ASTM International Developing Two Protective Clothing Standards

West Conshohocken, Pa.-based ASTM
International’s Committee F23 on Protective Clothing is developing two proposed standards related
to the safety of protective clothing: WK14247, Specification for Air-Fed Protective Ensembles; and
WK14442, Antimicrobial Activity of Textiles Following Multiple Launderings with Bleach.

The committee, which will meet Jan. 29-31, 2008, in Tampa, Fla., is inviting interested
parties to participate in the development of the standards. For more information, contact Stephen
Mawn, manager, technical committee operations (610) 832-9726; smawn@astm.org.


July 10, 2007

LaamScience Nears First Product Rollout

LaamScience Inc., Research Triangle
Park, N.C., a start-up company that is developing commercial products based on light-activated
antimicrobial nanotechnology, reports it has raised more than $2 million to fund continued
research, business operations and marketing as it nears its first product rollout. The technology,
developed by scientists at North Carolina State University’s College of Textiles, Raleigh, N.C.,
and Atlanta-based Emory University, produces a coating that is activated by sunlight and other
conventional light sources to render the surface of a material deadly to virtually all viruses and
most bacteria, according to the company. LaamScience plans to offer products that will protect
against influenza, cold and respiratory syncytial viruses; avian flu; SARS; West Nile virus; and
biological warfare agents such as smallpox, Ebola and others.

The company’s first products will be improved versions of surgical masks and the N95 face
masks worn to protect against inhalation of viruses and particulates. According to Tom Roberg,
president and CEO, LaamScience, the traditional masks can still spread infection when they are
taken off because the infectious agents remain viable on the exposed surface.

Roberg expects to introduce the masks during the first quarter of 2008. Subsequent products
may include hospital textiles such as gowns, divider curtains and bed linens; filters for airplane,
home and building applications; and products for farm applications including poultry and other
animal habitats.


July 10, 2007

Arkema To Purchase Coatex

Arkema, a France-based manufacturer
of industrial chemicals, and performance and vinyl products, has announced it will acquire Coatex,
a France-based manufacturer of specialty polymers, mostly acrylic-based, for such applications as
textiles, cosmetics, paper, paint and water treatment. Wholly owned by the Omya Group, Switzerland,
Coatex currently employs 300 associates, and has operations worldwide — including facilities in the
United States, France, the Netherlands and Korea. The company reported sales of 150 million euros
(US$204.3 million) last year.

“This first acquisition is fully part of our strategy to refocus Arkema on its strongest
product lines,” said Thierry Le Hénaff, chairman and CEO, Arkema. “It will reinforce the
integration of our portfolio, helping Arkema to become more resilient to economic cycles. This
acquisition is a unique growth opportunity in the field of high-added-value acrylic polymers.”

The purchase follows Arkema’s recent announcement that it will divest non-strategic assets
in an effort to focus on its development processes and overall transformation.


July 10, 2007

Nylstar Inc. Files Voluntary Chapter 11 Petition

Nylstar Inc., the High Point,
N.C.-based US operation of the Italy-based polyamide yarn producer Nylstar Group, has filed a
voluntary prepackaged petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. The
purpose of the filing is primarily to protect the assets of the US operation in anticipation of
separating from its European parent, which has been facing overcapacity problems and associated
financial difficulties, according to Basil “Sonny” Walker, president and CEO, Nylstar Inc.

“Nylstar is the largest nylon textile denier supplier in Europe, whereas we’re relatively
small here in the US. As the market has downsized over there, there’s been a need to downsize the
company,” Walker said, explaining that there will be some filings against the company in Europe,
and, indeed, one or more petitions already have been filed. “It was important for us to file a
reorganization plan here in the US ahead of them so that we could protect our assets here,” he
added.

Walker said the US operation is in good financial shape and is expected to become a
stand-alone company, continuing to operate at the same level as it does currently, following its
emergence from bankruptcy. “Unlike most bankruptcies, we’re current with all our vendors. In fact
they were surprised at the filing because we pay our bills on time. We’re cash-flow positive, and
we run a good operation here. It was basically a move to deal with financial concerns related to
inter-company debt and also to restructure secured debt with Bear Stearns.,” he said, adding that
Bear Stearns, which holds the loan for Nylstar Inc., will convert that loan to equity.

Walker anticipates that the reorganization process will be quick. “It will depend on what
challenges we receive. There will be none from our vendors because we don’t owe them anything, but
there is the possibility we could get some claims from Europe because of inter-company debt and
debt associated with Rhodia [a former shareholder in the Nylstar Group],” he explained.

“In any case, this will be relatively fast and clean, a pretty simple in-and-out
reorganization,” Walker said.


July 10, 2007

Trützschler Supplies New Fertichem Facility, Enters Agreement With Marzoli

Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG,
Germany, recently supplied a blow room and seven TC 03 cards to India-based Fertichem Cotspin’s new
facility for ring-spun denim yarn production.

The new machinery has almost doubled Fertichem’s production capacity for ring-spun and
open-end yarns, and has increased the company’s number of Trützschler cards to 20. The most recent
order was based upon Fertichem’s success with two TC 03 cards installed in its open yarn production
unit in 2005; as well as with Trützschler DK 803, DK 903 and DK 780 cards installed over the last
eight years.

Fertichem plans to order three more TC 03 cards later this year, along with an additional
7,200 spindles, which will increase its combined spin yarn design capacity to 20 tons per day — 42
metric tons per day total for open-end and ring-spun yarns.

Fertichem’s customers include such India-based companies as Ashima, Raymond Uco Denim and
Arvind Mills.

In addition, Trützschler and Marzoli S.p.A., an Italy-based manufacturer of spinning
machinery, have entered into an agreement for the development and production of lap winders and
combing machines. Marzoli will build the new combing machines, while Trützschler will handle sales
and customer service. Trützschler expects to commence delivery of the machines early next
year.


July 10, 2007

Lenzing Opens New Office In India

The Lenzing Group, Austria, has
opened a new sales and marketing office in Coimbatore, India, to offer Lenzing customers a team of
marketing professionals, technicians and merchandisers to assist them in marketing their products.

“A central task of our team is to support the brand manufacturers who source their products
in India,” said S. Jayarman, head of the new office. “We help to find the right fabrics [made with]
Lenzing fibers for the respective applications and thus offer international buyers vital support.”

The new Lenzing AG – India Branch Office is located at: 1st Floor, Rajnarayan Towers, 70,
Race Course, Coimbatore 641 018 India; 91 0 99440 55330; s.jayaraman@lenzing.com.


July 10, 2007

Hexion Tops Basell’s Bid For Huntsman

 
A bidding war appears to be shaping
up over the acquisition of Salt Lake City-based differentiated chemicals manufacturer Huntsman
Corp. (See “Huntsman Takes Over Arabian Polyol Joint Venture, Signs Acquisition Agreement With
Basell,” www.TextileWorld.com Breaking News, June 26, 2007). One week after Huntsman signed an
acquisition agreement with the Netherlands-based Basell — a manufacturer of polypropylene and
advanced polyolefin products — for $25.25 per share or $9.6 billion including the assumption of
debt, Hexion Specialty Chemicals Inc. — a Columbus, Ohio-based supplier of thermoset resins —
raised the ante, offering $27.25 per share or $10.4 billion including debt. Yesterday, Hexion
increased its offer to $28 per share or $10.5 billion.

Last Friday, Huntsman’s Transaction Committee and Board of Directors deemed Hexion’s initial
offer superior to the Basell offer. Huntsman has notified Basell, held by New York City-based
Access Industries, of the committee’s finding, but Huntsman’s Board of Directors continues to
recommend the Basell offer to its stockholders, and it must wait until three business days have
passed before taking definitive action to change its recommendation. In addition, Basell may
counter the Hexion offer during that period. As of Textile World’s press time, no further offer has
been tendered.

The terms of the agreement with Basell include a $200 million break-up fee to be paid to
Basell if another offer is accepted. Hexion, which is owned by an affiliate of Purchase, N.Y.-based
Apollo Management LP, has agreed to pay $100 million of that fee as part of its offer.

Hexion’s offer includes a $325 million reverse break-up fee payable by Hexion to Huntsman
should Hexion fail to obtain regulatory approval or financing for the deal, and a $225 million
break-up fee payable by Huntsman to Hexion related to certain termination actions by Huntsman’s
Transaction Committee or Board of Directors.


July 10, 2007

Ahlstrom To Close Bellingham Facility

In an effort to become more
cost-competitive, Ahlstrom Corp., Finland, will close its manufacturing plant in Bellingham, Mass.,
and move some of the plant’s assets to the company’s operation in Darlington, S.C. Eighty employees
in Bellingham will be affected.

The closure and subsequent consolidation, which will be begin early next year and finish by
July 2008, also will enable Ahlstrom to move its dust filtration operations closer to many of its
customers. The company does not anticipate that customer service will be disrupted.

“The consolidation allows us to improve our competitiveness by moving our most efficient
lines to our Darlington facility,” said Scott Murdock, vice president and general manager of
Ahlstrom’s Filtration North America unit. “Furthermore, the move will create some 50 to 60
positions at our Darlington, S.C., facility.”


July 10, 2007

Strategic Alliances Are In Demand

Last week, the Swiss sailboat Alinghi
successfully defended its Americas Cup title. Switzerland, with no access to the sea, has once
again been awarded the oldest sports trophy in the world.

So how did the landlocked national team do it? Against the Kiwis from New Zealand, owner
Ernesto Bertarelli was the only Swiss on board at the match race. However, he has known how, for
the second time, to get the right people on board and to coordinate trouble-free strategic
alliances between the crewmembers.

Due to the enduring globalization of
the production centers, strategic alliances are also extremely important in the textile machinery
industry, and have been on the advance for years. Chauvinism is out of place here as it is in
sports.

One example of this has been and continues to be the area of technical textiles, where the
complete production chain is always focused on the end product. Quality control at all steps is a
prerequisite for success. Germany-based Dilo’s product offering, for example, does not consist
merely of Dilo needling machines: Cards and openers are also part of its portfolio. Some months
ago, the NSC nonwoven, France, and Rieter Perfojet, France, commenced a strategic alliance to offer
turnkey lines that are configured according to exact product requirements.

Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, known globally for its preparatory machines for
spinning mills and for some time also in the area of nonwovens, recently bought Fleissner GmbH from
Germany-based Zimmer. Now Trützschler also can offer further processing of carded fiber webs.

And a few days ago, Trützschler transmitted the following to the media: Marzoli S.p.A.,
Italy — a textile machinery company belonging to the Camozzi Group — and Trützschler have agreed to
enter into a far-reaching cooperation for the construction of lap winders and combing machines, and
the further development of these products. Marzoli will build future Trützschler combing machines.
Sales and customer service are handled by the worldwide Trützschler service network.

As a result, Trützschler can provide its customers with all required machines for spinning
preparation from one source. With the new combing machine, performing at up to 500 nips per minute,
Trützschler will offer a top product that is optimally matched to its cards and draw frames.
Trützschler and Camozzi have decided to take this step to comply with the compelling request by
worldwide customers for a continuous, technically first-class combing line.

The concentration goes on also in the classic textile industry: The greatest shopping spree
of the last few years started the former Saurer and today’s Oerlikon Group. There is hardly an area
of the entire textile industry in which the Oerlikon Group does not offer some type of machinery.

It is obvious: Strategic alliances are also in great demand in the textile machinery
industry. And one might be anxious to know who’s next to team up with whom? Everybody will know the
latest at ITMA 2007.


July 10, 2007

Milliken Introduces Smart Towel, Damask HD Table Linen

Milliken & Company, Spartanburg, has introduced the Cheers Smart Towel for cleaning of food and
beverage premises. Made of microfiber fabric, the towel absorbs liquid easily, produces minimal
lint, is impervious to bleach and exhibits minimal contraction or shrinkage, according to the
company. The towel also has been shown in laboratory wash tests to last five to seven times longer
than competitive cotton towels. In addition, it offers laundering savings in the form of reduced
energy needs and stain rejects.

The company also has introduced Damask HD, a table linen jacquard fabric made with finer
yarns and a new fabric construction that reduces stain rejects. Lab tests have shown that it
retains its color longer than competitive cotton and polyester/cotton fabrics. The fabric is
offered in five different higher-contrast patterns.

“Damask HD offers the same elegant qualities of Milliken’s current spun/filament fabric with
new, clarified patterns,” said Rick Jarrard, general manager of Milliken’s Napery business. “The
durable, pill-resisting quality of Milliken Damask has not changed.”


July 3, 2007

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