ZURICH — April 5, 2024 — The last ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) was conducted in March 2024. It reveals a textile business climate with signs of cautious optimism amidst ongoing challenges.
Despite a slight recovery in the business environment from November 2023 to January 2024, the overall situation remained dire in March 2024, underscoring the persistent difficulties companies face across the textile value chain.
Weak demand continues to be the central concern, overshadowing slight improvements in order intake and capacity utilization rates.
Order intake in March 2024 indicated a marginal improvement, particularly in South-East and South Asia, with fiber producers and weavers/knitters experiencing the most significant growth.
The global average order backlog dipped slightly while capacity utilization rates saw a minor increase to 70% in March, reflecting a slow adaptation to the prevailing economic conditions. The industry’s resilience is also evident in the relatively low rate of order cancellations, suggesting a degree of stability despite weak demand. Inventory levels are considered average by most survey respondents.
In the US, inventories of brands and retailers remain high while wholesalers have successfully reduced inventories to near pre-pandemic levels.
For more information, please see www.itmf.org or contact secretariat@itmf.org.
Posted: April 5, 2024
Source: International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
PARIS — April 4, 2024 — Lectra, supplier of technology solutions accelerating the transition to Industry 4.0 for the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, announces the appointment of Antonella Capelli as President of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, effective May 1, 2024. Already a member of the Executive Committee since January 1, 2024, Antonella Capelli takes over from Fabio Canali, who is retiring.
Lectra currently operates in 74 countries in the EMEA region, with over 500 employees in 17 locations and 4,000 customers. At the forefront of digital transformation, the EMEA region, which accounted for 33% of the group sales in 2023, has always been a driving force for Lectra, which continuously propels the deployment of its new offers dedicated to Industry 4.0 there.
“On behalf of all Lectra teams, I would first like to extend my warmest thanks to Fabio Canali for his exceptional investment since he joined Lectra, twenty years ago. Fabio brilliantly guided our team in Italy, then in Southern Europe and North Africa, where together, they delivered outstanding performance. His leadership and expertise have been essential to the success of numerous offers launched over the past decade”, says Daniel Harari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lectra. “I am particularly pleased that Antonella Capelli is taking over to continue Lectra’s development in the EMEA region. For over ten years, she has demonstrated her excellent understanding of our customers’ challenges, and her ability to accelerate the company’s growth in this region. I have no doubt that Antonella will make a very positive contribution to the Industry 4.0 transition of the companies that place their trust in us in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”
Antonella Capelli began her career at IBM Global Business Services, in IT project management, digital innovation and consultative sales for the fashion market. In 2013, she joined Lectra as Professional Services Manager for Italy. She then moved into a sales role in 2017, gradually increasing her responsibilities in Italy and the Southern Europe and North Africa region. She holds a master’s degree in management and production engineering from the University of Milan-Politecnico (Italy).
“I am particularly honored and excited to be able to support Lectra’s success in a region where our customers’ challenges can be very diverse”, says Antonella Capelli. “I’m looking forward to working closely with all EMEA teams to provide solutions that will enable players in the fashion, automotive and furniture industries to pursue their digital transformation. My ambition is to foster our collective success .”
MILAN — March 26, 2024 — The technical textile industry gathers in Frankfurt, where Techtextil, the leading global fair for technical and innovative textiles, will take place from April 23 to 26. Over 50 Italian textile machinery companies will exhibit in Germany. Among them, 30 will be present at the Italian Pavilion organized by the Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (Hall 12.0, booth A06 and B11). Among the companies exhibiting in this area ACIMIT associates are the following ones: Aeris, Bematic, Beschi, Bombi, Castello, Color Service, Ferraro, Gualchieri e Gualchieri, Guarneri Technology, Mariplast, Monti-Mac, Pentek, Rollmac, Salvadè, Sariel, Sicam, Srs, Stalam, Tecnomeccanica Biellese, Testa, Texera, Toscana Spazzole, Ugolini, Unitech, Zanfrini, Zappa.
The sector of technical and innovative textiles continues to grow at a rapid pace. In 2023, the global trade of these items reached 44.7 billion euro, with an average annual growth rate of 4.4% between 2009 and 2023. The European Union contributes 35% to the sector’s global trade. Germany and Italy are among the leading exporters of technical textiles, along with China, the United States, and Japan.
The growth of the sector, both in terms of production and consumption, has led to an increase in demand for specialized machinery for this particular segment. Italian textile machinery manufacturers have long expanded their technological supply to meet the new needs of clients operating in this specific sector. In fact, over 100 ACIMIT member companies already work for sector clients.
Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT, comments: “Techtextil continues to be a fundamental reference point for Italian manufacturers working or wanting to enter the business of technical and innovative textiles. The versatility of the Made in Italy technologies is well-suited to be used in the various application fields of technical textiles, and it is capable of meeting the different requests that will come from the many visitors of Techtextil.” The Italian firms present at Techtextil represent only a part, albeit a significant one, of the companies in Italy producing machinery for technical textiles and nonwovens.
Posted: April 4, 2024
Source: The Italian Trade Agency and ACIMIT, The Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufactures
MANCHESTER, UK — April 3, 2024 — New fibers continue to be developed for a wide range of technical textile applications.
Currently, they include fibers based on organic or recycled feedstocks to meet sustainability targets and others with new functional properties for advanced high performance applications. Many of them will be showcased at the forthcoming Techtextil 2024 exhibition which takes place in Frankfurt, Germany, from April 23-26.
Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET) specialises in bespoke fibre extrusion and spunbond and meltblown nonwoven systems.
The development of specific multifilaments, monofilaments and nonwovens for niche fiber applications — more than 70 to date — is very much the specialist field of BTMA member Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET), along with designing the bespoke fiber extrusion and spunbond and meltblown nonwoven systems to successfully produce them.
Following the opening of its expanded Fibre Development Centre with considerably enhanced facilities more than doubling capacity and increasing efficiency at the start of 2023, FET, which will be at stand A84 in Hall 12 at Techtextil has significantly accelerated the number of technical trials it has conducted for clients.
“We work closely in collaboration with customers ranging from huge multinationals to start-ups and spin-out companies,” explains FET managing director Richard Slack. “At present we’re doing a lot of work with biopolymers and recycled fibers, because they all have different characteristics and behaviors and need specific handling and processing parameters, but we specialize in processing challenging materials.
“Another area we’re heavily involved in is in medical devices where there’s a lot of interest in resporbable products and how to influence absorption. Producers are looking at how to enhance the durability of implantables, for example, which would be advantageous in specific surgical procedures,” he adds. “In terms of new high performance products, one example we’re currently working on is hollow fibers, not from conventional polymers but from high temperature engineering polymers such as PEEK, as well as small scale nonwovens from engineered polymers for applications such as filtration.
“We’re also investigating the potential of certain olefins to achieve the high-strength and other desirable properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene – UHMWPE. At present UHMWPE’s availability is dependent on being able to order in tons, but there is a lot of demand for lower quantities for tailored small-scale projects, and we see much potential in an olefin with a long molecular chain that we believe could potentially meet 80-90% of this market’s needs.”
Splicing
Resource efficiency in the processing of extremely expensive fibres like carbon is a key benefit of the latest Airbond splicing technologies.
Resource efficiency in the processing of extremely expensive fibres like UHMPWE, or carbon and aramids, is a key benefit of the latest splicing technologies of Airbond (Hall 12, stand E31).
Pneumatic yarn splicing is a clever process established in the textile industry for joining yarns and works by intermingling individual filaments closely together, to make joint which are stronger and flatter than knots.
The patented splicers in Airbond’s latest range are 3D printed, making them both lighter and stronger, and now enable the splicing of yarns in sizes of up to 16,000 tex – compared to the 1,200 tex most splicing machines can handle.
“Understanding the physics behind splicing has enabled us to change the characteristics of the air in the splicing of fragile or ultra-large yarns,” explained Airbond research engineer Carwyn Webb. “We have increased the limits of normal splicers by a factor of ten, which will enable a huge reduction in expensive waste.”
Testing and fault detection
Sophisticated systems for the testing of fibers and advanced materials will also be showcased by BTMA members James Heal (Hall 12, stand A40 at Techtextil 2024) and Verivide (Hall 12, stand A70), both of whom have established strong ties with major producers of technical textiles over many years.
The precise detection of faults during the production of technical fabrics has meanwhile recently been significantly advanced with the introduction of the latest WebSpector automated fabric inspection system by Shelton Vision (Hall 12, stand E54)
Building on its market leading vision system for plain, single color textiles, Shelton’s patent-pending image processing techniques now recognize and adapt to complex patterns – even those on fabrics with significant distortion and deformation.
Sophistication
Other BTMA members who will be exhibiting at Techtextil 2024 include Avocet (Hall 11, stand B25) the manufacturer of Cetaflam high performance flame retardant (FR) chemicals, Ascotex (Hall 12, stand B41) a specialist in the development and application of yarn guides, and Vandewiele UK (Hall 12, stand D20) the UK arm of Bonas Textile Machinery specializing in high capacity jacquard technology for the weaving industry.
“While sustainability is without doubt driving the agenda these days, there’s always a demand for new feedstocks and fibers that add new functionality, as well as sophisticated new technologies for processing them and exploiting their advantages,” says BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “Techtextil is an essential show for many BTMA members and we see growing opportunities in a number of rapidly expanding markets with exponential growth for our members.”
Founded in 1940, the British Textile Machinery Association actively promotes British textile machinery manufacturers and their products to the world. The non-profit organization acts as a bridge between its members and the increasingly diverse industries within the textile manufacturing sector.
Posted: April 4, 2024
Source: The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA)
SINGAPORE — April 3, 2024 — The ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 exhibition has attracted heightened levels of interest since it was launched in Milan last June. Drawn by the regional market opportunities, many leading textile technology brands are looking forward to apply for their booth space when online space application opens from 9 April 2024.
The Singapore edition is scheduled to be held at Singapore Expo from 28 to 31 October 2025. It is owned by CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex).
According to the show owners, there is a huge increase in enquiries from machinery manufacturers as the Singapore exhibition targets not only South and Southeast Asia, but also from very important markets in the Middle East.
Mr. Ernesto Maurer, president of CEMATEX, explained, “These regions present vast opportunity for our members as technology buyers from these textile and garment hubs are sourcing cost-effective and sustainable solutions to modernise and upgrade their production.
“The Singapore exhibition complements our ITMA exhibition in Europe and the ITMA ASIA + CITME exhibition in China. The platform will help to broaden our exhibitors’ market focus and diversify their reach, enabling them to effectively engage with many of the buyers who were not able to attend these two exhibitions previously. For these buyers, we are convinced, Singapore is more accessible due to its closer proximity to their home countries, but even more so due to its visa-friendly policy.”
Mr Gu Ping, president of CTMA, said: “The combined exhibition in Singapore has opened a new phase of development for CITME. We are excited to bring our members along as we ride the wave of regional opportunities through the Singapore edition.”
Mr Daisuke Murata, president of Japan Textile Machinery Association (JTMA), said: “We congratulate the ITMA ASIA + CITME owners for making the decision to have a second exhibition in Asia. The Singapore exhibition will be useful for our members to better penetrate other regional textile hubs in Asia, and as far as the Middle East.”
Prominent textile technology providers are also eagerly eyeing the start of space application for the combined exhibition.
Ms Rebekka Dilo of Dilo Systems GmbH shared that the group is looking forward to the Singapore edition of ITMA Asia + CITME 2025. She enthused, “As an important gathering of the whole textile industry, it is a great opportunity for us to present our latest innovations.” Ms Chandrima Chatterjee, secretary general of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), welcomed the staging of the exhibition in Singapore. She said: “This expansion of the exhibition from Shanghai to Singapore recognises the growing needs of the Asian textile industry, especially India. The industry today is looking for technologies to meet its need for optimising production, minimising supply chain risks, better control of quality and finishes, and enhancing sustainability in all aspects of production.”
She added: “We look forward to the Singapore exhibition to address these needs and help this biggest textile manufacturing and exporting region of the world leverage the latest in technology and innovations.”
Live Webinar
To mark the opening of space application, a webinar titled Springboard to Regional Markets will be held on 9 April 2024 (Tuesday) at 3pm SGT. To register for the live session, visit https://www.itmaasiasingapore.com/webinar/9apr.
Billed as The Leading Textile Technology Exhibition Driving Regional Growth, ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025 is expected to gross 60,000 square metres. It aims to attract over 600 exhibitors and a visitorship of 30,000.
The combined exhibition is organised by ITMA Services and co-organised by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co., Ltd.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 2, 2024 — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) announced the participation of Michael Cicco, President and CEO of FANUC America Corporation, as one of two keynote speakers for NPE2024. In his show opening keynote, “Unlocking the Potential: Robotics, AI and Automation in the New Tech Era,” Cicco will address how robotics and automation advancements are revolutionizing the plastics industry and discuss the exciting future of human-machine collaboration.
“Michael’s insights on the future of plastics manufacturing promises to inspire thought-provoking discussions and will ignite excitement around the future of plastics,” said PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm. “The Monday keynote address will set the tone for one incredible week. NPE consistently attracts the brightest minds in the industry, and this year’s keynote addresses will be a highlight for attendees.”
Cicco’s keynote is scheduled for Monday, May 6, at 8 a.m. in the Chapin Theater at the Orange County Convention Center. NPE2024 takes place from May 6 – 10, 2024 and for the first time will feature two keynote addresses, along with more than 100 educational sessions and speakers both on and off the show floor, representing the global plastics industry.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of NPE’s legacy. This show is an energizing platform to see the incredible advancements happening across the plastics industry,” said Michael Cicco. “I’m looking forward to fostering discussions within various industries and exploring how we can leverage the power of automation in the plastics industry to address global challenges. NPE provides a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between innovation and real-world solutions, and I’m confident that the conversations sparked here will pave the way for a brighter future for plastics.”
As President and CEO of FANUC America Corporation, Cicco leads all the company’s operations in North and South America, while also serving as a member of the Board of Directors of FANUC CORPORATION (Japan).
Cicco joined FANUC in 1999 and has held various management positions, including Software/Controls Manager and District Sales Manager at the company’s Southern California facility. In 2005, Cicco transferred to FANUC’s headquarters in Rochester Hills, Mich., to take on the role of National Account Manager of the company’s Authorized System Integrator sales group. As his career progressed, he was named General Manager of several robot division groups including Material Handling Engineering, Authorized System Integrator sales, and Domestic Automotive/Michigan Regional sales. In 2015, Cicco was promoted to Vice President of FANUC’s North and South American sales and execution. In April 2016, Cicco was named President and CEO.
Before joining FANUC, Cicco served as Lead Automation Engineer for Northrop Grumman in the Automation and Information Systems group. Cicco holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn. In addition, he is First Vice Chairman of the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT).
For more information about NPE2024 and to register, visit npe.org.
Posted: April 4, 2024
Source: The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS)
BRUSSELS — April 2, 2024— In the context of the EU TCLF Pact for Skills, EURATEX will work together with CEC[1] and COTANCE[2]to support the creation of regional partnerships in the area skills; this new SkillBridge project, supported by the European Commission DG GROW, will specifically help to develop action plans with regional authorities, local TCLF industry and education providers. These action plans should respond to the changing needs of the TCLF industry in the area of education and skills. The project will also offer a mobility scheme for regional stakeholders from the industry and offer support to SMEs, to help them develop reskilling or upskilling initiatives in their company.
The TCLF SkillBridge project complements the MetaSkills and Aequalis projects, which have been launched earlier this year. They all share the same objectives which have been established in the TCLF Pact for Skills, and thus contribute to addressing one of the most critical bottlenecks which is faced by the TCLF industry: the shortage of qualified labour. These 3 projects will, collectively, allow EURATEX and its partners to work with all relevant stakeholders from our sector across the EU and beyond.
Dirk Vantyghem, EURATEX Director General, welcomes these initiatives to support the TCLF industries: “Addressing the skills gap, and attracting young people with the right set of skills, is essential to strengthen the European textiles industry. We are grateful to the European Commission to offer the necessary support, and want to reach out especially to the regional authorities, to work together and design a skills strategy that works for its local TCLF industry.”
VIENNA, Austria — April 2, 2024 — On November 29, 2023 Borealis announced that it had signed an agreement to acquire a 100 % stake in Integra Plastics AD, an advanced mechanical recycling player based in Elin Pelin, Bulgaria, subject to inter alia customary regulatory approvals. Today, the companies announce the successful closing of the transaction.
Integra Plastics AD Copyright: Integra Plastics
Integra Plastics AD operates a modern advanced mechanical recycling plant built in 2019 with state-of-the-art equipment and an annual output capacity of more than 20,000 tons. Integra Plastics has the ability to transform post-consumer waste into high-quality polyolefin recyclates suitable for demanding applications.
The acquisition strengthens Borealis’ speciality and circular portfolio, enabling the company to meet growing customer demand for more sustainable solutions. Combining Integra Plastics’ expertise and capacity in advanced mechanical recycling with Borealis’ know-how and innovation leadership, contributes considerably to advancing circularity in the plastics industry. The move also represents a further proof point of Borealis’ EverMinds™ commitment to accelerate the transition to a truly circular economy.
“We are thrilled to announce that we continue making steady progress on our circularity journey by adding Integra Plastics AD to our portfolio. This move strengthens our ability to deliver on our advanced mechanical recycling ambition and simultaneously, enables our customers to meet their sustainability targets. A true testament to the fact that we are reinventing essentials for sustainable living,” says Craig Arnold, Borealis Executive Vice President Polyolefins, Circular Economy Solutions and Innovation & Technology.
“Borealis is one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions, and an innovative European leader in polyolefin recycling. I am pleased to see Integra Plastics’ capacity and expertise contributing to Borealis’ goal of further advancing circularity. I am confident that Borealis and Integra Plastics will face a future of growth and innovation, offering a wider range of advanced mechanical recyclates to their customers,” comments Julian Stefanov, CEO of Integra Plastics AD.
MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — April 2, 2024— At the upcoming Techtextil show for technical textiles which will take place in Frankfurt from April 23-25, Monforts will launch its new coaTTex coating unit exclusively dedicated to air knife and knife-over-roller coating.
For single-sided application with paste or foam, the versatile coaTTex is suitable for both incorporation into existing finishing ranges as well as installation with new Monforts lines, notably the industry-leading Montex stenter systems.
The new monTTex coating unit.
A wide range of coatings can be applied to fabrics for providing functions such as waterproofing, liquid and gas protection and breathability, in addition to foam lamination and coating, including black-out coating.
The considerable technical textile end-use applications envisaged for the coaTTex range from window blinds to abrasive cloths and from airbags to sails.
With an operational speed of up to 40 metres per minute, coaTTex units are available in nominal widths of between 1800mm to 3600mm and their robust construction is characterised by a rotating beam for the fixation of up to three different knife executions.
Central adjustment of both the horizontal and vertical position of the beam, and also of the knife angle, enables easy adaptation to new projects and automatic tension control guarantees high quality production. In addition, the cleaning blade for the coating roller is pneumatically controlled, as is the lifting of the beam at seams and clamping during fabric standstill.
“The coaTTex is our response to a demand from the market for a reliable coater that can be up and running very quickly, is easy to operate, and enables a wide range of performance properties to be imparted on fabrics extremely economically,” says Monforts Marketing Manager Nicole Croonenbroek. “We are excited to be launching it at Techtextil in Frankfurt and looking forward to discussing its great potential with interested parties.”
Monforts is at stand C58 in Hall 12 at Techtextil 2024.
TOBEL, Switzerland — April 2, 2024— Cavitec stands for high-end machines for coating, laminating, impregnation and is the first choice of prepreg suppliers. The Swiss firm, part of Santex Rimar Group, presents – first time to the public – the redesigned Caviscreen at Techtextil Frankfurt. Caviscreen features latest technology attaining unparalleled results for breathable laminates and offering an interesting cost bonus.
Caviscreen was especially developed as a hotmelt coating and laminating unit for breathable sportswear, rainwear and protective clothing – with and without applying a membrane. The redesigned machine shows a brand-new method to supply adhesive more evenly and precisely. Using PUR adhesive (polyurethane reactive adhesive) goes with additional benefits like strong bonding capabilities and versatility.
Caviscreen’s hotmelt screen printing is a special system for high-end application garments. With this Caviscreen system, a PUR adhesive is transferred onto the substrate through a rotary screen, similar to the well-established textile printing method. The adhesives are fed from the drum melter through a heated hose to the traversing adhesive distribution system inside the rotary screen, just behind the doctor blade.
The adhesive is pressed by the doctor blade through the screen holes and transferred to the substrate. Different dot pattern (mesh or irregularly) and different screen thicknesses allow different coating weight and adhesive coverages.
The traversing adhesive dispenser is used to distribute the adhesive automatically over the set working width that – an additional technical benefit – can be set without any mechanical changes.
Manufacturers and end users love the results
Cavitec’s innovative screen coating system is the most precise system to apply adhesive without glue in between the coated dots and therefore final active wear products show excellent air permeability and a soft feel. The system also achieves higher bonding strength while using less adhesive than other coating processes because of applying the coating on the surface of the substrate and like this, the adhesive has less tendency to penetrate the substrate.
Bonding strength, softness of the fabric and the breathability are defined by the coating weight and the coverage. The rotary screen allows users to exactly regulate and adapt the coverage respectively the coating weight. Cavitec offers a large selection of screens that are essential to fulfil the fabric requirements. A further significant advantage is the ease and efficiency of switching from one screen to another by simply unlocking the bayonet fitting. The IR-heater cover opens pneumatically and the lightweight screen can be easily removed by hand. Unlike with other methods, there’s no need to deal with hot oil or any other heated liquid that requires cooling down.
Additionally, the compatibility of the system with PUR adhesives – used at up to 140°C – ensures not only superior performance but also durability.
Last but not least, Caviscreen technology supports manufacturers by significantly reducing costs with screens priced at a mere fraction, just 10%, of common gravure roller prices.
Cavitec at Techtextil Frankfurt 2024 – the must see
Techtextil Frankfurt serves to Cavitec as the ultimate meeting ground to present Caviscreen and its other solutions to a technical textile focused audience. As the world leader in prepreg systems for composite products, Cavitec also innovates for the aerospace, automotive and wind power industries, as well as for the resin impregnation of carbon, Kevlar and fiberglass fabrics. Experts will be glad to explain their state-of-the-art technology in all detail in hall 12 at booth D85, from April 23 to 26 at the upcoming Techtextil in Germany.
ZURICH — April 5, 2024 — The last ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS) was conducted in March 2024. It reveals a textile business climate with signs of cautious optimism amidst ongoing challenges.
