Completed Product Module Tool Marks A Major Milestone For The Higg Index, Delivering A Comprehensive Suite Of Tools For The Consumer Goods Industry To Assess Sustainability

SAN FRANCISCO — June 15, 2021 — The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), along with its technology partner Higg, announced the completion of a new tool that evaluates the comprehensive environmental impact of products. Brands and manufacturers can use the Higg Product Module (PM) to develop apparel, footwear, and other consumer goods products with lower sustainability impacts, from reduced water use to lower carbon emissions throughout the value chain. Companies can also use the new tool to credibly communicate their performance, demonstrate progress towards sustainability and circularity goals, and address anticipated regulation.

The Higg PM is one of five tools in the Higg Index suite of tools developed by the SAC for the standardized measurement of value chain sustainability. There are two product-specific tools in the suite: the Higg Materials Sustainability Index (MSI) and the Higg PM. While the Higg MSI assesses cradle to gate, the Higg PM will expand to measure cradle to grave impacts, including end-of-life, providing designers, developers, and sustainability experts directional guidance on how to improve the environmental footprint of a product they’re designing.

“We are moving beyond a ‘materials-only’ view of product impact. Now that the Higg Product Module is complete, the tool will consider design, manufacturing, packaging, logistics, excess production, product durability, care, and end of use, delivering a full view of a product’s comprehensive environmental impacts,” explained Jeremy Lardeau, vice president of Higg Index for the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

More than 150 companies have already used the Higg PM to assess over 1,000 products. With this launch, the full Higg Index suite of tools is complete, which is central to the SAC’s mission to transform businesses for exponential impact. As companies commit to science-based corporate sustainability goals, the Higg PM will help them understand their holistic sustainability performance and enable progress towards circularity goals.

“PEARL iZUMi couldn’t be more pleased with the tools and data provided from the Higg Index,” said Aaron Kutzer, senior manager, Retail Division, Pearl iZUMi. “The Higg Product Module and the detailed data it delivers inspired our new Pedal to Zero program which allows our customers to do what they love — ride bikes for fun, fitness, transportation and arguably, sanity — and now, also to purposefully offset the environmental impacts of the products they use. By scaling the Higg PM, we can achieve our evolving corporate responsibility goals and even enlist our customers to help do the same.”

As corporate sustainability goals evolve, consumers and regulatory bodies expect the consumer goods industry to become more transparent. Brands need credible data that paints a full picture of their impact from the products they design to how those products are made. The product tool was developed with these expectations in mind and can help companies prepare for anticipated legislation. For organizations with an EU presence, the Higg product tool is designed to evolve and aims to align with future EU PEF Apparel & Footwear Methodology.

“The Product Module is a game changer for member companies and the industry at large. It gives the industry a  credible tool to assess cradle-to-grave impacts of products, supporting ambitious sustainability goals and preparing users to fulfill future regulatory requirements. It also marks an important milestone for the SAC, completion of the Higg Index, and opens a new chapter in our sustainability journey towards collective action and industry transformation,” said Amina Razvi, executive director of the SAC.

In response to increasing expectations, companies continue to step up climate change commitments and initiatives and need tools to accurately and credibly report on their progress. Many focus on reducing carbon emissions as a starting point, in line with global efforts such as the Paris Agreement or the Science Based Targets Initiative. Brands can use the new Higg PM to assess their supply chain Scope 3 category emissions from purchased goods and services as well as the impacts from the use of sold products and the end-of-life treatment of sold products, for a comprehensive carbon footprint assessment that can be scaled across its products.

“For any company planning to track their Scope 3 emissions, Higg MSI and Higg PM would be the best starting point to obtain high-level sources of product level, material level or yarn level emission information. The new Higg PM, now equipped with the cradle to gate data, allows companies to estimate the downstream product use level impacts. MAS uses the Higg PM because of the standardized impact measurements. Standardization will enable direct and faster analysis and help to identify hotspots in products that need further Life Cycle Impact Analysis. With this data, we have started discussions with our customers and supply chain on how to collectively improve product criteria to mitigate climate risk and other environmental impacts. These discussions have enabled us to develop relationships with customers who seek solutions to improve the environmental performance of their product portfolio,” said Dhanujie Jayapala, environmental sustainability manager for MAS Holdings.

Following today’s announcement, consumer goods industries can move beyond simply measuring disparate environmental impacts of products, an important step towards meaningful consumer-facing sustainability claims, another area the SAC is focused on in partnership with Higg, as revealed by the rollout of Sustainability Profiles scorecards last month.

“We are seeing a dramatic rise in conscious consumerism and ESG investing, paired with expanding supply chain regulation. The SAC launched the first phase of our transparency program in May 2021 to help provide shoppers with unprecedented visibility into a product’s impact on the planet and its people. With the Product Module complete, we are one step closer to transforming the industry by helping companies develop more sustainable products, prepare for future regulations, and communicate their performance credibly to consumers to help them make more informed decisions,” said Amina Razvi.

Posted June 18, 2021

Source: The Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC)

VDMA Textile Care, Fabric And Leather: Significant Recovery Of The Order Situation

MUNICH, Germany — June 17, 2021 — In April 2021, manufacturers of Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies in Germany were able to increase their incoming orders by 69 percent in real terms compared to the previous year. Orders from Germany increased by 55 percent and from abroad by as much as 80 percent. In April, 158 percent more orders came from the euro countries, while the non-euro countries increased their orders by 22 percent. Turnover also increased by 9.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

“After pandemic-related sharp drops in orders and sales in 2020, the order books of many companies are gradually filling up again,” said Elgar Straub, managing director, VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies. “However, international travel restrictions as well as a still difficult pandemic situation in many countries of the world continue to pose a major challenge. In addition, there are currently the exploding raw material prices with massive delivery delays for primary products, still severely restricted and very expensive transport conditions and a considerable shortage of packaging materials.”

Export markets down in 2020, improvement in sight

The manufacturers of Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies were able to export machines worth 788 million euros ($939 million) in 2020, which was 9.5 percent less than in 2019 at 872 million euros ($1 billion). The most important export market in 2020 was Poland, followed by the United States and France. Exports to Poland increased by 69 per cent to 89 million euros ($106 million) in 2020, whereas exports to the United States decreased by 12 per cent to 77 million euros ($92 million). Likewise, exports to France fell by 8 per cent to 68 million euros ($81 million).

Poland remained the most important export market for the industry in the first quarter of 2021, followed by France and the US. In particular, exports within the European Union developed positively in the first quarter of 2021, increasing by 3 per cent to 90 million euros ($107 million).

The VDMA represents around 3,300 German and European companies in the mechanical engineering industry. The industry 
represents innovation, export orientation, medium-sized companies and employs around four million people in Europe, more 
than one million of them in Germany

Posted June 17, 2021

Source: VDMA Textile Care, Fabric And Leather

Carrington Textiles: How The Role Of R&D Goes Beyond Fabric Development

ADLINGTON, England — June17, 2021— Carrington Textiles, a global workwear fabric manufacturer, has survived the ups and downs of the textile industry in the United Kingdom in the last 130 years by constantly adapting to market changes and responding to the needs of customers, wherever they are in the world.

The company’s research and development team has been instrumental in achieving this, by adopting new and innovative ways to approach fabric development.

Kirsty White, Carrington Textiles’ Research & Development manager, explained: “Carrington Textiles understands the importance of R&D in manufacturing and we constantly strive to be innovative so we are always at the forefront of fabric development, but we also want to make sure we get it right and we put the product through its paces to guarantee the best results.”

Collaboration is one of the biggest elements of the company’s research and development strategies, and over the years more and more partners have been added to the mix to make sure the development process is more efficient.

Carrington Textiles’ research & development processes have become much more collaborative in their approach over the years, by working closely with the whole supply chain involved, including fiber producers, spinners and weavers, their manufacturing sites and customers.

“Fiber producers have the technical expertise on their specific technology, spinners and weavers have the experience in textile construction and our manufacturing sites have know-how in terms of equipment and what’s feasible to process. Customer involvement is vital for us to guarantee that our fabric development is something the market needs and is looking for,” White added.

But R&D in manufacturing is not only important to be able to stay at the forefront of innovation, but also to use processes that are gentle with the environment and to develop fabrics that are sustainable.

Circular manufacturing is a topic the company is currently focusing on. Taking part in a number of projects collectively with universities, partners and competitors, Carrington Textiles is working to make sure the end product is reusable in some way, therefore reducing our impact on the environment.

The use of innovative fibers that reduce microplastic pollution in oceans and textile accumulation in landfills, as well as chemistry that is environmentally friendly, are some of the most recent technologies the company has been successfully trialing for their products.

Part of the textile manufacturer’s Balance Range of sustainable fabrics, Hawksbill and Orca — due to be launched in the coming months — incorporate CiCLO technology, a sustainable textiles ingredient in the form of an additive that is combined with polyester at the very beginning of the fibre making process. When CiCLO Polyester ends up in the environment either through washing or end of life of the garment, it behaves like natural fibers, in turn reducing microplastic pollution and textile accumulation.

The expansion of the company’s stretch range and the introduction of lighter, yet durable fabrics are also a key focus for Carrington Textiles’ research and development strategy.

Posted June 17, 2021

Source: Carrington Textiles Ltd.

Mimaki Supports Printers Worldwide In Global Innovation Days Event

AMSTERDAM — June17, 2021— Mimaki, a manufacturer of inkjet printers and cutting systems, held their global event Innovation Days June 2-4, 2021 to great success. The event brought together printers, journalists and experts from Mimaki Japan, USA and Europe, to nurture innovation in the sign graphics, industrial, textile and 3D markets and drive success within the industry. The global event also introduced the market to Mimaki’s recent product releases, the JFX550, JFX600 and SUJV-160.

In a week of webinars, workshops, demonstrations, and networking events, more than 1,300 attendees from all across the world logged in to participate, with the demonstration of UJV100 and JV100 printers, 3D printing workshop and car wrap workshop being the most popular events. As a first of its kind for Mimaki, visitors were able to speak with regional Mimaki representatives, gaining greater insight into the global printing industry as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A stand-out attraction of the event was the recently released 100 Series, which is priced affordably to allow printers entry into different markets, as many look to expand their portfolio in these uncertain times. The new JFX600-2513 and JFX550-2513, which debuted a few weeks prior at virtual drupa, similarly are higher end but still affordable printers, when compared to other large format UV flatbed machines in its class. 3D full color print technology also featured heavily in the event, as Mimaki explored the exciting propositions it opens up in different markets and how the brand continues to extend the reach and accessibility of cutting-edge 3D technologies with its upcoming 3DUJ-2207 printer.

Kazuaki Ikeda, president of Mimaki Engineering, commented, “I’d like to extend my thanks to everyone who joined us during this exciting new virtual event. During the pandemic, carrying on innovating has been central to Mimaki’s objectives, with eight new products having been released since October, and even more scheduled to come out over the course of this year. I hope that we can soon all meet at in-person events, once it’s safe to do so, but until then I’m excited to see the results of the continued collaboration and innovation of print industry that we saw in our Innovation Days event.”

Posted June 17, 2021

Source: Mimaki

A Sticky Subject: Studying Shellfish For Advanced Adhesives

Jonathan Wilker, a Purdue professor of chemistry, studies shellfish to develop adhesives that are more sustainable and stronger, and work in a wider range of environments than current adhesives. Image courtesy of Purdue University/Rebecca McElhoe

By Brittany Steff

Don’t look now, but you’re surrounded. Really. Within arm’s reach – probably even touching you – are troublesome, sticky, potentially even toxic, substances. Bad for the planet, permanent, maybe even bad for your health. They’re in your shoes, in your phone, in your laptop, lurking in the folds of envelopes, on books, in the chair you’re sitting in, the flooring beneath your feet, and in uncountable other objects in your house, office and everyday world.

They are adhesives. Vital to daily life, nearly unnoticeable, but also deeply problematic. They can be toxic and are usually permanent. Purdue University chemists are studying shellfish to develop new, safer and more sustainable adhesives for uses ranging from bandages and medical applications to clothing, household items, electronics and more.

Humans have been trying to stick things to other things for millennia. But shellfish have been doing it for eons longer. And they are far better at it than humans. Which is why Purdue chemists got to wondering: Why don’t we just use whatever they’re using? Anyone who has ever tried to unstick a barnacle from a rock knows that it’s nearly impossible.

That success is something Jonathan Wilker, a Purdue professor of chemistry and materials engineering, and his lab are hoping to learn from — and build on.

Shellfish And Saltwater: Underwater Adhesion That Works

“We start by looking at animals that make adhesives,” Wilker said. “We’re still working to understand the fundamentals of how animals like mussels and oysters do what they do, how the chemistry and engineering work together. We are even seeing how the environment around them and the surface they’re sticking to influences what they do.”

Critters such as barnacles, mussels and oysters live in places where they are continually battered by waves and wind and pried at by potential predators. Their very lives depend on being able to cling to rocks and their neighboring shellfish.

Sutures, screws and staples are all widely used to close wounds, bind tissues and set bones, but they are all very damaging and extremely painful. If doctors had a chemical adhesive that they could use instead, healing would increase and collateral damage would decrease. The body, however, is a challenging environment for adhesives: wet and constantly in motion. A lot like the sea.

Jonathan Wilker’s lab at Purdue studies how shellfish create adhesives and what components of the adhesives perform active roles in bonding. Researchers in the lab test new synthetic and biomimetic adhesives to determine their efficacy, feasibility and performance. Image courtesy of Purdue University/Rebecca McElhoe

Scientists in Wilker’s lab — which includes two postdoctoral researchers, five graduate students, four undergraduate researchers and 1,000 shellfish — study how shellfish create materials, what components of the adhesives play active roles in bonding and test new synthetic and biomimetic glues to determine their efficacy, feasibility and performance. They are building on that understanding to develop adhesives that work underwater, are stronger, more sustainable, made from food products and that can be un-stuck when needed.

We’re making adhesives with new functionalities” Wilker said. “We can add in new chemical groups to target all sorts of properties, be that wet bonding, rubber-like flexibility or the ability to bond and then de-bond. One of our systems can even be stronger than what the animals make underwater. In that case, we are using chemistry that is inspired by the shellfish but, overall, our system is a simplification of what the animals produce.”

Gunning For New Glue: Making Adhesives Nontoxic, Reversible

Every product in the glue aisle at the hardware store has a downside. Many are toxic. Particle board, laminate flooring and hardwood plywood are all held together with formaldehyde-based resins, which can be carcinogenic. Additionally, many adhesives are permanent. There is no way to dissolve the bond when a product is at the end of its life, which often prevents the components from being recycled.

“Almost every common glue is petroleum-based and not degradable,” Wilker said. “When your laptops or cell phones, shoes or furniture are no longer needed, most of them go straight to a landfill. Even materials like cardboard often do not get recycled because of the adhesives.”

Many glues are nearly permanent, a factor many people have discovered when trying to remove the gumminess from a sticker or price tag from a product — or, more unfortunately, from a car window where a child sat. Being able to reverse stickiness at will would give humans more control over their environment.

Increasing the sustainability and the functionality of adhesives can improve human life in a myriad of ways: by limiting exposure to harmful chemicals, by making healing more comfortable, and by making products more sustainable and more recyclable to preserve resources and the planet. Wilker’s lab is working to make glues out of bio-based and even food-based compounds.

Adhesion is a rapidly evolving field with huge potential. It’s a field in which Wilker is a recognized expert, thanks to a stray thread of curiosity encountered in the ocean.

Jonathan Wilker notes that not everyone in his Purdue lab has a chemistry degree. Some lab members are shellfish – about 1,000 of them. The shellfish play a valuable role by demonstrating how they make adhesives so scientists can build upon their biological strategies. Image courtesy of Purdue University/Rebecca McElhoe

“The core ideas in our lab come from spending time underwater,” Wilker said. “I was SCUBA diving, saw shellfish sticking to rocks and thought, ‘I wonder how that works?’ When I got back into the lab, I was surprised to learn about what remained unknown. There are so many exciting possibilities and applications to pursue if we can figure it all out.”

As both a professor of chemistry in the College of Science and a professor of materials engineering, Wilker bridges the worlds of science and engineering in his efforts to tap the natural world for innovative solutions to adhesion problems. The Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation help fund his research.

Wilker has worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization to apply for patents on his adhesives from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is starting to make them commercially available through commercial ventures including a startup, Mussel Polymers Inc.

Editor’s Note: Brittany Staff is a science writer at Perdue University

June 2021

June 2021: Textile Activity At A Glance

June 2021

Worker Shortage Cripples Industry Resurgence

By Jim Phillips, Yarn Market Editor

As an increasing number of U.S. citizens become vaccinated against COVID-19, more and more areas of the economy have begun to ramp up operations at or near pre-pandemic levels. Unemployment levels have been dropping at many types of organizations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), some 9.3 million Americans were out of work in April 2021. Interestingly, in May, BLS announced there were 9.3 million job openings in the nation. That equates to a job for every single unemployed worker.

Yet, a number of industries, including yarn spinners and related businesses throughout the fiber/textile/apparel complex, are having a difficult time finding sufficient human resources to operate at desired capacities.

Some economists attribute the labor shortage to federal unemployment subsidies, which have allowed some people to be paid at a rate higher than the wages they were earning before they lost their jobs. As a result, 22 states have announced they will cease participation in the federal program by early July.

The U.S. textile industry was among the first and hardest hit industries as the coronavirus swept across the land in 2020. Now, has some semblance of normalcy has returned, the industry finds itself in critical need of workers.

NCTO President Kim Glas recently told The Washington Post that the need for workers has intensified as the pandemic ebbs and consumers have opened their wallets to purchase back-to-school and casual apparel. She told the post that “shortages are so acute that manufacturers have had to turn down contracts from businesses that want to make their goods in America.”

The irony is not lost on those who have followed the resurgence of the U.S. industry. As hard as yarn and fabric manufacturers have fought to regain America’s place in the global textile market, these same companies are now having to tell valued customers to go elsewhere because of a lack of resources.

Those who lean toward conservative ideals say the reduction or elimination of the federal unemployment subsidy will go a long way toward resolving the issue and that, once normal state unemployment guidelines are back in place, many of these folks will return to work. On the other hand, those with more liberal views say they believe many will refuse to rejoin the workforce for the same jobs they lost until the minimum wage is raised to the point where a normal family with a primary earner making the minimum is able to live above the poverty level.

However, subsidized unemployment compensation and low minimum wages are not the only reasons for the labor shortage in the industry. Since the pandemic began, pay for non-management level textile workers has risen almost 18 percent, to $880 a week. This has led to intense compensation between industry sectors for those qualified employees who do want to work.

Nylon Dumping

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced in late May that imports of polyester textured yarn from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are being unfairly sold below their fair value in the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will now begin collecting antidumping duties in the amount equal to the dumping cash deposits rates for imports from each country. Importers will be required to post duty deposits to be collected until the Commerce Department and U.S. International Trade Commission conclude their investigations later this year. At that time, the duties could change.

Imports of polyester textured yarn from China and India are currently subject to significant double- and triple-digit charges and countervailing duties as a result of prior investigations that concluded in January 2020.

The recent allegations were initiated by two major U.S. synthetic yarn producers — Unifi Manufacturing Inc. and Nan Ya Plastics Corp., America. These companies filed petitions with the Commerce Department and the Trade Commission claiming that dumped imports of polyester textured yarn from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam were causing material injury to the domestic industry.  The Commerce Department initiated the investigations in November 2020, and the Trade Commission issued a preliminary determination in December 2020 that imports from the four countries are causing injury to the U.S. domestic industry.

Cotton Prices

Quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, and uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 81.68 cents per pound for the week ending Thursday, June 10, 2021. The weekly average was up from 79.41 cents from the previous week and from 56.19 reported the corresponding period a year ago. The ICE July settlement price ended the week at 87.36 cents, compared to 84.21 cents the previous week.

Domestic mill buyers inquired for a moderate volume of 2021-crop cotton, color 41 and better, leaf 4 and better, and staple 34 and longer for fourth quarter 2021 through fourth quarter 2022 delivery. Yarn demand remained good, while mills continued to operate below capacity due to persistent labor personnel shortages. Personal protective equipment continued to be produced for frontline workers and consumers.

June 2021

Carbios Awarded As Technology Pioneer By World Economic Forum

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France — June15, 2021— Carbios, a company pioneering new enzymatic solutions to reinvent the lifecycle of plastic and textile polymers, was selected among hundreds of candidates as one of the World Economic Forum’s “Technology Pioneers”. Carbios is opening new sustainable and competitive avenues for the virtuous management of the life cycle of plastic and textile materials. Through its enzymatic recycling technology, Carbios provides an industrial solution to the recycling of PET plastics and textiles (the dominant polymer in bottles, trays and textiles made of polyester). Unlike conventional processes, Carbios’ innovation allows the production of 100-percent recycled and 100-percent recyclable PET products, without loss of quality.

The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the use of new technologies and innovation that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.

With Carbios’ selection as Technology Pioneer, Deputy CEO Martin Stephan Carbios will be invited to participate at World Economic Forum activities, events and discussions throughout the year. Carbios will also contribute to Forum initiatives over the next two years, working with global leaders to help address key industry and societal issues.

“We’re excited to welcome Carbios to our 2021 cohort of Technology Pioneers,” said Susan Nesbitt, head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. “Carbios, and its fellow pioneers are developing technologies that can help society solve some of its most pressing issues. We look forward to their contribution to the World Economic Forum in its commitment to improving the state of the world.”

“It’s great to be acknowledged as pioneer by the World Economic Forum”, said Martin Stephan, deputy CEO of Carbios. “It is a confirmation our technology is among the most unique in the world and can engage a sustainable transition to true circular economy model. Our commitment to designing solutions with a positive impact, fuels our long-term competitiveness in order to meet the immense needs of the markets concerned. Carbios’ biological solution to deconstruct some of the most common plastics on the market is a world’s first and will give endless value to post consumer plastic and textile waste. We look forward to contributing to the Forum dialogues on this challenge.”

2021 Tech Pioneer firms are shaping the future by advancing technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and many more.

Technology Pioneers have been selected based on the community’s selection criteria, which includes innovation, impact and leadership as well as the company’s relevance with the World Economic Forum’s Platforms.

Posted June 16, 2021

Source: Carbios

Hilco Global And Gordon Brothers Launch New Retail Store Called Shopper’s Find In Former Lord & Taylor Locations

NORTHBROOK, Ill. — June15, 2021— Hilco Global, the world’s preeminent financial services organization, announced today that its Hilco Retail Solutions platform, in a joint venture with Gordon Brothers, has been working with HBC to launch Shopper’s Find, a new retailer that is opening in former Lord & Taylor locations. Shopper’s Find is the department store for every shopper, offering savings of up to 60-percent off apparel for women, men, and children, fine jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, handbags, footwear, designer furs and accessories, home décor, rugs, furniture, small appliances, mattresses, and much more.

The Shopper’s Find team works directly with manufacturers and wholesalers to find the best possible price and bring in new merchandise virtually every week, so shoppers will find fresh selections each visit. Shopper’s Find has something for every shopper seeking great buys and bargains. Shopper’s Find carries high quality, stylish, on trend, brand name, and famous name designer merchandise, all up to 60-percent off. The products are sourced from excess inventory, out of season merchandise, overstock goods, clearance merchandise, and more. Shopper’s Find will be open for a limited time, so consumers should plan to stop by often to take advantage of these amazing savings and discover new finds before they are gone. Since merchandise offered is a one-time opportunity, it is available only while supplies last.

Posted June 16, 2021

Source: Hilco Global

Integrated Polymer Solutions Acquires Swift Textile Metalizing

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. — June16, 2021— Integrated Polymer Solutions Inc. (IPS), a portfolio company of Arcline Investment Management, today announced the acquisition of Swift Textile Metalizing LLC (STM).

STM is a designer and manufacturer of highly engineered metalized fabrics used in electromagnetic and radio frequency interference shielding applications. The company maintains key positions on long-lived aerospace, naval, and ground defense platforms critical to the next generation of national defense. Located in Bloomfield, Conn,, STM was founded in 1955 and throughout its history has remained at the forefront of conductive and reflective fabric materials science. Since 2015, the Company has been owned by Steve Sigmon, who has guided the business into new end markets and impressive growth.

Sigmon, owner and President of STM, said: “STM has found an ideal partner in IPS that will continue STM’s legacy of innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration while diligently supporting our customers to solve their most difficult challenges. It was clear from my time with the IPS team that we share similar visions for the future, and I couldn’t be more excited for the future of the business.”

Rich McManus, president and CEO of IPS, commented: “Since we first met Steve and were introduced to STM, we have continued to be impressed by not only the quality of his company, but also the experience, depth, and dedication of his team. It is truly an exceptional organization, and we take the responsibility of partnering with Steve and his team for STM’s next chapter very seriously and with great humility. Together we are excited to continue building a world-class materials science business.”

Posted June 16, 2021

Source: Arcline Investment Management

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