Xaar Invests In State-Of-The-Art Cleanroom To Drive Manufacturing & Energy Efficiencies

CAMBRIDGE, England — April 20, 2023 — Xaar, an inkjet printing technology group, has invested approximately £1.2 million in its printhead manufacturing facilities, as the business continues to focus on improving its operational and energy efficiency.

The end of the highly planned 10-week project not only provides Xaar with the latest smart factory manufacturing for its inkjet printheads but delivers significant sustainability benefits to the group, with a rapid payback on the investment expected.

Through setting up a digital twin of its cleanroom, workflows have been dramatically improved, reducing waste and inefficiencies. In addition, by installing smart meters, Xaar is also able to track energy usage every five minutes enabling the business to identify and eliminate any areas of energy wastage with analysis of this data.

Maintaining the temperature and air handling in cleanroom areas is extremely energy intensive and by reorganizing the space from four cleanroom-controlled areas to three, and separating off part of its footprint, Xaar expects to reduce energy usage by up to 40 per cent, while gaining 18 per cent extra space for future developments.

Environment is one of four key pillars within Xaar’s Sustainability Roadmap, which launched in 2022, and the improvements made during the cleanroom shut down, has also seen the fitting of efficient LED lighting and new production machines.

With the recent launch of the Aquinox, Xaar’s water-based printhead in November last year, the company has been keen to increase its production yields to fullfil the increased demand, and the streamlined manufacturing flow now provides this.

Paul Shepherd, head of Engineering at Xaar, said: “This project has major outcomes from a sustainability and manufacturing perspective, through enabling us to intelligently manage our production.

“Our flexible cleanroom and upgraded equipment and services, will save significantly on our energy consumption at Huntingdon, while continuing to ensure we provide the industrial inkjet printheads our growing global customer base demands.”

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: Xaar

Better Cotton Updates Field-Level Principles & Criteria

LONDON — April 20, 2023 — Better Cotton, a cotton sustainability initiative, has revised its Principles & Criteria (P&C) to ensure it remains an effective tool to drive continuous improvement and deliver sustainability impact at field-level.

The P&C define the organization’s approach to more sustainable cotton production and establish the requirements farmers must comply with to attain a license and sell their cotton as ‘Better Cotton’. At present, more than two million farmers worldwide — from large to smallholder operations — hold a license.

The revised Principles cover Management, Natural Resources, Crop Protection, Fibre Quality, Decent Work, and Smallholder Livelihoods, as well as the two cross-cutting priorities of Gender Equality and Climate Change.

The latest revision was finalized in February following extensive consultations to ensure it best reflects the organization’s latest focus areas, including its 2030 Strategy, whilst aligning with global trends towards more sustainable agricultural value chains and market regulations. Refined in compliance with the codes of good practice from ISEAL, a leading authority on sustainability standards, Version 3.0 (v.3.0) will become effective for licensing starting in the 2024/25 season.

In practice, the revised P&C will embrace a farmer-centric approach and serve as a more locally relevant standard that addresses the environmental, social and economic matters most pertinent to cotton production today. It has been reframed to plug key gaps and remove duplicative requirements, learning from previous iterations and the experiences of users.

To accelerate environmental improvements, P&C revisions will ensure the responsible use, conservation and enhancement of natural resources by championing regenerative agricultural practices, more sustainable crop protection methods and effective water use.

From a social standpoint, the revised standard will place stronger onus on driving impact and promoting well-being in farming communities, supported by more robust requirements surrounding Decent Work and Gender Equality, in addition to the inclusion of a new principle: Smallholder Livelihoods.

What’s more, a new subsection on climate change will offer guidance for farmers on how to best to adapt to field-level challenges and highlight the best available, region-specific measures.

Alan McClay, CEO, Better Cotton, said: “After an 18-month review process, we’re confident that the revised principles will help cotton growing communities continue to deliver improvements at field-level. With a practice-oriented focus, our standard strengthens requirements across both environmental and social topics, and even goes further to encompass farmer livelihoods for the first time. We’re grateful to the many stakeholders that supported this latest revision, it’s with their support that we can ensure the P&C is effective across our industry.”

Joky Francois, lead on Gender, Rainforest Alliance, said: “I experienced the review process of the Decent Work & Gender working group as a highly participatory and constructive process with ample space to include insights and experiences from different kinds of stakeholders. This has led to revised principles that are not only clear, related to the context and practical but also in line with international standards and principles. As such, they will be a great support to cotton growers to identify and address labour and gender issues and improve working conditions and livelihood of the people involved in cotton production in a sustainable way.”

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: Better Cotton

Cogeneration Technology Installed At Orion’s Plant In Louisiana

HOUSTON — April 20, 2023 — Orion Engineered Carbons, a specialty chemicals company, announced today that cogeneration technology that produces renewable energy has been installed at its Ivanhoe plant in the southern U.S. state of Louisiana, making the facility more efficient, reliable and sustainable.

The cogeneration system, which includes a steam turbine generator, uses the waste steam from the carbon black plant’s production process and converts it to electricity. The energy can be used to power the facility as well as be exported to the local grid.

“The new technology will reduce our reliance on the grid, which should result in less downtime at the plant and more consistent production,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said. “This is especially important in the Gulf Coast region of the U.S., where severe weather can pose a threat to the power supply. With this cogeneration system, we expect to be better able to continue safely operating and producing the products our customers need.”

Another anticipated benefit of the technology is improved equipment reliability. Any power failure can shut down the plant suddenly, causing fatigue and degradation with carbon black production equipment, which requires significant cool-down and warm-up periods.

Similar cogeneration technology is used at many of Orion’s plants worldwide.

This is the second significant upgrade at the Ivanhoe plant in the last three years. In late 2021, Orion installed air emissions control technology that captures pollutants and converts them to sulfuric acid, commonly used in a wide range of products — from fertilizers and glue to dyes and car batteries. The project was a major milestone in Orion’s commitment to developing circular solutions for its waste streams.

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: Orion Engineered Carbon

DyStar Announces Restructuring Plan For Ludwigshafen Plant Facility

SINGAPORE — April 21, 2023 — DyStar, a specialty chemical company with a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation, announces the plan to restructure its Ludwigshafen facility located in Germany. The strategic decision is made by the company in response to changing business conditions and market shifts.

Xu Yalin, managing director, and president of DyStar Group, said: “This is an important strategic move for DyStar. We will focus on developing key emerging markets, which have been shifting over a decade. In the wake of higher energy costs and inflation, DyStar is determined to further improve cost efficiency and drive sustainable productivity as we continue to deliver the highest quality of innovative products that support the global supply chain.”

Eric Hopmann, chief commercial officer of DyStar Group, said: “The restructuring of this facility will be carried out in a phased manner. DyStar will diversify the production activity out of Europe and start with the reduction of manpower as a consequence. DyStar’s customers can be further assured of undisrupted supply, hence their production should not be affected as we will work closely to meet their specific requirements.”

The facility has been an integral part of DyStar’s global network. DyStar inherited this facility from our founders who started the Indigo research and manufacturing more than 125 years ago.

We understand the change will impact our employees, customers and suppliers. We want to assure you that we are committed to treating all affected parties with due respect and dignity throughout the restructuring process.

We thank all our employees for their loyalty and dedicated service, and we are committed to providing them with all necessary support, including severance packages. DyStar will also work with local authorities and Human Resources to support our affected employees and their families during this period.

DyStar will reach out to all esteemed customers and suppliers shortly. It is also our priority to fulfill all outstanding commitments and to discuss any issues related to the restructuring agenda, as well as opportunities to leverage on future plans.

DyStar Group remains committed to our customers and will continue to serve them through our other facilities in our global network. We value the trust and support of our customers, suppliers, and the local community, and we are committed to maintaining these relationships.

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: DyStar

CELLUN – a fiber composite made from biopolymers

Starting materials for the production of sustainable composites. Photo: DITF

DENKENDORF, Germany — April 21, 2023 — In collaboration with the project partners CG TEC, Cordenka, ElringKlinger, Fiber Engineering and Technikum Laubholz, the DITF are developing a new fiber composite material (CELLUN) with reinforcing fibers made of cellulose. The matrix of the material is a thermoplastic cellulose derivative that can be processed using industrial processing methods such as hot pressing or pultrusion. CELLUN made from renewable biopolymers enables the replacement of glass or carbon fibers in the production of industrial molded parts.

Organosheets are increasingly being used within the fast-growing segment of lightweight fiber composite construction. Organosheets are pre-consolidated semi-finished sheet products with a matrix of thermoplastics and various reinforcing fibers in a wide variety of textile designs. The thermoplastic matrix allows the organosheets to be processed using industry-established “fast” processes such as hot pressing, thermoforming, injection molding with organosheet inserts, or pultrusion. The processes produce highly recyclable, highly functionalized components with reproducible quality.

The textile reinforcement of organosheets consists mainly of glass, carbon, basalt or aramid fibers. These fibers have high stiffnesses and tensile strengths, but are energy-intensive to manufacture and recycle and can only be recycled in an increasingly low-grade condition.

In contrast, the CELLUN composite developed at DITF is a much more sustainable alternative. For the production of CELLUN, the reinforcing component is combined from non-fusible cellulose fibers as well as thermoplastic derivatized cellulose fibers as matrix to form a hybrid roving. The cellulosic reinforcing fibers used are regenerated fibers from the company Cordenka and the HighPerCell® cellulose fibers developed at DITF.

CELLUN is now being further developed to industrial maturity as part of a joint project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK). The tasks of the DITF in the CELLUN joint project are primarily the production of suitable cellulose-based reinforcing fibers and the embedding of the fibers in the thermoplastic cellulose derivative matrix. The material is further processed in the in-house pilot plants into technical hybrid rovings and hybrid textiles. Using pultrusion and thermoforming processes or injection molding, molded parts can finally be produced that illustrate the technical application possibilities of the new material.

Hybrid textile produced from a hybrid yarn. Photo: DITF

In the further course of the project, the focus will be on the complete recycling of the CELLUN material after the end of life (EOL). Two different approaches are being researched for this purpose. On the one hand, it is possible to thermally reshape CELLUN molded parts without any loss of quality. A second possible approach is to chemically separate the CELLUN material into its individual components again. These can then be used again 100% as new starting materials.

The novel CELLUN materials will offer a real advantage in the market for semi-finished technical products as an environmentally friendly, resource-conserving and cost-effective alternative to established composites in the lightweight construction and automotive sectors. By using renewable biopolymers, CELLUN will make a significant contribution to environmental and climate protection: on the one hand, conventional crude oil-based plastics can be substituted, and on the other hand, CELLUN reinforcement and matrix fibers can be produced with only low energy input and from natural raw materials.

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: DITF

LIVSN Designs Launches Century Jacket On Kickstarter

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — April 25, 2023 — LIVSN Designs, an outdoor apparel brand focused on creating durable outdoor clothing for those who value experiences more than stuff, today announces the Kickstarter launchof its new Century Jacket, a durable, high-performance, craftsman style jacket tailored for everyday use in a wide range of conditions.

The Century Jacket stands out based on the combination of cut, comfort, performance and materials. Each textile was specifically selected for the piece, including the exterior shell made from fully organic Ventile®, a unique cotton weave first introduced during WWII to keep pilots warm and dry. To produce Ventile, organic, sustainably-grown cotton is used to make extra-long staple cotton yarn, grown in limited quantities across the globe, and the fabric offers a luxurious handfeel while being incredibly durable. Inside, the Century Jacket features lightweight HD® Wool insulation, a natural and renewable product that offers breathability, odor-resistance, and moisture management. The insulation in the Century is designed to make it an optimal piece for four-season wear, neither too bulky nor too light. Finally, the liner is 100-percent pure silk, which provides unmatched comfort while also being antimicrobial and moisture wicking.

“The Century Jacket was incredibly enjoyable to design and create, and we’re honored to be launching it on Kickstarter, the community that started everything for us,” said LIVSN Founder Andrew Gibbs-Dabney. “We’ve had a lot of requests to expand our range of products, and like our product design approach we also want growth to be methodical. Kickstarter gives us the ability to reconnect with the community while also gauging the broader market interest for the Century Jacket, a high-end, premium product.”

The Century Jacket is available in Olive Green and Black Navy and in size S-XXL.

Textiles:

  • Ventile organic cotton shell — water resistant, windproof, breathable, durable;
  • HD Wool Insulation — natural temperature regulation, anti-bacterial, renewable, ethical, traceable; and
  • Silk liner — moisture wicking, anti-bacterial, smooth to the touch.

Design Elements:

  • Articulated shoulders;
  • Articulated elbows;
  • Two chest pockets;
  • Two handwarmer pockets;
  • Two inside pockets;
  • YKK zippers;
  • Adjustable cuff; and
  • Ventilated underarms.

LIVSN has had three prior Kickstarter launches, all funded successfully, and all products delivered to backers on schedule. With the anticipated successful funding of the campaign, the Century Jacket is expected to be delivered to Kickstarter backers in Winter 2023.

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: LIVSN

Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) Launches Redesigned Website 

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — April 25, 2023 — Advanced Textiles Association (ATA) recently launched a newly redesigned website that went live on April 18, 2023, giving visitors a more dynamic user experience. In addition to providing users a website with an intuitive and inviting layout, ATA has increased the overall speed and responsiveness of networking, and resources.

“We are excited to launch the newly redesigned website as part of ATA’s strategic initiative to reach and provide value to a broader audience, as well as a better connection for members to the resources they need. The website is the most likely way that industry professionals will first connect or interact with the association,” said Steve Schiffman, president and CEO of ATA.

ATA’s newly redesigned website, Textiles.org, is a dynamic portal that provides the industry with an immediate connection to member programs, peers, education, sourcing resources and much more. The site was developed in the most advanced and secure web platform available to ensure the best user experience and provide data privacy to all members/users including creating more user-friendly account creation and membership management.

This launch comes after last year’s rebranding from Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) to ATA, a change that was made to be more inclusive of the markets the association serves.

Navigation and User Flow

One of the primary goals of the website redesign was to create a more intuitive navigation menu. We received feedback from members, industry stakeholders and non-members alike that highlighted the need to improve the site’s usability, information hierarchy, and organizational structure. We accomplished this by creating a global menu, comprised of the top eight most relevant aspects of ATA. This allows the user the option to dig deep into something, while also providing quick access to get back to the main pages. The next set of relevant links/pages were also placed in the global navigation, but do not draw as much attention. And lastly, the footer section of the website contains links to almost every single page we have created.

Vibrant New Design

The website stays consistent with new brand guidelines of ATA; featuring bright colors, large titles, and clean layouts. A prominent use of icons paired with titles and subtitles offers a simple visual aid in certain areas. Strategically placed tabs, dropdowns, and buttons serve specific purposes ranging from organizational needs to easy navigation. The new website is designed to be easy to use as well as visually appealing.

Posted April 25, 2023

Source: ATA

Milliken & Company Returns To Forbes Best Employers For Diversity List

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — April 25, 2023 — Milliken & Company, a global diversified manufacturer with materials science expertise, has been included on Forbes Best Employers for Diversity list for the second year in a row. The 2023 list, comprised of 500 U.S.-based companies, recognizes employers across 25 industries who are prioritizing diversity-related best practices within their organizations.

“At Milliken, we’re committed to inclusion,” says Milliken’s President and CEO Halsey Cook. “By fostering diverse teams globally, we get better solutions to the challenges facing our customers,”

Diversity and inclusion anchor Milliken’s associate-centric culture. Exercising diverse hiring practices and fostering an inclusive workplace are a part of its 2025 Sustainability Goals, and progress toward these two goals is reported annually through Milliken’s “For HumanKIND” report. It also influences a range of organizational resources positioning mental and physical well-being, flexibility, safety, productivity, and personal and professional development.

“People power all we do at Milliken, so it’s important we prioritize a workplace culture where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work each day,” adds Milliken CHRO Craig Haydamack. “When our people — and our hometown communities — are engaged and valued, we can live out our purpose of positively impacting the world for generations to come.”

Along with Statista Inc., Forbes curates this annual list, which surveys 45,000 U.S. employees on three criteria: direct and indirect recommendations, and diversity key performance indicators.

Posted: April 25, 2023

Source: Milliken & Company

Autoliv Expands To Vietnam And Invests In New Airbag Cushion Plant

STOCKHOLM — April 20, 2023 — Autoliv Inc., a worldwide supplier of automotive safety systems, today announced its plan to build a new state of the art airbag cushion and fabric plant in Vietnam, serving Asia. The investment in the new textile facility is in response to customer demands and is intended to meet expanded future airbag production needs for the growing Asia market.

The new facility will be built in Amata City Ha Long Industrial Park, located in the northern part of Vietnam. The facility will showcase Autoliv’s manufacturing capabilities utilizing Manufacturing 4.0 concepts by integrating new technologies into the operations. This is the first Autoliv investment in Vietnam.

“I am excited to open our first Autoliv facility in Vietnam. We continuously look for ways to improve our footprint and reduce our costs structurally, and the new plant will complement our existing footprint in Southeast Asia. With the significant growth in demand for our restraint system products in Asia, Autoliv Vietnam will play an increasingly important role in meeting our customer demands,” said Colin Naughton, President Autoliv Asia.

The site area will be approximately 90,000 square meters, and the new production facility is expected to begin production of airbag cushions for our airbag module assembly facilities in Asia by late 2025. When fully operational, the facility can employ up to 2,000 people.

Posted: April 25, 2023

Source: Autoliv, Inc.

Creative Home Ideas To Invest $15 Million In Liberty County, Ga.

ATLANTA — April 18, 2023 — Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Creative Home Ideas, a YMF company and design-house focused on home fashion, will create 70 new jobs and invest more than $15 million in a new distribution and light manufacturing facility in Liberty County.

“Last year, 85 percent of jobs created through economic development projects were located outside metro Atlanta, and we’re proud to welcome even more opportunity to rural areas like Liberty County,” said Governor Kemp. “Through our reliable infrastructure, growing broadband connections, and world-class workforce development programs, the Peach State is attracting unprecedented levels of job creation. This is just the latest example of that success, and we’re thankful that Creative Home Ideas had Georgia on their minds when they made this choice.”

Started in 1981, Creative Home Ideas is a family-owned business with expertise in designing, manufacturing, and distributing fresh and innovative home decor. The company’s collections include bedding, bath, kitchen, window treatments, decorative pillows, throw blankets, and rugs.

“YMF Carpets is very excited to be expanding our operations into the South,” said Yaron Shemesh, CEO YMF Carpets Inc. “The facility we are planning will include light manufacturing which will allow us to grow our business and reach company goals while taking advantage of the proximity to the port of Savannah. We have enjoyed working with Liberty County and are looking forward to establishing a long relationship with the Georgia Ports Authority as well as the Midway community.”

Creative Home Ideas’ new facility will be located at 1962 Sunbury Road in Midway, Liberty County. Operations are expected to begin in 2024. The company will be hiring for light manufacturing, warehouse, shipping, customer service, and back office personnel. Interested individuals can learn more about working at Creative Home Ideas at Creative_Home_Ideas_Sunsbury_Road_Hiring@ymfinc.com.

“We are pleased and excited that Creative Home Ideas, a company with a reputation for innovation and growth, has selected Tradeport East Business Center as the best location to make a substantial investment for its future growth,” said Liberty County Development Authority Chairman Allen Brown. “Like the other corporations that have preceded them in selecting and investing in Tradeport East, we are confident that Creative Home Ideas will also find that Liberty County is a prime location to Come Grow Globally!”

“We’re happy to welcome New Jersey-based Creative Home Ideas to Coastal Georgia,” said Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority Griff Lynch. “Its new distribution center will not only boost the local economy, it will set the company at the center of a logistics hub that puts global and domestic markets within easy reach.”

Senior Project Manager Adela Kelley represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with Liberty County Development Authority, the Georgia Ports Authority, and Georgia Power.

“Creative Home Ideas is a great addition to Georgia’s community of home-improvement companies, bringing with it many iconic brands,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “By working with Georgia Ports Authority, Liberty County has created a successful environment for companies to grow by connecting them to domestic and international markets. Port activity supports one in nine jobs across the state, and that impact continues to grow as Georgia solidifies its position as a global business and logistics hub. We’re thankful for the dedication of partners like Liberty County and the Ports, and congratulations to Creative Home Ideas!”

Creative Home Ideas – a YMF Company, is a family-owned business, started in 1981 with expertise in designing, manufacturing, and distributing fresh and innovative home decor. A design house focused on home fashion, coupled with the ownership of manufacturing facilities and coast-to-coast distribution centers, allows for high-quality products brought to market fast — at reasonable prices. Creative Home Ideas is dedicated to providing unique luxury home furnishings at affordable prices, all readily available online, at major department stores, and bedding and bath specialty retailers nationwide.

Posted: April 25, 2023

Source: Georgia Office of the Governor

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