Sherrill Furniture To Invest $2.9 Million To Open A New Custom Upholstery Production Facility In Conover, N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C.— December 4, 2021 — Sherrill Furniture, a high-end furniture manufacturer, will create 90 new jobs in Catawba County, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company will invest $2.9 million to open a new custom upholstery production facility in Conover.

“The furniture capital of the world is growing,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolina companies like Sherrill Furniture understand the advantages of doing business in our state and we’re grateful for their contributions to our communities and our economy.

Founded in Catawba County in 1945, Sherrill Furniture Company has maintained its legacy of manufacturing high-quality custom furniture in America for more than 75 years. The company’s custom upholstery and casegoods portfolio includes nine furniture brands for retailers and interior designers in all 50 states. Under the management of Charles Sherrill, a third-generation owner, Sherrill Furniture’s expansion will add a fifth production facility, and 140,000SF, to its roster of upholstery and woodworking plants.

“Backlogs within the furniture industry are at an all-time high,” said Thad Monroe, President of Sherrill Furniture Company. “We are 100-percent focused on substantially reducing lead times for our customers and are willing to invest heavily to more quickly fulfill orders of our USA-made products. We appreciate the support and partnership we have received at the state and local levels to ensure this same goal.”

“North Carolina continues to lead the nation’s furniture industry with triple the manufacturing activity of the national average,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “With the largest furniture manufacturing workforce in the nation, a large textiles and wood supply chain, and convenient location, we know that Sherrill Furniture will continue to find success for many years to come.”

While salaries will vary based on position, the average wage for all the new jobs will exceed the Catawba County average wage of $43,920. The total payroll impact for the region is expected to reach more than $3.9 million.

A performance-based grant of $150,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Sherrill Furniture’s expansion in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“Congratulations to Sherrill Furniture on this next phase of growth,” said N.C. Senator Dean Proctor. “This expansion will continue to grow our local economy and provide more great opportunities for our community’s world-class talent.”

Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Catawba Valley Community College, Catawba County, Catawba County Economic Development Corporation, Western Piedmont Council of Governments and the City of Conover.

Posted December 4, 2021

Source: North Carolina Office of the Governor

Spinnova-Suzano Factory Construction Makes Headway As Planned In Finland

HELSINKI — December 2, 2021 — Woodspin, the joint venture of the sustainable textile material company Spinnova and its strategic partner, pulp company Suzano, is proceeding with its factory project in Central Finland according to the original schedule. The production spaces are expected to be ready for technology installations at the end of next summer, and for the factory to be completed by end of 2022.

On the south side of Jyväskylä in Central Finland, one can already see the Woodspin factory complex take shape. The facility is the first commercial factory of Woodspin, a joint venture between Spinnova and Suzano, and a start to what will be some million metric tons of annual global volume of SPINNOVA® fiber capacity within 10-12 years.

The main contractor SRV has proceeded on schedule in the project, lead by local real-estate developer Jykia. The production spaces for manufacturing the highly sustainable SPINNOVA fiber are estimated to be ready for technology installations at the end of summer of 2022, and for the factory to be completed by end of 2022.

The factory complex will include Spinnova’s and Suzano’s joint venture Woodspin’s fiber production, Suzano Finland’s micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) refining, as well as Spinnova’s headquarters and some of its product development functions.

For Suzano, the MFC refining investment is the company’s first ever investment outside of Brazil.  
”Building an MFC facility next to the Woodspin factory is a very important milestone for us. We at Suzano believe in Spinnova’s technology that is the cornerstone of Woodspin,” said Director of Strategic Projects Ari Borg from Suzano Europe.

“The pulp is shipped to Finland in sheets, which mitigates the climate footprint of the logistics. Integrating the raw material refining into the fibre process is the most cost and energy efficient and climate friendly solution,” added Spinnova’s CEO and Co-Founder Janne Poranen.

Spinnova has also designed the factory’s energy solutions to ensure a low emission facility that runs on 100-percent renewable energy and recovered heat energy. In addition, the factory is planned to transfer excess energy back into the district heating network. 
”The only side stream of our process is evaporated water that is fed back into the process for the most part. Thanks to our clean production method, we don’t need an environmental permit,” reminded Poranen.

The investment also brings both direct and indirect employment to the area. Besides the main contractor SRV, the project members are e.g. Arkkitehtipalvelu Oy on architecture, Vahanen Jyväskylä Oy on structural design and Elomatic Oy on heating, ventilation and air conditioning design.

Preparing for the SPINNOVA technology delivery of the new factory is also proceeding as planned. Spinnova will communicate more on that in early 2022.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: Spinnova

Armand Ajdari Appointed Chief Technology Officer Of Arkema

Armand Ajdari

COLOMBES, France — December 2, 2021 — The arrival of Armand Ajdari is fully aligned with the strategic direction of Arkema, which places innovation and the development of sustainable solutions at the heart of its strategy.

With more than 30 years dedicated to research and development in international environments, particularly within the Saint-Gobain group, Armand Ajdari will bring his passion of innovation, his scientific culture, his experience of technological and commercial relationships with key partners and his understanding of the planet’s megatrends.

After a PhD in Theoretical Physics at the Pierre et Marie Curie University in Paris, and an engineering diploma at the École Polytechnique (France), Armand Ajdari undertook various multidisciplinary research activities within the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) for 15 years.

He then joined the Saint-Gobain group in 2007 where he held different positions, particularly as Senior Vice President R&D for the Innovative Materials sector.

Since 2017, he has been executive vice president R&D of the Saint-Gobain group.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: Arkema

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Begins Production Of Fourth Generation Recombinant Spider Silk Silkworms In New Production Headquarters

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — December 2, 2021 — Kraig Biocraft Laboratories Inc., a developer of spider silk-based fibers, announces today that it has begun production of the fourth generation of its specialized spider silk silkworms at its new production campus.

Having successfully completed the third generation of silkworms in mid-November, the company continues to grow the size and strength of its silkworm colony as it presses forward with continuous production operations. Since transitioning all of its operations to this campus, in August of this year, the company has increased the size of each successive production run and has seen a significant improvement in production yields.

Kraig Labs relocated Prodigy, the company’s Vietnamese subsidiary, to this new facility in the heart of one of Quang Nam’s agricultural districts to leverage better access to fresh mulberry and the temperate climate. Covering nearly 10 acres, this campus includes multiple buildings, including a dedicated laboratory, a separate rearing house built explicitly for silk production, and more than 7 acres of fertile land for onsite mulberry production.

As the company continues to grow its operational capacity, its existing supply of raw silk yarn is slated for spinning into custom yarns and composite fabrics that it will sell under its joint venture SpydaSilk brand. The company is currently assessing a number of potential textile mill partners to produce these fabrics as it works within the capacity limitations and lingering worker shortages imposed by COVID-19 restrictions.

“With the beginning of fourth-generation production at the new campus, we are exactly where we need to be,” said COO Jon Rice. “The measured and staged growth plan that we have put in place for this new facility has proven to be incredibly effective, resulting in consistent and reliable capacity expansion. Later this month, we will begin the next evolution of our operation with the opening of the onsite laboratory. This new lab will allow for in-process genetic screening and the tools to immediately increase our output by at least ten times and our vision of metric ton scale spider silk production.”

Posted December 2, 2021

Source Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc.

Peuterey Becomes A Bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland — December 2, 2021 — For some years now, Peuterey Group has made sustainability a concrete choice, promoting a change that can no longer wait. Convinced that collective responsibility can perfectly blend with creative ferment, the Group works to limit the environmental impact of its production, reduce waste and use recycled materials, selecting partners and suppliers who adopt the same social and environmental responsibility standards.

The group intends to contribute to a more equitable, fair, and prosperous society by engaging in the production of functional, inclusive, and sustainable fashion, designed to last over time.

As a Bluesign® SYSTEM PARTNER, Peuterey Group is committed to meeting the highest sustainability criteria, in particular with regard to resource efficiency, environmental impact, health and safety at work, and consumer protection.

The application of the Bluesign Input Stream Management system eliminates the use and release of harmful chemicals along the entire production chain. With its holistic approach, the Bluesign SYSTEM is the most rigorous standard for the textile industry, and adopting it means meeting these criteria without compromising the functionality, quality, or design of the products.

“We are thrilled to announce that leading Italian brand Peuterey decided to become a Bluesign SYSTEM PARTNER, showing their strong commitment to the responsible use of resources, responsible production, and responsible chemistry. We look forward to supporting Peuterey on their quest towards excellence in sustainable fashion” said Kutay Saritosun, head of marketing and communication, Bluesign.

Francesca Lusini, president of Peuterey Group declared: “Attention to the environment and sustainability are the founding elements of our corporate genetic heritage. This is why we are committed every day to improving our environmental impact. We invest in research and innovation to obtain concrete results and insert them into our production processes: we reduce the waste of energy and materials, we use alternative products, certified raw materials, and cutting-edge technologies. We select innovative and eco-sustainable yarns, fibers, fabrics, padding without compromising thermal performance, water repellency or durability”.

In the name of a #betterfuture, Peuterey also commits itself every day to put a stop to the irresponsible consumption of natural resources, reducing waste, according to the principles of the circular economy. Thus was born the innovative Peuterey Recycle project, a limited edition that creatively rethinks the recovery of archival materials, bringing scraps, accessories, padding, and fabrics back to life — 0-percent Waste, 100-percent Creativity.

Today, Peuterey Group uses feathers certified according to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) and Down Pass standards for its collections; Primaloft, a high-performance technological material used as an alternative to feathers for padding and made from 100-percent recycled synthetic fibers; GOTS certified organic fabrics; Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified recycled raw materials and environmentally friendly technical products such as fabrics made waterproof with the Teflon EcoElite treatment; ECONYL®, regenerated nylon starting from waste materials that has the exact same characteristics as that from a virgin source, but can be regenerated, recreated and remodeled indefinitely. Top performance, environmental sustainability, and design are thus perfectly combined in high-quality collections.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: bluesign technologies ag

Gerber Technology Hosts Hybrid Ideation Conference; First Conference As A Lectra Company

NEW YORK CITY — December 2, 2021 — In October, 1,700 people virtually attended Gerber Technology’s annual ideation conference, which marked the beginning of Gerber and Lectra becoming stronger together as one company. Gerber and Lectra announced interoperability between Lectra’s Modaris and Gerber’s AccuMark software as well as the launch of new AccuMark and YuniquePLM v9 releases. Lectra’s Retviews, Kubix and Fashion On Demand solutions were also introduced to the Gerber audience for the first time during the event.

Ideation 2021 was made possible by 25 technology, media and industry association partners who sponsored the event, inducing WhichPLM, 3DLOOK, and Kornit Digital.

“This year’s ideation marked the official uniting of two companies with rich histories in innovation,” said Ketty Pillet, vice president of Marketing, Americas for Lectra. “This is only the beginning of what we’ll be able to accomplish together to help our customers perform better and respond to market challenges faster.”

Each year ideation is the place where the fashion, furniture, technical textiles and sign and graphics industries meet to discuss announcements, innovations, and latest trends and challenges that are shaping the future. This year’s ideation kicked off with introductions from Lectra CEO, Daniel Harari and a keynote address from Deborah Weinswig of Coresight Research.

One of the main highlights of this event were the Fashion and Sign and Graphic industry round tables. These discussions hosted some of the top industry leaders and focused on what is going on in the industry and how we can navigate for the future. Participants in the fashion roundtable included: Colleen Hau from Carhartt, Mike Todaro from Americas Apparel Producers Network, Matthew Wallace from DXM Inc. and Leonard Marano from Lectra.

“Favorite part was the Fashion RoundTable forum,” one participant said. “I took so many notes from those industry leaders and their knowledge! Awesome that they answered questions people were asking in the live time too.”

This year’s conference also marked Gerber’s first-ever Pitch Competition. Six teams developed collections using Gerber and Lectra solutions and pitched their collection to a panel of judges composed of fashion experts, which included Bob D’Loren, Chairman and CEO of Xcel Brands, Jeff Karly Drouillard, Parsons Alum and Recent CFDA FFGS20, Sebrie Springs and Kimberly Carney, FashWire, and Christina Liedtke, Founder, Astouri. The two winners, FRWL by Nicole Lee from the Brooklyn Fashion Incubator and Virago Lorica Segmentata Collection from FABRIC, walked the runway for a live fashion show at the Gerber Innovation Center during a Customer Appreciation event.

Gerber and Lectra also hosted an Executive Forum which gathered 35 executives from various companies, including Steve Lamar from AAFA, Isaac Presburger from Preslow S.A., Goor Moshe from Twine, Michael McDonald from SPESA, Karen Williams from Savitude and Sherri Barry from FABRIC, to discuss what’s currently happening in their industries and how they see the future evolving.

“Two years ago, Gerber’s ideation conference introduced me to their microfactory that they were displaying in their Innovation Center,” said Sherri Barry of FABRIC. “ideation ended up being life changing for me because there were people of likeminds there that were willing to share and collaborate and help me and our fashion incubator come up with a solution for our designers where they could sustainably manufacture using technology. Fast forward two years, the microfactory and OnDemand manufacturing is a reality at FABRIC.”

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: Gerber Technology, a Lectra Company

BASF Increases Prices For Butanediol And Derivatives In Europe

LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany— December 2, 2021 — With immediate effect or as existing contracts permit, BASF SE will increase its European selling prices for the following products:

  • 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) by + 400 EUR/mt
  • Tetrahydrofuran (THF) by + 700 EUR/mt
  • Polytetramethylene ether glycol (PolyTHF®) by + 700 EUR/mt
  • N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) by + 1.000 EUR/mt

BDO and its derivatives are used for producing engineering plastics, polyurethanes, pharmaceuticals, solvents and elastic spandex fibers.

PolyTHF® is a registered trademark of BASF Group in many countries.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: BASF SE

Hexcel Partners With METYX For High Performance Carbon Pultrusion Technology

STAMFORD, Conn. — December 2, 2021 — Hexcel Corp. today announced that it is collaborating with METYX to manufacture high-performance carbon pultruded profiles made from polyurethane (PU) resin and unidirectional carbon fiber for the wind energy market.

The two companies have joined forces to develop technology that builds on Hexcel expertise in polyurethanes for the ski industry combined with its strength in providing high-performance composites to wind energy customers and expanding to other markets for composite applications. METYX is a manufacturer of high-performance NCF and woven glass and carbon, consumables, core and fabric kitting, molds, prototypes, and components for industries including wind energy, marine, automotive, rail and construction.

Claude Despierres, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Industrial Hexcel, said: “We are very happy to work with METYX to develop opportunities in the wind market using our expertise in polyurethane products. We look forward to working with METYX and sharing our knowledge and experience with their team.”

Ergenc Ineler, COO, METYX Europe, said, “We are very excited to start this journey with Hexcel. Our customers have very high expectations on quality and cost, and we are convinced that Hexcel’s experience in PU technology is very well aligned with our future as we start this new business unit.”

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: Hexcel Corporation

Tropicfeel Partners With Hyosung In New Sustainable Footwear And Backpack Collection

BARCELONA, Spain/SEOUL, South Korea — December 2, 2021 — Tropicfeel, developer of sustainably made travel gear made to bring the excitement of travel to everyday life, has launched its first eco-friendly weatherproof Geyser shoe made with Hyosung’s 100-percent recycled fibers.

Providing the perfect balance between a classic urban vibe and performance, the Geyser All Terrain shoe provides the weatherproof protection of rain boots, the lightweight comfort of sports shoes, the technical outsole material of hiking shoes, and the styling of your favorite everyday footwear.

Geyser, which is available in low and high cut styles and features a sock construction with Sprint Laces, is made with Hdry technology (feel dry) stretchy recycled waterproof membrane; a low impact 20-percent Merino wool lining, a blend of Hyosung’s Mipan® regen recycled nylon and creora® regen recycled elastane upper protected with a water-resistant finish; and an anti-fatigue, anti-slip rubber outsole.

“We wanted to link our first weatherproof footwear to two concepts — to continue the legacy of water-friendly styles, and to connect more with nature by removing our footprint and placing more importance on the environment,” said Alberto Espinós, Tropicfeel CEO and founder. “Hyosung has helped us achieve this with its sustainable textile solutions.”

Earlier this fall, Tropicfeel introduced Nest, an all-rounder backpack designed to satisfy the curious in their daily commutes, unforgettable getaways, and every hobby in between. Nest expands from 16L to 30L and offers great organization for every journey. It is made with a blend of Hyosung’s Mipan regen nylon, Mipan regen robic high-tenacity nylon, and creora regen elastane made with GRS-certified 100-percent reclaimed waste, in addition to its regen polyester made from 100% post-consumer waste — all of which help save valuable resources from being removed from the earth.

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Tropicfeel and its innovative travel gear,” said Mike Simko, global marketing director, Hyosung Textiles. “We are proud to join forces with such an innovative, young company that has developed a tremendous interactive and adventurous global community.”

Tropicfeel is built around an on-demand business model and has become a huge hit with travelers spanning the globe who care about the earth and want to simplify their lives.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: Hyosung

NCTO President & CEO Kim Glas Testifies On Supporting U.S. Industry In Face Of Unfair Chinese Trade Practices At House Ways And Means Trade Subcommittee Hearing

WASHINGTON, DC — December 2, 2021 — NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas is testifying today at a hearing on “Supporting U.S. Workers, Businesses, and the Environment in the Face of Unfair Chinese Trade Practices” before the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee at 10:00 a.m. ET.

In written testimony submitted to the committee, Glas outlines China’s rise to dominance of global textile and apparel production and its adverse impact on the U.S. textile industry, details ways to strengthen onshoring and nearshoring of supply chains, and provides recommendations on the critical policies needed to address these illegal trade practices and rectify inequities.

“China holds the dubious distinction of being the world’s leading purveyor of illegal trade practices that are designed to unfairly bolster a blatantly export-oriented economy,” NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas says. “These predatory practices take many forms, from macroeconomic policies that grant across-the-board advantages to their manufacturers, to industry specific programs intended to dominate global markets in targeted areas. The U.S. textile industry has been a longstanding victim of China’s predatory export practices.”

“China’s virtually unlimited and unrealistic pricing power coupled with its subsidies and lack of enforceable labor and environmental standards strips benefits and undermines policy objectives throughout the U.S. free trade and preference program structure,” Glas further notes.

“A program of maximum pressure must be developed and fully enforced to reconfigure textile and apparel sourcing patterns that currently place an unhealthy and heavily weighted dependance on China,” Glas adds. “With a strong trade policy holding China accountable, the opportunities are ripe to unlock further domestic and regional investment to bolster this critical textile and apparel production chain because of the important rules of origin for this sector.  We can nearshore more production, help address the migration crisis, and assist in addressing the urgent issue of climate change and create a win-win-win for workers in the United States, workers in the region, and consumers.”

Glas outlines key policy recommendations to the committee, including:

  • Enact tax incentives and other targeted critical investments to strengthen Western Hemisphere trade relationships and re-shore manufacturing
  • Close the Section 321 De Minimis Tariff Loophole
  • Step up enforcement of forced labor of Uyghurs and others in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)
  • Firmly maintain Section 301 penalty duties on China for finished textiles and apparel products
  • Immediately pass the MTB to help manufacturers with a limited list of critical inputs not made in the U.S. and review/close the mechanism in the MTB renewal which allows for finished products
  • Strengthen buy-American practices for PPE and other essential products
  • Block expansion of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to include textile and apparel products
  • Use trade enforcement in free trade agreements to mitigate transshipment schemes by unscrupulous importers seeking to illegally circumvent duties

Please view the full written testimony by NCTO President and CEO Kim Glas here.

Posted December 2, 2021

Source: National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

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