Weaving & Weaving Preparation At ITMA 2007


T
 he great success of ITMA 2007 proved that ITMA is still the leading textile machinery
exhibition. Weaving and weaving-preparation machine manufacturers competed to advance technologies
that provide weavers with more digital controls and flexibility to produce versatile, high-quality
woven fabrics for a broad range of products that are geared toward vast markets. New developments
in winding, sample and indirect warping, adaptive control systems in air-jet weaving, reduction of
selvage waste in weaving high-performance fibers, and jacquard and dobby shedding systems are
examples of show highlights in weaving and weaving preparation technologies.


Winding Technology

Italy-based
Savio Macchine Tessili S.p.A. showed its Polar automatic winders. The Polar
winders are available with different variations designed to meet customers’ needs in different
countries. For example, the Polar I is designed for use in countries with high labor wages.

The company has developed several new elements for the Polar automatic winders including
Computer Aided Density, Computer Aided Metering, a heat splicer, and a doffing concept that doffs
in 13.5 seconds. The package density is controlled by yarn tension and the contact pressure between
package and drum. The density system is designed to control the contact pressure using an
electronically controlled pneumatic system that adjusts the pressure of a counterweight piston to a
predetermined value suitable for the required package density. Today’s winders are equipped with
metering systems to get equal yarn length on each package — a must to avoid waste in downstream
processes such as warping. The metering system developed for the Polar winders meters the packages
using a combination of a laser detector for the package and speed sensor for the drum. According to
Savio, air splicing combined with heat give an excellent appearance and good strength of the joined
yarn. The main applications of air/heat splicing are high twist, mule spun, wool and wool blend
yarns.

At ITMA,
Oerlikon Schlafhorst, Germany, showed its new fifth-generation Autoconer 5
automatic winder, which was introduced in 2006 and has been sold to Egyptian and Indian textile
companies so far. The new features of the machine include wax disc consumption monitoring, separate
drives and a package metering system called Ecopack FX.

Wax consumption is monitored by a sensor, and the system signals the operator when it’s time
to load a new disc. The disc is mounted 90 degrees to the traditional direction and the traverse
motion of yarn allows it to rub against the wax disc. The amount of wax required on the yarn can be
controlled by the disc’s rotational speed, direction of rotation and angle of contact. The sensor
is a magnet that detects the movement of a spring-loaded element named the wax adopter. As the wax
is consumed, the adopter, which is pressing on the wax disc, moves backwards when the thickness of
the wax disc reaches a small, critical thickness and a signal is shown to the operator to replace
the wax disc. The winder is equipped with several motors to independently drive the package, wax
disc, upper splicer arm and lower splicer arm.

Ecopack FX is a system for measuring yarn length to produce packages of equal length within
1-percent deviation. In this system, the yarn length is optically measured.

The Autoconer 5 is currently offered with a grooved drum. The Autoconer 5 on display at ITMA
had several spindles with grooved drums and some spindles with a smooth drum. The company is still
developing machines with a smooth drum to be marketed in 2008. The yarn traverse is achieved by a
reciprocating element with a U-shaped right short leg. It is termed “wiper” since its motion is
similar in nature to wiper motion. The wiper is driven independently by a separate drive so its
motion can be changed. This enables control of the traverse speed, traverse stroke and winding
angle; and precision winding or random winding. The wiper motion can be controlled to work as an
anti-ribboning mechanism by changing traverse speed at critical package diameters.


Warping Technology

Germany-based
Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH introduced its newly developed Smart Beam at
ITMA. The warp beam data — including style number, order number, number of warp ends, number of
beam rotations during the warping process to form the entire warp, warp length, number of beams in
the size set, beam number, yarn thickness and count, number of yarn plies, material, warp density
and a list of missed yarns — is transferred wirelessly using radio frequency technology from the
warper computer to a chip attached to the warp beam. When the smart beam is loaded to the sizing
machine, data are wirelessly transferred from the beam chip to the sizing machine’s computer. Based
on the information transferred to the computer, the size recipe is determined using data in the
existing database. Size recipes for a new style are proposed by the system.

Warping machine manufacturers responded to the need for companies to transform from mass
production of a few styles to much shorter order lengths of numerous styles. The only sample warper
that was shown at ITMA 2007 was Karl Mayer’s GOM 24 Gir-O-Matic sample warper, which is an upgrade
of the company’s GOM series in terms of creel capacity. The number following “GOM” indicates creel
capacity. Features of the GOM 24 sample warper include: automated processing with minimal operator
intervention; automatic leasing for drawing-in and size rod separation; programmable leasing
pattern; programmable color selection; minimal waste; sample and small-order production
possibility; 24-packages-capacity rotating creel; creel equipped with feeders to handle high
beaming speed; magazine creeling for high efficiency; computerized color selection for intricate
patterning; and warp length capability of up to 1,000 meters.

Switzerland-based
Benninger AG showcased its new Versomat sectional automatic warper, designed to
form extremely narrow warp bands with few wound packages. It can handle a broad range of yarn
counts as well as yarn types, and can be used for extremely short or long production runs.
Warp-band formation is continuous without cutting after the completion of each band. The cutting is
done after all bands are warped. This system obviously can compete with sample warpers. In sample
warping, as little as one package can be used to form the entire warp. Additionally, the color
order is totally flexible in sample warping, a feature not possible in the case of other sectional
warpers.

Ira L. Griffin Sons Inc., Charlotte, showed its newly developed ball warper and
long chain beamer for sectional beams for denim fabric production. Ball warper features include
stops at the center to avoid slough-off, an anti-patterning mechanism, and electronic tension
control. Long-chain warper features include an AC motor to control the warp-band tension level, and
an endless accumulator to put the warp back in the tub in case the beamer motion is reversed to
find and repair broken ends.


Sizing Technology

Karl Mayer Rotal S.r.l., Italy, showed an ergonomically designed beamer for sized
warp beams. The comb can be moved forward toward the operator to thread the ends so the operator
does not have to extend his or her arms and bend his or her back to reach to the comber. After
threading, the comber is moved backward to its running position. The easy beamer also is equipped
with a movable operator panel that can be moved to any position across the front of the machine.

Germany-based
Sucker Textilmaschinen GmbH highlighted a new size box for its Sucker Comsize II
sizing machine. The warp sheet passes under a tension-measuring roll connected to a control system
for constant warp sheet tension. The size box is equipped with three rollers with two squeezing
nips. The size solution is applied on the warp sheet by a spraying system to provide enough time
for solution application; then the size is squeezed by the first nip, and the warp sheet is
immersed in the solution and squeezed again by the second nip prior to exiting the size box to
enter the drying zone. The size box is smaller than traditional boxes, and the amount of size
solution in the box is small. A short pass of the warp sheet provides improved guidance, reduced
waste, improved control of size solution temperature and reduced heating energy. The size feed
inlet provides flow of the solution in one direction to continuously bring fresh material to the
size box. The excess solution overflows into a container connected to the size box and the size
solution storage tank for recycling after filtration. The temperature of the solution is controlled
by two systems. When the temperature has reached the required level, one heating system may turn
off while the other keeps heating the solution to allow less fluctuation of the desired
temperature.


Drawing-In And Tying-In

Knotex Maschinenbau GmbH, Germany, showed its new double end detector for warps
without lease. The double end is detected by a pressure sensor that measures yarn tension during
tying up to 10 times per second. For double end, the detected tension will be much higher compared
to single end. Knotex also has developed a system to detect whether the warp is leased. The machine
then adjusts itself and prepares for detecting double ends if there is no lease — otherwise, the
double-end detector is not activated.

Another innovation introduced by Knotex is the Autoframe® fully automatic tying-in system.
The operator enters the warp and material, then the system automatically adjusts the required
pretension using servo motors. This concept enables the operator to spend only a short time setting
the machine.

The new Basic S tying machine — S for speed — is designed for tying solid-color warps of
cotton, wool linen, or their blends. The machine is preset for such warps, and is ready to tie up
to 600 knots per minute.

The company also showed the new RS 1HPlus reeding machine. The reeding is conducted using
compressed air, and the machine is equipped with a yarn break detector.



Stäubli International AG, Switzerland, introduced Magma, a new tying-in machine to
complement the Topmatic tying-in machines. The Magma handles coarse yarns that could not be handled
by the Topmatic. The machine is equipped with a new, patented system for separating yarns from the
lease. It can tie spun, multifilament, monofilament and polypropylene ribbon yarns in a count range
from 0.3 to 50 Ne. The machine detects double ends using an optical sensor. It may perform single
or double knots by a push of a button. The knot end’s length is adjustable and can be set as low as
5 millimeters (mm). The machine is designed to have minimal mechanical parts and requires minimal
maintenance.

Stäubli also exhibited a new automatic drawing-in machine, the Safir, which builds on the
proven Delta drawing-in technology. Safir draws in warp yarns directly from the warp beam. Yarn
separation is achieved using a vacuum gripper, the same one that is used in the Opal leasing
machine. A double yarn detection system is incorporated into Safir. It is also equipped with color
recognition for each thread at the separation stage. Safir can draw in warp yarns from two warp
beams, and each beam may contain up to eight layers without the need for lease. Thus, the leasing
step is not required. The Safir combines the Delta and Opal technologies into one machine, which
increases the efficiency of the preparation processes. With the Safir, striped patterns in the warp
direction can be produced easily. Stäubli will offer the Safir commercially in 2008.


Weaving: Shedding Systems

Stäubli commercialized the Unival 100, designed for jacquard shedding, in 2003. The Unival
100 controls each harness cord using an actuator. In 2007, Stäubli expanded the Unival range,
adding the Unival 200 and 500 shedding systems for narrow jacquard and dobby weaving, respectively.

The Unival 200 jacquard system for narrow fabrics was shown at ITMA weaving labels. It
features the same actuator as the Unival 100, but with different power and size. The actuation is
not limited to controlling the shedding motion, but also controls the main motions of the machine
including: weft tension with individual control for each weft yarn, which can be preprogrammed
digitally; weft feed rate; warp tension; cloth take-up rate; latch needle for securing the filling
yarn; and filling selection — up to eight colors — selected filling introduced to open hook rapier
for insertion.

The principle of shed formation in Unival 200 is shown in Figure 1. Each warp yarn is
controlled by an actuator and toothed rack whereby the yarn is threaded through an eye at the top
end of the toothed rack. The selection of warp yarns to be raised or lowered depends on the
rotational direction of the actuator control gear. The gear is turned to a certain angle in a
counterclockwise direction to raise its associated warp end, or is turned in a clockwise direction
to lower the warp end. This is a positive shedding system, as the lower and upper sheds are
controlled with the actuation and no returning springs are used. The Unival 200 system can be
extended to weave wide jacquard fabric using any insertion system. Obviously, such a system
eliminates the gantry, comber board, pulleys, magnets, springs and harness cords.

Page42

Staübli’s Unival 500 uses more powerful actuators to control harness movement in a dobby
shedding system. Each harness is controlled by an actuator that controls links connected to the
harness. Again, clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the actuators determines which harnesses
will be raised or lowered to form the shed according to the weave design.

At ITMA 2007, Italy-based
Smit S.p.A. showed the Twin Direct Drive independently driven dobby shedding
system on its new GS920 – S 200 N 8 SP rapier weaving machine. The Twin Direct Drive system uses
two motors. There are a main drive and a dobby shedding motion drive, which are synchronized
wirelessly for proper timing of shedding motion, filling insertion and beat-up motions. The use of
two drives provides independence of shed timing from other events on the weaving machine. It is
possible to have different shed timing for each pick in the repeat of the weave design. For
example, if the construction requires filling yarns containing spandex and standard yarns, the
spandex yarns can be inserted with early shed and the standard yarn can be inserted on normal
timing. Another advantage of the system is noise reduction because there are no parts connecting
the main motor to the dobby motion.

At ITMA ’99, Germany-based
Grosse Jac Webereimaschinen GmbH introduced the first UniShed prototype — now
known as UniShed 1 — and showed it again at ITMA 2003 with some improvement. At ITMA 2007, an
improved version of the machine was introduced with the name UniShed 2, which is still in the
prototype stage and is expected to be commercialized within a year. The UniShed shed formation is
achieved using buckling leaf springs. A set of leaf springs is connected to a heddle wire that
controls one warp end. The leaf springs, which are controlled by actuators, control the bottom shed
by buckling downward and the top shed by buckling upward, according to the open-shed principle. The
difference between UniShed 1 and UniShed 2 is in the way the spring leaf set is deformed. UniShed 1
uses the Euler 2 mode of deformation in which the leaf spring is hinged from both sides, while
UniShed 2 employs the Euler 4 mode of deformation in which the leaf spring is clamped from both
sides. The deformation of the leaf springs in the Euler 2 mode creates a half-sine wave, which
causes the ends of the leaf springs to slide past each other in a manner that causes instability
between the heddle wire and the leaf springs. Euler 4 creates a complete sine wave, which
eliminates the instability.

The configuration of the jacquard head and the individual control of each heddle wire allows
the heddles to be set vertically. These settings permit the elimination of harness cords, magnets,
hooks, pulleys, springs and the gantry, resulting in reduced building and air conditioning costs.
The jacquard head can be mounted directly on the side frames of the weaving machine, thus making
quick style change possible in jacquard weaving because it is easy to exchange the entire jacquard
head including the heddles. The preparation of the new style can be done in the drawing-in room
with the desired number of warp yarns and warp density.

Switzerland-based
Jakob Müller AG Frick’s Digital Direct MDLA label-weaving air-jet machine equipped
with the new jacquard concept — shown for the first time at ITMA 2003 — was one of the main
attractions at ITMA 2007. The patented shedding system allows the elimination of gantry, pulleys,
harness cords and comber board. In this system, each warp yarn is individually controlled by a
special heddle and retaining hook. The heddle element is a hollow structure that accommodates the
hook element inside. Shed formation is achieved using a roller that moves down and up in every
weaving cycle. The initial warp sheet position is in the upper shed, and the bottom shed is formed
when the roller pushes the warp sheet down and the selection is made for warp yarns for the lower
shed. The selected warp yarns are retained at the lower shed by the hook elements. The heddle
element is kept in its upper position using an activated magnet, and, as a result, the hook does
not obstruct the warp end that moves up with the roller. If the magnet is not activated, the heddle
is kept down by a spring, and thus, the hook retains the corresponding warp at the bottom shed.

While the MDLA machine was shown weaving labels, the concept can be extended to weave any
type of fabric using any type of filling insertion system.


Weaving Speed

And Range Of Fabric Types

Weaving machine manufacturers exhibited a range of machines capable of weaving a broad range
of fabrics at high speeds. Switzerland-based
Sultex Ltd. did not show its multiphase weaving machine M8300, which had been
shown at every ITMA since 1995. This may be because of low demand as a result of the machine’s
limited weave structures and warp and pick densities. Water-jet machines also were absent at ITMA
2007.


Air-Jet Weaving Machines

Air-jet weaving’s ability to adapt to new markets continued to be demonstrated at ITMA 2007.
This is related in part to further improvement of adaptive control systems that control the air
speed, and the rate of filling yarn insertion through the shed. Companies with air-jet weaving
machines on display at ITMA included Japan-based
Toyota Industries Corp., Japan-based
Tsudakoma Corp., Smit, Sultex, Germany-based
Lindauer Dornier GmbH, the Italy-based
Itema Group with its Somet and Vamatex brands, and Belgium-based
Picanol NV.

Toyota’s JA2S-340TP-ET-T170 air-jet machine was demonstrated weaving 3.11-meter-wide bed
sheeting at a rate of 750 picks per minute (ppm) with four insertions. The four yarns were fed from
four weft packages to one filling feeder. While this is a much simpler way of handling the filling
yarn compared to using four feeders, the fabric hand may be affected due to twisting of the four
weft yarns while being unwound from the feeder during insertion — every coil on the feeder causes
one turn in the weft yarns. Additional turns may be added during transport of the weft yarns
through the profiled reed. Analysis is required to check whether this setting may produce thicker,
rougher fabric compared to other multi-weft insertion techniques.

At this ITMA, Picanol’s OMNIplus 800 4-P 190 air-jet machine ran at the highest speed — 2,007
ppm — a record for single-phase weaving. The record of 3,222 meters per minute rate of filling
insertion (RFI) of Tsudakoma’s ZAX-190-2C machine shown at ITMA ‘99 was not broken. This is
obviously due to the difference in the warp width in the reed.

Dornier’s new CLS air-jet machine with Stäubli dobby is equipped with a new drive termed
SyncroDrive, designed for a machine equipped with dobby shedding motion. The drive focuses on the
stability of rotational speed. The SyncroDrive system concept separates the large dobby mass from
the drive at the starting moment. This permits a high-speed start and elimination of start marks.
The CLS machine was shown weaving fine worsted menswear at speed and filling insertion rates never
before reached for such a fabric.


Rapier Weaving Machines

There were more rapier weaving machines on display at ITMA than any other type of weaving
machine — thanks to the versatility of this technology in handling filling yarns. This technology
can handle any type of filling yarn and can switch from very thin yarn to heavy yarn, slub yarn,
fancy yarn, or multiple insertions in the same fabric without the need for a complex control
system. Companies exhibiting rapier machines included Smit, Sultex, Dornier, Itema, Picanol and
Italy-based
Panter S.r.l.



Projectile Weaving

Machines, Selvage Technology

Projectile weaving continues to be dominated by Sultex. Only one machine — model P7300HP V8 B
390 N 2 EP weaving heavy denim at 400 ppm and an RFI of 1,497 m/min — was exhibited. The declining
number of projectile machines is an indication of the growing popularity and demand for air-jet and
rapier machines because of their versatility and speed.

Smit showed a new tuck-in selvage-forming system for centers and edges. The system is
developed for terry fabrics and was shown with Smit’s new GS920 – B 260 F 8 J rapier machine,
equipped with drop back reed. The tuck in works when the reed moves forward to beat up and develop
the loop. It can be adjusted to tuck-in for different terry designs — three-pick and five-pick, for
example. The company also showed a tension-control mechanism designed for terry fabrics that uses a
three-roller system — including the back rest — to monitor and control pile warp tension. The
mechanism guarantees loop height consistency by monitoring and maintaining constant tension.

Looking at the weaving speed and RFI at this and previous shows, it can be said changes are
not a significant indication of reaching the limit for single-phase weaving. One way to exceed
these limits is to develop multiphase weaving machines that can be equipped with dobby and jacquard
shedding systems.


Reduction In Energy Consumption

Energy costs are dramatically increasing. At ITMA 2007, several developments for saving
energy in air-jet weaving were exhibited — energy consumption is known to be high in air jet. It is
well-documented that filling yarn arrival times get shorter and shorter as the filling yarn package
gets smaller because of yarn structure changes from the outside to the inside of the package.
Variation of yarn surface structure from pick to pick also is possible. Adaptive control systems
have been developed to address this issue. More developments in these systems have been reported by
several machine manufacturers.

Adaptive relay valve drive (ARVD) is an automatic system from Picanol that controls the
closing time of the relay nozzles on a pick-by-pick basis because these nozzles consume 75 percent
of the air used during weaving. The system monitors the winding information of the filling feeder
and decides the closing time of each relay nozzle for each pick accordingly. The relay nozzle
valves close early with package size reduction. Consequently, compressed air consumption is
reduced. Picanol reported the system works well with a broad range of spun and filament yarns.

Another development by Picanol is the Autospeed system, which automatically increases weaving
speed to keep the arrival moment fixed, thus reducing energy consumption per fabric unit produced.
The pneumatic catching device (PCD) is a new system that mechanically arrests the filling yarn at
the arrival end. The device is operated by two air-controlled plungers. The first plunger is for
clamping, and the second is for stretching the filling yarn and keeping it under constant tension.
The device is located on the reed next to the filling sensor. The devices replace the relay nozzles
for holding and stretching the filling yarn and also reduce air consumption by up to 30 percent,
according to Picanol.

Active Weft Control (AWC) is a new system from Sultex that optimizes air consumption by
placing the relay nozzle valves close to the nozzles. The system was shown on air-jet machine L5500
at ITMA 2007. In traditional versions, four relay nozzles are controlled by one valve. Optionally,
two nozzles are allocated to one valve. The main component of the system is the Real Time
Controller (RTC), which monitors the yarn’s progress during insertion and controls the relay
nozzles to optimize their blow time accordingly. Sultex claims the system may reduce air
consumption by 10 to 40 percent depending on the yarn type and machine width.

Toyota introduced the Automatic Pick Controller on its JAT710 air-jet machines. The system
automatically synchronizes air injection of the conical tandem main nozzle with the arrival of the
filling yarn. It is claimed the system reduces air consumption by 20 percent.

Tsudakoma introduced the Twin Nozzle Valve designed with a secondary chamber. The system
allows sharp air jetting for a quick response to speed. The company reports air consumption is
reduced by 10 percent.

Dornier introduced new relay nozzles, special stretch nozzles, and TandemPlus main nozzles.
According to the company, the new designs reduce air consumption by up to 28 percent.

Picanol and Dornier showed new mechanical clamps for air-jet weaving — both companies have
applied for patents. Picanol’s clamp is a mechanical device operated by air. The system clamps the
filling yarn when it is not being inserted. The recognized advantages of the system are:
elimination of continuous or significantly reduced air flow; prevention of filling yarn damage
resulting from air flow; reduced snarling of high twist yarns containing spandex, resulting in
fewer defects and/or stops; and low twist and slub yarns processing without blowing the tip off at
the start of insertion. Dornier’s mechatronic Positive Weft Clamp (PWC) eliminates the use of
compressed air and clamps the filling thread until it is ready to be inserted into the shed.


Material Waste Reduction

Dornier showed its new DuoColor device for rapier weaving, which reduces filling waste by
reducing the length of fringe. Depending on yarn type, selvage waste can be reduced by more than 50
percent. The DuoColor is limited to two types of yarns. It was shown on the PTS 2/S 20 rapier
machine weaving ballistic fabric from aramid yarns to demonstrate waste savings for such expensive
yarns.

Sultex also showed a filling-yarn waste-saving device on one of its new rapier machines, the
G6500 W 190 F 4 SP, which was weaving protective aramid fabrics. The machine features a special
filling brake system to reduce its speed and thus control filling length precisely, reducing waste.


Fancy Effects

Italy-based
Bulgaro Officina Meccanica S.n.c. showed a weaving machine equipped with a fan
reed that can be preprogrammed to provide design effects. The reed’s vertical movement varies the
warp density from high to low along the design in the warp direction. The loom was also modified to
produce pleated effects by reversing the fabric take-up and let-off to allow high beat-up force.
The combined effect is a pleat that protrudes out of the fabric surface.


Transport Systems

Germany-based
Genkinger Hubtex GmbH showed its new material handling equipment for weaving and
knitting with a range of applications — from transporting empty beams, full warp beams, sized beams
and cloth rolls to drawing-in systems for warp beams, drop wires, harnesses and reeds. The
battery-operated KEFU 30 transport system can quickly — at 8 to 11 kilometers per hour, depending
on load — transport empty and full warp beams weighing up to 3,000 kilograms (kg) from one room to
another. The servo steering of this system allows maneuvering in tight spaces, and the system can
handle wide beams ranging from 700 to 1,300 mm in diameter.

Genkinger Hubtex’s EE-KHUR 25 system is ideal for transporting full beams made of sensitive
yarns to the weaving room. The system supports the beam from the bearing ends without touching the
warp yarns. The maximum load it can handle is 2,500 kg, and it is equipped with smooth lateral and
extended movements for easy transfer of the beam from the system to the loom.

The EE-GYR 25 system, with a capacity of 2,500 kg, is designed to deliver warp beams to terry
weaving machines that require two beams. The design of this truck is compact, with narrow transport
width.


Heddle Wires

The demands on high-performance weaving are on the rise, and traditional heddle wires with
sharp edges are harmful to high-performance fibers. There is a desperate need for heddles with
rounded edges. Responding to this demand, Switzerland-based
Grob Textil AG developed new heddles, termed TWINtec, for such brittle yarns. The
heddles also are suitable for weaving tapes, keeping the ribbon orientation without twisting. The
heddle eye is formed between two small, smooth rods that provide a low friction, round surface of
contact.


Shuttle Weaving Is Back In Demand

Shuttle looms — last shown at ITMA ’79 — have been replaced by the advances offered by
high-speed shuttleless weaving machines. Though declining, the number of shuttle looms operated in
the world is still higher than the number of shuttleless weaving machines. The number of shuttle
looms will continue to decline, but they will not disappear. Many specialty fabrics produced using
shuttle looms cannot be produced by shuttleless weaving, including fire hoses, endless belts and
artificial blood vessels. With the availability of parts from old looms waning, and the outdated
technology found on shuttle looms, weavers are demanding that manufacturers produce new looms
featuring today’s electronics and technology.

Germany-based
Mageba Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. OHG has responded to the demand with the
development of the new SSL MT and SL series looms. At ITMA 2007, the company showed two shuttle
looms producing tubular fabrics. The SL loom is designed for single narrow fabrics up to 80 mm in
width, and is equipped with a 200-ppm-maximum-speed variable drive. The SSL MT 170 model is
designed for multiple narrow fabrics up to 150 mm wide. Multiple shuttles — up to four for each
fabric — are available to permit production of medical fabrics for implants such as bifurcated
implants. The looms can be equipped with dobby or jacquard shedding systems to produce intricate
fabrics for labels.

It is believed that more weaving machine manufacturers will follow suit and begin
manufacturing wide shuttle machines for special needs.


Future Opportunities

The new developments in weaving and weaving preparation equipment provide a range of
opportunities for woven fabric manufacturers. The growing use of electronic controls has led to a
reduction in heavy mechanical parts and provides machines that can be maintained easily. Some
manufacturers have responded to the need to reduce the environmental impact through reduction in
energy consumption and raw material waste. Future ITMA shows are expected to reveal more advances
in this direction because of the mounting pressure arising from energy and raw material cost
increases. The continuous demand in developed nations for equipment to handle much smaller orders
with minimal waste has been met by developing new sample and sectional warpers.

January/February 2008

Biancalani’s Airo® 24


S
 howcased last September at ITMA 2007 in Munich, Germany, Biancalani’s Airo® 24 represents
the latest generation of the Italy-based textile finishing machinery maker’s well-known Airo line
of fabric softening and drying machines. The new continuous-process machine for open-width fabrics
follows Biancalani’s Airo 2 and 4 machines for batch rope treatment of fabrics into the
marketplace, building on the success of the earlier machines, of which more than 1,200 have been
sold worldwide in various configurations over the past 20 years.

The Airo 24 — which has been developed in cooperation with the company’s customers and tested
in textile mills with excellent results, according to Biancalani — provides a distinct hand to a
wide range of natural-, synthetic- and/or man-made-fiber textiles including apparel fabrics that
have a soft, smooth hand; upholstery fabrics such as jacquards that exhibit volume and
three-dimensionality, and other upholstery fabrics that have a soft hand; synthetic leathers that
look like the real thing; and terry towels whose bulk and softness have come to represent the
standard expected by consumers.

airo24

Operating at a width of 360 centimeters and a speed of 40 meters per minute, the Airo 24 can
process up to 600 kilograms of fabric per hour at a maximum temperature of 200°C. The predrying
step is eliminated, even for heavy fabrics such as terrycloth; and the intense mechanical effect
eliminates the need to use chemicals, except for optional softeners, in the process.


Fifty Years Of Innovation

Since its founding in 1957, Biancalani has offered its textile machinery and services to the
textile industry, initially offering milling machinery to local markets. In the late 1980s, the
company developed the first in its series of innovative Airo machines for washing, softening and
drying fabrics, offering a new way to finish fabrics that provided them with what has become
identified as the Airo hand.

Other machines offered by the company include the Petra® open-width and
continuous-wet-process machine for eco-friendly surface abrasion, color degradation and
micro-fibrillation of woven fabrics; the Milla® combined milling and washing machine for the
wool-milling sector; the Spyra® continuous tumbler for woven, knitted, nonwoven and synthetic
leather fabrics in rope form, based on a patented rotating drum system; and the Spyra Compact
tumble dryer for fabric in rope form with continuous or discontinuous options.

Biancalani took the occasion of ITMA 2007 to celebrate its 50th anniversary, hosting an event
at which the company’s founder, Fiorenzo Biancalani, thanked the more than 70 representatives from
around the world who attended.



January/February 2008

NCSU, NC DOC Launch NC Textile Connect Website

North Carolina State University (NCSU), in partnership with the North Carolina Department of
Commerce (NC DOC), has launched N.C. Textile Connect, located at
www.nctextileconnect.com, with the aim of fostering business
opportunities for the state’s textile and textile-related companies.

N.C. Textile Connect features a database of more than 1,500 companies ranging from designers
and raw material suppliers through to marketers of finished products. Visitors to the website may
find information related to all aspects of the North Carolina textile supply chain. Other
information offered includes demographics, statistics and events.

According to “State of the Union of the Textile Industry in North Carolina,” a report funded
by the NC DOC and conducted by NCSU in 2006, the state leads the nation in the number of textile
production employees and ranks fourth in the number of apparel production employees, with more than
130,000 total employees and sales totaling more than $35 billion in that year.

“Today’s textile industry is very much an international business,” said Blanton Godfrey, dean
of the NCSU College of Textiles. “With this website, a company in a major textile-producing country
such as China or Japan looking for a business partner in North Carolina can find information about
our companies quickly and easily. At the same time, it allows North Carolina companies to interact
in new ways. We believe this will provide a strong boost to the industry.”

NCSU College of Textiles doctoral student Stacey Frederick oversaw the work of gathering
information and compiling the database, as well as the website development.

January/February 2008

Techtextil North America: Thinking Beyond Niche


A
 s the textile industry in North America begins to deal with a number of new challenges
this year — recently enacted and pending trade agreements, currency woes, unceasing increases in
raw material costs and the clarion call to go green — all the while remaining competitive and even
profitable — the term “niche” perks up the ears of many who are looking for a way to maintain
relevance and viability in their respective sectors.

Frank Horn, president of the Fiber Economics Bureau — the statistics division of Arlington,
Va.-based American Fiber Manufacturers Association Inc. — feels there is a natural evolution going
on right now in the North American textile industry, and  “niche” may not be a broad enough
term to describe it.

“It’s about remaining competitive, but it’s also taking your expertise and reapplying it to
areas where your competitors can’t,” Horn explained.

In textiles, “niche” has become synonymous with “technical” — US textile companies are now
going beyond traditional textile manufacturing methods to incorporate new techniques to offer
customers end products with that extra something not offered by foreign competitors. The term has
become the saving grace of many companies that struggle to deal with the effects of globalization
on a daily basis. Businesses are adding technical textiles and nonwovens capabilities and products
to their product lines in order to carve out their own niches.

ttnaopen
Techtextil North America organizers hope to attract a record number of visitors to this
year’s event.


Trade Shows

Reflect Industry Health, Growth

A reliable indicator of an industry’s ability to remain competitive is trade show
participation. A record number of visitors attended last year’s Frankfurt edition of Techtextil,
International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens. Show participants rated the economic
situation in the sector as “better than ever”
(See “
Techtextil,
Avantex Set New Records,” September/October 2007, www.TextileWorld.com).

Techtextil North America (TTNA) — touted by Atlanta-based organizer Messe Frankfurt Inc. as “
North America’s premier trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens” — and its accompanying
symposium will be held April 1-3 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta. Messe Frankfurt hopes to
surpass the 329 companies from 25 countries that exhibited at the last event, held in 2006, as well
as the 4,000 visitors from 43 countries that attended.

“Techtextil North America 2008 will be the fifth edition of the show, and we are expecting
this one to be the biggest one yet,” said Stephanie Everett, group show manager – textile shows,
Messe Frankfurt. “We currently have more staff dedicated to this event than ever before, and the
technical textile/nonwovens industry has come to see TTNA as a reliable source for education,
networking and business development.

“The show continues to grow in both exhibitors and visitors,” she added. “For visitors, we
just keep further reaching into the North American market and branding the event. For exhibitors,
the biggest growth is, of course, international.”

Industry partners include the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC),
Research Triangle Park, N.C. — a participating sponsor of TTNA since its inception; the Fiber
Economics Bureau; the National Textile Center (NTC), Spring House, Pa.; the North Carolina State
University Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC), Raleigh, N.C.; and a number of
textile-related publications, including

Textile World
 ,

Textile World Asia
 and
Textiles Panamericanos.


Nuts And Bolts

TTNA will categorize exhibitors into the following 10 product groups spread throughout
144,000 square feet of show floor space:

•    research, development, planning and consultancy including international,
industrial and government research institutes and centers, universities and planning and
consultancy firms, among others;

•    technology, machinery and accessories including processing technology,
machinery, waste disposal and recycling technology and quality assurance, among others;

•    fibers and yarns;

•    wovens, scrims, braids and knitted fabrics including belts, cordage,
cords, nets, ropes, string and tapes, among others;

•    nonwovens;

•    coated textiles including awning materials, coverings, laminated
textiles, tent/canvas materials, packaging materials, sacking and tarpaulin fabrics, and
accessories;

•    composites including textile sheet products, textile-reinforced plastic
and concrete, membrane systems and fiber-reinforced materials, among others;

•    bondtec including surface treatment technologies, finishing processes,
and laminating and coating technologies, among others;

•    associations; and

•    publishers.

In addition to product groups, organizers have arranged visitor target groups into 12
application areas. This arrangement will help visitors find the exhibitors that will best serve
their needs, and will help exhibitors define their products for their target markets.


Global Presence

Several nations will host pavilions at TTNA in order to highlight technical textiles and
nonwovens technologies from within their regions. Canada, China, Taiwan, Germany, France, Italy and
Portugal have already announced plans to participate.


Comprehensive Symposium

The Techtextil-Symposium North America (TTSNA) will offer 13 sessions and 65 presentations
covering the gamut of technical textiles — from an overview of the state of the industry and
presentations covering the concerns of global expansion, high-performance nonwovens, working with
the government, and composites; to those dealing with extreme fibers, automotive, nanotechnology,
body armor for law enforcement protection, and enhancing value through finishing

(See Table 1)
 .

Allen E. Gant Jr., president and CEO of Glen Raven Inc. — a Glen Raven, N.C.-based
high-performance fabrics manufacturer known for its emphasis on thriving through constant
innovation — will present the symposium’s keynote speech Tuesday morning. Gant will discuss how
Glen Raven has remained ahead of global competitors in the field of specialty fabrics despite the
downturn of the US textile industry
(See ”
Executive
Forum,” January/February 2008).

Dr. Sabit Adanur of Auburn, Ala.-based Auburn University’s Department of Polymer and Fiber
Engineering, will chair TTSNA’s composites section. Adanur believes strongly in the event’s goal of
showcasing technical textiles.

“Unlike traditional apparel textiles, technical textiles are used in every industry from
outer space to deep oceans, from leisure to deep inside the body, in transportation, safety,
protective, military, defense, filtration, civil engineering, composites, medicine, papermaking …
you name it,” Adanur explained. “However, general public and non-textile professionals do not know
the application areas of technical textiles, and they should be educated with shows like
Techtextil. As long as the other industries are alive, technical textiles will also be alive and
well.”

For more information about TTNA, contact (770) 984-8016, Ext. 411; fax (770) 984-8023;
techtextil@messefrankfurt.com; www.techtextilna.com.

For more information about TTSNA, contact Bill Smith (864) 292-8121; fax (864) 292-5333;
billsmith@intexa.com.



January/February 2008

Textiles 2008: Blueprint For Survival


D
 on’t sell the new year short. True, combined producer shipments of textiles and apparel
will drop another 3 to 4 percent to near $95 billion, but that’s not all that bad considering
today’s fierce import competition and the much bigger declines of recent years. Even more
encouraging: Industry profits and margins should continue to hold up tolerably well.

Behind this relatively upbeat projection is a combination of strategies – including ongoing
cost-containment programs; stepped-up emphasis on higher-profit niche products; more vertical
integration; improved forecasting and marketing research; increasingly savvy managements; and last,
but not least, the growing trend toward global sourcing.

On the last point, more and more domestic firms are increasingly emphasizing this global
aspect of their operations. Their goal: total supply chain integration – a concept that combines
their own facilities and expertise with those of partners around the world.

All this is not to say the textile and apparel industries won’t continue to deal with more
than their fair share of headaches. Indeed, aside from questions on how the economy will fare over
the new year, major trade questions remain unanswered.

On the latter score, the slow creep-up of the Chinese currency relative to the US dollar
hasn’t proved nearly enough to stem imports from that country. Witness, for example, the big
17-percent jump in incoming Chinese textile and apparel shipments over the past year – a gain that
leaves Beijing accounting for 40 percent of the United States’ total textile and apparel imports.

On a somewhat more upbeat note, however, there now seems to be some hope the Chinese import
onslaught can be slowed down a bit. This is based on both gradually rising Chinese production costs
and increasing pressure for quicker remedial actions as the deadline for the expiration of
remaining quota curbs approaches.

Nor is China the industry’s only big question mark. Also complicating the outlook over the
next year or so are such factors as new challenges from other foreign producers, changing
international ground rules, ever-shifting consumer tastes, and the need for continuing capital
investment to keep domestic mills and factories competitive in today’s dog-eat-dog marketplace.

Export trends are also far from clear. For one, it’s still uncertain how much of a role our
weakening dollar will have in sparking outgoing shipments both to China and elsewhere. As of now,
for example, many non-textile/apparel export areas have begun to pick up due to the dollar’s
decline – and the expectation is that similar export gains may well also begin to show up in both
textiles and apparel over the coming year.

Last, but not least, the US macro-economic picture also has to be factored into the 2008
forecast equation. As of now, for example, there is some real concern about how the overall US
economy will fare as the housing slump and sky-high gas prices combine to dampen demand. But the
last fear seems somewhat overdone. The consensus of most business analysts – and one to which

Textile World
 also subscribes – is that new government pump priming moves will prevent a major downturn and
even make for some modest pickup as the year draws to a close.

That’s hardly nirvana. But it should be enough to keep domestic buying of textiles and
apparel on a relatively even keel.

To sum up, calling detailed product-by-product trends with pinpoint precision isn’t going to
be any slam dunk. On the other hand,

TW
 feels there already are enough clues available to guarantee against any significant slippage.
In any event, both the textile and apparel sectors should remain not only profitable, but also
world-class – with key industry parameters shaping up something along the following lines.

Domestic Demand: Aggregate textile mill shipments are expected to slip about 3.5
percent over the new year to around $66 billion. But the decline could be relatively uneven. Thus,
a somewhat larger-than-average 5-percent drop is anticipated in the rug and carpet sector,
reflecting the recent sharp drop in housing activity.

It might also be pointed out that the mill product sector should become more important in
the overall domestic textile mix. Today, this subgroup accounts for roughly the same amount of
shipment dollars as does the basic mill category. Contrast this to a decade ago, when shipments of
these more highly fabricated products came to just a little over half of those reported for basic
mill items.

Traveling further downstream, apparel shipments are targeted to fall by about another 5
percent or so, primarily because of continuing import penetration. Best bet here: a shipment total
of around $29.5 billion. While this slippage is a lot less steep than some of the double-digit
declines of recent years, it makes for a much more compact industry, with apparel sales running
only about half of the $60 billion level prevailing as recently as 2000.

Supply: No sweat as far as availability is concerned – given the combination of
more than ample domestic mill capacity, continuing domestic investment and the increasing number of
international suppliers seeking to break into the market.

On the domestic front,

TW
 expects mills to operate at only around 70 percent of capacity. That’s quite low when
compared to the 80-percent and higher levels prevailing through the 1990s. To be sure, inventories,
as measured by days’ supply on hand, will remain relatively low when compared to earlier years. But
that should not create any real problems, as vastly improved inventory management and forecasting
assure speedy deliveries in markets that are increasingly subject to sudden and sometimes
unexpected style or other demand shifts.

Nor is availability likely to prevent any roadblocks as far as overseas procurement is
concerned. One reason: increasing foreign capacity – reflecting the fact that more and more
countries are moving to challenge China for lucrative US and European markets. This global
production buildup is pretty much across the board, and covers basic fibers and fabrics as well as
final consumer product lines like apparel and carpets. Moreover, these foreign firms are
increasingly following the lead of domestic mills and manufacturers developing their own
sophisticated strategies to speed up deliveries.

Prices: Global competition in conjunction with only limited cost increases should
continue to put a damper on any significant price advances. To be sure, there will continue to be
selective hikes. But overall, they won’t amount to all that much – with Uncle Sam’s all-inclusive
textile/apparel price index expected to increase only about 1 to 2 percent in 2008 – not that much
different from the 1-percent boost noted over this past year. Nor does this price picture look any
different when textiles and apparel are viewed separately. Reason: the equally strong competitive
pressures that continue to prevail in both sectors.

On the other hand, some conflicting price trends seem to be appearing in textile imports.
Thus, while incoming shipments of basic mill lines have remained virtually unchanged over the past
12 months, some fair-sized price hikes have cropped up in imports of mill products. And this
pattern is expected to continue into the new year.

Carpets and rugs are yet another area where price hikes have tended to differ from the
overall textile and apparel average. This sector, hit by the current housing slump, has shown
little or no advance over the past six months – again with all signs indicating this basically flat
pattern will persist into 2008. It’s all a bit different from the experience of the past decade,
when carpet and rug price averages managed to advance at a relatively steady 1.5-percent annual
rate.

Costs: As indicated earlier, mill production expenses should not present any
serious problems. On the labor front, for instance, hourly pay hikes continue at a relatively
modest 3-percent annual pace. And even this pressure is being offset by efficiency gains of roughly
the same magnitude. Implication: Unit labor costs are remaining relatively flat. More important,
few near-term changes in this key industry barometer are currently anticipated.

Basic fiber cost trends are manageable, too. True, some advances are likely in coming
months, but any increases that do occur are likely to be on the modest side. Looking at average
man-made quotes first: At last report, they were pretty much where they were last year at this time
– quite a surprise given the big jump in their key petroleum feedstocks over the same 12-month
period. To be sure, some of this feedstock increase will eventually be passed along. On the other
hand, competition engendered by ample or more-than-ample capacity should hold any hikes to
tolerable proportions.

This man-made supply excess is confirmed by recent estimates made by Fiber Organon, which
puts global man-made fiber output at only 75 percent of its potential. Much of this can be traced
to Asian overexpansion – particularly in China, where capacity additions have been outpacing demand
by a large portion, to the point where that nation now accounts for more than 50 percent of world
man-made fiber production.

The situation in cotton, meantime, is somewhat different, with global consumption now
outpacing production. The latest estimates supplied by the US Department of Agriculture put global
consumption for the 2007-08 marketing year at 129.2 million bales – up 5.9 million bales, or 4.8
percent, from this past year’s figures. On the other hand, new cotton production is not likely to
match this. Specifically, the 2007-08 total is estimated at only 119.4 million bales – nearly 10
million under projected consumption.

Upshot: End-of-year world stocks are expected to drop another 6 million bales. That’s enough
to reduce the bellwether stocks/use ratio to 42.4 percent – well under the 49.3 reading of 2006-07.
Nevertheless, there should be enough cotton to go around – in part because of an improved US
domestic supply. The ending US stocks/use ratio is expected to rise. Even so, the increase isn’t
likely to be enough to create any overall global cotton market weakness. Hence, a prediction from
Cary, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated that cotton tabs are likely to remain firm to higher well into
the new year.



Employment: Here, the trend is emphatically downward. Part, of course, reflects the
continuing shrinkage in mill production. But equally important are the industry’s efficiency gains
alluded to above – gains that allow each worker to turn out more product each hour.

Take 2007 as an example. Overall textile mill output is estimated to have slipped another 6
percent. Add in productivity gains, which ran in the 3-percent range, and it should come as no
surprise that mill employment dropped to 329,000 – far under the previous year’s reading.

There’s also little to suggest any change over the next 12 months.

TW
 equations point to another sizeable worker decline – probably something in the 5-percent
range. Viewed from another perspective, the coming year’s estimated 312,000 industry workforce
means that the number of textile workers will have been halved in just 10 years. And the situation
is even more dramatic in the downstream apparel sector. This year, the domestic clothing industry
will be lucky to employ 200,000 workers. That’s less than one-third the number prevailing just a
decade earlier.

Profits: Happily, there’s a brighter side to the above-noted productivity factor
that has been helping drag down employment totals. The fact that it has helped keep labor costs
under control has been a plus in earnings; and when you couple this with an increasing number of
production, distribution, marketing and management innovations, it helps explain why mill profits
have been holding up as well as they have.

This past year, for example, both earnings and margins, while slipping slightly, were still
at respectable levels. Indeed, overall 2007 after-tax dollar earnings were still running far above
levels prevailing as recently as 2004. And the same is true of after-tax margins.

As for the new year,

TW
 anticipates little overall bottom-line change. To be sure, still-sliding industry activity
will be somewhat of a drag. But offsetting this will be continuing effective cost controls and
hopefully steady to slightly firmer prices. As for the actual numbers: Look for net profits to run
around $1.3 billion. Margins are expected to follow a similar pattern, with returns on sales and
stockholder equity running at near 3 percent and 8 to 9 percent, respectively. Not great, but not
all that bad, either.

International Trade: This past year’s surprisingly small 2.5-percent increase in
overall textile and apparel imports on a square-meter-equivalents (sme) basis bodes well for the
year just getting underway. Given the combination of intensifying government pressures to stem the
incoming shipment tide and somewhat less impressive consumer income gains,

TW
 would expect nothing more than a repeat of last year. Again, that would be a lot better than
double-digit increases recorded as recently as 2005.

The US industry’s export totals, meantime, should begin to pick up a bit – thanks to the
weak dollar, which, other things being equal, generally tends to result in lower prices for our
foreign customers.

TW
 ‘s prediction here – about a 2-percent gain.

But despite this improved export picture, the textile-apparel trade deficit is likely to
continue growing. That’s because import gains, though quite modest by past standards, are weighted
far more heavily than the United States’ basically small export totals. Best bet here – about a
3-percent trade deficit increase. That’s a lot less than the big 5- and 7-percent advances racked
up in 2006 and 2007, respectively.


A Longer Look Ahead

All the above forecasts are only focusing on the year that’s just now getting underway. But
some thoughts on what’s likely to be happening through the remainder of the decade and even into
the next one would seem to be in order. To get some answers on this,

TW
 went to Boston-based economic consulting firm Global Insight. Its projections over the
upcoming period were for the most part quite reassuring.

On the demand front, for instance, future declines are expected to remain quite modest.
Thus, the average annual slippage in revenue, corrected for inflation, over the next three years is
put at only near 4 percent for textiles and 6 percent for apparel.

Moreover, go beyond this and look at the subsequent four years — 2011-14 — and the declines
in overall textile mill activity should begin to slow down, with average revenues of this latter
period slipping only 2 percent annually. And, if you zero in on more highly fabricated mill
products, the declines become even smaller.

Global Insight analysts are also relatively upbeat when it comes to bottom-line performance.
Its long-term estimates for what it calls “margins” — sales less raw material and labor costs —
suggest little more than small 1- to 2-percent annual declines.


Chinese Question Marks

It should also be pointed out that not all of

TW
 ’s predictions can be made with equal confidence. This is especially true when it comes to
trade, where more than average uncertainty exists when it comes to future Beijing and Washington
moves to level the international playing field.

Clearly, the United States’ current overall trade deficit — up significantly again over the
past year — cannot be sustained. There are many ways to change this situation — the most notable of
which is more upward valuation of the Chinese yuan. To be sure, there has already been some modest
progress on this score — with the yuan jumping 12 percent vis-à-vis the dollar since mid-2005 — 5
percent of which occurred during 2007. This actually may be of some help inasmuch as a weaker
dollar makes Chinese products more expensive and US exports to that nation cheaper. Unfortunately,
the change so far has not been nearly enough help. Most economists, for example, feel a 25- to
30-percent revaluation is probably needed to bring things back into balance.

The big question, of course, is how long it will take to reach such an equilibrium. Right
now, the pressure is on Beijing. And the pressure is not only emanating from Washington. A lot is
also now coming from the “Gang of Seven” industrialized nations, which is also pressing the Chinese
a lot harder to let its currency rise more rapidly.

Bottom line: Some further yuan appreciation now seems pretty much assured. But how much, and
how fast this will occur is still anybody’s guess.

Moreover, exchange rates aren’t the only things up in the air. Washington has other trade
options, too. The Department of Commerce recently announced it will use its anti-subsidy
countervailing duty laws to stop the entry of paper products from China. This, in turn, has
prompted textile officials to think about pressing for similar options against subsidized textile
and apparel imports.

There are also, as noted earlier, some question marks on what happens when existing quotas
on imports expire at the end of the current year. Ditto on the possible trade impact of currently
rising Chinese production costs. This latter development could well become an important factor as
time goes by. Labor tabs, for example, in some areas of that country are now reportedly rising at
double-digit rates. Moreover, companies are beginning to incur huge expenses to fight pollution,
which has fast become a major issue.

This pollution factor, incidentally, is particularly acute in textiles, which is now one of
Beijing’s dirtiest industries. In addition to containing heavy metals and various carcinogens,
fabric dyes may contain high levels of organic materials that contain starch — the breakdown of
which can suck all the oxygen out of a river, killing fish and turning the water into a stagnant
sludge.

Other things being equal, all of the above-noted cost pressures suggest higher
Chinese-producer asking prices. Indeed, the average price of the incoming shipments of all Chinese
products has already begun to inch up — with a percentage point or two being added to the average
quote over each of the past few quarters.

 

Eventually, this is all bound to impact the overall volume of imports from that country. But
just how much an impact and exactly when still remain to be seen.


Creating New Markets

Meantime, the industry continues to innovate — developing new fibers, fabrics, designs and
finishes — all aimed at whetting consumer appetites and establishing new profitable niche markets.

And in many instances, green, eco-friendly products are spearheading the movement — with the
trend here extending all the way from fibers to the finished product.

Credit this increasing interest to a growing consumer desire for these eco-sensitive
offerings. Backing this up, a recent survey by the Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD Group — a global
provider of consumer and retail market research information — found interest in buying organic
fashion products tripling in the two-year period ending in 2006. These findings also are confirmed
by Cotton Incorporated. Its recent survey on this subject found that more than half of buyers
expend at least some effort in searching out eco-friendly clothing.

One thing is for sure, there seems to be a burst of these green products in the fiber
sector. Bamboo, for example, is becoming a name to reckon with. Using a process similar to the one
that transforms wood pulp into rayon, it is changed into a silky fiber that is highly absorbent,
breathable and antibacterial. Bamboo end-uses include outerwear, T-shirts, underwear, hosiery,
towels, denim, sheets and other home furnishings.

Another sign of the times: China, the largest bamboo producer, has increased its exports of
this commodity ten-fold over the 2004-06 period.

Nor is bamboo the only new fiber attracting industry attention. New ways also are being
developed to make textiles out of such materials as rice straw, corn husks, soybeans and seaweed.
Even hemp is joining the parade, with this fiber helping to make clothes more durable and
breathable.

Moreover, the higher costs of these products don’t seem to be any significant deterrent.
NPD, for example, estimates that well-heeled consumers are willing to pay as much as 24-percent
more for these new types of apparel.

Playing on ecological concerns, however, isn’t the only strategy being utilized to spark new
consumer demand. Equal emphasis is being placed on new niche lines that impart new and improved
high-tech properties to finished textile products. The preponderance of these products involve
man-made fibers and polymers — all aimed at providing the buyer with increased safety, comfort,
durability and convenience.

And while man-mades dominate here, natural fibers also are getting more attention. Cotton
researchers have come up with denims woven with S-twist yarns, rather than with conventional
Z-twist — something that offers an easy way to add subtle textural effects to garments.

Cotton people have also succeeded in coming up with 100-percent cotton stretch. For
consumers who generally prefer the natural fiber to man-mades, this new stretch fabric also
provides the added benefit to clothing that it is not degraded by either chlorine bleach or heat
from tumble drying or ironing.

Wool too, seems to be joining the trend toward fiber upgrading. One of the latest
developments here is a proprietary washable 100-percent wool line, dubbed Easy Wool™, aimed at the
men’s suit and trouser markets.

But as noted above, some of the really impressive innovations involve the more high-tech
fibers and fabrics. The goals here are varied — with individual offerings designed to enhance such
attributes as tensile strength and elongation, weight, elasticity, non-flammability, moisture
transport, durability and weatherability.

And the list goes on and on. Sun protection, for example, is getting a lot more attention
from the industry. Result: Specialty treated garments now boast of sun-protection factors of 30 and
50. Some of these offerings also are made with titanium dioxide fibers — the same material used in
sunblock lotions.

Then there are new self-sterilizing textiles. One researcher at North Carolina State
University has come up with light-activated fabrics that can stop pathogens in their tracks. They’r
e capable of eradicating 99.9 percent of viruses, as well as selected bacteria, in less than an
hour.

Also in the disease protection area are clothes designed to prevent Lyme disease. These
garments are infused with the insecticide permethryn, which makes this protection effective for
about 25 washings.

In a similar vein, there’s the unveiling of antimicrobial sheets and pillowcases. The big
plus here: They reportedly keep bedding both clean and smelling fresher.

And don’t forget nanotechnology, which is also becoming a heavy contributor to new textile
options. This approach is increasingly being used to change the behavior of fibers and fabrics by
incorporating many new performance characteristics such as stain resistance, moisture wicking,
antistatic and antimicrobial, among other properties. And all this is being accomplished without
changing the hand or other intrinsic properties of the material.

The military market isn’t being forgotten either. One of the latest innovations here: combat
uniforms that offer flame resistance and thermal protection from sudden heat caused by improvised
explosive devices.

 

And, last, but not least, there are the new electronic-age fabrics dubbed wearable
electronics or wearable computers. Features here include panels of buttons that sync to an iPod.
This approach is particularly applicable to sports coats and outerwear that are sturdy enough to
hide the technology while at the same time allowing it to function.


A Strategy For Survival

New and innovative fibers and fabrics are only part of the story when it comes to the
impressive number of moves being made to keep our domestic textile and apparel industries alive and
well. Equally important are the seemingly never-ending number of other approaches being developed
to loosen consumer purse strings. This applies to old-line traditional materials as well as some of
the newer ones. Upscale corduroy is a case in point, as new textures and finishes help make this
fabric an increasingly attractive alternative to denim in the lucrative denim market.

Then there are designer labels that are now in the forefront when it comes to pushing all
the new and inviting options. And by doing so, they help not only themselves, but also the entire
industry. They put increased emphasis on the new, the improved and the stylish. It’s their best bet
for surviving in today’s hotly competitive marketplace.

Not surprisingly, designer labels also are leaders in investing in research and development
to produce trendy new materials, fabrics and clothing. And again, this is something that benefits
the entire industry. Thus, just as a new fabric can put a fashion house on the cutting edge, the
mill that makes the basic fabric can gain a lot of credibility with its other customers.

The drive to establish better-quality products is also picking up momentum in the men’s suit
sector. The firms still in this business, such as Hickey Freeman and Joseph Abboud, are surviving
by concentrating on high-price, high-margin products that require a lot of time and handwork.

Another track being taken by remaining suit manufacturers: the upgrading of product
processes — with many companies investing in state-of-the-art, more flexible machinery and
production systems that can literally cut turnaround time in half.

Moreover, pushing for faster reaction times isn’t limited to men’s suits. JCPenney reports a
major reduction in its overall merchandise cycle times. The company says average times have been
reduced to 40 weeks — well under its original 50- to 52-week cycle. And the ultimate goal is for a
further reduction to only around 25 weeks.

All of the above does not exhaust the list of strategies being utilized to keep domestic
mills and manufacturers afloat. Take, for example, improved and more accurate labeling that is now
being employed to maintain and bolster market share — consumers are generally a lot more willing to
make a purchase when the label assures them that they’re getting what they pay for.

This idea is already being tested in top-of-the-line men’s suits, with new labels being
developed by the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute’s Superfine Wool Council. More
attention is also being given to cashmere, where mislabeled quality has become a significant
problem.

The need to prevent deception also is getting increased attention in the import sphere. One
important step here: the expected negotiation of an anti-counterfeiting pact by Washington, the
European Union and six other trading partners. And it could well pay off, seeing that the US
Chamber of Commerce reports counterfeiting and piracy are robbing a huge $200 billion to $250
billion from the US economy. The hope is that China, a major source of these illegal actions, can
be convinced to join in this effort.

Meantime, the US government already has taken some preventive action on its own with regard
to the import cheating problem. New statistics show US seizures in 2006 were up 67 percent in
volume terms. While all types of merchandise are included in this number, research has shown that
much of this reflects Chinese-made garments. Specifically, the Chinese are exporting unbranded
apparel and other items from their factories with brand name logos being put on in small US
sweatshops.

In any case, US political pressure to restrain all this illegal activity can be expected to
intensify over the coming months. In part, this reflects our still-growing textile/apparel trade
deficit. Moreover, the fact that this is an election year is almost certain to intensify calls for
remedial action.

The industry’s safety concerns could be yet another factor to reckon with and even could be
used as a launching pad for improving demand. It’s no surprise that a growing number of mills are
beginning to think about this, especially in areas where dyes and other chemical additives are
starting to raise question marks.

Meantime, with similar worries in mind, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is showing a
lot more interest in the safety of textile and apparel products. A commission spokesman notes there
already is considerable concern about toxic chemicals — with Chinese blankets and clothing singled
out for special attention.


Summing Up

To sum up then, it looks like domestic textile and apparel makers will be facing a year of
innovations, challenges and uncertainties — and hence, a year that will bear especially close
monitoring. But even with this caveat, the industry is becoming increasingly optimistic that it
will survive and prosper.

And it’s a positive assessment that can now be backed up. Despite the import waves of recent
years, a hard-hit state like North Carolina notes that an impressive 1,600 of its textile and
apparel facilities have managed to survive and prosper. Another 800 of the state’s firms still use
textile products as components.

These upbeat results haven’t come easily. As one top textile executive puts it: “It’s taken
a lot of time, planning and hard work. But we believe we have finally turned the corner, and fully
expect to remain a major player in the global market for a long time to come.”

January/February 2008

Innovative Spinners Look For Opportunities


A
 s 2008 begins, the US textile industry and its yarn spinners find themselves once again
in a highly competitive market situation where only the largest and most efficient can compete with
global companies in commodity products.

Those companies with neither the resources nor the inclination to respond to competition from
an increasingly integrated global marketplace may find the going tough again in 2008 — and more
than a few will likely turn out the lights and lock the doors for a final time.

For those that do have the resources and capabilities to respond to the changing marketplace,
numerous opportunities exist to create positive returns. As we look ahead to the balance of 2008,
following are some growth opportunities yarn spinners have identified.


Innovation

Nothing captures the market’s attention quite like a product that fills a previously unmet
need. “It’s important that we keep looking at the market and see where we can establish a
competitive edge,” said one specialty spinner. “We look to try to make products that no one else
can or will. It has kept us running steadily over the past year. Our margins are good because our
customers cannot

get our products from anyone else.”


The Business Model Is Changing

No doubt the business model for the US textile industry, including yarn spinners, is
changing. In the gradual shift from commodities production to specialty and niche-market
manufacturing, companies are faced with deciding what activities to get rid of, where partnership
opportunities are available and which, if any, operations to expand.

“It’s hard for an old-schooler to realize that you don’t just start up and run as much and
fast as you can,” said an industry observer. “The market won’t support that anymore — hasn’t for
years. Yet, there is business out there, but it’s harder to find and hard to get.

It requires a commitment to quality and a commitment to service. Yarn manufacturers have to
be able to process and turn around orders faster than ever before. Quality and speed to market —
those are the only two real differentiators these days unless you have a truly unique product.

“Being successful in today’s market is more than just developing products and providing good
service,” he said. “Spinners have to decide what businesses they can be in and, especially, what
businesses they shouldn’t be in. Just because you’ve always run a dyehouse doesn’t mean that dyeing
your own yarn is the most efficient way to do it. Perhaps there’s a partner that can do it better
and cheaper. And, yes, maybe that partner isn’t in your hemisphere.”


The Global Market Challenge

Many spinners that have adapted to the changing needs of the global marketplace are emerging
as strong players. Those spinners that have a strong export strategy are, generally, in a better
position to weather the ups and downs of the domestic marketplace.

“It was just a matter of survival for us,” said one spinner. “Many of our old customers, the
ones we grew this business around, have closed up shop. It was either look for new markets or close
our doors, too.”

As exports become an increasingly significant share of spinners’ business, lead time and
quality are key to gaining this business.

“Lead time is often the most important thing — more important in some instances than price,”
a specialty ring spinner said.

Said another: “We’re never going to win on price, but we can often compete when lead times
are critical.”

Many spinners agree it’s time for the US industry to realize the status quo just won’t cut it
any more.

“Every day, it seems, I have fewer customers than the day before,” said one spinner. “It is a
matter of putting in some legwork to find where the customers are and what they need.”

January/February 2008

A First Look At 2008


T
 he United States’ still impressive textile/apparel complex is alive and well, with 2008
shipments expected to total nearly $95 billion — off only 4 percent from last year’s level. That’s
the gist of

Textile World
 ’s annual economic outlook feature
(See “
Textiles 2008: A Blueprint For
Survival,” www.TextileWorld.com, January/February 2008). That’s not to say there still
aren’t serious problems to deal with, or that continuing modest industry shrinkage beyond the new
year can be avoided. But by and large, any further dips in mill activity should be manageable.


January/February 2008

Cone Denim Names McKenna To Lead, Nets Funding For Nicaragua Plant

Thomas E. McKenna has been named to succeed John L. Bakane as president of the Cone Denim division
of Greensboro, N.C.-based International Textile Group (ITG). Bakane retired from the company in
December 2007.

McKenna began his career with ITG Cone Denim in 1981 as a sales representative in New York
City for the company’s predecessor, Cone Mills. After holding sales and management positions in the
United States, he opened the company’s first international sales office in Brussels, and in 1995
moved to Singapore to become director of marketing for the Asia/Pacific region. Later returning to
the United States, he assumed several executive positions including executive vice president, denim
merchandising and marketing, for Cone Mills; and was promoted to president, sales and marketing,
for Cone Denim following the formation of ITG in 2004 through the merger of Cone Mills and
Burlington Industries.

In other news, Cone Denim Nicaragua (CDN), has received a syndicated loan of up to $37
million through the Inter-American Investment Corp. (IIC) to help it complete a 600,000-square-foot
vertical manufacturing facility near Nicaragua’s capital, Managua. The plant will house the first
denim production operation in Central America, providing 850 jobs and producing 28 million yards of
denim per year once it becomes fully operational.

Washington-based IIC, a multilateral financial institution and a member of the Inter-American
Development Bank Group, will provide up to $15 million of the funding. Nicaraguan banks Banco de la
Producción S.A., Banco de America Central S.A., Banco de Credito Centroamericano S.A. and Banco
HSBC Nicaragua S.A. will provide $22 million.

 “We are excited about our partnership with the IIC and the Nicaraguan banks to finance
the CDN project,” said ITG Executive Vice President Gary Smith. “We believe that the CDN project
and the financing support within the region is the model for future investments in the region by
other companies seeking to realize upon opportunities in Central America to competitively supply
the US market.”

“We are also very excited about our Cone Denim Nicaragua facility and the value and
capabilities it will provide to our customers in the Central American supply chain,” said Matt
Hayes, vice president, Denim Manufacturing – Latin America. Hayes said production is expected to
begin this quarter.

January/February 2008

The Rupp Report: Successful (Sweet) Branding

One hundred years ago, the chocolate manufacturer Theodor Tobler and his cousin and production
manager, Emil Baumann, from Berne, Switzerland, had an excellent idea. They started producing fine
chocolate in a triangle form. From humble beginnings, this chocolate and its packaging became a
Swiss trademark second to none. In a very competitive world full of challenging markets, this
product is still unique. Probably the inventors didn’t know the words “branding” or “marketing” in
those days. However, the product is the perfect combination of successful branding, where marketing
is only the tip of the iceberg.

Recognizable

Toblerone is one of the most welcomed presents all over the world. Everybody recognizes the
chocolate immediately and nobody doubts the quality of the product. So, what’s so special about
Toblerone? Of course, it’s the quality first. The wonderful taste sensation provided by a
one-of-a-kind blend of Swiss milk chocolate with honey and almond nougat. Today, however, quality
is not a sales argument but a prerequisite for entering competitive markets.

Maintaining The Quality

But, how do you maintain a recognizable quality all over the world? Your customer may be in
Asia, America, Europe or Africa; and he wants the same product he’s used to. This means in modern
terms, he wants a reproducible quality. The answer for Tobler is quite simple: Even in times of
globalized production facilities, all Toblerone chocolate is made only at the company’s
headquarters in Berne to maintain the quality. And — be sure — there are more favorable production
places than Switzerland in terms of costs for a manufacturing plant.

The Name Is (Partly) The Game

Or is it the name of the product, Toblerone? The name is a combination of the company’s name “
Tobler” with “torrone,” an Italian nougat specialty. Quite simple, but the idea is brilliant. It
creates an immediate relation between the product and its manufacturer. There is much more in a
name then just letters and figures. You may say that people and machines are different. If so, do
you or your customer recognize immediately a machine that is called RDZY 74 among all other
competing machines with similar names? Look into your own catalogs. Is every one of your sales
staff aware of every model, its name and features? Probably, after answering this question, you may
prefer to have “real” names for your future products. Every name has a strong relationship with
feelings and memories. In the Middle and Far Eastern world, names are not only a blunt description,
but synonymous for the person.



The Packaging

Also, Toblerone’s packaging is unique and protected around the globe. Most chocolate is
produced and sold in table form. In spite of all efforts to create different packagings, the
triangle of the Toblerone has the highest value of recognition.

Some weeks ago, I was invited to Mumbai to present a paper about the possibilities of
technical textiles and nonwovens for traditional textile manufacturers. To be successful in every
market, and especially in new markets, one needs a high acceptance of trust and credibility. As an
example, I used Toblerone to show Swiss credibility and distributed some pieces of this famous
chocolate. Nobody denied the offer, everybody knew the product.

How about your machinery? Is it still green after all these years? There are some European
manufacturers that changed the colors of their machines in recent years. And the good-looking
result was quite obvious at the ITMA 07 in Munich.

You may say now that chocolate and a textile machine are not comparable? Maybe, but both
products are finally selected, bought and digested or used by human beings.



January 22, 2008

United States To Impose Tariffs On Honduran Sock Imports

Responding to a near doubling of cotton sock imports from Honduras in 2007, the Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has notified Honduras it is planning to invoke a
safeguard mechanism that could result in new tariffs for the remainder of this year. The US
Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USAITA) immediately attacked the action, saying
it is a “serious mistake” that undermines all of the US free trade agreements (FTAs).

In taking the action, under the US/Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA-DR), CITA said use of the safeguard mechanism is warranted based on “substantial growth” in
imports from Honduras of 27.3 million dozen pairs of socks in 2007, an increase of 99 percent over
the previous year. CITA said, however, it has not made a determination at this time to apply a
safeguard mechanism to wool and man-made fiber socks.

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matt Priest said the Bush administration takes its
trade agreements very seriously and “remains committed to upholding its responsibilities under the
DR-CAFTA agreement.”

Noting this is the first time the United States has used a safeguard mechanism in connection
with a FTA, Laura E. Jones, executive director of USAITA, said: “Ironically the extreme measure
being taken here threatens what has been most successful about DR-CAFTA — the opportunities and
actual sales created by US yarn producers. CITA is sacrificing a key segment of the US industry,
one that is successful and responding positively and enthusiastically to the opportunities created
by this agreement with allies in this hemisphere, for some US sock makers who clearly won’t reap
any benefits from a safeguard measure.” Jones warned that Honduras would seek “compensation” that
could reduce US exports to that country. She added that US agriculture interests could be
particularly concerned.

Under the safeguard procedures, the United States and Honduras will enter into discussions
within 60 days, and then the United States will have 30 days to determine whether it will levy new
tariffs on Honduran socks. The amount of the proposed tariffs has not been announced. They could
take effect by April and would last only through the remainder of 2008.

January 22, 2008

1...2,2842,2852,286...2,627Page 2,285 of 2,627

Sponsors

Breaking News

Load more

Digital Issue

2026 Quarterly Issue Number I

View Latest Digital Issue

FEATURED ARTICLES

© Copyright 2017 Textile Industries Media Group, LLC.