Quality Fabric Of The Month: Stretching To Fit


qfom_1498Over the last few years, N.C.-based Cotton Incorporated has been developing 100-percent cotton woven stretch fabrics that do not rely on man-made or elastomeric yarns to provide the stretch properties. The original idea was to use the technology for apparel applications.As a result, a considerable amount of stretch cotton apparel fabric is being woven in Asia and other locations abroad, according to Thomas Pendleton, director, public relations, Cotton
Incorporated, New York City.

Now, WestPoint Stevens Inc., West Point, Ga., is using the technology in the home fabrics arena. The company’s Natural Stretch fitted sheet, developed in response to consumer demand for better-fitting sheets, is marketed under its Martex brand of bed and bath products. The new sheets are the only stretch sheets available that contain no man-made or elastomeric yarns.

Partnering Achieves Results

Cotton Incorporated and WestPoint Stevens collaborated to adapt the stretch technology for use in sheets. It all began with a meeting between product development and marketing personnel from
Cotton Incorporated and a cross-functional development team from WestPoint Stevens that included product development, manufacturing and advertising management, according to David Earley, Northeast
regional manager of global product marketing, home furnishings, Cotton Incorporated, Cary.

“It was a good situation for all of us,” said Earley. Cotton Incorporated gave WestPoint Stevens a six-month exclusive license to develop the product. Using machinery already in place in its mills, WestPoint Stevens conducted several trials to achieve the degree of stretch and recovery desired for the company’s sheeting application. The results were beneficial to both companies, giving WestPoint Stevens a new product and extending the research and development begun by Cotton
Incorporated.

A combination of weaving and finishing technologies is used to give lasting stretch properties to cotton without the addition of man-made materials. The trick has been to produce a yarn that relaxes back to its original state after repeated and/or prolonged stretching and numerous washings. The recovery rate of WestPoint Stevens’ sheeting fabric — after stretching 11 percent to fit smoothly and tautly over a mattress — is 97 percent. Laundering restores the sheet to its original shape.

The first Natural Stretch fitted sheets are being shipped to select retail stores this quarter.

For more information about stretch cotton, contact Victoria Pace, Cotton Incorporated, (212) 413-8350. For more information about Natural Stretch fitted sheets, contact Toni Cauble, WestPoint
Stevens, (706) 645-4879.

 

March 2002

Wayne Mills Purchases Luithlen Dye

Wayne Mills PurchasesLuithlen DyeAfter announcing that it would be closing its doors, Luithlen Dye Corp., Philadelphia, was purchased by Wayne Mills Co. Inc., also based in Philadelphia. Luithlen was in business for more than 125 years. The decision was made to close the plant because it was determined the operation could no longer be a prosperous, economically viable entity in the future.Wayne Mills, Luithlens biggest customer, was presented with an opportunity to buy the operation. The sale was completed in 2 1/2 weeks.March 2002

Drive-All Launches Shiftable Gear Drives

Drive-All Launches Shiftable Gear DrivesDrive-All Manufacturing Co. Inc., Harbor Beach, Mich., has introduced a new line of DAW series transmissions. Widely varied ratios can now be combined into one drive in a standard configuration. The multi-speed transmissions can shift on-the-fly while under full load. Smaller motors and variable-speed drives may be used because the transmission maintains motor horsepower through all of the reductions and multiplies torque, thus lowering costs, Drive-All claims. Eleven different model sizes are available. The DAW is also available in a manual-shift version.March 2002

Prodescos Board Of Directors Announces Launch Of New Company Secant Medical LLC

Prodesco, Inc., founded in 1942 and a leading supplier of highly engineered fabrics for applications in the medical, aerospace, filtration and automotive markets, today announced the formation of a new company SECANT MEDICAL. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Prodesco, Secant Medical will offer its growing base of customers in the medical device and biotechnology industries dedicated resources for the design, development and manufacture of engineered fabric and composite structures. Prodesco will continue to focus on the needs of industrial markets.”Prodescos Medical Division has enjoyed significant growth over the past few years and now has an excellent worldwide reputation for supplying component structures for medical implant applications. With the launch of Secant Medical, the company will continue to be the premier developer and supplier of engineered components for use in the demanding and expanding field of Class III implants,” stated Steve Chadwick, President and CEO of Secant Medical.The following were appointed as officers of the company:Mr. Robert Sievers has been elected Chairman of the Board of Secant Medical. Mr. Sievers has been in the Prodesco organization since 1988, serving successively as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board. His prior experience includes a 33-year career at DuPont, capped by assignment as President, DuPont Japan, Ltd. He is a graduate of the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn with a BS in Chemical Engineering.Mr. Stephen K. Chadwick has been appointed President and CEO of Secant Medical. Mr. Chadwick joined Prodesco in 1992 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2001. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1962 and served as a Surface Warfare Officer before transferring to the retired list as a Rear Admiral in 1990. Mr. Chadwick is a Director of Hitco Carbon Composites, Incorporated. In the non-profit sector he is a Director of Pearl S. Buck International and Chairman of the Annual Fund for the U. S. Naval Academy Foundation.Mr. Thomas Molz has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Secant Medical. Mr. Molz joined Prodesco in 1995 as Marketing Director and was promoted in 2001 to Executive VP. Prior to working at Prodesco, Tom held key management and sales positions at Magnetec Corp, Mars Electronics and DuPont. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and West Virginia College with an MBA.Dr. Skott Greenhalgh has been appointed Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Secant Medical. Dr. Greenhalgh joined Prodesco in 1998 as Director of R and D and Engineering Services and was promoted in 2001 to Vice President, R and D. Prior to Prodesco, Skott was head of the Biomaterials Program at Philadelphia University and worked in R and D for Flexmedics and Pfizer. He graduated from Drexel University with BS in Mechanical Engineering and North Carolina State University with a MS in Textile Engineering and a Ph.D. in Fiber and Polymer Science.Mr. Thomas Dertouzos has been appointed Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Secant Medical. Mr. Dertouzos joined Prodesco in 1995 as Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to VP of Finance in 2001. His prior experience includes Controllership and Vice President of Finance positions at ThomasandBetts, Contrologic, Inc., and Markel Corp. He is a CPA and holds a BA from Susquehanna University.Wallace M. Starke has been appointed Assistant Secretary and Corporate Counsel of Secant Medical. He is a partner at Troutman Sanders and is Prodescos Corporate Counsel.For over 35 years, Prodescos medical division has been manufacturing OEM class III implants for its customers, concentrating on items such as vascular grafts, implantable meshes, adhesion barriers, heart valve components, scaffold structures and stents. This will form the core of Secant Medicals growing business. The company has worked with leading global health care providers, including CR Bard, Boston Scientific, Edwards LifeSciences, Genzyme, Guidant, JohnsonandJohnson, Medtronic, Tyco and many others. Secant Medical will be ISO 9001 certified and an FDA registered device manufacturer. All products are produced to GMP standards.Tom Molz, COO, commented, “The establishment of Secant Medical will provide our customers dedicated, experienced resources and an even greater focus to solve the clinical needs of the medical community.””The key to our success has been our ability to provide innovative and proprietary solutions for our customers challenging design issues, adding value to the end product. We have extensive experience with numerous biocompatible, bio-absorbable and metallic fibers for many types of medical devices,” added Dr. Skott Greenhalgh, VP and CTO.About Secant Medical:Secant Medical, a privately held company headquartered in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, is an OEM developer and manufacturer of highly engineered fabric and composite structures for cardiovascular, orthopedic, neurologic and other medical applications. For more information, visit their web site at www.secantmedical.com.Contact: Tom Molz, COO(215) 257-8680, ext. 115(877) 774-2835, ext. 115tom.molz@secantmedical.com

Rapidly Changing Textiles A Double-Eged Sword

RAPIDLY CHANGING TEXTILES A “DOUBLE-EGED SWORD”The U.S. textile industry is in the midst of its darkest days, but armed with accurate information and a willingness to fight for its survival, the industry can secure a profitable future, according to Dr. Thomas J. Malone, president and COO of MillikenandCompany, Spartanburg, S.C.Malone, delivering the keynote address for the 10th Annual National Textile Center (NTC) Forum February 10 in Charlotte, N.C., said the textile/fiber/fabrication/retail complex is the most rapidly changing industrial complex in the world.However, rapidly changing is a double-edged sword in this case, he said. In the past decade, we have seen advances in our materials, technologies and manufacturing systems that could best be described as pipe dreams when we first gathered to develop a mission statement [for NTC] in 1992. The flip-side of rapidly changing is the accelerated job loss and erosion of our manufacturing base that continues in spite of these developments that are intended to make us stronger.Malone said contributing factors include escalation of imports from the Far East and the continuing devaluation of Asian currencies. However, trade agreements supposedly negotiated to benefit U.S. industry have also had a devastating effect. For example, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), heralded as a benefit to U.S. industry, has resulted in serious overcapacity, Malone said. Since NAFTAs inception, domestic production has decreased by 6.4 billion square yard equivalents, despite considerable growth in U.S. market potential. One of three U.S. textile jobs has been lost since NAFTA was implemented.The Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) has the same potential impact, especially if the U.S. dyeing and finishing clause is not included in the legislation.To survive as a healthy industry, Malone said the U.S. must: block new agreements that allow duty-free foreign fabric; prevail in the CBI dye and finish issue; improve the competitiveness of both U.S. cotton and man-made fiber; and focus on differentiated products and short lead times. By Jim Phillips, Executive EditorMarch 2002

Seepex Introduces Pumps

Seepex Introduces PumpsEnon, Ohio-based Seepex Inc. has introduced a range of MD metering pumps made from corrosion-resistant metals and plastics, and a multi-hose axial flow peristaltic pump (MAP) design.The MD metering pumps can handle very thin liquids and materials and are ideal for acids, hypochlorites, disinfectants and pH-control chemicals, according to Seepex. Rotating parts are available in 316 stainless steel, Hastelloy® C4, titanium and Kynar®. Casings are available in HDPE, 316 stainless steel and Halar® coated stainless steel. The MAP pump combines progressive cavity and peristaltic pump technologies, and offers sealless performance with fewer pulsations and longer hose life than conventional radial peristaltic designs, according to the company. The new pump can transfer and meter simultaneously up to six separate fluids. The product range includes four models with performance options to 17 USGPM and 90 PSIG. Product extensions for higher pressure are planned.March 2002

Interagency Group Will Address Textile Industry Problems


R
 esponding to pressure from the U.S. textile industry and its supporters in Congress, U.S.
Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans has announced formation of an interagency working group to
address international trade and economic issues plaguing the industry. Although the working group
enjoys the strong support of the U.S. textile industry, importers have raised concerns about
whether their views will be adequately considered.

Laura Jones, executive director of the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and
Apparel, warned, “You can’t evaluate what is happening on the manufacturing side without
understanding what is happening on the importing and retailing side.”

While the interagency working groups have not yet established a mechanism for receiving
input from various segments of the industry, Commerce Department officials told Textile World they
are aware of the importers’ concerns, which will be “taken into account” as work goes forward.

Evans said the working group, comprised of representatives from the Departments of Commerce,
State, Treasury and Justice, as well as the U.S. Trade Representative and National Security
Council, will work to implement the nine-point program the administration announced in December
(See “Washington Outlook,” www.
TextileWorld.com, January 2002).

The working group’s far-ranging agenda includes establishing trade agreement negotiating
objectives, ways to get compliance and enforcement of already existing trade agreements,
implementation of the quota phase-out under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, tariff
preference programs and export expansion for textiles and apparel. The group also will address how
to combat illegal transshipments of textiles and apparel, and how best to provide trade adjustment
assistance for companies and employees impacted by imports.


USDA Continues Cotton Promotion Assessments


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will continue the mandatory assessments on upland
cotton production and imports of cotton textiles and apparel to support the Cotton Research and
Promotion Program. Assessments of roughly $2.25 per bale on upland cotton production and the bale
equivalents of cotton products provided $63 million last year for the research and promotion
programs of Cotton Incorporated, Cary, N.C. The funds are used for advertising and a variety of
research and promotional activities designed to encourage greater consumption of cotton textile
products.

A voluntary contribution program was initiated in the 1960s, but Congress made it mandatory
in 1990. Domestic mills and apparel companies pay the assessment if they import raw cotton or
cotton textile and apparel products. U.S. importers are opposed to the mandatory aspect of the
program, charging that it simply amounts to an ultimate tax on consumers.

Under the law, the USDA is required every five years to review the program and determine
whether there is justification for a referendum on continuation of the program among producers and
importers. The USDA said this year’s review showed there is a general consensus that the program is
working as intended, so it likely will be continued for another five years.


EPA Studies Rule On Air Pollutants


ook for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to soon issue its long-awaited proposed
regulation setting the Maximum Achievable Control Technology for hazardous air pollutants. The new
rule could affect how textile manufacturers control emissions from a wide variety of wet processes.

In anticipation of the new regulation, the American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI),
Washington, has been providing the EPA with economic and technical data in the hope that the
regulation will be practical and economically achievable by an industry already suffering from the
recession and foreign

competition.

Issuance of the EPA regulation has a May “drop dead” date, when state regulators will move
in if there is no federal regulation. The textile industry would much rather deal with a single
federal rule rather than a rash of state regulations.


Spooner Named Chief Textile Negotiator


The appointment of David Spooner as special textile negotiator certainly has gone down well
with the U.S. textile industry, and importing and retail interests don’t seem to have any problems
with him either. Spooner was legislative director for Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.), a strong supporter
of the U.S. textile industry, and served as her advisor on textile trade issues.

In announcing the appointment, U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick said Spooner’s
textile and Capitol Hill experience provides an “important and special perspective.” Spooner is
expected to play a role where textiles are concerned in the upcoming World Trade Organization (WTO)
negotiations and in the Bush administration’s efforts to get greater overseas market access for
U.S. textiles and apparel.

March 2002

China Shows Claim Success

China Shows Claim SuccessApproximately 21,000 visitors attended ITMEX 2001, Garmentec China 2001 and China FabricsandAccessories Expo 2001, held concurrently in South China late last year. Nearly 100 suppliers from Asia, Europe and the United States exhibited their latest textile and apparel machinery, technology, fabrics and apparel accessories at the three shows and reported receiving significant feedback from the attendees.The shows were organized by the CCPIT Xiamen Sub-council and BusinessandIndustrial Trade Fairs Ltd. Organizers have scheduled the three exhibitions to take place together again in November 2002.March 2002

Dr Thomas J Malone Addresses The 10th Annual National Textile Center Forum

Dr. Thomas J. Malone, president and COO, Milliken and Company, delivered the keynote address for the 10th Annual National Textile Center Forum February 10 in Charlotte.According to Malone, the U.S. textile industry is in the midst of its darkest days, but armed with accurate information and a willingness to fight for its survival, the industry can secure a profitable future.View Malone’s full speech by clicking here Click here to download a pdf copy of Dr. Malone’s speech 

Former Burlington Executive Named To International Trade Post

James C. Leonard, former manager of economic analysis and director of government relations for Burlington Industries, has been named deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Textiles, Apparel and Consumer Products. In that post, which has been vacant for more than a year, Leonard will be an adviser to the secretary of commerce on textile and apparel trade issues. He also will serve as chairman of the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, which administers the governments textile import quota program. The Commerce Department post and that of Special Textile Negotiator are the two of the most important federal government positions involving the textile and apparel industries and importers. The job of Special Textile Negotiator was recently filled by David Spooner, former legislative director for Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC). Both Spooner and Leonard have considerable experience in dealing with textile international trade issues. For several years, Leonard traveled throughout the world as an industry adviser to government textile negotiators. He and enjoys the respect of both the textile industry and importing interests.

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