procurement officials to weaken the Berry Amendment have for
the most part failed, but those officials are likely to try again. Extension of Buy American to
homeland security remains doubtful at best.

Chinese Currency — US textile industry officials and others contend currency
manipulation by the Chinese government amounts to as much as a 40-percent subsidy for its exports
to the US market. A number of bills have been introduced in Congress to address the issue. One
sponsored by Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., would impose a 27.5-percent
tariff on Chinese goods imported to the United States unless the president certifies China no
longer is manipulating its currency in order to gain an unfair international trade advantage. A
companion measure in the House of Representatives is sponsored by Reps. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., and
John Spratt, D-S.C. Those bills are not likely to become law in view of President George W. Bush’s
opposition, but they have been useful as a club to force voluntary action by the Chinese
government. A second approach to the problem, sponsored by Reps. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, and Duncan
Hunter, R-Calif., would declare exchange rate manipulation by China actionable under US
countervailing duty and product safeguard statutes. That bill has the backing of a broadly based
farm, industry and labor currency manipulation coalition including textiles; and has a better
chance of enactment than the Schumer-Graham bill.



Trade Preference For Least-Developed Countries — The Tariff Relief Assistance for
Developing Economies (TRADE) Act would permit 15 least-developed countries to ship their textile
apparel products to the United States duty-free regardless of the country of origin of yarn, fabric
or other components. US textile manufacturers are opposed to this legislation, contending it would
undercut the benefits of the North America Free Trade Agreement and the Central America-Dominican
Republic Free Trade Agreement. This legislation enjoys considerable support and could be enacted,
but not without a fight from the textile industry’s supporters in Congress.

Countervailing Duties For State Economies — A major problem for US textile
manufacturers is a ruling by the government that countervailing duties cannot be imposed on
state-run economies such as China and Vietnam. The House in July 2005 passed legislation designed
to reverse that ruling. In addition, it would establish a monitoring and reporting system to
measure China’s compliance with its trade obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Senate action is pending.



Free Trade Agreements — Congressional action is pending on free trade agreements
(FTAs) that the US textile industry opposes. The Haiti Economic Recovery Opportunity (HERO) Act
would grant duty-free entry into the United States for apparel assembled in Haiti regardless of the
fabric’s country of origin. The HERO bill caps the amount of duty-free articles that can enter the
United States, and while the numbers appear small, they would amount to $2 billion in apparel
exports taken from other Caribbean and Central American countries. The Bush administration also has
entered into FTA negotiations with South Korea. While that pact has not been finalized and sent to
Congress, the US textile industry is strongly opposed to it, and it hopes to get congressional
input that will modify it before it is submitted for ratification.

Vietnam Agreement — Legislation that would grant permanent normal trade relations
to Vietnam has been introduced in Congress. The legislation is a necessary step toward Vietnam’s
accession to the WTO. It is strongly opposed by US textile manufacturers, but importers are
supporting it.



Textile And Apparel Research Funding — Legislation pending in Congress would
continue the federal government’s long-standing support for textile and apparel research at the
Spring House, Pa.-based National Textile Center (NTC) and the Cary, N.C.-based Textile Clothing
Technology Corp. [(TC)2] at the current levels of $13 million for NTC and $2.5 million for (TC)2.
The federal government’s support for these two organizations is intended to improve the industry’s
competitiveness. With Congress tightening its purse strings in some areas, the outlook is uncertain
at this time.


Textile Trade Future Cloudy In View Of WTO Problems


The uncertain future of the WTO’s Doha Round of trade liberalization negotiations raises more
questions than answers with respect to the future of international trade in textiles and apparel.
While trade officials in the United States and abroad hope the round can be revived, there is a
chance it will die a slow death over the next few months.

The demise of the negotiations would be one of those good news/bad news situations for
textile manufacturers and importers. If the talks collapse, the US industry would not have to worry
about reductions or elimination of US textile and apparel tariffs. On the other hand, they feel the
round can be a vehicle to get a permanent safeguard mechanism that would prevent China, and perhaps
one or two more nations, from completely dominating the US apparel import market. Importers, on the
other hand, who do not like the idea of a safeguard mechanism, would lose the tariff reductions
they believe are so important in their future overseas sourcing.

As the talks reached a critical juncture in early July, the House weighed in on behalf of the
US textile industry when it passed legislation stating the US negotiators must adhere to the
objectives of the Trade Act of 2002. That act states: “The principal negotiating objectives of the
United States with respect to trade in textile and apparel articles are to obtain competitive
opportunities for the [US] exports of textiles and apparel in foreign markets substantially
equivalent to the competitive opportunities afforded [to] foreign exports in the [US] markets and
to achieve fairer and more open conditions of trade in textiles and apparel.”

While that language is somewhat vague and can be read in different ways by different people,
it does underscore the congressional interest in promoting fair trade in textiles.


Military Procurement Of Textiles, Apparel Faces Crisis


While the US textile and apparel industries have a long history of successfully meeting the
peacetime and wartime needs of the armed forces, demands of the war on terrorism and military
procurement practices are resulting in what many industry officials believe is a crisis. They
contend the defense industrial base is eroding to the point where it is increasingly difficult for
them to meet the needs of the armed forces.

The problem has resulted from inconsistent buying patterns. New orders are few and far
between, incoming orders under existing contracts are sporadic and unpredictable, and frequent
start/stop orders are being issued. In past wartime buildups, the military relied on more of a
centralized procurement system, but today procurement is spread across several agencies with
differing requirements and procedures. Industry officials say the Iraq War and lack of
communication and organization have caused “tremendous confusion in the industry, stretched limited
resources to the breaking point and have made fact-based production planning nearly impossible.”

The National Textile Association, Boston; the American Apparel and Footwear Association,
Fairfax, Va.; and the Parachute Industry Association, Skokie, Ill. — which represent most of the
500 companies of the defense industrial base — have launched a series of meetings with defense
officials in an effort to fix the problem.

Members of the defense industrial base provide the armed forces with their most basic needs:
socks, undergarments, combat and other uniforms, hats, gloves, boots, wet-weather gear,
cold-weather gear, chemical-protective gear, body armor, utility bags, sleeping systems, parachutes
and tents.

July/August 2006

TenCate Selects Benninger Bleaching Machine

The Netherlands-based TenCate
Advanced Textiles has brought online an automated process-controlled, continuous open-width
bleaching machine with a fully integrated operating system. The company worked with
Switzerland-based Benninger Textile Systems Co. Ltd. to design the machine according to TenCate’s
specifications.

The new pretreatment line performs separate singeing, scouring and bleaching operations in
one process sequence. Features include microprocessors for automated measurement and adjustment of
variables including water, chemicals, speed and pressure; and 25 automatic dosing positions for
chemicals.

The line represents a 6 million-euro investment including building alterations, and
foundation and platform construction.


July/August 2006

Automatic Weft Detection


F
 ashion trends are production challenges faced every day by a textile finisher. The goal
is to produce first-quality goods only. This is especially difficult when weft distortion has been
introduced to the fabric during various process stages.

Uneven tension distribution across the weft is the main cause for distortion. There are many
causes for this defect, including tension variations, equipment lineup, improper roller adjustments
and direct contact of machinery with the material.


Dealing With Weft Distortion

Mechanical forces are commonly employed to correct the geometry of a weft that has been
distorted during the finishing phase. Both mechanical weft straighteners and differential drive
tenters are commonly applied technologies.

By adjusting the speeds of differential tenter chains, or by applying linear tension and
passing material across rollers that can be pivoted around the center point of the fabric width,
the weft lines can be moved and realigned.

Mechanical weft correction devices have always been used to correct weft distortion,
primarily on materials where distortion is more visible and becomes an issue for the end-user.
However, as tolerances grow tighter, production speeds increase, and the fabrics become more
complex, automatic weft straightening is a must in today’s modern textile finishing operations.

 

p28
Using photoelectronic detection in oscillation removes possible mechanical difficulties.

Straightening Principles

The history of automatic weft straightening goes back more than 40 years. Generally, there
are two common automatic weft-straightening principles used today: automatic straightening by means
of mechanics; and automatic straightening by means of electromechanics.

Automatic straightening by means of mechanical force is based on the parallelogram effect.
When the distortion of the fabric is along a diagonal axis, the warp and weft geometry, initially
orthogonal, assumes a parallelogram configuration. When the two selvages are pulled out to stretch
the cloth to its full width, the weft is tightened, generating complex forces in a parallelogram
configuration to establish a square structure. This straightening force can be exploited for
restoring proper weave geometry if the selvages, in spite of their lateral tensions, are
sufficiently free to move in the direction of the warp.

Automatic straightening by means of electromechanics is the most common method employed
today. Weft geometry is automatically detected using a mechanical or electrical sensor. That
information is then transformed into a signal that displaces rollers, making the correction as
necessary. The weft-straightening effect here is the result of the difference in distance traveled
by one selvage in relation to the other over the rollers in the weft-straightening system.

p26


Sensing Technology

In order to have an effective automatic weft-straightening system, it is important for the
sensing device to detect all the possible fabric styles, designs, colors and structures. With
today’s complex textile products, that is not always an easy task. The ideal detection system is
capable of sensing denim, sheeting, jacquard, apparel and automotive fabrics; fiberglass, carpet,
lace, terry towels and a large variety of technical textiles, among other products.

In the early 1960s, two major detection systems on the market were used for detecting weft
distortion in fabric. One system involved the use of mechanical principles, and the other utilized
photoelectronic sensors.

 

Mechanical Detection Principle

The mechanical principle is based on the use of two wheels mounted on a freely moving
mounting pin. Under normal conditions, both wheels are turned by the passing fabric, resulting in a
homogenous signal. When a distortion is sensed, the tension created by the skewed weft causes the
freely mounted wheels to turn left or right depending on the distortion. A non-proportional signal
is generated by a differential amplifier, sending correction signals to a correction device. As
long as the wheels in continuous contact with the material remain in the same good working
condition, the measurement results remain satisfactory. Any uneven fabric surface challenges the
mechanical principle and generates asymmetrical distortion. This system has not been further
developed in its design and has been discontinued because of limited detection abilities and
hardware reliability.


Photoelectronic Detection Principle

The photoelectronic sensor is based on a signal modulation created by the passing web
structure. One of the first photoelectronic sensors was based on several photo elements located on
one side of the web and a light source on the opposite side of the web. When the weft line was
parallel and straight in front of the sensor, a somewhat equally strong signal was generated in
both channels.

If the weft line was not parallel to the sensor, one pair of photo elements generated more
signal than the other, and this determined the distortion. That type of sensor could only
differentiate between left or right distortion and was not able to quantify the amount or angle of
distortion. Therefore, a proportional correction based on the physical distortion was not possible.

The next generations of optical sensors utilized only one photo element by letting it freely
oscillate between known limits. That improved the linearity, resolution and accuracy of each
sensor, enabling it to detect more complex fabric structures.

With microcomputers entering the industrial arena, it was not long until the first
microcontroller-based detection system was introduced. Stepper motor technology for linear movement
replaced the free-oscillation detection lens and improved lighting principles such as infrared
light-emitting diodes and reflex light sources, bringing the system more up-to-date.

The photoelectronic detection technology is utilized in various executions such as
oscillation, rotation or shifted dual-rotating mode. By rotating the lens 360º instead of always
oscillating on the same position, one could avoid possible mechanical difficulties. However, there
is some valuable time lost by scanning areas of the fabric that are unrelated to the weft line. The
shifted dual-rotating mode reduces such time delays in collecting valuable weft distortion
information with a two-lens system.

camera
The latest CCD matrix camera from Erhardt + Leimer GmbH employs high-resolution auto-focus
and auto-zoom technologies.


Weft Detection Using Cameras

The rapid reductions in the prices of computer systems and digital cameras combined with
advanced image-processing techniques have led to the introduction of several vision systems to the
textile manufacturer. There are two types of camera systems that can be used to create an image:
line scan camera technology; or charged-couple device (CCD) matrix camera technology.

The line scan camera in combination with an encoder creates an image while the web passes
by. After capturing the image, the evaluation software uses special algorithms to process the
digital information.

The line scan camera technology typically is used to detect the full width of the web,
detecting and evaluating patterns rather than the weft line. That can be realized with either one
or two cameras, depending on the area of interest. However, if there is no pattern in the web, the
line scan technology is not able to detect any distortion in a web.

A matrix camera takes images similar to any conventional digital camera on the market. The
web is imaged several times per second, whether running or not, on a 2-D area. The camera looks at
multiple weft lines simultaneously, providing a high data rate of the passing weft structure. With
sophisticated software tools and mathematic calculation, a 3-D image is processed, detecting not
only the weft, but also the warp of a web.

The matrix camera technology is used for a closer look at the individual weft and utilizes
the weft structure in its calculation of the residual web distortion. Whether with several cameras
evenly distributed over the full width of the web, or just one scanning camera taking images
across, a large cross-direction and machine-direction profile of the passing web is captured. A
reflecting circumference infrared illumination guarantees the best uniform imaging results.

The latest camera introduced from Germany-based Erhardt + Leimer GmbH employs
high-resolution auto-focus and auto-zoom technologies that allow the camera to view an optimum
evaluation area and the largest 2-D area possible. The camera is mounted 250 millimeters away from
the web, moving it away from sometimes harsh existing environmental conditions. The image is then
processed within a 3-D space and filtered through a fast Fourier transformation (FFT), resulting in
spectral data. Separating the noise from the actual high-level spectral data leaves the positioning
information of the weft and the warp.

A major breakthrough of the 2-D image detection system using CCD matrix camera technology
makes detection on many difficult webs such as carpet, jacquard and thicker wefts a problem of the
past. Whereas conventional photoelectronic systems detect one weft at a time, the CCD matrix camera
has the ability to evaluate a large number of weft lines simultaneously, even if the web is not
moving. And whereas conventional photoelectronic sensors are required to have a minimum speed for
detection, the speed of the process has no influence on the final result or the quality of the
evaluated detection area when using the CCD matrix camera.

In addition to increasing the number of weft lines being detected, the system with its wide
field of view also has increased drastically the evaluation area in the cross direction of the
weft. That makes it more accurate and reliable because it sees far more than conventional detection
systems see.

Many disadvantages associated with conventional detection systems can be overcome by using
image-processing techniques to monitor webs of all kinds. New camera measurement systems have
improved the range of use from unstructured, homogenous webs to complex, patterned fabrics.

Higher-quality products and more satisfied customers result from more accurate and reliable
technologies.

Editor’s Note: Udo Skarke is manager of Germany-based Erhardt + Leimer GmbH’s Textile Division
in Duncan, S.C.

July/August 2006

Taking Advantage Of Technology


A
 shopper at a retail flooring store selects a Mohawk carpet thats a cut order from a
regional warehouse. The salesperson takes the order, and it is entered electronically into Mohaw’s
communications system, almost ensuring that it will be delivered within 72 hours. The next day, the
customer decides she wants to increase her order to include another room. Is it too late for a
change? It isn’t with Mohawk’s state-of-the-art communications network. In this case, the system
could signal the warehouse almost up until the time the order is actually cut and make the change,
keeping the customer happy and the order profitable.

Mohawk Industries is an avid user of technology, particularly as it provides new abilities to
enhance efficiency, improve customer service and adapt to changing customer demands. And one of the
shining stars is the intricate, redundant voice and data network that keeps Mohawk factories,
distribution and dealers in constant communication. This year, prompted by business growth, a
growing bandwidth demand of systems functionality and the need to create a cost-effective platform
to grow on, Mohawk has made a major upgrade to its data network. The upgrade has created a
multi-protocol label switching network that is recognized for its efficiency and effectiveness.
Taking advantage of lower cost/higher-bandwidth technology, Mohawk has worked with AT&T to
build a highly available data storage, retrieval and management system that updates almost
constantly, giving Mohawk employees critical information that lets them do their jobs as
effectively as possible.

That may mean on-time delivery of an order despite a last-minute change. Or it may mean making
an adjustment in production that saves thousands of dollars.

mohawktech

Mohawk’s website,
www.mohawk-flooring.com, provides consumers with
information about its products.


B2B Strategy

The system is not necessarily a pure business-to-business (B2B) network, but it flows from the
dealer all the way back to production and raw material supply. Tied in with custom applications and
systems developed around distribution including local fleet management, over-the-road fleet
management, warehouse management, plant automation, planning, scheduling and Web-based support
tools, Mohawk’s network is designed to provide accurate representation of delivery dates while
providing manufacturing with the information needed to optimize plant operation, allocation of
orders and production efficiency.


Leveraging The Internet

Through a dedicated website,
www.mohawknet.com, dealers can place orders electronically.
With Mohawk’s Real Time Visibility software, the dealer can know within minutes when an order will
reach his store, plus get e-mail and fax notifications of deliveries. The customer can view the
steps in the order process up to the point the truck makes the delivery.


New Technology Adoption

The key to improved customer service is responsiveness. Mohawk has been very aggressive in the
use of radio frequency technologies in its facilities, along with bar coding to optimize inventory.
As dealers get more access to the Internet and become more accustomed to using it, the system gains
efficiency. Internet tools provide dealers with easier and more personalized access to order and
account information, making it easier for them to manage their day-to-day needs.

For larger
customers, Mohawk also has implemented radio frequency identification (RFID) systems that mesh with
how major retailers manage their flow of goods. And while Mohawk constantly explores making plant
innovations to improve production efficiency and processes, many of which are proprietary the test
of new ideas is how they integrate into the overall system to enhance its effectiveness. Shop floor
systems, sales and operation planning processes, distribution and delivery are all interconnected,
saving Mohawk millions of dollars each year and making it possible for dealers to work small
miracles like a last-minute change in a customer order.

July/August 2006

Cotton Incorporated Installs Menzel Machinery

Cotton Incorporated, Cary, N.C., has
purchased and installed a brushing machine and a two-burner singer from Spartanburg-based Menzel
Inc. According to Menzel, the singer is available for customer trials at Cotton Incorporated’s new
facility.

The updated brushing machine’s polycarbonate sliding doors allow a full view of the brushing
action. The updated singer’s new, easy-to-adjust air/gas mixing system, used in conjunction with
the Menzel gas analyzer, enables setting of an optimal flame, according to the company.


July/August 2006

July/August 2006

The Controlling Electrostatic Hazards
DVD/DVD-ROM training package from

Newson Gale Inc.
 , Lakewood, N.J., trains staff on managing electrostatic discharge when handling
flammable materials. The package also includes additional training and informational resources.

New York City-based

Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
 has added two wallcoverings from New York City-based KnollTextiles — Pause, designed by
2×4; and Merge, designed by Abbott Miller of Pentagram — to its permanent collection.

England-based

International Newsletters Ltd.
 has published the second edition of “Medical and Hygiene Textiles: Initiatives for
Growth,” by Geoff Fisher. The report profiles 50 major companies in the medical and disposable
hygiene industries.


Jakob Müller AG, Frick,
 Switzerland, is publishing a textbook series for the narrow fabrics industry. The first
two volumes, “Preparation – Finishing – Make-up” and “Needle Weaving Technology in Narrow Fabrics,”a
re now available in German and English. Also, the company’s website, www.mueller-frick.com, soon
will feature an input mask where customers may report defects and request technical assistance.

The 4th Annual

Industrial Fabrics Foundation (IFF)
 Silent Auction, benefitting Roseville, Minn.-based IFF, will begin Sept. 18, 2006,
on-line at iffauction.cmarket.com.

The

Edward Lowe Foundation
 and nonprofit organizations, has named Midland, Mich.-based

Aegis Environments
 one of the “Michigan 50 Companies to Watch.”

Through its new Seal of Approval for Deep Cleaning Systems program, the Dalton, Ga-based

Carpet and Rug Institute
 examines the solutions, equipment and overall effectiveness of carpet-cleaning processes.
The first gold seal winners are systems from Mohawk FloorCare Essentials; Sears Carpet &
Upholstery Care; Steamin Demon; ZeroRez; and Harris Research Inc., which also won silver ratings
for two of its systems.

West Conshohocken, Pa.-based

ASTM International
 offers an Online Directory of Testing Laboratories that is searchable by keyword, testing
type and products tested at www.astm.org/LABS. Users also may search the directory from the ASTM
Standards Database.


GorillaCareers.com
 , Aiken, S.C., a website for employers and job seekers, has added the textile industry to
the list of sectors it serves.


Sauquoit Industries LLC
 , Scranton, Pa., has released its Advanced Textile Materials/Unique Processing
Capabilities brochure presenting the company’s full line of electrically conductive fabrics and
yarns.

Ithaca, New York-based

Emerson Power Transmission
 ’s revised Belt Drives and Bearings Reference Guide offers product design, installation,
maintenance and troubleshooting details for its belt, sheave and bearing products.

Fredericksburg, Va.-based

Kaeser Compressors Inc.
 has expanded its Sigma Frequency Control compressor line to range from 15 to 335
horsepower and provide flows from 17 to 1,568 cubic feet per minute in pressures from 80 to 217
pounds per square inch gauge. The company’s new Cost Savings with Compressed Air System Maintenance
guide details maintenance activites for each system component.

Full color, 24-bit designs for digital textile printing are available for purchase for
between $100 and $1,500 at

www.fabric24.com
 , Italy. More than 90 percent of the designs are available in PostScript format, and
users may search for designs by keywords or by categories.


Yaskawa Electric America Inc.
 , New Berlin, Wis., has launched its DriveWizard™ 6.1 software, which features file
conversion tools and enhanced Ethernet support.

The new Sheerweave® 4550 and 4650 styles for interior shading from Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based

Phifer Inc.
 offer two faces because of their broken twill weave. The fabrics, which feature a white,
outward facing side that reduces solar heat and an inward-facing color side, may be used for small
diameter shades.


Banner Engineering Corp.
 , Minneapolis, has updated its 2006 Sensor Products catalog for sensing
applications.


July/August 2006

ATI Offers TEXTEST PORTAIR Tester

Greer, S.C.-based Advanced Testing
Instruments Corp. (ATI), exclusive North American agent for Switzerland-based TEXTEST AG, now
offers Textest’s FX 3360 PORTAIR air permeability tester, a compact, battery-powered, hand-held
tester for measuring the air permeability and thickness of stationary or moving webs.

The Portair allows measurement of air permeability at a selected test pressure or of the
pressure drop at a selected air velocity, producing results that are both accurate and
reproducible, according to Textest. When not in use, the tester may be stored or transported in a
docking station, which also automatically recharges the batteries.

The tester displays graphic and numerical test results. Data may be transferred to a
personal computer (PC) for storage. Both the Portair and the PC software, which comes with the
tester, give the results in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.


July/August 2006

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