Hosiery Equipment Show Goes To Four-Year CycleThe leadership of The Hosiery Association (THA)
approved changing the frequency of its International Hosiery Exposition (IHE) trade show from every
two years to every four years.It was decided that a four-year cycle for both IHE and the European
hosiery show FAST would leave two years between shows in Europe and the Americas, and that this
schedule was in the best interests of hosiery manufacturers and suppliers worldwide.THA President
and CEO, Sid Smith, said, With the advent of the FAST show in Europe and the need to provide
equipment manufacturers time to develop new technologies, this move makes sense. While it does
extend the period of time before our technicians can see new technology, the cost of trade shows on
exhibitors is no small matter, and we want to help control those costs for all of our members.
January 2001

NEWS FROM THE MILLSBBA Nonwovens, Old Hickory, Tenn., selected Datastream Systems iProcure as its automated industrial procurement product. iProcure is a Web-based procurement marketplace.BreatheTex Corp., Port Elizabeth, South Africa, opened a technical textiles lamination facility. The plant is for laminating PTFE, polyester and polyurethane membranes to fabric, foam or other substrate.Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, Glen Raven, N.C., updated its Dickson Web site to include photos of the awning product line. Dickson awning fabric is solution-dyed acrylic available in 100 solids and stripes.Guilford of Maine received the Governors Award for Environmental Excellence in the Smart Production Category. Guilford manufactures textiles for commercial interiors.National Nonwovens, Easthampton, Mass., introduced its new line of WoolFelt colors, Natural Elements. The colors base on natural surroundings.Saez Merino, Spain, purchased an automatic inspection system from Elbit Vision Systems. The system includes the I-Tex 2000 Denim, and SVA for dyed fabric shad variation measurements and an I-Tex 100 for greige fabric inspection.Springs Industries, Fort Mill, S.C., named Kenneth E. Kutcher executive vice president and chief financial officer. Also, Springs associate Wendell Bowers, a clerk at the Grace Distribution Center, was awarded the South Carolina Mfrs. Alliance Manufacturing Citizen of the Year Award.Shuford Mills, Hickory, N.C., received ISO 9002 certification for its Hudson Cloth Plant in Hudson, N.C. The plant produces scrim fabrics, medical fabrics and the Outdura line of solution-dyed acrylic fabrics.SI Geosolutions, Chattanooga, Tenn., named several members of its senior management. Greg Wilkerson is vice president and general manager, Al Schnitkey is director of marketing, Jack Rooke is director of technology, R. Lee Pierce is national sales manager and Eddie Cooper is customer operations manager. SI Geosolutions produces materials to stabilize soil and control erosion.Textus, New York City, incorporated Terratex fabrics into its line of upholstery products. Interface Fabrics Group, Guilford, Maine, produces Terratex from recyclable or compostable materials.Willacoochee (Ga.) Industrial Fabrics purchased warp-tying equipment from Batson YarnandFabrics Machinery Group, Greenville.November 2001

Technology Shortens Time and Reduces Cost to Design and Approve Color on All Printed Media FORT
LEE, N.J. and LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J., Jan. 10 /PR Newswire/–Sun Chemical and Datacolor announced
today that they have signed an agreement making Datacolor’s innovative Colorite(TM) technology
available exclusively through Sun Chemical to printed media end-users and to the graphic arts and
printing industries serving these end-users. Sun Chemical will market the technology in its range
of ImageChek(TM) products. ImageChek enables end-users and designers for the first time to see
color accurately on their monitors. Instead of sending physical samples to communicate color during
the concept and design stages of a program, designs can be e-mailed and viewed in accurate color at
each location. The time and costs to approve color are greatly reduced, and the digital
specification of each color is immediately available for color matching and prepress work.
“ImageChek also provides brand managers the ability to simultaneously evaluate design colors across
all media in a program,” said Gordon Stone,European Liquid Ink Product Director for Sun Chemical.
“For example, in a packaging program, a manager can see design colors in product packaging,labels,
cartons, and POS displays. This provides assurance that colors designed and printed at different
sources will match when they come together at point of sale. For global color management, a brand
manager can simultaneously view packaging on his desktop from all printing sources to assure
constant color quality.” ImageChek uses Colorite technology developed by Datacolor. This
award-winning technology enables users to design color visually and communicate it digitally
anywhere in the world using the Internet. Precise monitor calibration ensures that color is
reproduced very accurately on every ImageChek monitor. This links everyone in the color work flow
electronically and eliminates the need to depend on physical samples to communicate color. Product
development time is shortened, sample shipping costs are reduced and printed color quality is
improved. “Sun Chemical, with their emphasis on providing global color for their customers, is a
perfect partner to bring Colorite technology to market,” said Dave Crozier, CEO of Datacolor. “We
believe the technology can change the way color is designed and approved, and Sun has the right
technical resources to help customers implement the change.”SOURCE Datacolor International Web
Site: http://www.datacolor.com Copyright 2001 PR Newswire

r Futuristic Finishing
Culp, BBA Nonwovens and Fleissner partner to enhance finished home furnishings
fabrics. Culp Finishing in Burlington, N.C., a segment of High Point, N.C.-based Culp
Inc., the well-known manufacturer of upholstery and mattress fabrics, is approaching finishing from
a different perspective these days. Unlike traditional finishing methods, the companys new
Aqua-Lok® process is not predicated on adding chemicals and compounds to fabric as it is prepared
for shipment to home furnishings customers.Until now, everything weve done to enhance properties of
finished fabric for the past 20 years has actually decreased fabric life, said Michael D. Messer,
division vice president of manufacturing, Culp Decorative Fabrics. With Aqua-Lok, we are actually
increasing fabric life, durability and abrasion resistance, while providing the properties that
customers and consumers want.Those properties include superior hand, aesthetics, durability, value
and environmental friendliness, he said.Traditional finishing processes for home furnishings
fabrics include application of chemicals, particularly latex, to enhance properties, especially
abrasion resistance. Those chemicals, however, actually decrease fabric life and performance,
prohibit recycling and create considerable expense in wastewater treatment. Durability And
SoftnessThis is a big move for us, said Robert Culp, chairman and CEO, Culp Inc. We have a huge
investment in latex here. But latex is not friendly to what we do and what our customers want. We
can now give them all the benefits of traditionally finished fabric and then some without the use
of chemicals. Primary end-uses for Culps finished fabrics are in contract furniture, consumer home
furnishings and mattress ticking. 

The real key today is softness, Culp said. Customers look for a soft hand before anything
else, and softness in upholstery fabric has a certain look. Used to be, if someone was shopping for
furniture and they saw a color they liked, they would go up and feel the fabric. Now, if it doesnt
look soft, youve lost their attention.In addition, Aqua-Lok significantly enhances dura-bility,
according to Jerry Owens, division vice president, product development, Culp Decorative Fabrics.
There are wear-dated tests that Aqua-Lok fabrics pass that fabrics coated with latex cant come
close to, he said. In addition, aftermarket treatments applied to improve stain resistance and
other properties generally degrade a latex coating, but they have no effect on Aqua-Lok
fabrics. The Culp/BBA ConnectionCulps Aqua-Lok is a hydroenhancement process licensed from BBA
Nonwovens, Simpsonville, S.C. BBAs Interspun® Division first commercialized the concept in 1995.
Logistics essentially economies of scale prompted the company to seek a partner for its
implementation, rather than be the exclusive provider. Negotiations began with Culp after ITMA 99,
the result of which is that Culp is currently the exclusive licensee of this technology, Owens
said. The basic process, according to Frank E. Malaney, business unit manager for BBAs Fabric
Enhancement Group, entails impinging high-pressure water onto a woven or knit fabric, thereby
changing its structure and the properties of the fabric. Fabric TransformationWhat seems like
a very simple process is, in fact, rather complex, Malaney said. BBAs Interspun process, upon which
Culps Aqua-Lok is based, involves the impingement of a fabric, while supported on a solid or
pervious surface, with very fine, high-velocity and discreet water jets in the form of a curtain.
The energy imparted causes the cloth to bulk and blossom and individual fibers to be entangled.
This entanglement takes place at crossover points between the warp and the weft, within the yarns,
and in the interstices between yarns. The amount of entangling and bonding is directly related to
the energy imparted to the cloth and to the nature of the fabric.Determining factors of the
enhancement effect, according to Malaney, are the jet density and diameter, distance between jets,
energy imparted, structure of the support and the distance of the jet orifice from the support
structure.Aqua-Lok and Interspun processes cause a number of things to happen to fabric during
finishing. Yarns are displaced and uniformly redistributed in the fabric. Individual yarns are
bloomed and then re-entangled. A bonding effect takes place at the crossover points of the warp and
filling yarns and between adjacent warp and/or filling yarns. Most of the tensions are removed from
the cloth, inhibiting torquing and edge curling. The last side of the cloth facing the support belt
can have a soft, sueded hand. Patterning can be imported into the fabric. 

The results of this processing are very profound in regard to the measurable physical
properties of the cloth, Malaney said. Depending upon the fabric and the process parameters used,
fabric will exhibit many enhancements in properties. The fabric is made more uniform, and edge-fray
resistance is improved. Abrasion resistance improves by up to 150 percent, and pilling resistance
is also improved. The fabric is bulked as much as 50 percent and has greater cover. Pore size can
be reduced. Cotton fabrics absorb dyes and develop color as if they were mercerized. Air
permeability is lowered by as much as 80 percent in spun fabrics, Malaney said. In filament
fabrics, air permeability can sometimes be increased. Seam slippage is improved substantially.
Fabric torque is also reduced. Reed marks are eliminated in a number of cases. Surface durability
is improved, and a soft, suede-like hand can be achieved. The fabric is much cleaner, and latex
coating of fabrics can be reduced or eliminated.The fabric is transported on a solid or pervious
surface, usually a tightly constructed metal or plastic woven screen. Perpendicular to the line of
travel are a number of manifolds that contain high-density jet strips from which curtains of very
high-velocity water emanate at up to 130 bar. The water impacts the fabric and causes displacement
and entanglement. The fabric can be impacted on one side or both sides. The pervious screen can be
transported either on a flat or curved surface. The process uses only water to achieve finishing
results. The water must be free of any particulate matter that would block a jet hole, which could
cause disruption of water flow and create a defective fabric.Each fabric has different process
parameters, depending upon final properties desired, Malaney said. Undoubtedly, this is a
tremendous process, said Howard L. Dunn Jr., president and chief operating officer, Culp Inc. But
we certainly still have a lot to learn about it. It is certainly not a process that can be applied
to off-the-shelf products. You have to engineer products to fit the process.Malaney agreed, saying,
Merely impacting a cloth with high-energy water will generally not provide an acceptable fabric.
One must understand the finished fabric properties required and the interaction between fabric
construction and the hydroenhancement process variables. Only then can the appropriate process
conditions be set. Once that specificity has been determined, however, it is not difficult to
control the process.  Working The ProcessCulp has had the process and machinery in place since
July 2000. The line is currently running between 70,000 and 100,000 yards per week. Projected
capacity is in excess of 340,000 yards. The company has developed several lines of Aqua-Lok
upholstery and mattress fabrics that were introduced in the fall markets.We had a limited
introduction at that time, Dunn said. Obviously, we had not been running for a very long time. At
markets this spring, we plan to introduce a much broader line of Aqua-Lok products. Weve initially
created interest in the contract and mattress-ticking market segments. We will build on
that.Currently, Dunn said, Culp has found the Aqua-Lok process improves the properties of all
fabric types, except for pile fabrics. As we continue our research and development efforts, I am
certain that we will engineer processes by which pile fabrics can be enhanced. For the moment,
though, we are concentrating on developing the markets for the products we already have
available.Potential future applications include vertical surface coverings, development of Aqua-Lok
pile fabrics and continued enhancement of ticking and other offerings. Culp said the process has
the potential to make a substantial impact on most home furnishings segments.Soft is everything in
home furnishings, said Dunn. This process gives both the contract and consumer markets the effects
and properties they want. In the past, we added softness and strength by washing and tumble-drying
and then adding a latex backing. High energy consumption, slow through-put and chemically treated
water were by-products of the old process. These processes which are the standard in the industry
today create products that are structurally weaker and cannot be recycled. The Aqua-Lok process,
since it uses only water, is much more environmentally friendly. In addition, we are able to
recapture, filter and recirculate more than 90 percent of the water we use in the process. A big
advantage to this process, Owens said, is that it is an environmentally friendly process and
creates an environmentally friendly product. This is a big issue today, especially within the
contract and commercial segment. They want to be sustainable to be able to recycle. Before, you
couldnt provide a recyclable fabric at a competitive cost. You either used latex, which is not
recyclable, or you added picks, which is not cost-effective. Now we can provide fabrics that are
environmentally friendly, of superior quality and at competitive prices. It is a win-win situation
for everyone. Fleissner’s AquaTexGermany-based Fleissner GmbH is the sole manufacturer of
machinery for BBAs Interspun technology, including Culps Aqua-Lok. Fleissners AquaTex line of
machinery is a derivative of the AquaJet offering which has enjoyed wide acceptance for nonwovens
finishing.In 1995, we introduced the AquaJet for nonwovens applications, said Don Gillespie, vice
president of Charlotte, N.C.-based Fleissner Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Fleissner GmbH. The
AquaTex is a design derivative based on the AquaJet. We designed a machine specifically for the BBA
Interspun process.In addition to the new Fleissner line, Culp Finishing also uses traditional
finishing ranges from Kenyon, ProctorandSchwartz and Babcock. The plant processes fabrics made from
polyester, rayon, acrylic, cotton, nylon, olefin and blends. The plant also has three Fehrer NL-21
needle looms. The Many Faces Of Culp Inc.Culp Inc. is organized into three divisions: Culp
Decorative Fabrics, of which the finishing facility is a part; Culp Velvets/Prints Division; and
Culp Yarn Division. Ticking and upholstery fabrics finished in Burlington are woven on Dornier
looms at plants in Graham, N.C., and Pageland, S.C.The company was founded in 1972 by R.G. Culp
Jr., the late father of the current chairman and CEO. Originally called R.G. Culp and Associates
Inc., the company changed its name to Culp Inc. in 1980. Beginning as a converter of upholstery
fabrics to supply small and medium-sized furniture manufacturers, the company has grown into a
major manufacturer and marketer of fabrics for the furniture, bedding, recreational and
institutional furnishings markets. In the 1990s, Culp Inc. added to the existing facilities in
North Carolina and South Carolina by acquiring manufacturing operations in Tennessee, Pennsylvania,
Alabama and Quebec. In addition, according to Culp, the company has made a major commitment to
global expansion. Culp Inc. is aggressively seeking out worldwide business opportunities including
acquisitions, joint ventures and sourcing of raw materials, he said. A publicly traded company,
Culp has nearly 4,000 employees, and annual sales of $488.1 million in fiscal 2000. 

Seated (left to right): Robert Culp, chairman and CEO, and Howard Dunn, president and COO,
Culp, Inc. Standing (left to right): Jerry Owens, Culp; Michael Messer, Culp; Manfred Hueneke, BBA
Nonwovens; Jurgen Heller, Fleissner; Don Gillespe, Fleissner; and Frank Malaney, BBA Nonwovens.

January 2001

Air ConditioningBy Edward J. Elliott, Consulting Editor How To Put Conditions On The MoneyNational Textiles’ engineered system monitors and controls temperature and humidity in its yarn plants. At the risk of sounding simplistic, there are three possible ambient conditions that can prevail within a yarn mill: It can be too wet, too dry or just right. The “just right” condition means that the grains of moisture in the air surrounding the fiber/yarn is reflected by the proper temperature and humidity.National Textiles LLC has adopted the Duke Solutions (Techtrol) engineered system to monitor and control the temperature and humidity in the yarn mills of the Sanford (N.C.) and Gastonia (N.C.) Plants.

Ring-spinning machines at National’s Gastonia (N.C.) plant produce more consisten quality yarn after installation of the company’s new moisture monitoring and control system. At Sanford, Rick Jones, plant manager, says this modern open-end spinning plant uses 100% cotton and 50-50 polyester-cotton blends. He and Charles Branch, plant engineer, explained to TEXTILE WORLD during a recent visit that control of air quality in the mill is critical in producing the high-quality open-end yarn this plant is famous for. They cited that in earlier days, one or two air conditioning technicians stayed busy attempting to measure room humidity and temperature by checking chart recorders and/or making manual sling-psychrometer readings.Out-of-spec readings required manual adjustment of air dampers and/or chiller water flow. This activity was often time-consuming and prevented the technicians from attending to other tasks. Recognizing that temperature and humidity were the two most critical factors, the Sanford Plant contracted with Duke-Techtrol to study, design and install the computer, sensors and software to achieve better control. As Jones says, “We immediately saw a dramatic leveling-out of room conditions. There was far less variance in room conditions with the computer-engineered system.” The lesser variance from set-points means that when any slight deviation occurred, the sensor/computer system had less variance to adjust. Thus correction was made in minimal time, resulting in maintenance of a uniform ambient condition. Besides contributing to yarn quality, this control mode relieved the air conditioning technicians from the mundane tasks of peering at charts and twisting and turning valves.During TWs visit, Jones said that the plant was in the midst of replacing the 55 Schlafhorst Model SE-8 frames with 16 Model ACO 312 machines with SE-11 spin boxes. National has been pleased with the ability of the Duke-Techtrol system to function seamlessly in spite of the disruption of room conditions that normally occurs with removing and installing machinery.Open-end spinning needs quality air because the air is “drawn-into” the almost totally enclosed spinning machine. Quality air affords quality yarn without the serious problems of “lap-ups” which can cause thick places in the yarn. Since the Sanford Plant uses a single room to house opening, carding, drawing and spinning, the plant selects a single set-point for room humidity/temperature control, thus all the plant air is conditioned to the same set-point. Jones recognizes that there might be a slight advantage if different set-points were used for each separate operation, but the single room (without barriers) dictates that management select the optimum control points for all the manufacturing operations.At Sanford, Techtrol manipulates signals to three Trane chillers (800- ,800- and 1,100-ton) and/or dampers to outside air flow. The computer calculates (via an algorithm) the outside air temperature, percent relative humidty and room conditions and allows the most efficient control mode to be actuated. It is always preferable to use outside air for cooling when possible. In the “old days”, the damper settings were often “locked-in” for an entire day, regardless if the night-time outside air temperatures were lower than daytime values. As can be seen, chilled water was used almost all day longwhether needed or notwith resultant excess electric energy demands. The Duke-Techtrol system allows maximum efficiency of air quality with associated efficiency in energy usage.At the Gastonia Plant, Steve Cagle, plant manager and Tim Waters, plant engineer, buttressed the experiences of the Sanford Plant. Here, Duke-Techtrol controls the room conditions for the 30 Toyota RX 240 SF ring-spinning machines, running only 100% cotton fiber. Cagle anticipates the plant will pursue controls for the opening, carding and drawing stages based on the good results from the system in spinning and winding. In ring spinning, room air surrounds the entire spinning machine, where the fiber/yarn is exposed to the ambient air. Air movement depends on natural convection within the room. There is no mechanical “push” to the air surrounding the machines. At times this air flow may be laminar, thus air quality conditions are important, and uniformity of air quality is critical. Proper air control results in less fiber friction, resulting in less fiber damage and less lint in the room air. This, of course, prevents lint being entwined into the yarn, making a more attractive environment for employees.Gastonia’s two Carrier chillers (450 ton each) are able to maintain the spinning/winding room conditions of temperature and humidity without any interruptions. At this plant, the system has proven the advantages of a computer checking parameters many times per minute and sending correction signals to the chillers or air washers. One of the visible characteristics of the smooth control is the level electrical consumption which now avoids peaks and valleys (swings) common with manual control of chillers during varying outside temperature/ humidity conditions. Previously, air conditioning technicians would tune to radio/TV weather forecasts to be prepared to visit the plant when a rain storm (usually at night) was expected because there would be a need to manually adjust chiller/air-washer settings.

Open-end spinning machines at National Textiles’ Sanford (N.C.) plant now operate on a much more even keel since installation of new temperature and humidity monitoring control systemAs in Sanford, this plant has a modem wired to Duke-Techtrol 24 hr/day, seven days/wk, so either party can monitor room conditions at any time. In fact, National has installed Explorer software for Internet connection from management’s corporate offices, staff’s home or from any telephone access site. The ease of access to current data within the plant has afforded National the opportunity to assure that yarn quality is consistent and uniform.These two plants (an OE and a ring spinning), including Sanford going through a major spinning machine installation, and each plant’s ability to control and maintain the exact room conditions required for the efficient production of quality yarns is vivid evidence of the significant advantages of a properly designed/ engineered/installed humidity and temperature control system.November 2001

WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ — DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers announces a 5
cent per pound increase in the price for all grades of Elvanol(R) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/PVOH)
effective Feb. 1, 2001. This increase applies to all market segments, worldwide. DuPont cites
continued, unprecedented increases in key petrochemical raw material and energy costs as the reason
for the price increase. DuPont(TM) Elvanol(R) polyvinyl alcohol (PVA/PVOH) is used in a variety of
industries including textiles, paper and adhesives. Elvanol(R) is a registered trademark of
DuPont.SOURCE DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers Copyright 2001 PR Newswire

WEST POINT, Ga., Jan. 5 /PR Newswire/ — WestPoint Stevens Inc. (NYSE:
WXS)(http://www.westpointstevens.com announced that it has completed the previously announced
purchase of the assets and business operations of the Chatham Consumer Products division of CMI
Industries, Inc. The closing of the transaction occurred today. “We’re delighted to acquire Chatham
because it strengthens West Point Stevens as a major resource in blankets, which is a key category
in home fashions accessories,” said David C. Meek, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer for the Company. “For WestPoint, this takes on added importance because of our expanded
licensing agreement with Ralph Lauren and our new licensing agreement with Disney.” The Chatham
Consumer Products division of CMI Industries, located inElkin, North Carolina, is a leading
manufacturer and wholesaler of woven and nonwoven blankets with estimated annual sales of $35
million. Chatham’scustomer base is diversified among mass merchants, department and specialty
stores. The Chatham acquisition is reflective of WestPoint Stevens’ Eight-PointProgram in action.
Major focuses of the program, which the Company announced last June, include continued expansion of
product offerings and extensiveexploration of new licensing opportunities. WestPoint Stevens can be
found on the World Wide Web athttp://www.westpointstevens.com . Safe Harbor Statement: Except for
historical information contained herein, certain matters set forth in this press release are
“forward lookingstatements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. Such forward looking statements involve certain risks anduncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties may beattributable to important factors that include but are not limited to the
following: Product margins may vary from those projected; Raw material pricesmay vary from those
assumed; Additional reserves may be required for bad debts, returns, allowances, governmental
compliance costs, or litigation;There may be changes in the performance of financial markers or
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; Unanticipated natural disasters could havea
material impact upon results of operations; There may be changes in the general economic conditions
that affect customer practices or consumer spending; Competition for retail and wholesale
customers, pricing and transportation of products may vary from time to time due to seasonal
variations or otherwise; Customer preferences for our products can be affected by competition, or
general market demand for domestic or imported goods or the quantity, quality, price or delivery
time of such goods; There could be an unanticipated loss of a material customer or a material
license; The availability and price of raw materials could be affected by weather, disease,energy
costs or other factors. The Company assumes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE WestPoint
Stevens Inc.Web Site: http://www.westpointstevens.com Copyright 2000 PR Newswire