Foss Floors, Rome, Ga., recently installed a new velour needleloom from Austria-based Andritz AG. The new 5.3-meter-wide SDV loom — the second Andritz loom installed by Foss in the past four years— will be used to produce flooring products for a variety of applications from recycled plastic. Foss reports it reuses more than 18 million kilograms of plastic, or the equivalent of 2 billion plastics bottles, each year to make its floor covering products.
“We bought our first velour loom from ANDRITZ in 2019 and have been very satisfied with the operation and performance of the machine as well as the quality of products,”said Kevin Nasser, general manager Operations, Foss Floors.“This was, of course, an important consideration in the choice of supplier for our new investment. We relied on ANDRITZ during a supply chain crisis to deliver a necessary machine on time to fulfill the growing demand for our velour product line.”
In response to increasing demand, Sock brand Darn Tough Vermont®, Northfield,Vt., recently added 22 new state-of-the-art knitting machines to its 30,000-square-foot Waterbury knitting mill. The company has also committed to adding more office space.
“Since we opened our second mill (Waterbury), we have increased our capacity significantly,” said Ric Cabot, president & CEO of Darn Tough. “Increased capacity means that we can provide more opportunities for our communities —that makes us proud.”
Avery Dennison, Mentor, Ohio, recently acquired Lion Brothers Inc., Owings Mills, Md., a designer and manufacturer of apparel brand identity systems. Lion Brothers is now part of Avery Dennison’s Solutions Group. The deal allowed Avery Dennison to significantly expand its Embelex portfolio, and lets the combined businesses build on their collective industry knowledge and expertise. Lion Brand had revenues of approximately$65 million in 2022 and employs 450 associates.
“With a strong presence in North America’s team sports segment and solutions for lifestyle, fashion and promotional apparel brands, Lion fits seamlessly with Embelex, our full-service, end-to-end portfolio for on-product branding, graphics and trims,”said Michael Barton, senior vice president and general manager Apparel Solutions, Avery Dennison.
During a panel discussion titled “Past, Present & Future”held during the Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association’s (SYFA’s) 50th anniversary celebration, U.S. textile industry leaders shed light on the challenges their companies face as well as the significance of sustainability issues on their businesses.
The concept of sustainability has under-gone significant transformation over the years. Early initiatives focused on conserving water, gas, and electricity, as well as integrating recycling into the manufacturing process. But today, the concept extends much further. Textile products are now designed with sustainability in mind, taking into account the entire product lifecycle, manufacturing processes, with an eye on carbon neutrality.
One executive on the SYFA panel emphasized the importance of viewing sustainability broadly, stating,“When discussing sustainability, we often concentrate solely on environmental aspects, but it is crucial to consider the sustainability of the entire industry.
‘It’s not just about the raw materials; it’s about the people, the energy, and utilizing resources efficiently. When major retailers like Walmart prioritize sustainability, it goes beyond installing solar panels on their store roofs. It permeates every aspect of their operations. They push their suppliers to embrace sustainability in the same way they have demanded cost reductions.”
Virtually all panel members expressed concerns about the sustainability of their workforce.They emphasized the need to attract and recruit young talent, provide education and training, and establish mentorship pro-grams to nurture future industry professionals.
“Replacing employees is not only about finding bodies; it’s about preserving and transferring the knowledge and experience tenured employees bring to the table to a new generation,” one of the panel executives noted. “We have individuals with decades of service who possess irreplaceable knowledge. How can we capture and transfer that knowledge? How do we find individuals interested in pursuing these jobs today?”
Harnessing the power of digital technology may play a significant role in solving those challenges. The panel expressed a strong need to integrate machine data with non-machine data to make informed real-time decisions on the plant floor, particularly as experienced employees retire and their wealth of machine-specific knowledge is no longer available.
The discussion also touched upon changing business conditions and opportunities that have been influenced by sustainability initiatives. Many participants expressed their belief that the reshoring of textile business from Asia to the western hemisphere makes sense and is a real eventuality. Companies must strive for greater efficiency in terms of energy usage and labor management to make reshoring more appealing.
The conversation ultimately centered on a commitment to investment in sustainable design and innovation, investing in the workforce, minimizing the environmental impact of manufacturing processes, and enhancing overall operational efficiency.
The U.S. textile industry’s leaders recognize the significance of sustainability and its multifaceted impact on their businesses. Those who wholeheartedly commit to this challenge are laying a solid foundation for their company’s successful endurance, ensuring a sustainable and prosperous future.
Professionals in the home furnishings industry have the opportunity to learn and network at the upcoming expo.
TW Special Report
The Furniture Manufacturing Expo returns to the Hickory Metro Convention Center in Hickory, N.C., July 19-20, 2023. The event gathers suppliers of solutions — including equipment and machinery, services, technology, warehousing, and financial and logistics services —for manufacturers and importers of home furnishings.
The show is targeted to professionals involved in the manufacturing of home furnishings including designers, engineers, executives, machine operators, plant managers, procurement officers, purchasing managers, quality control managers, research and development managers, and specifiers.
Furniture Manufacturing Expo is owned by Exposition Development Co. Inc. (ExpoDevCo).
Exhibitor Product Groups
The exhibitors are organized by groups as follows: Computer Software/Information Technology; Contract Manufacturing; Cutting & Sewing Equipment; Distributors; Fabrics; Fibers; Financial Management; Findings/Trims; Foam; Adhesives/Finishes/Paints; Foam Fabricating Machinery; Furniture Manufacturing Machinery; Hard-ware & Components; Nonwovens; Packaging; Quilting Machinery; Racking Systems; Research & Development; Services & Logistics; Sup-plies; Testing Equipment; Testing Laboratories; Upholstery Mechanisms; Wood Process Machinery; Yarns; Assocations; and Publications.
“This year will be the largest Furniture Manufacturing Expo since the show was launched in 2017,” said Lorie Gross, show director. “Attendees will discover a record number of exhibitors including new companies from Brazil, China, Italy, and Turkey, as well as a broader selection of educational programs offering sessions dedicated to upholstery and woodworking.”
New Feature: Micro Plant
The Micro Plant is a new show feature that will debut in July. This interactive exhibit — a concept conceived by sponsor Zund America— guides visitors around the show floor on a marked path to view each step in the process of constructing a chair (see sidebar).
“Zund reached out to us over a year ago with the Micro Plant idea,” Gross said. “They wanted to create a step-by-step journey around the show floor that would let attendees experience each phase of constructing a chair and give them the opportunity to see, touch, and ask questions along the way. This is an excellent add on value feature for our attendees.”
Education
The Furniture Manufacturing Expo also will offer visitors a chance to participate in symposium sessions arranged in three tracks — Woodworking, Upholstery I and Upholstery II. A variety of experts will give presentations over the two-day event covering topics including automation, sewing and fabric matching, among other topics. See Table 1 for the topics and times for the symposium sessions.
Micro Plant Debuts At 2023 Furniture Manufacturing Expo
The Micro Plant is a brand-new feature at the 2023 Furniture Manufacturing Expo. Exhibiting sponsors and supporters will come together to illustrate each step in the manufacturing process for an upholstered chair. Show attendees will be guided around the show floor to walk through the eight-step process that culminates in the assembly of a completed chair.
Exhibiting sponsors include BEA Fasteners, Crest Leather, Fil-Tec, Henderson Sewing Machine Co., Hickory Springs, National Upholstery Association, Quis Machinery, Domenick’s Furniture Manufacturer and Zund America; and exhibiting supporters
are Lee’s Decorative Showcase/DADS Nails, and Leggett & Platt.
On the last day of the show, two chairs produced during the expo will be auctioned with proceeds going to a local organization dedicated to the furniture manufacturing industry.
“Going to tradeshows is often an experience that gives you a view of so many trees, but very little forest,” said Bill Richards, sales director at Zund America. “The Micro Plant is based on a more holistic approach. We are excited at this opportunity to work with our fellow exhibitors to show how all the different components — including Zund digital cutting solutions — fit together in the process of state-of-the-art furniture manufacturing.”
Textile World recently had the opportunity to ask Richards a few questions about the Micro Plant.
TW: What was the idea behind the Micro Plant?
Richards: The idea behind the Micro Plant is to give attendees to the Furniture Manufacturing Expo insight to the steps involved in the manufacturing process of a quality piece of furniture. The insight will come from an interactive, guided tour throughout the show to the different booths of the fellow sponsors of the Micro Plant to share a detail of their piece of the journey of the furniture from start to completion.
TW: How were the companies chosen to participate?
Richards: The companies chosen to participate in the Micro Plant all play a critical role in the process. Let’s face it, without the pieces, the final product is impossible to finish. From materials like frame, foam, leather and hardware to process like sewing, cutting, assembly and covering, the Micro Plant will walk attendees through each step in the process.
TW: What do you hope visitors to the show learn from the Micro Plant?
Richards: I really hope attendees will develop a better understanding of complexities of the furniture manufacturing process but also see, with the quality components and efficient process, manufacturing in the United States is not only possible but can be profitable for businesses.
TW: Are any interesting technologies features in the Micro Plant?
Richards: Every step of the Micro Plant tour will offer an interesting technology including the frame machining from Quis and the high-speed sewing with Henderson Sewing. The technology I am the most excited about though is the digital cutting process provided by Zund America. Our cutting system can digitally scan the leather hide from Crest Leather, respect any natural flaws in the hide material, efficiently nest the cover pieces around those flaws to maximize hide yield. Once cutting completes, the cut parts are automatically conveyed onto our extension table where an ultra-bright 4K projector will color the cut parts based on predetermined assignments for quick and accurate picking and kitting of the parts for future process downstream like sewing. Accurately, fast, efficient and with high yields.
For more information about the Furniture Manufacturing Expo, please visit furnituremanufacturingexpo.com.
Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas, held recently in Atlanta, presented opportunities for learning and networking through a variety of programs and comprehensive exhibit floor.
TW Special Report
Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas, two well established textile industry exhibitions, were held recently at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Organized by Messe Frankfurt Inc., the unified edition of these events attracted more than 350 exhibitors from 30 countries and witnessed the participation of numerous attendees representing the entire textile supply chain. This collaborative platform facilitated business development and showcased the lat-est innovations, products, and technologies in the industry. Techtextil North America is incorporated with ATME-I, and Texprocess Americas is coproduced by SPESA — the industry association for suppliers to the sewn products industry.
Highlights
Kristy Meade, vice president of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows for Messe Frankfurt Inc., expressed positive thoughts about the diverse exhibitors and attendees who participated in the show. “This year, we were excited to bring together a variety of exhibitors and attendees from across the industry spectrum,” Meade said. “We were able to provide a space where they could not only showcase their innovations and learn about industry trends, but also develop new business relationships and find opportunities for growth in the market.”
During the three-day event, visitors had the chance to explore products up close, witness live demonstrations, attend educational sessions, and engage with exhibitors offering cutting-edge solutions across the supply chain. This collaborative environment also provided exhibitors with the opportunity to connect with suppliers and strategic partners, leading to tangible sales opportunities.
Exhibitors praised the event for its ability to showcase their products and innovations to a global audience, while also facilitating networking and business promotion. Justin Hershoran, director of real-time analytics for Alpharetta, Ga.-based Aptean highlighted the positive outcomes of participating in the show. “The reason that we are here is to interact with new clientele,” Hershoran said. “We actually see great results from this show. Every time we have done it, it leads to solid sales for us. It’s not just the marketing, it’s the real dollars that come in as a result.”
Jacob Blackburn, in global marketing for Mount Holly, N.C.-based American and Efird (A&E), also expressed enthusiasm, emphasizing how Texprocess Americas provides a platform to showcase A&E’s diverse line of thread products. “From staying up-to-date with the latest trends to learning about new innovations within the textile industry, Texprocess Americas supplies a great plat-form to network and promote our business,” Blackburn noted.
Exhibitor Steve Bassetti, director of Global Marketing, Cincinnati-based Michelman, shared: “Michelman sees considerable potential for growth in the technical textile industry, and the energy we saw at Techtextil confirms that belief. The show was well attended and allowed us to network with many current and potential partners while learning more about the industry. And of course, it was a great opportunity to share how our solutions can improve textile performance in a planet-positive way.”
“We found the traffic at Techtextil North America this year to be better than expected,” said Rick Stanford, vice president of global market development, Baldwin Technology Co. Inc., Rock Hill, S.C. “Also, this is the first year that we exhibited with our new North American sales partner, Fi-Tech. In the few months that we have worked with Fi-Tech, we could not be more pleased with their connection and reputation to the textile industry. We had numerous visitors from engineers to senior leaders and decision makers who spent quality time with us discussing how they can lower their carbon footprint by transitioning from pad finishing to TexCoat G4’s precision spray finishing, saving money on gas, electricity, chemistry and water.”
Attendees also shared their positive experiences. “This is an excellent show to meet new suppliers and firm up some relationships from the past,” commented Paul T. McCabe, owner, Marietta, Ga.-based McCabe Textile Co. “Now that COVID is in the back window, this show and similar fairs will hopefully get rebuilt and thrive. Several of my suppliers were very satisfied with the traffic, requests for samples and eventual follow ups. If there were additional mills and converters showing I feel the attendance would grow.”
Associated Features
Notably, the 2023 edition featured symposium sessions, Tech Talks, Tech Zone, and introduced the new Career and Training Center. The Innovation Awards, another new addition to the collocated event, recognized outstanding achievements in new technologies, concepts and sustainability efforts.
The symposium sessions, held away from the show floor in a class-room setting, were a crucial component of the educational track. Sessions featured industry experts who delved into critical topics such as aerospace and defense, supply chain evolution, manufacturing innovation and sustainability.
Jennifer Guarino with the Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC) highlighted the importance of these sessions. “More than ever, these conversations are about real solutions,” Guarino said. “We’re talking vertically with big and small retailers and big and small manufacturers at the table. So, I thought [the discussions] were very inspiring and very challenging, which is exactly what we need at Texprocess Americas.”
Attendee Rick Fowler of Youngone Corp. praised the symposium, expressing his satisfaction with the industry’s commitment to tackling sustainability concerns that was evident from the sessions.
Tech Talks
The Techtextil North America Tech Talks, presented on the show floor, were hosted by the Hohenstein Institute America’s Casey Strauch and Melissa Sharp with NC State’s Zeis Textiles Extension. The complimentary presentations, demonstrations, and discussions on technical advancements and textile applications covered sustainability, technology-driven workforce development, and the future of technical design topics, among other topics.
Xochil Herrera Scheer of The Chicago Pattern Maker managed and moderated the Texprocess Americas Tech Talks. She commended the event’s success and the positive interactions. “I had an awesome week of insightful conversations with industry leaders at Texprocess Americas,” Scheer said. “I am so proud of this series. All the planning and preparation really paid off when I looked out into the full audiences — even standing room overflow — and seeing interest flow into side chats with speakers afterwards moving into exhibit booths. What a successful show!”
Career And Training Center
A new addition to this year’s exhibitions was the Career and Training Center, which combined professional development with practical training. The Textile Technology Center at Gaston College provided valuable resources related to the industry’s career landscape and networking tips. Furthermore, hands-on training sessions were conducted by Sewn Products Equipment and Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA) association members, facilitating machine repair and maintenance training, as well as the use of augmented reality tools for scalable growth in the industry.
Innovation Awards
The Innovation Awards recognized unique concepts and hard work in textile technologies across various application areas. The winners represented innovative technologies, concepts and sustainability approaches (see sidebar).
“We were thrilled to introduce the Innovation Awards to the American market this year and acknowledge the hard work each of our award winners has made to develop and implement new products, technologies, growth strategies and other remarkable contributions to this industry,” Meade said.
Techtextil North America will take place next in Raleigh, N.C., August 20-22, 2024. The collocated Texprocess Americas and Techtextil North America will return to Atlanta from May 6-8, 2025. These future events promise to build upon the success of the 2023 editions.
The inaugural Innovation Award winners with their accolades.
Techtextil North America And Texprocess Americas — Innovation Award Winners Announced
The 2023 Innovation Awards conferred at Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas honored the industry’s cutting-edge developments. The awards ceremony recognized textile technologies that exhibited new concepts, technologies, applications, sustainability approaches and digitalization.
Kristy Meade, vice president of Technical Textiles & Technology Shows for Messe Frankfurt Inc., expressed her pleasure that the awards were incorporated with the Atlanta editions of the collocated shows. “We are happy to bring the Innovation Awards to the U.S. editions of Techtextil North America & Texprocess Americas which will enable and encourage new market developments and is a testament to the ingenuity and vision of the brands participating at these shows.”
Award winners in a variety of categories were announced during a press conference held on the first day of the event. Recipients were:
New Concept Winner —Henderson Sewing Machine Co. Inc. and Matsuya R&D for The Intelligent Robot Sewing Machine with Digital Image Processing System;
New Technology Winner —SPEC and Svegea of Sweden for the SVEGEA EC-450XF
New Application Winner —Pathfinder Cutting Technology for FabricPro: Revolutionizing Fabric Spreading with Innovative Safety Features and Improved Operator Ergonomics;
New Product Winner —Stratasys for the Stratasys J850™ TechStyle™ direct-to-textile 3D printer;
New Approaches on Sustain-ability & Circular Economy Winner — Henderson Sewing Machine Co. Inc. and Twine Solutions Ltd. for the Thread Digital Dyeing System TS-1800;
New Technologies on Sustainability & Recycling Winner — Germany-based Dürkopp Adler GmbH for the M- TYPE DELTA e-con; and
New Technology & Digital-ization Winner — SEDDI for SEDDI Textura: Real Fabrics Digitized Brilliantly with AI.
Michael McDonald, SPESA president, emphasized that the Innovation Awards aim to bring solutions to the forefront of the industry and create a market for new developments. “While the award-winning technologies will create market opportunities and boost business, the commitment to product excellence and market innovation that the award winners and everyone who submitted entries have shown is what will drive market impulses,” McDonald noted.
One of several electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts on display at the 2023 JEC World expo.
The recent JEC World show in Paris offered participants a view of the industry’s global direction.
By Jim Kaufmann, Contributing Editor
Rarely does one have the opportunity to look into the future especially from a business and technology perspective. However, for those attending the recent JEC World 2023 the future and direction of the composites industry was on full display throughout the show floor. This annual event — held at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre — brings together virtually every segment of the composites industry supply chain from around the world. The 2023 edition welcomed more than 40,000 attendees from 106 different countries to view the exhibits of approximately 1,200 companies. Everything from raw material inputs to fiber reinforcement technologies, resin systems, processing methodologies and final product applications were on full display throughout the exhibit halls.
The depth and variety of innovation found at JEC World 2023 was truly inspiring as were the many different facets of technology and applications in seemingly every direction. There were several highlights, observations and trends that stood out post show.
The FLAX27 Daysailer by Greenboats, a sailing yacht made using 80 percent natural (flax) and/or recycled materials
Sustainability, Recycling and Circularity
Exhibits on the show floor and conversations with attendees made it blatantly obvious that sustainability, recycling and circularity continue to be hot topics. These subjects are directly affecting and influencing the global business climate and the composites industry is not excluded from these influences. Europe has embraced and advanced sustainability efforts much more so than North America has to date. Almost every larger booth and many of the smaller ones at JEC World had some notation or display specific to sustainable practices and products. Numerous fibers, fabrics, resin systems and processing technologies promoted their sustain-able, recyclable and/or circular attributes; while several exhibitors promoted either the ability to recycle their products or showed products that had been produced using recycled content. Interestingly, several of these products included variations using recycled carbon and glass content.
Natural Fiber And Bio-Based Technologies
Driven in part by the sustainability movement, natural fibers — such as flax, hemp, jute and bamboo — as well as green and bio-based resin systems continue to gain stature and support in composite applications. As demand and usage grows, and with improvements in processing and this segment’s supply chain, these natural options demonstrate performance upsides and potentially lower costs than comparable carbon or glass products.
JEC World 2023 featured a dedicated and greatly expanded section of floor space to emphasize the use of natural fibers, such as flax and hemp, in composites, which included examples of what products may be or are being produced using natural fibers. There also was an “Industry Planet Showcase” exhibit area to highlight a variety of impressive applications, including boats, sporting goods and high-performance automotive parts produced from sustainable inputs.
Carbon composite car wheel and several fiber placement pieces
Composite Design, Processing Technologies And Automation Continue To Advance
Numerous advances in composite design, processing technologies and automation were evident on the show floor. Design systems specific to fiber orientation and placement have further evolved and improved. Robotics and automation continue their advancement onto the production floor in order to reduce cost and complexity in addition to improving the accuracy, quality and repeatability of composite parts manufacturing while reducing waste. Also, thermoset resin systems, various molding materials, consumables and other technologies including systematic improvements to the molding process itself bode well for the continued reduction in processing times and resulting costs.
Fiber Placement Continues To Evolve
Enhanced and refined fiber placement technologies, whether with roving or spread tow tapes, were found in several booths and the advances witnessed are impressive as was the complexity of the products generated. Tailored fiber placement (TFP) — a technique based on using sewing machines or embroidery heads to stitch the fiber reinforcement media onto a sacrificial or inclusive backing to create complex preforms — and fiber placement using robotic systems continue to show great improvements and potential in assorted applications. The basic premise for either of these technologies is to place the fiber reinforcement exactly where and to whatever level the application requires it in a repeatable, cost-effective and efficient manner. This allows for more complex shapes and structures to be created without the need for the potential additional costs and likelihood of increased waste associated with using traditional fabric reinforcements.
Composite bicycles made with Swancor developed EzCiclo, a recyclable epoxy resin system.
Spread Tow Tapes Continue to Gain In Popularity
The use of spread tow tapes continues to grow and gain in popularity in both fabric formation and fiber placement segments for composite applications. As discussed previously in Textile World (see “Reintroducing DORNIER’s Composite Systems Suite” TW, September/October 2021), spread tow is a methodology of taking a roving — a large fibrous bundle — and spreading the individual fibers out so as to make thin tapes and allow the filaments to be more cleanly oriented. Using spread tows results in composite parts with higher fiber volume fractions — the ratio of the fiber present to the total volume of the part — and in many cases results in improved performance. Support industries have clearly noticed the spread tow trend. Textechno, a textile testing technology company based in Germany, used JEC World to introduce its new TAPETEST machine. TAPETEST is a commercial testing and evaluation system specifically devoted to the detailed characterization and quality of spread tow tapes.
Differences Found Between The Europe- and U.S.-Based Trade Shows
It was interesting to note some of the differences found between JEC World and other composites-focused shows organized in the United States. Depending on which metric is used, JEC World is probably three- to five-times larger than the Composites and Advanced Materials Expo (CAMX) which will be held this fall in Atlanta, or the Society of Advanced Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE) event held earlier this year. Exhibitor booths at JEC World are generally larger and more detailed than found at CAMX, SAMPE or even other technical textiles-oriented shows.
Many of the booths at JEC World focus much more on applications rather than technology where the United States tends to want to hide the applications so as to not invite competition. However, Paul Latten, director of research and development at Southeast Nonwovens, Clover, S.C., mentioned that it was interesting to see all of the applications on display. “The examples of applications are what draws people into the booth and elicits discussion, not necessarily the fibers and fabrics,” Latten said. “They are how you get there, but the actual finished pieces are certainly much more interesting.”
Oh, and yes the food available on the JEC World show floor was better, but after all, the event is held in Paris! The use of composites only continues to grow and gain acceptance globally as evidenced by the wide array and variety of technologies, methodologies and composite part applications on display at JEC World.
The event is held in Paris, which some may think of as a “boondoggle trip,” but attending JEC World should not be viewed in that way. Simply stated, attending JEC World is a fantastic way for anyone directly involved in or who may have some level of interest in the North American composites industry to either learn from or gauge where they actually stand in the global composites marketplace and even catch a viable glimpse of what the future will bring.
JEC Composites Startup Booster award winners (left to right) Agrona, Composite Recycling and INCA Renewable Technologies
JEC Composites Startup Booster 2023 Winners
— TW Special Report
During JEC World 2023, winners of the annual JEC Composites Startup Booster were announced. The competition, launched in 2017, is a prominent platform for entrepreneurial ventures in the composites industry worldwide. The competition not only offers a unique opportunity for participating startups but also allows the international JEC World audience to gain inspiration, forge connections and foster business collaborations. Each year, 20 startups with groundbreaking projects utilizing composite materials are selected to pitch their ideas before a panel of expert judges on the renowned JEC World stage. This year, the event featured two pitch sessions, culminating in three category winners.
The Winners
In the “Products & Materials” category, Canada-based INCA Renewable Technologies emerged victorious. For the “Process, Manufacturing & Equipment” category, Switzerland-based Composite Recycling secured the top spot. Finally, Egypt-based Agrona claimed the Sustainability Prize.
The awards not only bring visibility and recognition to the winners, but also provide them with connections to key decision-makers in the industry.
The Jury
The jury responsible for selecting the winners consisted of representatives from major manufacturers and investors including Turlough McMahon, Composite Industrial technologist, Airbus; Karl-Heinz Fueller, manager, Future Outside & Materials, Mercedes-Benz; Raphael Salapete, R&T Plan manager, Ariane Group; Christer Larsson, founding partner of The Impact Fellowship; and Chris Skinner, vice president of Strategic Marketing, Owens Corning.
Below: Teammates hoisted Jackson Young in the air to celebrate his hole-in-one. Left: The winning golfing team from Navis TubeTex comprised of Todd Dickson, Will Motchar, Mark West and Dan Outlaw.
SYFA’s spring conference was augmented with the association’s inaugural fundraising golf tournament.
TW Special Report
The Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association (SYFA) held its 2023 spring conference at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel, Charlotte, N.C. The theme for the event was “Energize, Optimize and Sustain.”
The speaker lineup featured the following presenters and topics:
Jenna Shaw & Brad Porter, Deloitte— “Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Landscape”;
Trevor Waycott, Stren-Flex, Robert “Bob” Jasany, WSTDA, and Bob Hancuff, Burlan Manufacturing LLC — “An Introduction to the Web Sling & Tie Down Association (WSTDA)”;
Dr. Kate Riley, Textile Exchange— “Synthetics at Textile Exchange: A Deep Dive Into Strategy and Approach to Meet Climate + Targets”;
Bryce Krulic, Staco Energy Products — “Power Quality and Its Effects on Energy and Equipment”;
Dr. Roger Tutterow, Kennesaw State University — “Economic Update”;
Srinivasan “Shankar” Prabhushankar, Indorama — “The Role of Synthetic Yarn & Fabric for a Sustainable World”;
Matt Bridges, Goulston Technologies — “Novel Additives Developed to Improve the Environmental Footprint of Fabric Laundering”; and
Sean Bernhardt, Avient — “Sustainability at Avient: Material Science For a Better Tomorrow.”
The lineup of speakers covered topics outside of the typical textile industry subject matter that attendees have come to expect. The broader topics of power quality and ESG were equally enjoyed by SYFA members at the meeting. “It was encouraging to see the interaction and hear the positive feedback from several attendees related to the greater breadth of content at the spring conference,” said Dan Sistrunk, SYFA immediate past president. “Expanding the speaker slate to include ‘non-traditional’ topics such as ESG and energy management seemed to really resonate and provide additional value to the membership.”
Conference sponsors included Diamond Sponsor Premier Fibers Inc.; Gold Sponsor Jomar Softcorp International Inc.; Silver Sponsors Goulston Technologies and Pulcra Chemicals LLC; Bronze Sponsors Avient, Unifi Inc. and DuBose Strapping & Packaging; and Patron Measured Solutions.
Ahead of the event, SYFA organized an inaugural golf tournament at the Rocky River Golf Course in Concord, N.C. Participants enjoyed a round of golf in a “Captain’s Choice” format with individual prizes for longest drives and closest to the pin on designated holes, as well as the lowest overall team score. A good time was had by all. The winning team was comprised of Will Motchar, Todd Dickson, Mark West and Dan Outlaw with Lexington, N.C.-based Navis TubeTex. Jackson Young, management trainee-Process Improvement, at Unifi Inc., also beat the 12,500 to 1 odds with his closest to the pin winning shot — a hole-in-one!
Proceeds from the tournament support a scholarship fund for students enrolled at Gaston College in the new Textile Technology program. This program is designed to educate and train students in textile manufacturing and other areas related to textiles to further strengthen the industry.
“The SYFA Spring Conference demonstrated, once again, the industry’s enthusiasm for gathering to net-work and hear about advancements in product innovation, sustainability and the economy,” said Hardy Sullivan, SYFA president. “Five of the eight presentations covered topics related to sustainability.
“But it wasn’t all work and no play,” Sullivan continued. “The inaugural golf tournament was a resounding success, capped off with a hole-in-one! Everyone is so busy with work. This was a rare opportunity to enjoy time with friends while networking and supporting a good cause. I’m happy to report we exceeded our goal to raise funds to support an annual scholarship for Gaston College’s associates programs in textiles. Given its success, I expect the golf tournament will become a fixture every spring.”
The fall SYFA meeting is scheduled for October 26-27, 2023. Visit the association’s website, thesyfa.org, for more information as the date draws closer.
Top row (left to right): Matt Bridges, Goulston Technologies; Dr. Roger Tutterow, Kennesaw State University; and Srinivasan “Shankar” Prabhushankar, Indorama Middle row (left to right): Sean Bernhardt, Avient; Hardy Sullivan, SYFA president; and Robert “Bob” Jasany (left), Web Sling & Tie Down Association, Bob Hancuff (center), Burlan Manufacturing LLC, and Trevor Waycott, Stren-Flex Bottom row (left to right): Dr. Kate Riley, Textile Exchange; Brad Porter and Jenna Shaw, Deloitte; and Bryce Krulic, Staco Energy Products
Itema America President Scott Malcolm welcomed guests to the company’s recent open house.
Itema America recently held an open house to share information about its expanded technical weaving capabilities.
TW Special Report
Itema America Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Italy-based Itema S.p.A., recently hosted an open house at its Spartanburg, S.C., facility. The U.S.-based company was established in 2005 after Itema acquired and combined the Somet, Vamatex and Sulzer weaving machine brands. Today, the company is a full-service location serving North America with weaving machine sales, spare parts, technical service, as well as an electrical and mechanical repair shop.
It was the first time since 2007 that Itema America hosted such an open house event. In recent years, the parent company expanded its offerings with the purchase of Panter, a small, Italy-based custom weaving machine manufacturing that specializes in machines for technical weaving. “With the exodus of apparel and home furnishing plants in North America over the past 25 years, the market that remains is profitable and focused on technical applications,” said Itema America President Scott Malcolm. “With that said, we felt it was imperative to get the word out about the company’s expanded capabilities by holding an open house.”
More than 100 people attended the event to hear about the company’s capabilities. The event invitation list comprised prospective customers as well as existing Itema customers and new players in the technical textiles market. “We wanted the entire textile market in North America to know of our expanded capabilities and expertise in technical applications,” Malcolm noted.
Malcolm, along with Kemp Smith, after sales service manager; Doug Merritt, sales account manager; and Ugo Ghilardi, CEO of the Italy-based parent company, all gave presentations during the event welcoming guests and explaining the company’s offerings.
Itema wanted to emphasize its biggest strength, which is its flexibility. The company now offers three of the four insertion technologies for weaving — air jet, rapier and projectile. With the Panter purchase and formation of the ItemaTech division, the company reports it now offers the largest and most versatile machine portfolio of all OEM weaving machine companies. “Whatever the fiber, whatever the fabric and whatever the future holds, Itema has a weaving solution,” Malcolm emphasized.
With regards to the U.S. market, Itematech offers technologies for weaving carbon fiber and tape, carpet backing, heavy filter fabrics, automotive components, and parachute fabrics, among other products.
Visitors got to experience live demonstrations of some of Itematech’s latest innovations including:
The UNIRAP rapier machine, weaving flat carbon tape for aerospace applications;
The A9500, a 430-centimeter (cm)-wide air-jet weaving machine with proprietary iLeno System, shown weaving polypropylene for agrotextiles;
The R9500 Dobby 190-cm-wide rapier weaving machine weaving aramid yarns for protective fabrics; and
The Hercules Dobby, 240-cm-wide positive rapier weaving machine, which was shown running heavy canvas fabric for the bag industry during the open house.
The company expects the positive market trend to technical textiles will continue for the foreseeable future and will continue to cater to this demanding segment of the weaving market. Itema notes thanks to the unique expertise and competence poured into Itematech, technical weavers should consider the company an excellent partner that can meet and exceed their needs when it comes to weaving a full range of technical fabrics for a variety of applications.
The Itema showroom is always open. Anyone interested in learning more about Itema’s expanded technical weaving capabilities can reach out to make an appointment. Itema reports there will be more announcements to come. Stay tuned!
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A selection of images from the open house showing attendees networking with Itema employees as they learn more about Itema America’s expertise in technical textiles weaving and the available technologies.
To learn more about Itema America’s technical weaving solutions or to make an appointment to visit the showroom, con-tact Scott Malcolm, 864-316-4591, scott. malcolm@itemagroup.com; Doug Merritt, 704-813-7279, doug.merritt@itema-americas.com; or Kemp Smith, 864-494-2889, kemp.smith@itema-americas.com.
Itema will showcase its latest innovations at the upcoming ITMA 2023 in Hall 6, Booth B105.
Outgoing NCTO Chairman David Poston outlined key industry facts and economic data in his “State of the U.S. Textile Industry” address during NCTO’s 19th annual meeting.
By David Poston
Let me begin by saying what an honor and privilege it has been serving as chairman of the Washington-based National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO).
The business climate in 2022 was defined by a multitude of global and domestic challenges impacting our industry’s overall performance.
The U.S. textile and apparel industry faced challenging macroeconomic conditions throughout the year.
As we all witnessed, the headwinds from global supply chain disruptions, inflation at home, rising material costs and rising interest rates were strong. Fluctuating consumer demand started out strong in the first half but flattened by the second half of the year as inflationary pressures flipped the script from an economy fueled by excess demand and inadequate supply to one of too much supply and not enough demand.
Despite these challenges, there also were many positive trends that helped offset some of those pressures, including softening inflation towards the latter half of the year, coupled with a surge in onshoring and nearshoring that led to historic investments, commitments and expansion in the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere.
Overall, our industry remained resilient with strong performances in some key areas in 2022. We remain cautiously optimistic that we will see growth this year, though inflationary pressures and rising costs are expected to persist.
NCTO has been highly engaged in working with the Biden administration and our allies in Congress to achieve key policy priorities, and we succeeded on many fronts in 2022.
I would like to sincerely thank our staff, led by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas, as well as our industry leadership for successfully navigating through challenging economic times and polarization in Congress, while partnering with the administration and key congressional offices to secure a number of critical achievements last year.
NCTO’s effective advocacy efforts resulted in a long list of accomplishments in 2022, including enhancing government procurement of U.S. textile-based products, intensifying pressure to crack down on unprecedented abuse of our de minimis waiver system, safeguarding the integrity of our free trade agreements, and maintaining a strong position on China trade enforcement, including tariffs on finished textile and apparel.
Last month, many of you participated in a number of Zoom calls with House and Senate leadership on maintaining the integrity of the yarn forward rule of origin in the Dominican Republic Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and advancing a proactive agenda to drive investment and expand regional co-production in the CAFTA-DR region.
Your participation in these discussions matter and are critical to pushing our issues collectively.
I would like to sincerely thank the entire NCTO staff for this enormous effort and to all the NCTO members who participated in these critical discussions.
Before laying out NCTO’s policy wins in 2022, I want to quickly recap how the industry fared last year.
By The Numbers
We continued to expand our capital investments, exports and value of shipments in 2022.
Many metrics for our industry were strong last year, as business continued to increase exports and investments.
In 2022, the value of U.S. man-made fiber, textile and apparel shipments totaled an estimated $65.8 billion, compared with $64.04 billion in shipments in 2021.1
Here are two additional key industry facts:
U.S. exports were also up compared to 2021. Exports of fibers, textiles and apparel were $34 billion in 2022 compared with $28.4 billion in 2021.2
Capital expenditures have remained strong. Investment in yarn, fabric, apparel and sewn product manufacturing in 2021 —the latest figure that is available —hit $2.27 billion in 2021 compared with $1.85 billion in 2020.
Onshoring and nearshoring trends strengthened Made in USA production as you can see from these metrics, and policies in Washington aimed at expanding Berry and Buy American rules are contributing to overall growth in American-made products for the military, PPE and federal agencies.
Once again, the Western Hemisphere supply chain remained a key driver behind the industry’s growth and remains a vital economic engine for the textile and apparel sectors.
We have $39.8 billion in annual two-way trade with the Western Hemisphere, representing an 18.4-percent increase over the past five years, which supports 2 million direct jobs in the entire supply chain.
Trade flows remained positive and on a growth track, despite the headwinds from three years of sourcing disruptions due to the pandemic.
U.S. textile and apparel exports to the Western Hemisphere rose 14.9 percent to reach $18 billion in 2022, compared with five years ago in 2017. Similarly apparel and textile imports to the United States from the Western Hemisphere continue to rise. These imports from the entire region to the United States grew by 21.4 percent to hit $21.8 billion over the same time period.
The bottom line is the fundamentals for the U.S. textile industry are sound, though headwinds this year will weigh heavily on business decisions. Our industry’s resilience in the face of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with COVID-19 gives me confidence it will weather the perfect storm of inflation, supply chain disruptions and rising costs.
Policy Issues
NCTO was highly engaged in policy debates in Washington last year, advocating on every aspect of critical trade and economic issues impacting our industry’s performance and growth.
I would like to highlight a few accomplishments NCTO staff achieved during the year.
CAFTA-DR
NCTO engaged directly with the administration and congress to underscore the importance of strong trade rules to the economic stability of Central America and the need for increased private sector investment in regional manufacturing. NCTO staff also worked to counter a well-funded effort by certain importers designed to undermine the yarn forward rule of origin in the CAFTA-DR agreement to allow third-party textile inputs from Asia to displace U.S. and Central American-made textile inputs.
Further, NCTO continues to work with various elements of the federal government, including the Vice President’s office, USTR, the State Department, and the National Security Council to identify and implement solutions that will increase regional co-production and expand export opportunities for U.S. textiles.
Thanks to these efforts, Administration’s Call to Action for new investment, and the strength of CAFTA-DR, nearly $2 billion of new textile and apparel investments were made in the United States and Central America region.
Buy American Reform
NCTO partnered with congressional allies in 2022 to press designated federal departments for quick adoption of the Make PPE in America — legislation that applies Berry Amendment rules to nearly all personal protective equipment purchased by the federal government and ensures minimum two-year federal PPE contracts. This is something NCTO is continuing to lead an all-out push for agencies to adopt these critical standards.
Additionally, NCTO worked with our allies at the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) and several other industry associations and labor unions to help secure passage of the Homeland Procurement Reform (HOPR) Act, as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The HOPR Act encourages increased domestic sourcing and aims to support U.S. small businesses by improving the ability of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to purchase high-quality, American-made uniforms and PPE for frontline personnel. NCTO will be working in concert with partner organizations to help ensure this new law is enacted swiftly.
There are numerous other issues requiring NCTO’s focus and resources, such as amplifying support for the Section 301 case against China’s intellectual property abuses, promoting tariffs on finished products, the need to pass a new Miscellaneous Tariff bill with immediate and full retroactivity, and continued engagement with the Hill on enacting a provision that would effectively close the de minimis loophole for Chinese imports.
Due to time constraints, I cannot go into all of these important issues. But please know that without exception, NCTO is highly engaged on every policy matter that affects the U.S. textile industry with the intent of shaping policy determinations in a manner that directly benefits U.S. textile investment, production and workforce.
Industry leadership and involvement is of paramount importance. From contributions to NCTO’s Textile PAC to arranging congressional visits to facilities, the industry can make a difference and help raise the level of awareness about its importance to the overall U.S. economy and workforce, and to the local and state economies it supports.
Conclusion
The business environment for the year ahead looks challenging but based on the growth we are seeing in capital expenditures, output, exports and investments in the Western Hemisphere partners, I remain cautiously optimistic.
We will closely monitor emerging issues this year and continue to engage with Congress and the administration on a whole host of policy issues impacting our industry. Working in conjunction with our Western Hemisphere trading partners, we believe we can capitalize on the onshoring and nearshoring trends that we are seeing and strengthen our co-production chain, investment and employment.
That concludes my formal remarks.
On a personal note, I have been honored to serve as chairman of a highly effective organization and dedicated staff, which tirelessly advocates on policies impacting the day-to-day operations of our organizations and this economically vital industry.
I truly am optimistic about the innovative strength of the industry and its resilience to economic challenges. With the support of this effective trade and lobbying organization in Washington, we can overcome unforeseen challenges and continue to cement our position as an integral sector to the U.S. economy and the Western Hemisphere.
References: 1 Bureau of Economic Analysis 2 U.S. Department of Commerce data for Export Group 0: Textiles and Apparel.
Editor’s Notes: David Poston is president of Palmetto Synthetics, Kingstree, S.C. He served as NCTO chairman for FY 2022. At the recent NCTO meeting in Washington, Norman Chapman, president of Inman Mills, succeeded Poston as NCTO chairman for FY 2023.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy. NAICS Subsector 313 covers Textile Mills, sub-sector 314 covers Textile Product Mills and subsector 315 covers Apparel.
