National Retail Federation: Retail Import Growth Levels Out But Volume Remains High

WASHINGTON — January 7, 2022 — After a year of unprecedented increases, imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to return to normal growth rates in 2022 but volumes will remain high, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

“Even with the holiday season behind us, supply chain challenges continue,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “The huge increases in imports we’ve seen have leveled out, but volume is still at high levels. We hope the system will find a way to catch up, but there is much that remains to be done to clear out port backlogs and increase capacity throughout the supply chain. Amid all of this, the omicron variant is a wild card that could not only impact the supply chain workforce but once again drive more imports if consumers stay home and spend their money on retail goods rather than going out.”

“Economic indicators are giving us a paradoxical view of the direction of the U.S. and global economies,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said. “The atmosphere of uncertainty is likely to have an impact on demand going forward. We are already seeing short-term growth rates declining, and we believe trade growth is returning to normal levels reflective of economic factors. We do not expect that double-digit expansion of import volumes will continue in 2022.”

Imports saw year-over-year growth as high as 65 percent in some months during 2021. That was the result of increased consumer demand, retailers’ efforts to stock up to mitigate supply chain challenges, and comparisons against periods early in 2020 when many stores were closed because of the pandemic. But increases returned to single digits by last fall and should remain there this year. Nonetheless, volumes of about 2.2 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units or more expected during most months in the first half of 2022 will be near-records.

U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 2.11 million TEU in November, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 4.5 percent from October but up 0.5 percent year-over-year. Ports have not reported December numbers yet, but Global Port Tracker projected the month at 2.18 million TEU, up 3.7 percent year-over-year. A TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent.

Those numbers would bring 2021 to a total of 25.9 million TEU, a 17.9 percent increase over 2020’s record high of 22 million TEU that was set despite the pandemic.

January is forecast at 2.23 million TEU, up 8.6 percent year-over-year; February at 1.95 million TEU, up 4.2 percent year-over-year; March at 2.19 million, down 3.3 percent; April at 2.2 million TEU, up 2.5 percent, and May at 2.32 million TEU, down 0.5 percent.

How to build a stronger and more sustainable supply chain will be addressed as retailers, industry experts and technology innovators meet at the NRF Supply Chain 360 conference in Cleveland in June.

Global Port Tracker, which is produced for NRF by Hackett Associates, provides historical data and forecasts for the U.S. ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, Oakland, Seattle and Tacoma on the West Coast; New York/New Jersey, Port of Virginia, Charleston, Savannah, Port Everglades, Miami and Jacksonville on the East Coast, and Houston on the Gulf Coast. The report is free to NRF retail members, and subscription information is available at NRF.com/PortTracker

Posted: January 7, 2022

Source: National Retail Federation (NRF)

Pantone Launches Pantone SkinTone Validated, World’s First Validation Program For Skin Tones For Technology

CARLSTADT, N.J. — January 6, 2022 — Pantone LLC today announced the launch of Pantone SkinTone Validated, a new patent-pending technology program that allows display, TV, mobile device and printer manufacturers to have their devices tested for authentically reproducing Pantone SkinTones, derived from the Pantone SkinTone Guide. The new program will help provide confidence to companies and consumers that the colors they are seeing on the tested devices can authentically reproduce skin tones as defined by the Pantone SkinTone guide.

With virtually every generation demanding that brands truly represent equality and inclusivity, the Pantone SkinTone Validated program provides another level of product trust that each skin tone represents an individual’s authentic self. The program is the world’s first testing and validation program with a US patent pending for testing methodology. Pantone SkinTone Validated is an extension of Pantone Validated, a certification program that highlights whether an electronic display or print device can authentically reproduce the color standards from the Pantone Matching System.

For technology companies, achieving Pantone SkinTone Validated status helps display and print technology companies appeal to consumers who appreciate products that realize authenticity in the display of real-world colors, and that accurately represent the world’s palette of skin tones, as validated by Pantone, the world’s leading color authority. Additionally, it advances the goal for technological products to be more inclusive than ever. Pantone SkinTone Validated leverages the already existing Pantone SkinTone guide, the first scientifically based guide for matching and reproducing lifelike skin tones. Based on thousands of human skin measurements from a diverse range of ethnicities and age groups, the PANTONE SkinTone Guide catalogs 110 discrete and unique skin tone colors.

“We are extremely proud to be on the cutting edge of inclusivity in technology with our Pantone SkinTone Validated program,” said Iain Pike, director of Licensing & Business Development at Pantone. “We look forward to working with companies across industries to realize skin tone color accuracy in their products and services for a better and more accurate experience with their technology.”

One of the first clients that has partnered with the Pantone SkinTone Validated program is BenQ Displays, becoming one of the world’s first companies to have the Validated certification for Skin tones for desktop displays. BenQ has achieved Pantone Validated for PMS Colors on select DesignVue PD and PhotoVue SW Models and Pantone SkinTone Validated for DesignVue PD3205U and PD2705U models, with select PhotoVue SW models anticipated to follow. Please visit www.pantone.com/validated for details.

“Pantone SkinTone Validated, an extension of Pantone Validated, provides designers and photographers with products that realize authenticity in displaying real-world colors and accurately representing the world’s palette of skin tones,” said Conway Lee, president of BenQ Corp. “BenQ has forged AQCOLOR Technology and is proud to join the global community of color professionals who trust the Pantone system to deliver accurate colors.”

BenQ will be displaying their Pantone SkinTone Validated displays at CES in Las Vegas between January 5-8, 2022. They will be located at Five Spot Room.

More partnership announcements for Pantone SkinTone Validated are coming soon.

Posted: January 6, 2022

Source: Pantone LLC

Vasu Kuraparthy Receives 2021 Cotton Genetics Research Award

Vasu Kuraparthy

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — January 6, 2022 — Dr. Vasu Kuraparthy, noted scientist and professor in North Carolina State University’s Crop & Soil Sciences Department, is the 2021 Cotton Genetics Research Award recipient.

The announcement was made today during the 2022 Beltwide Cotton Improvement Conference, which convened as part of the National Cotton Council-coordinated 2022 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio, Texas. Kuraparthy, who was selected by the Joint Cotton Breeding Committee, received a plaque and a monetary award.

Joshua Udall, research leader at the USDA-ARS Crop Germplasm Research Unit in College Station, Texas, and who served as this year’s Improvement Conference chair, said Dr. Kuraparthy has 1) led innovative research projects in cotton genetics including leaf shape, photoperiod sensitivity, and bacterial blight and 2) released improved breeding material for regional producers.

“Dr. Kuraparthy developed a NAM population for cotton that “will provide the genetic resources required to uncover the genetic basis of several key traits of cotton production. This population will be used for basic genetic research in cotton for the next decade and beyond.”

Dr. Don Jones, director Breeding, Genetics, and Biotechnology for Cotton Incorporated, said in his nomination letter that Dr. Kuraparthy has established a first-class cotton genetics program using a combination of traditional breeding and modern genomic tools at North Carolina State.

Jones noted that Kuraparthy has “released improved cotton germplasm, broadened its narrow genetic base, and published his results at a prolific pace. He has developed numerous genomic resources used by cotton researchers for basic as well as applied cotton research.”

Kuraparthy earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agriculture and Plant Breeding from India’s ANGR Agricultural University and Punjab Agriculture University, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in Genetics from Kansas State University in Manhattan.
He was a research assistant and research associate at Kansas State before joining North Carolina State in 2008 where he served as both an assistant and associate professor in its Crop & Soil Sciences Department before becoming a department professor in 2020.

Dr. Kuraparthy has mentored numerous undergraduate/graduate students as well as visiting scientists, in advanced genetic and genomic technologies. For the past four years, he has served as associate editor for Crop Science, a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal covering agronomy, and The Plant Genome, a triannual peer-reviewed scientific journal covering all aspects of plant genomics. He also is a journal article reviewer for multiple scientific publications.

The annual Cotton Genetics Research Award was established in 1961 by U.S. commercial cotton breeders to recognize and encourage basic research in cotton genetics, cytogenetics and breeding. It is administered by the Joint Cotton Breeding Committee consisting of representatives of the NCC, the USDA, state experiment stations, Cotton Incorporated and commercial breeders.

Posted: January 6, 2022

Source: National Cotton Council

American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA) Announces Its Pavilion For SURFACES 2022

DALTON, Ga. — January 6, 2022 — Stephanie Manis, executive director of the American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA), announced that AFA will host four exhibiting brands at The International Surface Event (TISE) February 1-3 in Las Vegas, Booth 821/918. “At major flooring shows, both here and abroad, the AFA promotes American and international flooring-related manufacturers, products and services that are positioned to make their mark in the industry,” Manis said. “If you want to see the next big idea, stop by the AFA Pavilion.”

Who you will meet at the AFA SURFACES 2022 Pavilion:

  • DeZign, NA is a family-owned residential and commercial waterproof and hardwood floor covering distributor. The company is located in Georgia and Florida and serves Canada through direct container and truckload programs.
  • FloorZap is a flooring and remodeling cloud-based software company with over 20 years of experience. Organize and streamline quotes, invoicing, contracts, materials ordering, scheduling, and much more.
  • Piedmont Commercial Carpets has offered highly styled, custom patterned carpets for over 35 years. Clients include hotels, offices, retail, restaurants, movie theaters, fitness centers, and other commercial environments.
  • SNAPTECH manufactures SnapCaps, an ingenious way that converts luxury vinyl planks into stair noses, creating an easy to install, durable, affordable, and attractive stair covering. It’s the perfect maintenance-free, long-term solution for any stair project.

Posted: January 6, 2022

Source: American Floorcovering Alliance (AFA)

Indorama Ventures Recognized In Global Child Forum’s State Of Children’s Rights And Business 2021 Benchmark Report

BANGKOK, Thailand — January 6, 2022 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, has been recognized as an “Achiever” in the Global Children’s Rights and Business 2021 benchmark by the Global Child Forum. The company has been ranked 7th out of 28 global chemical companies and is the only Southeast Asia-based company included in the Basic Materials category this year.

This recognition demonstrates IVL’s commitment to supporting children’s rights and child-friendly business practices in the workplace, marketplace, and community and environment by adopting Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) of UNICEF. The company has a wide range of initiatives that ensure children’s rights, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and decent work and economic growth.

Chief among IVL’s contributions to children’s rights is the Recycling Education program for the younger generation. The program aims at creating awareness and providing knowledge about recycling and waste separation, in which everyone can take part. By supporting youth as a priority, the program aims to educate future business and community leaders how to lead their organizations, communities, and other consumers in doing the right thing to protect our environment. During the past few years, the program has educated almost 50,000 people of which are students from more than 100 schools. Initiated in Thailand, IVL is now expanding the Recycling Education where it operates globally.

Yash Lohia, chief sustainability officer at Indorama Ventures, said: “As a global sustainable chemical company, we are committed to developing youth in our community through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At IVL, our sustainability practices are thoroughly reviewed to ensure children’s rights. We also strive to provide quality education in preventing the mismanagement of plastic waste. Our recycling education program will prepare children to play a part in driving the circular economy.”

The State of Children’s Rights and Business 2021 benchmark report is produced by the Global Child Forum, a leading children’s rights organization, and the Boston Consulting Group by surveying 832 large global companies in nine industries and assessing 27 standardized metrics from its Code of Conduct. This report focuses on the rights of children along with sustainability supervision based on publicly available information.

Posted: January 6, 2022

Source: Indorama Ventures

ASTM International Shifts January Committee Week Meeting In Houston To Virtual Format

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — January 5, 2022 — In light of COVID-19 (coronavirus) and ongoing safety concerns for members and staff, ASTM International announced today that the January in-person standards development meetings in Houston, Texas, are now transitioning to all virtual.

These decisions were based on several factors, including, but not limited to:

  • Input from ASTM International members whose organizations are increasingly concerned with travel;
  • Most participating committees opting to meet virtually;
  • Specific information on the high case counts and hospitalizations in Houston; and
  • Continued review of information and recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other governmental bodies

ASTM International staff will be contacting committee leaders to plan for virtual meetings or other alternatives for conducting committee business. Decisions about upcoming independent meetings will be made by the respective executive subcommittees working with ASTM headquarters.

Looking forward, ASTM International will rely on these and other relevant criteria and input points to assess the status of ASTM’s future standards development meetings and events.

View the status of your committee’s next meeting by visiting member.astm.org/meeting.

In 2020, ASTM International announced no-cost public access to a suite of more than two dozen standards used in the production and testing of personal protective equipment to combat the coronavirus public health emergency. For more information, visit www.astm.org/COVID-19/.

Posted: January 5, 2022

Source: ASTM International

Sorona® Introduces Global Preferred Mill Network

WILMINGTON, Del. — January 5, 2022 — One year after the debut of its Common Thread Fabric Certification Program, Sorona® introduces the Preferred Mill Network, a global catalogue of mills offering the full collection of sustainable Sorona subbranded fabrics — Agile, Aura, Luxe, Profile, and Revive. The network of certified mills is available to any apparel brand in need of samples and sourcing of fabrics scientifically tested to meet the performance and sustainability standards set by the Sorona team. Sign up for access to the portal by visiting Sorona.com/customer-portal.

“The impacts of sustainability efforts are best at scale,” says DuPont Global Brand & Communications Leader Alexa Raab. “Through the recent COP26 Climate Change Summit we’ve seen how much work there is to do in all corners of industry. We’re taking this step with the Preferred Mill Network and Common Thread Fabric Certification Program to further our commitment to transparency and ease of access to sustainable fabrics throughout the value chain.”

Since the debut of the Common Thread Fabric Certification Program, Sorona has certified 350 fabric mills worldwide and shipped hangtags for more than 43.7 million garments. Among the certified fabrics, the most certified option is Sorona Agile, the comfort stretch fabric used for spandex replacement in activewear and athleisure garments.

To qualify for certification, fabric mills must submit fabric swatches to the DuPont (or DuPont approved) lab for testing. Each sample is rigorously analyzed for a minimum content level of Sorona, as well as for quality and performance characteristics.

Certified fabric types include:

Sorona Agile — an alternative for any garment where spandex-free stretch is needed

Sorona Aura — lightweight insulation fill with unparalleled softness, outstanding fill power, and a higher level of thermal insulation

Sorona Luxe — natural fiber blends are enhanced with softness, dimensional stability, and reduced pilling

Sorona Profile — a replacement for 100 percent nylon or PET fabrics that offers improved crease recovery and a rich, soft handfeel

Sorona Revive — shape retention and dimensional stability without sagging and bagging

Made from 37-percent plant-based materials, Sorona is a high-performance fiber that offers unparalleled softness, stretch recovery, crease recovery, and resistance to UV and chlorine damage. From harvesting to production, the process for making Sorona uses 30- to 40-percent less energy and releases 56- to 63-percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the production of nylon. Fabrics made from Sorona polymer can also be dyed and heat-set at much lower temperatures compared to polyester furthering the energy efficiency down the value chain.

“Fundamentally, making Bio-PDO is the same as the fermentation process for making beer,” says DuPont Biomaterials Product & Global Application Development Principle Investigator Samit Chevli. “The use of Bio-PDO to make Sorona® PTT polymer gives the polymer some unique properties. At a molecular level the polymer has a zig zag orientation which gives fibers produced from Sorona® polymer a spring-like property. This provides much better resiliency (bounce) and stretch than other types of polyesters.”

Sorona® is a key ingredient in clothing from some of the world’s most popular and most sustainable brands. To learn more about the Preferred Mill Network and Common Thread Fabric Certification Program, visit Sorona.com/certification.

Posted: January 5, 2022

Source: DuPont

International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) Annual Conference 2022 In Davos, Switzerland Postponed To September 18-20, 2022

ZÜRICH, Switzerland — January 5, 2022 — Due to the uncertain and unpredictable outlook with regard to travel and event restrictions caused by the new Covid-19 variant “Omicron”, the ITMF Board together with the two co-hosts — Swiss Textiles and Swiss Textile Machinery — have decided to postpone the ITMF Annual Conference in Davos, Switzerland, from April 10-12, 2022, to September 18-20, 2022.

Regular updates on the ITMF Annual Conference 2022 can be found at: https://www.itmf.org/conferences/annual-conference-2021.

ITMF is an international forum for the world’s textile and related industries founded in 1904. ITMF members are associations and companies covering the entire textile value chain — producers of fibres, textile machinery, chemicals, textiles, apparel, and home textiles. The membership is from more than 40 countries and is representing around 90 percent of global production.

Posted: January 5, 2022

Source: International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)

EFI Focuses Technology Investment Strategy To Capitalize On High-Value Digital Imaging Segments

FREMONT, Calif. — January 5, 2022 — Electronics For Imaging Inc. (EFI) reports it will be prioritizing technology investments to accelerate growth in its fast-growing industrial EFI™ Inkjet business to continue to lead the industry in the analog-to-digital transition, as well as in its market-leading Fiery® business. As part of this focused strategy, EFI has completed a sale of its eProductivity Software (EPS) packaging and print productivity software business to an affiliate of Symphony Technology Group (STG). EFI and EPS will continue to collaborate with their joint customers and partners to ensure mutual success.

This realignment allows EFI to accelerate investment into its Inkjet and Fiery business units to capitalize on the growth opportunities available in existing segments the company serves, as well as drive expansion into markets that are beginning the transformation toward digital.

“We have never been more excited about the opportunity in the industrial inkjet markets and our ability to leverage Fiery, the leading Digital Front End (DFE) technology for digital color printing, to continue to drive the analog-to-digital transformation in all high-value segments of imaging — while increasingly serving new adjacencies including e-commerce, direct-to-garment, and other rapidly growing segments,” said Jeff Jacobson, EFI’s CEO and executive chairman. “We are making significant investments to continue to be the clear leader in the Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor markets.”

“The potential of the high-growth industrial inkjet markets is the impetus for us to accelerate our investments in market-leading products and services that drive the analog-to-digital transformation. Industrial inkjet imaging is one of the greatest opportunities I have seen in my 35 years in this industry,” Jacobson added. “The sale of the software business provides our industrial inkjet and Fiery teams the focus that will best position them for success.”

Industrial Inkjet: Capturing Unprecedented Opportunity

The industrial inkjet space is ripe with opportunity in existing and adjacent vertical markets. EFI Inkjet will continue to drive its leadership in high-volume, shuttle and single-pass inkjet technology, which the company has currently implemented in award-winning, high-performance products for the Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor verticals. EFI will also leverage its industry-leading expertise in hardware, mechanical control software, high-speed electronics, services, cloud-connected devices, and ink innovations to deliver the next generation of versatile, high-volume, superior-quality printers and presses.

Following the realignment, EFI is making investments in R&D to strengthen its position in core markets while entering new categories — including the development of technologies to address new applications for the textile space and for packaging.

“The future of print is digital, and this realignment further solidifies EFI’s technology leadership position and accelerates growing our innovation edge as a provider of the world’s leading digital printers for the Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor markets,” said Scott Schinlever, COO and general manager, EFI Inkjet. “This sets the stage for our customers to continue to produce more in less time, with less labor, at higher quality, with a reduced environmental impact, and will allow us to drive our level of inkjet knowledge and expertise into promising new market applications.”

Fiery: Driving Digital Print Innovation and Growth

The Fiery business unit, under the continued leadership of Fiery COO and General Manager Toby Weiss, remains as the world’s premier DFE provider, enabling the high performance required across many vertical markets including packaging, signage and commercial print with advanced Fiery solutions driving high-end printers and presses from many major equipment manufacturers.

“The Fiery portfolio of products incorporates world-class color algorithms, advanced cloud technology, and many other best-in-class proprietary solutions that reduce production time and increase print quality,” Weiss said. “Working in close consultation with our partners, the investments we are making in the future of Fiery technology will foster even stronger solutions – including leading-edge cloud offerings through an EFI IQ™ suite of products that continues to help customers achieve new levels of automation, accuracy and profit potential in digital printing.”

Productivity Software: Investing for Growth under New Ownership

EPS’ new owner, STG, is a leading private equity firm that focuses on investing in software, data analytics, and software-enabled technology services companies, and will support EPS to deliver enhanced value to its packaging and print customers and accelerate global growth. STG completed this acquisition on December 30, 2021. The price and terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Moelis & Company LLC served as exclusive financial advisor, and Sidley Austin LLP acted as legal counsel, to EFI in the sale of EPS. Paul Hastings LLP acted as legal advisor to STG.

EFI’s upcoming Connect users conference will be a joint event for EFI and EPS customers. Leaders from both companies will highlight their technology enhancements and product roadmap strategies during the January 17-21 Las Vegas gathering.

Posted: January 5, 2022

Source: Electronics For Imaging Inc. (EFI™)

eProductivity Software Becomes An Independent Company After Being Acquired By Symphony Technology Group (STG) From Electronics For Imaging (EFI)

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — January 5, 2022 — eProductivity Software (EPS), the Productivity Software Business of Electronics For Imaging Inc. (EFI) announced today it has become an independent global software company after being acquired by an affiliate of Symphony Technology Group (STG), a private equity partner to market-leading companies in software, data and analytics.

EPS, is a global leader of mission critical Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business and production software purposely built to empower the packaging and print industries. STG’s backing will accelerate EPS’ growth as a standalone company through organic and inorganic initiatives to deepen and broaden the company’s capabilities and further enhance its market leading position in the industries it serves.

“This strategic step in becoming an independent company enables us to bring greater value to our customers, as well as the packaging and print industries overall, by extending our collaboration with key industry technology players. We will of course continue to collaborate closely with our friends at EFI. In addition, we will accelerate investments in our technology advancements and modernization, in our level of partnership with customers, and in driving global organic and inorganic growth,” said Gabriel “Gaby” Matsliach, CEO of eProductivity Software.

“Through this process, STG took the time to deeply understand the industries we serve and got excited about our space, customers, and market position. We were impressed by their strong emphasis on growth through innovation and a highly customer centric approach and are looking forward to implementing together that future vision,” Matsliach added.

“We are very impressed with EPS’ portfolio of mission critical products catering specifically to the needs of customers in the packaging and printing industries. We are excited to partner with Gaby and his team, leverage our experience as investors in enterprise software and our historical success in executing carve out transactions, in order to further expand the EPS value proposition to its customers and further accelerate its growth trajectory through technological innovation and a customer centric mindset as a standalone company,” said William Chisholm, managing partner of STG.

EPS has more than 4,000 mid-market and enterprise customers globally, across all key verticals within packaging and print, including folding carton, corrugated packaging, tag & label, flexible packaging, commercial print, publication, mailing, and display graphics, among others.

Paul Hastings LLP acted as legal advisor to STG, Moelis & Company LLC served as the exclusive financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP was legal advisor to EFI.

Posted: January 5, 2022

Source: eProductivity Software

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