Orion Engineered Carbons Initiates Construction Of Second Plant In China

HOUSTON — August 30, 2021 — Orion Engineered Carbons today began constructing its second plant in China for specialty and high-performance carbon black, expanding the chemical company’s production capacity in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

Carbon black, available as powder or beads, is commonly used in tires, textile fibers, coatings, batteries and numerous other everyday goods. It tints or colorizes as well as reinforces products, conducts electricity and provides UV protection, among many other uses across a wide range of applications and end markets.

Orion’s new facility in Huaibei in the eastern province of Anhui is expected to be completed late next year and to begin operating in 2023.

With a targeted initial production capacity of 65 to 70 kilotons per year, the plant will be able to make a variety of carbon black for specialty and high-end rubber grades.

“The strongest growth in demand for carbon black in the coming years is widely projected to be in Asia,” said Corning F. Painter, chief executive officer at Orion. “This new site in China will enable us to better supply our customers and strengthen our position as a leading global supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black.”

The new site complements Orion’s first Chinese plant, built in 1994 in Qingdao in the eastern province of Shandong, as well as Orion’s production site in Yeosu, South Korea.

An innovator in sustainability, Orion will equip the plant to convert its waste heat to steam that will be sold to the local industrial park.

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: Orion Engineered Carbons

Pusan University Researchers Develop “Super-Flexible” Electroluminescent Devices

BUSAN, South Korea — August 30, 2021 — ‘Super-flexible’ material appears to be an absolute necessity for wearable electronics of the future. Of all the scientists working on developing this material, researchers from Pusan University have achieved success in developing one like never before, which is not only super stretchable, but also deformable, according to a study published in Advanced Materials.

The future will be colored by ‘bend-at-will’ light sources. A successful research study by a group of South Korean material scientists has proven that this future is not far away. As shown in a recent study published in Advanced Materials, this group from Pusan University has developed a super stretchable, deformable, and durable material through the application of mechanically reinforced ionogel conductors. The research paper, which was made available online on May 13, 2021, and was published in Volume 33, and Issue 25 of the journal on June 24, 2021, elaborates how this material can be applied in a ‘super-flexible’ alternating current electroluminescent device.

Speaking about the development of the novel material, Professor Jinhwan Yoon (ORCID id: 0000-0003-1638-2704), who is also one of the corresponding authors of the study, remarked: “We developed stretchable and durable conductive ionogels with a double-network (DN) structure, which is achieved by combining stretchable soft polymer network with stress-resistive hard polymer network.” Professor Yoon and his team highlights that the developed material shows high mechanical robustness and good electrical conductivity against extreme elongation for the developed ionogels.

Furthermore, the researchers went a step further, and successfully demonstrated the operation of ‘super-flexible’ electroluminescent devices fabricated with developed ionogel. Notably, the device functioned even with an extremely large mechanical elongation of up to 1200%, and various deformation such as bending, rolling, and twisting. In addition, the developed devices also display stable luminescence over 1,000 stretch/release cycles or at temperatures as harsh as 200°C, unlike any of its predecessors.

With such a breakthrough advancement in “super-flexible” electroluminescent material, Professor Yoon is hopeful about potential applications, stating “We believe that the future of current electronics would be deformable and stretchable beyond simply flexible and bendable for wearable application. With the soft electrode platform we developed, it is expected that more development on wearable electronics can be boosted, thereby people can wear lots of unprecedented devices enabling them to monitor their motion and health condition, display the information etc.” Indeed, the study has yielded a futuristic ‘super-material’!

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: Pusan National University

Korean Safety Glove Manufacturer Summit Corp. Obtains Overseas Certification

SEONGNAM-SI, South Korea — August 30, 2021 — Summit Corp., a Korea-based safety glove manufacturer, announced that it has acquired EN certification for three styles of leather safety gloves and will accelerate overseas exports.

The certified products are QU-18K, QU-15P, and QU-15, all of which are safety gloves with enhanced durability by using natural cowhide with water-repellent function for the entire hand. They can be used for various purposes such as rescue, first aid, suppression, and driving, etc.

They are removable easily due to integration of the outer and lining, and have ergonomic patterns to make it feel good about the wearing. Also, rappelling can be done by applying an extra layer of cowhide on the palm. In addition, they have passed the standard of hazardous substance of leather, and abrasion resistance of over 15,000 times.

For the QU-18K, it has an insert, a functional polyurethane that enables perfect waterproofing, and a knuckle protector attached on the back of the hand. QU-18K has the best performance out of three gloves. The QU-15P and QU-15 have pads attached on the back of the hand, and the QU-15P includes an insert just like the QU-18K, too.

Since its establishment in 2005, Summit has grown based on its accumulated experiences in glove manufacturing.

By focusing on research and development of more specialized firefighting and safety gloves beyond the scope of existing sports gloves, Summit has obtained a patent related to waterproof glove manufacturing and KFI certification for firefighting gloves and hoods. With those, the brand of Summit, Salvare, has been recognized as the best firefighting glove and hood brand.

In addition, Summit developed a protective glove made of PBI fabric with excellent fire-retardancy performance and received high praise at Korean Firefighting Fair.

Summit established a research institute in 2018 to make efforts and to develop the best products with the goal of customer safety.

Summit CEO Chung Eun-young said: “Based on the success of the Korean market, Summit Corporation has acquired EN certification for three safety gloves this year, and is expanding our business overseas with excellent gloves at competitive prices. We will always do our best to develop and provide better ones for the safety of firefighters by constantly moving forward.”

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: Summit Corp.

OEKO-TEX® Annual Report 2020/2021: Companies‘ Demand For MADE IN GREEN By OEKO-TEX® Increases By 108%

ZURICH — August 30, 2021 — For another consecutive year, the international OEKO-TEX® Association reported positive results, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The association issued more than 31,000 certificates and labels in the past financial year, an increase of 31 percent compared to 2019-2020. Once again, MADE IN GREEN by OEKO-TEX® grew the most, doubling the number of labels. OEKO-TEX also moved forward with its new Water and Carbon Footprint Tool.

For nearly three decades, OEKO-TEX has stood for transparency along the textile and leather production chains, consumer protection and the guarantee of greater safety and confidence for all those involved. “Our mission remains unchanged” said OEKO-TEX Secretary General Georg Dieners. “The annual report reflects the growing importance of this topic across the industry.” More than 21,000 manufacturers, brands and retailers formally work with OEKO-TEX in more than 100 countries. The number of labels and certificates issued rose from 24,205 to 31,696 between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

Support through the crisis

During year two of the COVID-19 pandemic, OEKO-TEX has made every effort to continue with certification and avoid supply chain interruptions. The association supported the industry and global fight against COVID-19 with waivers of over 370 STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX certification fees on mouth and nose masks. Due to travel restrictions, the organization implemented guidelines for virtual audits to ensure a smooth and consistent certification process. In addition, over 620,000 workers benefit from employment in safe and socially responsible working conditions with environmentally friendly processes verified by STeP by OEKO-TEX® certification.

Implementation Carbon and Water Footprint Tool

OEKO-TEX continues to support the industry with knowledge and sustainable solutions. Together with sustainability consulting group Quantis, the Association has developed the OEKO-TEX Carbon & Water Footprint Tool to help the fashion industry reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption. In 2021, the methodology was successfully certified by a neutral third party and implemented. The tool will be integrated into the STeP by OEKO-TEX certification in 2022.

High quality assurance

The trust that the market bestows upon a certificate is of prime importance. In this respect, OEKO-TEX continually takes action to implement a variety of quality assurance measures and incorporating external views. Round Robin Tests are an important part of our strategy to ensure the high quality of our measuring procedures and laboratories. Identical samples are tested with identical test methods at each institute to provide an inter-laboratory comparison.

In terms of trademark protection OEKO-TEX has worked, since beginning of 2021, with the brand protection software SENTRYC to act against trademark infringement. So far, over 2,600 misuse cases have been detected and resolved. In addition to engaging with external multi-stakeholder initiatives, the first OEKO-TEX International Advisory Board (IAB) took place in April 2021. The core function of the IAB is to provide advice on the further development of standards based on the OEKO-TEX Working Group proposals.

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: OEKO-TEX® Association

Biden Administration Awards $6.5 Million Contract To U.S. Cotton LLC To Ramp Up Production Of American-Made Polyester Tipped Swabs

WASHINGTON — August 30, 2021 — The Biden Administration has awarded a contract for $6.5 million to U.S. Cotton LLC, the largest manufacturer of cotton swabs in the United States, to increase domestic production capability for polyester tipped swabs for home testing kits and mass testing applications to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since the beginning of the pandemic, U.S. Cotton has retooled operations to produce more than 400 million COVID testing kit swabs.

The Department of Defense (DOD), in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced the award today as part of the administration’s broader effort to increase domestic production capability for essential medical supplies.

U.S. Cotton, based in Cleveland, Ohio, said the company will increase its production capacity from 92 million polyester swab tips per month to approximately 371 million polyester swab tips per month by May 2022 to support domestic COVID-19 testing. The DOD contract award was funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support the domestic industry base expansion for critical medical resources.

John Nims, U.S. Cotton president, said, “We are proud to be involved in a national effort to help deploy these testing kit swabs for the American people. These swabs are designed to make it easier for people at home to self-administer coronavirus tests and will also be used for mass testing applications, which is critically important. We greatly appreciate the collaboration with DOD and HHS to ramp up essential capacity of polyester-based synthetic swabs that will help in the fight against the pandemic.

“We continue to step up to meet our nation’s critical need for American-made coronavirus testing kit swabs on a massive scale. It is an honor to work with our government to help fight this pandemic and use our innovative technologies based here in the United States to fill a national and global demand for testing kits. I especially want to thank Senator Brown and Senator Portman for all their incredible support to help us retool and expand our operations in Cleveland. We can’t thank them enough for their tireless work and also want to recognize their hard working staff. As the Delta variant surges across the country, this timely investment will help in the fight against COVID by adding this much-needed, long-term surge capacity.”

Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO, said: “We want to sincerely thank President Biden, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Health and Human Services for leading this critical industrial expansion effort. We appreciate the administration’s commitment to expand the U.S. industrial base for these essential products. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to onshore these critical supply chains long-term and we look forward to working with the administration and Congress to advance long-term solutions.”

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Changes In The Rieter Board Of Directors

WINTERTHUR, Switzerland — August 30, 2021 — The two members of the board of directors at Rieter — Luc Tack and Stefaan Haspeslagh — announced on August 30, 2021, that they are resigning from the board with immediate effect.

Rieter will inform the law enforcement authorities that there is no interest in continuing the criminal proceedings any further.

The board of directors welcomes the fact that a joint solution was found that is in the best interests of Rieter and Picanol, both of which are among the world’s leading textile machinery manufacturers.

According to Luc Tack, the Picanol Group (Belgium) will remain a shareholder of Rieter.

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: Rieter Holding Ltd.

Sattler® Outdura® Announces Addition Of Chris Caldwell As Product Manager

Chris Caldwell

HUDSON, N.C. — August 30, 2021 — Sattler Outdura, a division of The Sattler Group, Austria, announces the addition of Chris Caldwell as product manager for Outdura casual furniture and Sattler shade fabrics reporting directly to Uli Tombuelt, Sattler Outdura USA CEO and director of sales casual furniture division.

In his new role, Caldwell will be responsible for the development, analysis and management of all furniture and shade fabrics as well as working closely with sales and business development to enhance Outdura’s image and create long-term value to the organization.

Caldwell comes to Sattler Outdura with a strong management background in production, product development and sourcing, as well as new business development. “We’re looking to Chris to add his experience to our growing business that will take us to the next level in sales, delivery and overall service,” Tombuelt stated.

Excited about the opportunity Caldwell stated, “Being from this area, Sattler Outdura has a great reputation as a trusted company in the community, and while I’m looking forward to the challenge of this position, I’m eager to learn more about the industry and to see our progress.”

Sattler AG, headquartered in Graz, Austria, is a fifth generation, family-owned company with 145 years of history in the solution-dyed acrylic fabric market. It specializes in manufacturing and marketing fabrics for awning, marine, transportation and industrial applications throughout the world. Outdura is headquartered in Hudson, N.C., with manufacturing, sales & marketing, corporate services, and distribution/logistics all based in Hudson.

Posted August 30, 2021

Source: Sattler AG

Tech Mogul Priven Reddy Launches Leap Aerospace To Connect The World Faster

DOVER, Del. — August 26, 2021 — Aviation, aircraft, and aerospace engineering is a complicated phenomenon as the market needs established strategies to formulate next-generation solutions. Thus, a hybrid system of traditional and novel components will pave the way for the emerging frontiers of engineering.

“If you are tired of long waiting hours due to the traditional flights, the wait is over now. We welcome you to the new world of “The Next Generation of Supersonic Travel”, said Priven Reddy the founder of Aerospace startup L.E.A.P.

Commercial and traditional air traveling is renovated by a sustainable next-generation supersonic flight to the height of the skies. A new era of aerospace is appearing on the horizon under the term “LEAP”. LEAP is the acronym for Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion. Leap Aerospace is here to prove itself as the World’s Fastest airliner and its emergence on the horizon will aim to mute the “sonic boom” on technical grounds.

The team working on the design of Leap Aerospace is directed to launch an aviation solution that will be useful for air surveillance, air logistics, tourism, emergency air operations, and business travel. This dynamic network of Leap Aerospace solutions will open up new platforms for an array of customers and communities globally.

The Leap Aerospace R&D team will also simultaneously focus on establishing the first-ever bladeless technology for secondary traverse of its the supersonic aircraft whilst inflight as well as perfecting its engine failure safe-landing technology. “Passenger safety is of utmost importance to us and the aircraft will feature the world’s first ever safe-landing mechanism, which in the event of a complete engine failure or malfunction, the aircraft will still safely land on ground or ocean, minimizing fatalities,” Reddy said.

Future of LEAP Aerospace

LEAP will be ready to presell its aircraft to the cargo and transportation organization by early 2022. Additionally, Leap currently has no interest in selling the commodities to the private community. Leap is working with a vision to manufacture greater models including 70 or more passenger 2.0 aircraft series. Leap’s unique aircraft design is crafted to embrace aerodynamics in a vastly more efficient manner for minimizing the shock waves, reducing drag and increasing efficiency.

LEAP will function at a twice greater speed, much greater than the speed of sound, and the passengers will experience lifelong benefits for spending relaxing vacations to far-off places in shorter time spans. LEAP Aerospace is up to 100x quieter than a helicopter and transitions to forward flight gradually gaining speed with operational efficiency similar to an airplane. Moreover, the passenger capacity of the aircraft can be modulated between 65-88 along with flight operation at an altitude of 60,000 ft. As the plane aims to operate on net-zero carbon emission so it can achieve a length of 205 ft at a speed of MACH 1.9.

LEAP hypersonic Aerospace is starting up on a self-funded basis. It will offer non-stop flights from New York to London in under just 3 hours, & from Johannesburg to Beijing in +/- 3.5 hours. Moreover, LEAP says the aircraft will be ready for a commercially sustainable supersonic flight having the potential to carry 86 passengers in late 2029. Though numerous other supersonics are popping up recently LEAP is making up the mark due to its unique attributes.

Leap is directed to minimize the complications of aircraft manufacturing. The low noise is generated with the help of small propellers for landing and takeoff. The aircraft design has completed processing and now the goal is to initiate the generation of an entire prototype and complete its certifications and accreditation by the aviation organizations of Europe and the USA. It is expected that the certification of Leap Aerospace will be completed in approximately 3 years after the establishment of the flying prototype. The next breakthrough of the aircraft organization would be likely to take the first commercial flight service in 2029.

Posted August 26, 2021

Source: Leap Aerospace

The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) Has Appointed Jason Kent As Chief Executive Officer

MANCHESTER, England — August 26, 2021 — The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) has announced that Jason Kent has been appointed as CEO of the BTMA Group, which also includes subsidiaries nw texnet and The Textile Recorder (Machinery & Accessories) Exhibitions Ltd (TREX), effective from Monday, August 23, 2021.

Kent has been a non-executive member of the BTMA board for more than eight years and brings a wealth of experience with him, having spent 35 years working in the carpet tufting machinery industry.

As a time-served mechanical technician engineer, he ascended through a series of positions of greater responsibility with Cobble Blackburn until its acquisition in 2013 by the Vandewiele Group, where he undertook the role of managing director for the tufting machinery business.

He also studied part-time for his MBA back in 2011 and is also a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

“Jason is the right person for leading the BTMA into the future,” said Alan Little, BTMA’s association director. “Jason’s textile machinery background, business development skills and extensive knowledge of the BTMA and its members will help in delivering the strategic vision of the board. The current BTMA staff look forward to working alongside Jason to assist him in achieving his goals”.

“I am very privileged to be joining the BTMA,” Kent said. “I believe there are many generational changes ahead that our members must face and the BTMA needs to be ready and capable of supporting such challenges.

“As I see it, we have three initial goals in providing better business outcomes for our members through active engagement in addressing industry skills deficits, ensuring we are at the forefront of the industrial digitalisation revolution, and leveraging opportunities brought about through innovation and the associated global focus on sustainability.

“We have so many great people in our members, associates and colleagues that our opportunities are considerable. With people at my forefront of attention, I want to waste no time in engaging with our members over these coming months to communicate the BTMA Group’s vision in more depth and to also establish more comparatively our goals, challenges and distinctions.”

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 August 26, 2021

Source: The British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA)

INDA Unveils “On-Demand” World Of Wipes® 2021 Conference Program – Ushers In Webcast Video That Captures “Being-There” Experience

CARY, N.C.— August 26, 2021 — INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry announces “On-Demand” video access to presentations recorded from the 2021 World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference held July 12-15 in Atlanta. The program content includes sessions on: sustainability, market and consumer trends, industry policies and regulations, flushable wipes, and innovations in substrates, preservatives, and packaging.  It also includes the product presentations and announcement of the World of Wipes Innovation Award® and of the presentation of the INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. Each speaker’s presentation is approximately 30-minutes in length and includes Q & A’s recorded live following the session. The On-Demand WOW program content is available for purchase and viewing for 90 days by visiting https://www.pathlms.com/inda/courses.

“INDA’s 2021 World of Wipes “On-Demand” video provides high-value business intel in a convenient, economical and efficient manner. Wipes industry participants worldwide can now experience the Conference as if they were live in the front row. We are grateful for our 2021 World of Wipes Committee‘s leadership in developing this excellent program as it aligns with the INDA mission to address the key issues of the industry, stimulate  innovation, and recognize excellence,” said Dave Rousse, INDA president.

Professionals interested in advancing their knowledge of the multi-billion dollar wipes market sector may purchase the entire program containing 31 speaker presentations, or select among nine individual sessions at https://www.pathlms.com/inda/courses or for more information visit https://www.inda.org

Posted August 26, 2021

Source: INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

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