COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — April 7, 2021 — Continuous Composites successfully completed the Air Force Research Laboratory’s two-year Wing Structure Design for Manufacturing (WiSDM) contract through Lockheed Martin to manufacture a Low Cost Attritable Aircraft (LCAA) wing. The project focused on a new structural design paradigm, when coupled with commensurate materials and manufacturing, to substantially reduce costs and lead times for attritable airframe structures. Continuous Composites’ patented Continuous Fiber 3D Printing (CF3D®) technology successfully printed the structural carbon fiber spars of the wing assembly. Structural performance was demonstrated when the completed wing box was statically tested and achieved 160 percent design limit load (DLL) before the compression skin buckled. The spars did not fail.
The program included a range of technologies focusing on innovative materials and manufacturing processes, including CF3D to print the spars, long fiber injection molding for ribs, additively manufactured tooling, automated fiber placement for skins, autodrill and robotic assembly. More specifically, Continuous Composites printed two 8-foot-long, 4-pound, carbon fiber tapered C-channel spars. This novel approach to composites manufacturing features in situ impregnation, consolidation, and curing, resulting in significant cost and lead time reduction. The fully automated process features cutting and refeeding, enabling ply drops and variable part thickness within the structure.
The final wing assembly was delivered to the United States Air Force to undergo static load testing. The fully assembled wing was loaded to 160 percent of Design Limit Load. No measured or visual damage to the CF3D printed spars was detected. The printed carbon fiber spars achieved a 60-percent fiber volume fraction with approximately 1 to 2 percent voids.
“The successful work with Continuous Composites and AFRL’s focus on CF3D for this project not only advances new 3D printing technology but also offers the potential for aerospace-grade composite printing in high-performance industries,” says John Scarcello, senior manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®. “We recognize this process is paving the way for broader applications within both defense and commercial applications, and Lockheed Martin plans to be part of that future of advanced manufacturing.”
Ray Fisher, Air Force Research Laboratory Program manager commented: “CF3D presents an innovative manufacturing technology that shows great promise to be both low cost and agile to the production rate and responsiveness requirements to realize attritable airframe structures. The success of this LCAA project shows great opportunity for additive manufacturing with customized CF3D material solutions that can orient structural fibers optimally. It is especially attractive to avoid expensive tooling in manufacturing aerospace structural parts. I look forward to additional opportunities to incorporate CF3D in increasingly complex structures that are further optimized for attritable enabling production.”
“This project is one application where CF3D showcases the significant cost reduction and design freedom while exceeding the stringent mechanical properties required for aerospace,” concluded Tyler Alvarado, CEO, Continuous Composites. “Our team is very appreciative to Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Air Force, and other partners for including CF3D in this LCAA project. We are taking the next steps to select our long-term DoD prime partner while engaging the Air Force as evidenced by the upcoming announcements of our key involvement with AFRL PiCARD program in parallel to a five-year CRADA.”
WILMINGTON, Mass. — April 7, 2021 — Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) today announced the expansion of its tubular membrane product line with the launch of INDU-COR™ HD (High Density) — an enhanced technology designed to treat various industrial waste streams more effectively. INDU-COR HD provides a higher packing density of up to 300 percent, which makes crossflow filtration more economical while taking up less space. This new product configuration increases operational efficiencies and sustainability while reducing customers’ cost of waste treatment. INDU-COR HD’s 8mm PVDF tubule configuration is a complimentary offering to KSS’s existing FEG PLUS, ULTRA-COR and INDU-COR product lines.
“As a leader in industrial wastewater treatment solutions, we understand that every customer has a unique set of challenges and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for their operations,” said Taylour Johnson, product manager of KSS. “Building on KSS’ more than 60 years of experience and leadership in membrane solutions, our INDU-COR HD technology will provide our customers with an enhanced membrane equipment option that is reliable, efficient, and cost-effective.”
The new INDU-COR HD will be available in a variety of sizes — 4-, 6-, 8- and 10-inch diameters — with standard grooved coupling connections, and will have housing material options of FRP, CPVC, and stainless steel. The technology can be applied to new or retrofit applications such as streams high in emulsified oils, grease, heavy metals, suspended solids, and integrations with MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) throughout a variety of industries including metal working, food and beverage, oil and gas, and pulp and paper.
INDU-COR HD membrane products build upon KSS’ deep expertise in membrane filtration technology. Since 1970 KSS and its historic business units have pioneered commercially viable tubular ultrafiltration technology, beginning with the introduction of the clog-resistant FEG 1” PVDF membrane. Since its introduction, the FEG membrane product has undergone only slight enhancements and the FEG PLUS product continues to be one of the most reliable technologies used over numerous industries. KSS later introduced the 0.5” multi-tubule configuration with the ULTRA-COR and larger INDU-COR products.
WASHINGTON — April 7, 2021 — National Council of Textiles Organization (NCTO) member Parkdale Mills hosted Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) at the company’s Magnolia Manufacturing plant in Hillsville, Va., today to showcase the critical role the company and the industry has played in producing lifesaving personal protective equipment (PPE) to aid frontline health-care workers and the country during the pandemic.
Parkdale’s facility in Hillsville is a key yarn spinning hub contributing to a major face mask initiative bringing together several U.S. companies and more than 5,000 workers as part of the Biden administration’s pledge to provide 25 million reusable face masks to communities hit hard by the pandemic.
“Parkdale Mills thanks Senator Kaine for his leadership on policies that help bolster our company and the entire textile industry. We are proud to be part of an initiative that is bringing together American companies to produce 100-percent American-made masks for community health centers, soup kitchens and food banks across the country,” said Davis Warlick of Parkdale Mills. “With the support of our government and leaders like Senator Kaine, our industry is demonstrating its ability and capacity to make critical items here for the long term.”
Kim Glas, president and CEO of NCTO said: “We want to sincerely thank Senator Kaine for his leadership in supporting American manufacturers, which have played a vital role in our economy as well as the nationwide effort to produce critical PPE and medical textiles for a nation in crisis. We are grateful to the senator and the Biden administration for prioritizing domestic manufacturers and the U.S. workforce. The U.S. textile industry is a vital contributor to the U.S economy and policies that Senator Kaine supports help bolster the onshoring of PPE and critical items, which in turn spurs employment and investment in the American manufacturing base.”
Posted April 7, 2021
Source: National Council of Textiles Organization (NCTO)
WASHINGTON — April 7, 2021 — The unprecedented surge of imports at retail container ports that began last summer is expected to continue at least through the end of this summer as retailers work to meet increased consumer demand, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.
“We’ve never seen imports at this high a level for such an extended period of time,” NRF Vice President for Supply Chain and Customs Policy Jonathan Gold said. “Records have been broken multiple times and near-record numbers are happening almost every month. Between federal stimulus checks and money saved by staying home for the better part of a year, consumers have money in their pockets and they’re spending it with retailers as fast as retailers can stock their shelves.”
Imports hit their lowest point in four years last March — 1.37 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units — as the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold. But cargo rebounded and hit a then-record 2.1 million TEU in August as the economy reopened, eventually peaking at 2.21 million TEU in October. Under the current forecast, volume is expected to remain at or above the 2 million TEU mark for 11 out of 13 months by this August. Before 2020, monthly imports had reached 2 million TEU only once, in October 2018.
The surge resulted in months of backups at ports, which have faced labor shortages because of COVID-19 infections and equipment shortages because of the volume. The global supply chain continues to be strained by multiple disruptions, including the recent blockage of the Suez Canal. But Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said ports are beginning to catch up.
“Congestion at U.S. ports is abating as container carriers and terminals adjust to the new normal,” Hackett said. “We saw the busiest February on record as the ports worked to clear the backlog, and the number of ships at anchor in San Pedro Bay waiting to dock at Los Angeles and Long Beach is dropping.”
Only 17 ships were reported waiting off LA/Long Beach — the nation’s busiest port complex — in recent days, compared with about 30 ships a month ago, Hackett said.
U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.87 million TEU in February, the latest month for which final numbers are available. That was down 9.1 percent from January but up 23.7 percent year-over-year and the busiest February since NRF began tracking imports in 2002. A TEU is one 20-foot container or its equivalent.
March was projected at 2.07 million TEU, up 50.7 percent year-over-year, but Hackett cautioned that last year’s swings caused by the pandemic have “played havoc” with percentage comparisons. During March 2020, many Asian factories that should have reopened after February’s Lunar New Year holiday were still closed, and U.S. businesses were starting to close to avoid spreading the virus.
April is forecast at 1.99 million TEU, up 23.4 percent year-over-year; May at 2 million TEU, up 30.6 percent; June at 2.01 million TEU, up 24.9 percent; July at 2.04 million TEU, up 6.5 percent, and August at 2.08 million TEU, down 1.2 percent. The August number would be the first year-over-year decline since last July.
The first half of 2021 is forecast at 11.99 million TEU, up 26.9 percent from the same period in 2020, which experienced a major decline in imports due to COVID-19. Imports saw a total of 22 million TEU in 2020, up 1.9 percent from 2019’s 21.6 million TEU and beating the previous record of 21.8 million TEU recorded in 2018.
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
VIENNA, Austria — April 6, 2021 — Polypropylene (PP) is a highly effective material, offering advanced mechanical properties and being well suited for reusing and recycling. To support the large-scale adoption of ePP, Sulzer Chemtech is now launching a new and innovative production line. Developed together with raw material supplier Borealis, the resulting solution supports the end market efforts towards more circular solutions and is expected to cut manufacturing costs by up to 60 percent.
As opposed to conventional autoclave production methods, Sulzer Chemtech’s innovative system relies on extrusion with direct gas impregnation, offering an easy to implement alternative with a quick return on investment. Foam molders, such as packaging manufacturers, can implement the compounding line to considerably reduce the costs associated with material supply, warehousing and intermediate transportation. As a result, companies can offer ePP parts at more competitive prices while supporting the adoption of easy to recycle polyolefin applications.
Additional benefits include having full control over the properties of the ePP, such as bulk density, closed cell content and bead size distribution, as well as maximum flexibility in fine-tuning the recipes. Also, the highly automatized process keeps maintenance requirements low and simplifies operations. Besides, the extruded beads can be subsequently easily processed with standard steam pressure in steam chest molding machines to obtain molded bead foam products with specific shapes. In addition, Sulzer Chemtech and Borealis are developing an alternative that can use carbon dioxide, supporting different customer needs and plant settings.
“Collaborating with an industry leader like Sulzer has been a pleasure,” commented Christopher McArdle, Borealis vice president of Polyolefins Strategy & New Business Development. “Life demands progress. This innovation will further drive the adoption of our PP foam solutions, supporting the transition to a circular economy of plastics. This is how we re-invent for more sustainable living.”
Torsten Wintergerste, division president of Sulzer Chemtech, concluded: “We are extremely pleased with the advanced ePP production line that we have developed together with Borealis. The result of this collaboration truly attests to the extensive expertise of both companies. Using our latest solution, customers will be able to benefit from cutting-edge equipment with enhanced performance as well as high-quality PP for the production of best-in-class foams.”
VALENCIA, Calif. — April 5, 2021 — Mechanix Wear, a supplier of high-performance hand protection, announced today its all-new Torch™ Welding Series featuring top quality welding gloves designed to elevate protection for welders in the field. Mechanix Wear developed its Torch Welding Series gloves in partnership with Paul “Torch” Le Sage and a select group of skilled welders and fabricators from different disciplines. The gloves include a new patent-pending fingertip design and high-wearing Durahide™ Leather Technology as well as other unique features to create one of the most innovative and durable lines of welding gloves and accessories available.
Below is a summary of the four different gloves and accessories that make up the Torch Series:
Pulse TIG Welding Gloves features Durahide™ Goat Leather construction and glide-resistant side seam reinforcement for automotive, aerospace, manufacturing and construction welders.
Cascade MIG Welding Gloves features Durahide Cow Leather construction and glide-resistant side seam reinforcement for automotive, manufacturing and construction welders.
Flux Extended Gauntlet Leather Driver Gloves features Durahide Cow Leather construction, an FR cotton liner and torch palm reinforcement for structural and mechanical welding, shipbuilding, heavy equipment and pipe welding.
Regulator HD MIG & Stick Welding Gloves features a Kevlar® lining, which enables a ANSI A4 cut level, Durahide™ Board Leather construction and glide-resistant side seam reinforcement for structural and pipe welding.
X-Finger Heat Barrier is built with Durahide Boar leather and insulated with CarbonX®. The X-Finger is complete with yellow Kevlar® thread construction and a convenient adjustable hook and loop strap.
X-Pad Heat Barrier includes a CarbonX® heat barrier and heavyweight felt interior. The X-Pad is complete with yellow Kevlar thread construction, pocket inserts for the thumb and fingers and an easy-to-access storage loop.
SpeedKnit™ Heat Sleeves, two 18-inch sleeves with designated thumb holes, include 100-percent Kevlar construction provides heat resistance and CE Level 3 cut resistance. The machine-washable sleeves feature a Fiber-Shield® treatment that resists oil and other fluids.
“Across industries, welders require hand protection equipment that goes above and beyond the average work glove,” said Michael Hale, CEO at Mechanix Wear. “The innovative materials and structural integrity of our new Torch™ Series will be a game-changer for those who rely so heavily on their hands to do their job.”
Last September, Mechanix Wear announced an agreement with DuPont, a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, to license DuPont™ Kevlar, a cut-and-heat resistant material that meets or exceeds international standards for protection and performance. The new Torch™ Series is the first Mechanix Wear series to use DuPont™ Kevlar in select gloves and accessories to improve protection, performance and longevity.
Mechanix Wear’s Regulator HD MIG & Stick Welding Gloves were recognized as a DuPont’s Kevlar Glove Innovation Award winner in 2020. The awards showcased excellence in innovative glove designs from licensees that use DuPont Kevlar aramid fiber and continue to redefine the standards for performance and comfort in personal protective equipment (PPE).
“The welding and metal fabrication industry has a high glove turnover rate due to the lack of quality protective gear on the market,” said Le Sage, who has been involved in drag racing for decades and got his nickname from his background as a welder. “Our goal with the Torch Welding Series was to create much-needed protective equipment so professionals can get the job done — and get it done safely.”
Now celebrating its 30-year anniversary, Mechanix Wear continues to roll out a full slate of products that deliver superior fit, feel and function throughout the rest of 2021. The company also announced last month a multi-year partnership to become the Official Work Glove of the PBR (Professional Bull Riders).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — April 5, 2021 — John Hopkins, CEO for the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI-The Composites Institute, has earned a spot on Smart Manufacturing magazine’s “25 Leaders Transforming Manufacturing” list, the publication announced today.
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) credited Hopkins and his fellow honorees with revolutionizing the pace and scope of technological adoption of smart manufacturing processes at the highest level. SME consulted manufacturing experts from across a range of industry segments and disciplines to identify the 25 individuals, whose employers include public-private partnerships, startups, large corporations and standards organizations.
Calling these men and women “luminaries in manufacturing,” Robert Willig, SME executive director and CEO, said they are the movers and shakers driving the dramatic advances in the manufacturing industry.
“We’ve seen in the last several months how quickly our industry can rebound to near full production,” Willig said. “These leaders in manufacturing are pushing the pace of change in our industry, paving the path that leads to elevated quality, improved productivity, increased profitability and higher employment here in North America.”
Hopkins said the SME recognition is a “team honor” and it speaks to the collaborative ecosystem of innovation that IACMI — as a U.S. Department of Energy funded Manufacturing USA Institute — and its industry, academic and government partners, such as founding partners Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, have created to drive commercial outcomes for composites, specifically in key energy related markets that improve U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, lead to economic growth and support national security.
Under his leadership, IACMI has served more than 250 members across the U.S., catalyzing innovation with industry partners in more than 50 IACMI technical projects aimed at accelerating the development and adoption of new manufacturing technologies for low-cost, energy-efficient advanced composites. Since 2015, IACMI has sparked $130 million in new research and development value in the U.S., more than 15 new commercially available products, $400 million investment in eight states and 3,000 new jobs in the composites industry.
“IACMI has structured our membership to better serve their needs,” Hopkins said. “This past year has underscored the importance of having IACMI consortium members aligned and connected with each other as a community, and the broader connectivity provided by the Manufacturing USA Institutes as a network of these communities, so we can accelerate technical innovations and rapidly manufacture solutions to meet U.S. demand.”
Hopkins joined IACMI in 2015 as senior technology manager and, two years later, was named the institute’s CEO. Prior to joining IACMI, he served as vice president for research and economic development and director of strategic operations at the University of Tennessee. He earned his M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University, and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Smart Manufacturing profiles all 25 exceptional leaders in its April 2021 issue.
NEW YORK CITY — April 6, 2021 — Fred David (Como Diffusion Inc.) announced today that it has signed a long-term licensing agreement with Tempur Sealy International Inc. to extend the Sealy brand into the sleepwear, loungewear and accessories categories, in a deal brokered by IMG. Sealy Sleepwear is slated to launch in Spring 2022 and will be sold in select department stores, e-commerce channels, and specialty retailers throughout the United States and Canada.
The Sealy Sleepwear and Loungewear collections will include sets, coordinates, separates, robes, and accessories to encompass the brand’s ethos. They are designed with ease, comfort, and quality for the sleep you need to have a healthy & balanced life. The collections will be made of core essential fabrics, specially selected to improve sleep by maximizing cooling and breathability. Each style is specially engineered to increase airflow and comfort while in the bed. Premium, sustainably sourced fabrics will be available to support the goal of a more sustainable future.
“Sealy is the number one bedding brand in the US and a leader in the sleep industry. Sealy represents our focus to grow with the best and most influential partners. As we continue to deepen our brand assortment, we view the addition of Sealy as a step towards strengthening our licensed business,” said Andy Kirstein, president and CEO at Fred David.
The assortment will quickly expand to include Mens and Womens loungewear and sleep accessories by Fall/Holiday 2022.
Adapting to the COVID environment, AAPN brings new technology to the Network’s mission.
TW Special Report
The Americas Apparel Producers’ Network’s (AAPN) Executive Director Sue Strickland and Managing Director Mike Todaro have a long history of dedication to the members of the apparel supply chain in the Americas.
Strickland has run the organization since 1990 when it was known as the American Apparel Contractors Association. Todaro joined her in 1995. Membership numbers dropped drastically following the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement, but through hard work and a willingness to embrace change — opening membership to the Americas in 2001, later the world; changing the name first to the American Apparel Producers’ Network, then in 2013 to the Americas Apparel Producers’ Network to reflect the changing nature of the organization; hosting conferences in Central and South America; adding regional conferences across the United States to allow less-senior personnel the opportunity to participate in the network; and establishing the Carolinas Mill tour to help educate brands and retailers on steps in the garment production chain with a focus on the supply chain available in the Carolinas — AAPN is thriving and growing today and adapting to meet the challenges of the Covid and post-Covid environments.
AAPN’s annual meeting, traditionally held in May in Miami, has grown through the years both in attendance and reputation. As Todaro commented at the close of the 2019 event, “This is my 25th year in the AAPN,” Todaro said. “Every year, EVERY year, these conferences get bigger, better and more important. Meeting as a supply chain is unique. Meeting as the Americas is unique. Meeting with so many key industry leaders is unique. We’re a one-of-a-kind network that learns from ourselves. We featured eight agenda events, six speakers and two panels — a total of 17 people, excluding me and our president Tony Anzovino — and only four of them were men! Lots of networking, lots of business transacted, lots of relationships formed, lots of trust. AAPN put the Americas on the map, and in May the Americas met at the AAPN.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March of 2020, it became clear that the 2020 in person event could not take place. Soon, travel restrictions, a growing understand of Covid and new demands on the apparel supply chain were in full swing.
AAPN’s responses was to open up the Network’s online Sourcing Center to produce for the medical community. Strickland noted at the time: “Within 10 minutes of launching on March 22, the center had its first post. As of April 3, more than 10,000 have viewed the center, with 3,500-plus registered users and nearly 500 posts. Users have come from every corner of the industry including members of NAUMD (uniforms), IFAI (fabric), INDA (nonwovens), SPESA (equipment), SEAMS (regional) and AAFA (lobby).”
The response was swift and potent. “This experience has been one of the most ground-breaking validations of the power of trust-through-networking in the nearly 40 year history at AAPN, which has been under Sue Strickland’s leadership for 30 years,” commented Todaro at the time.
As the response to the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) stabilized, AAPN sought to use technology to fill the networking gap created by member’s inability to travel or meet in person. AAPN offered a series of “Fireside Chats” — virtual meetings with topics ranging from “The Swift Response – Activation Of Our Industry To Confront An Existential Crisis” to “Industry Insights From a Former Fortune 50 CEO” and “Traceability & Transparency”.
Now, the Annual pro:Americas Conference 2021 is on the calendar May 4, 2021, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with registration now open and closing April 27. As Strickland explained: “There is one new and exciting twist to the 2020 meeting. The event will be virtual, held in a massive multi-floor ‘convention center’ with attendees seated at eight person tables and moving table-to-table as seats open, sending notes agreeing to meet others privately, or one-on-one at a table for two. This is a bit of a learning curve but we are putting in place some tutorials and resources to enhance member’s experiences.”
The AAPN 2021 Annual Conference Agenda
Laura Phillips, senior vice president, Walmart, on its $350 billion Made in USA investment;
Dr. Juan Jose Daboub, president, ThinkHUGE, on its project top invest billions in apparel in Central America;
Steve Lamar, CEO of AAFA, on apparel industry legislation and sourcing post-pandemic;
Dr. Lynne Sprugel, CEO, abuzz global LLC, on her four Future Forum Innovation tams and their June report; and
Jesus Canahuati, CEO, Elcatex, on how Honduras is emerging from the virus and ramping up production.
Mike Todaro (left) and Sue Strickland
Strickland and Todaro sat down — virtually — with Textile Worldeditors to elaborate on the new technology and expectations of the May 2021 conference that will notably go beyond zoom.
TW: AAPN adapted quickly to going virtual, first with the sourcing center, then the Fireside chats, how did members respond?
Strickland: Enthusiastically. We were all in the same boat, trapped at home. With the Sourcing Center, our first response was actually from a non-member, so it wasn’t just members, it was the entire industry, sitting there shell shocked until a “call to arms’” activated our industry’s sense of urgency.
TW: In trying to enhance the networking aspect of the annual meeting which has become so popular, what solutions did you investigate?
Strickland: We knew that people were overloaded with virtual events so we had to be respectful of their time while still giving them access to networking, for which we are known. We knew we could recruit terrific speakers. The challenge was literally face-to-face networking. A Board member referred a small firm to us that would manage our event on a proven conferencing platform.
TW: How does the multi-floor convention center with attendees seated at eight-person-tables work?
Strickland: Every registered attendee creates a profile including name, contact, linkedin and more. The screen for our conference shows a large number of tables for eight. If you roll over that table you can see who is sitting there. If there is an empty seat, you double click on it. As you sit, you can see the other seven people on a typical zoom screen.
TW: What can attendees expect from the experience?
Todaro: Great, topical, useful, actionable content. WAY overdue face-to-face networking with long lost friends. Random break out sessions. Perhaps even a panel pulled from the audience. In other words, a high energy, no politics, deeply trusting AAPN event.
TW: The apparel supply chain has a heavily traveling membership. Do you think this will change? And what are your expectations for future in person events??
Todaro: Walmart told us they are going back to their offices on July 5. THAT will be a tipping point! We expect serious travel to be more frequent in the fourth quarter. The question of how one gets into or out of any country is going to be challenging.
TW: Is your Annual Conference the only major virtual event left for this year?.
Todaro: No. Last year, we hosted a virtual Future Form with over three dozen senior members. From that two hours came so much visionary forecasting we created an industry survey. From THAT came so many potential outcomes we created four Innovation Teams of three dozen members. Each team will present their conclusions, one virtual event per week, in June.
As vaccinations for COVID rise and the economy opens, the future of all industry events are coming into focus. Will the pandemic change the landscape of event offerings and expectations? No doubt, but if you’ve ever experienced an AAPN annual meeting, the environment where everyone in the room is accessible and welcoming of new relationships, will be craved by members and non-members alike.
WILMINGTON, Del. — April 1, 2021 — The LYCRA Co., has announced the appointment of Yafu Qiu, chairman of The LYCRA Co., and Julien Born, chief commercial officer of The LYCRA Co., as co-CEOs, effective April 1, 2021, following the retirement of David Trerotola. The co-ceo structure is intended to better implement The LYCRA Co.’s new strategic development plan for the next five years and will bring greater operational focus and tap into each leader’s experience and skills in the areas most beneficial to the company to solidify its industry-leading position and drive its long-term success.
Trerotola served as the company’s CEO since 2019, following the Ruyi Group’s acquisition of the business. Trerotola retires after 20 years of dedicated service to The LYCRA Co. and its predecessor companies. He began his career in 1994 with DuPont.
“I want to thank Dave for his many contributions to The LYCRA Co.,” said Yafu Qiu, chairman of The LYCRA Co., the company’s controlling shareholder. “Dave’s passion for the business was evident to me from the beginning, and I wish him all the best in this next phase of his journey with his wife and family. At my request, Dave will support a smooth transition of leadership and will be working with me and Julien over the next 60 days.”
Born, currently the company’s chief commercial officer, will serve as co-CEO and lead the overall operations of the company and implement its ambitious growth vision. Born joined the business in 2007 and, since 2018, led the company’s apparel business, where he managed the global commercial organization, helped strengthen R&D and innovation capabilities, and oversaw manufacturing assets. Born has also spent significant time in Asia, where he led that region over an eight-year period, with assignments in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Born has had a diverse 24-year career spent in the United States, Europe and Asia, as both an executive in large multinational companies and as a business owner of a full-service corporate licensing agency. A native of Switzerland, Born holds a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business and a Swiss baccalaureate degree.
“The board has appointed Julien as The LYCRA Co.’s next CEO,” Qiu said. “I am confident that Julien understands the opportunities and challenges facing the business and we are fully committed to supporting him and the entire leadership team on the new developments and performance growth of The LYCRA Co. to help The LYCRA Co. realize its full potential in 2021 and beyond.”
“I am excited for the opportunity to lead a tremendous team of colleagues at The LYCRA Company who are focused every day on creating value in the industries we serve via our unique brand portfolio, high-quality products, unparalleled innovation capabilities, and our global network of partners,” said Mr. Born. “I look forward to a close partnership with Chairman Qiu and the Ruyi Group to further develop our manufacturing capacity and accelerate the growth of our business, especially in China.”
Qiu, in addition to continuing as chairman of The LYCRA Co., will focus his co-CEO role on the company’s relationships with key stakeholders, board governance matters, strategic planning, and capital structure adjustments, including the strategy and timing of an initial public offering.
“The LYCRA Co. is faced with many new challenges in a fast-developing world,” concluded Qiu. “We are taking this opportunity to appoint Mr. Born and other new management team members to work on a new strategy to further build our brand franchises, expand manufacturing capacity, develop more impactful innovations with our global value-chain partners, lead the industry in sustainability, and accelerate our digital transformation. I am confident that the new management team will be able to further strengthen the leadership role of The LYCRA Co. in the apparel and personal care industries.”
