Rokoko Introduces Smartgloves, A Studio-Quality Hand And Finger Tracking Solution For Under $1,000

SAN FRANCISCO — September 16, 2020 — Today, award-winning motion capture creator Rokoko, introduced Smartgloves, a hand and finger tracking solution that captures every nuance of a hand in the most affordable way possible. Durable enough for fight scenes, but precise enough for individual fingers, the Smartgloves can capture the full spectrum of an actor’s hand performance, giving VFX, VR, game dev and digital artists a faster way to create better characters, and one less thing to animate.

“Rokoko is making the impossible possible for us,” said Brian Parnell, founder/director for No Matter Studios. “The price is amazing, and the Smartgloves are incredibly fluid and responsive. They also work with virtually any 3D package out there, which is a huge time saver.”

Rather than spending countless hours animating individual finger movements (or simply doing without), artists can now slip on the Smartgloves and act out what they need. The gloves track movement by using Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) technology — the same tech that powers Rokoko’s Smartsuit Pro, a wearable body solution capable of recording full skeletal movements anywhere, in the field or on a stage. Data generated by the user can be exported, processed and edited directly within the free-to-use Rokoko Studio as part of a larger digital scene or to be stored for later use. The data can also be livestreamed into other platforms, including Unity, Unreal Engine, MotionBuilder, Maya, Blender and more.

The gloves are made from a premium textile and leather material to be both durable and rugged, with seven embedded sensors placed to avoid restricting movement in performance capture. Whether used as a standalone device focused solely on hand movements or as part of a larger tracking solution, the Smartgloves can be seamlessly integrated into most existing mocap systems — both optical and inertial — including Rokoko’s own Smartsuit Pro. Smartgloves users will also receive frequent software updates at no additional cost. Planned updates will introduce additional functionality as well as increase compatibility.

“The number of projects that could benefit from motion capture is exploding around the world, but many creators have been shut out of the benefits solely because of costs and accessibility,” said Jakob Balslev, CEO and founder of Rokoko. “Part of the reason we originally founded Rokoko was to offer professional quality mocap to anyone that needs it, and the Smartgloves are the next major step in that direction.”

The Smartgloves join Rokoko’s other products in what is quickly becoming a complete mocap ecosystem. Along with the Smartsuit and Smartgloves, animators and artists can also have access to Face Capture, a facial tracking software available to anyone with an iPhone. All recorded data, from face to fingers to body, can be synced together in Rokoko Studio to create a complete virtual production, and projects can also be supplemented with materials from Rokoko’s Motion Library, the world’s largest marketplace for ready-to-use mocap assets. Free plugins are also available for most major 3D platforms, with more on the way.

The first batch of Smartgloves will begin shipping in early November, with future shipments expected later this year.

Rokoko’s Smartsuit Pro, Face Capture and Rokoko Studio are also available now through resellers and directly from Rokoko.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Rokoko

Koehler Paper Group Appoints Tobias Sternbeck As New CEO For Beaver Paper

ATLANTA — September 17, 2020 — Koehler Paper Group, a global producer of high-quality specialty paper, has named Tobias Sternbeck as CEO for the recently acquired Beaver Paper, a leading producer of sublimation media for the dye-sub and digital printing industry.

Sternbeck brings more than 15 years of experience delivering solutions for the sublimation and textile industries. Beaver Paper welcomes his expert knowledge of dye-sublimation, direct to fabric printing and fabric pretreatment. His dynamic approach bolsters Beaver Paper’s commitment to innovation.

Sternbeck’s prior professional experience with Mimaki Engineering as senior general manager for the Textile and Apparel Business Unit and group executive officer provides deep knowledge which he now brings to his new role of responsibility over the Beaver Paper Group.

“We’re pleased to have Tobias Sternbeck leading the Beaver Paper Group,” said Kai Furler, CEO of Koehler Paper Group. “As a seasoned leader in the paper and textile industries, Tobias brings a wealth of knowledge and will be a huge asset to both Beaver Paper and Koehler Paper as we move forward.”

Sternbeck will focus mainly on global sales initiatives, marketing, and researching and developing innovative products to meet new market trends.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Beaver Paper

Terra Firma, Allnex Announce New Distribution Partnership 

BALTIMORE — September 17, 2020 — Terra Firma is pleased to announce that Allnex has chosen the company as the newest member of their exclusive distribution network. Terra Firma will be representing a large variety of Allnex’s technologies throughout portions of its Northeastern and Southeastern geography. Please see Terra Firma’s website for specific state & technology availability.

Allnex is the global leader for industrial coating resins offering the broadest portfolio of resins and adjacencies to the coatings industry. Terra Firma will be focused on promoting Allnex’s extensive emulsion, dispersion and specialty water-based resin technologies along with solvent based 2K acrylic polyols, 1K thermoplastic acrylics and alkyd resins.

“We are excited with the addition of Terra Firma to the Allnex network of professional distributors,” said Ramesh Subramanian, sales director, Allnex LRA. “As with our other stocking distributors, Terra Firma has vast knowledge of coating resin products. They have a regionally focused business model that strives in relationship building. Terra Firma will offer outstanding technical support to our customers as well as service.”

“We are very privileged to be working with Allnex as they are a market leader of an incredible spectrum of technologies that have broad applicability across the diversity of our customer base,” said Kevin Trainor, Terra Firma’s vice president of sales. “Our team of Solution Executives are excited to be working with our customers on future formulation needs using Allnex’s products.”

Terra Firma is a privately held, bespoke national specialty chemicals distributor with a regional focus. The firm strategically covers the United States by recognizing the nuanced differences within the Northeastern, Southeastern, Southwestern, Midwestern, and Western geographies. This regionally focused business model emphasizes the company’s clear commitment to stay close to its customers; retaining the intimacy and value only localized and entrepreneurial distributors can offer. Terra Firma represents a carefully curated, balanced product portfolio comprised of market leading specialty chemical manufacturers to primarily the CASE, construction, and plastics markets.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: The Terra Firma Co. LLC.

EXPO PRODUCCIÓN® Announces New 2021 Dates

MEXICO CITY — September 17, 2020 — Tarsus México and Exposition Development Company Inc. (ExpoDevCo) announced new dates for the sixth edition of EXPO PRODUCCIÓN. The show will now take place June 15-17, 2021, instead of the originally scheduled March 2021 dates at Centro Citibanamex, Mexico City.

The organizers are committed to providing a safe, sanitary and professional event while maintaining the quality that defines Expo Produccíon. The new dates will allow the organizers, all participants, and the industry more time to plan and prepare due to the global pandemic situation.

The power of being face-to-face is essential for developing successful and strategic business relationships and the organizers are prioritizing the well-being of all participants that will attend the event.

Expo Produccíon has become a leading international exhibition and conference which includes textile engineering, production management, design and marketing, as well as the development of new products, technologies and research of the production chain of the clothing, textile and fashion industries, home textiles and technical textiles directed to all Mexico and Central America professionals within these industries.

This biennial show will present its 6th edition at Centro Citibanamex, in Mexico City, facilitating a bigger event that will allow exhibitors to showcase their latest machinery, equipment, technology, parts, products, and supplies for the apparel, home and technical textiles industries. The exhibition is highlighted with a comprehensive conference program facilitated by leading experts in the industry.

Tarsus México and EXPODEVCO thank all the exhibitors, speakers, associations, authorities, educational institutions, attendees, and media who continue to support Expo Produccíon and recognize the value this world-class event provides to the Mexican and the Central American textile industry.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Exposition Development Co. Inc.

Cone Denim First Denim Mill To Offer Forensic Verification Of Cotton Traceability

GREENSBORO, N.C. — September 17, 2020 — Cone Denim, part of the Elevate Textiles portfolio of brands, is excited to partner with Oritain, the product and supply chain traceability specialist, to become the first denim mill to adopt the highest level of end-to-end traceability possible

Since 1891, Cone Denim’s commitment to innovation and sustainable practices has defined the brand, dedicating its business to implementing the most responsible practices and innovative ways to improve performance on every level. This latest partnership reaffirms Cone Denim’s long history of industry firsts, innovation and commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing.

Oritain’s unique method combines forensic science and statistics to detect naturally occurring elements in the cotton itself, eliminating the need for additional foreign tracers such as spray or particles. Soil composition and other environmental factors give the cotton an inherent ‘fingerprint’ specific to each location — what Oritain calls the Origin Fingerprint. Once these Origin Fingerprints have been created, they cannot be tampered with, replicated, or destroyed unlike other traceability systems. Product can be tested at any point in the supply chain to verify origin claims. To date, Oritain has mapped more than 90 percent of the world’s cotton.

Steve Maggard, president, Cone Denim said: “Traceability and sustainability are no longer just industry buzzwords but strong-held values fast becoming the gold standard for our customers and the consumer. Our partnership with Oritain enables Cone Denim to be the first denim mill globally with the ability to provide documentable transparency that are admissible in a court of law, underpinning sustainable and ethical sourcing claims. Through scientific verification of cotton origin, customers can be assured that Cone Denim products do not contain any cotton from prohibited regions, offering an elevated level of confidence and scientific peace of mind to our customers and our wider stakeholders.”

Maggard added: “Innovation and sustainability are as integral to our company as is the cotton in our denims. Through this partnership we are able to combine sustainable innovation with industry leading traceability. Oritain’s advanced science requires no changes to the manufacturing processes, giving
us flexibility, scalability and ease of implementation, which are critical factors for us to provide our customers with the best product.”

Rupert Hodges, chief strategy officer for Oritain, said: “Traceability is a prerequisite for understanding your environmental, ethical and social impact. We are therefore extremely excited to be partnering with Cone Denim to provide scientific reassurance and certainty around those impacts — allowing Cone to communicate that message in an authentic manner and with full confidence in the claims being made. Manufacturers, brand owners and retailers are increasingly focused on ensuring there is transparency within their supply chains. A huge part of this is knowing and trusting where their product comes from, especially when claiming a certain provenance or ethical standard.”

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Cone Denim

Bostik Inaugurates A New Industrial Adhesives Plant In Japan

COLOMBES, France— September 17, 2020 — Arkema announced the start-up of a new world-scale industrial adhesives plant in Japan. Those new capacities will enable Bostik to serve its Japanese customers in the continuously growing markets of diapers, hygiene, packaging, labeling, transportation and electronics. This investment is in line with Bostik’s growth and geographical expansion strategy.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Arkema

PRINTING United Alliance Announces 2020 InterTech Technology Award Recipients

FAIRFAX, Va. — September 17, 2020 — PRINTING United Alliance today announces that eleven game-changing technologies have been selected to receive an industry-renowned 2020 InterTech™ Technology Award. The technologies entered for consideration were judged on their innovativeness and likelihood of having a significant impact on the printing industry. Those eleven solutions ultimately chosen will be highlighted during the Printing United Digital Experience in October.

2020 InterTech Technology Award Winners

An independent panel of judges deliberated over an outstanding selection of technology nominations that highlight the dynamic nature of the industry. More than half of the awarded technologies were digital presses and associated systems, including the first ever award for a textile press. Judges also recognized innovations in sheetfed offset press technology, web-to-print software, and solutions that streamline packaging print production.

The 11 technologies selected to receive a 2020 InterTech Technology Award are as follows (*listed alphabetically by company, with the technology named first):

  • Customer’s Canvas – Aurigma;
  • EFI Reggiani BOLT – EFI;
  • Esko Trapper – Esko;
  • GMG ColorCard – GMG;
  • HP Indigo 100K Digital Press – HP Inc.;
  • H&B ExcelCoat ZRW Web Coater inline with HP PageWide Web Press T240 HD – HP Inc.;
  • KODAK PROSPER QD Packaging Inks and Film Optimizer Agent – Kodak;
  • Komori GLX40RP Double-Sided Press – Komori America Corp.;
  • Uteco Sapphire EVO M Press – Uteco and Kodak;
  • Xerox™ Baltoro™ HF Inkjet Press – Xerox Corp.; and
  • Navigator DFE – Xitron LLC.

“Our goal each year is to spotlight technologies which shape the future,” says James Workman, vice president, Center for Technology and Research, Printing United Alliance. “Each summer, the panel of judges and I scrutinize each submitted technology to evaluate its degree of innovation and potential for impacting our industry. It is a challenging process to select the recipients since all of the technologies are impressive.”

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: PRINTING United Alliance

Picanol Introduces The TerryPlus-i — A New Benchmark In Terry Weaving

TerryPlus-i SmartShed

IEPER, Belgium — September 17, 2020 — The new TerryPlus-i is an airjet machine that is based on the OmniPlus-i which was introduced at ITMA Barcelona in 2019. Therefore, it has all the benefits of this state-of-the-art airjet weaving machine. This TerryPlus-i airjet machine was developed with our four design principles in mind: smart performance, sustainability inside, driven by data, and intuitive control. This means that it guarantees the highest level of fabric quality in combination with a higher performance.

“The latest terry technology makes the new TerryPlus-i the most performant and versatile terry machine on the market,” explained Johan Verstraete, vice president, Weaving Machines. “It doesn’t matter if it is high pile, low pile, high density, low density, complex styles, or simple styles — this machine can handle any challenge. In order to realize this versatility we have developed a completely new pile formation system where the user can program any pile height between zero and twelve millimeters, regardless of whether it is plain terry, wave patterns, or any other pattern and this is done on a pick-by-pick basis.”

Furthermore, thanks to the unique pile motor set-up directly driving the cloth and backrest movement simultaneously, accurate pile formation is assured at the highest speeds. The unique pneumatical pile backrest ensures optimum loop formation regardless of fabric design. The rigid yet extremely light construction ensures a highly dynamic behavior, guaranteeing perfect loop formation for even the most complicated terry designs – be it very light towels or heavy bathmats. Put simply, this is by far the best pile compensation system ever!

Special attention was given to ease of use thanks to a completely new human-machine interface. The new display measures 15.6 inches and it is equipped with all of the functionalities you are familiar with from your smartphone: touch, swipe, and the latest connection possibilities: ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Near Field communication (NFC – this is the technology we use when making contactless payments).

The TerryPlus-i comes with two possible prewinders: the Blue 22 and the Blue 11 (the one with separate windings). Both are equipped with the easy set function which manages all settings electronically through the display. Consequently, there is no longer any need for tools or special keys to tune the prewinders. And all of this can be done without having to stop the machine, which enables you to optimize and reduce the waste length to an absolute minimum.

An additional groundbreaking novelty is PosiJet, which comes in a four channel version and positions each main nozzle exactly in line with the reed on insertion. This means that there is only one setting for all four nozzles and no need for a reed with a conical entrance. The result is savings in terms of both time and costs, because these conical reeds are quite expensive.

The range of possible shedding motions — dobby and jacquard — has been completed with SmartShed for independent and individual shedding motion. SmartShed has been developed for those weavers who want to maximize digitization and flexibility in their weaving processes. The movement and the crossing of the harness frames is actuated individually for each frame by a separate motor and it is set fully electronically. This will facilitate the optimal setting whenever you are weaving a simple three pick terry or a more complex seven or nine pick terry.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: Picanol

NCTO Sends Letter To Lead House And Senate Committee Members In Support Of Congressional Action Addressing Forced Labor In China

WASHINGTON — September 17, 2020 — The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), representing the full spectrum of U.S. textiles, from fiber though finished sewn products, sent a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee today, in support of congressional efforts to address China’s use of forced labor.

The House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade is holding a hearing today at noon on this important issue.

NCTO sent the letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) and Ranking member Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)

See the full letter here.

Posted September 17, 2020

Source: The National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO)

Mask Made In America: California-Based Salus Supply Purchases Mask-Making Machine, Starts West Coast Supply Chain For Face Masks

California-based Salus Supply purchased a mask-making machine

CHICO, Calif. — September 16, 2020 — A Northern California-based start-up is now in the mask making business, producing non-medical, 3-ply nonwoven face masks. Salus Supply, a veteran-owned company, and the first and only nonwoven mask manufacturer on the West Coast, guarantees low prices and same-day shipping.

“We bought a machine so that we could make masks in America, put local people to work and help to reestablish a critically important supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE),” said Tovey Giezentanner, owner and founder of Salus Supply.

Salus masks are made from three layers of lightweight, breathable, nonwoven material, including a middle layer of melt blown fabric which provides an improved level of protection from tiny airborne particles and helps to reduce exposure to COVID-19 and bad air quality from wildfires.

The movement towards wearing masks during pandemics is well documented in history and why Giezentanner, along with two investors, took to the internet to buy a mask-making machine in March 2020. After finding a company based in China with a facility in California that made and sold mask making machines, Giezentanner secured a warehouse and ordered a machine and the necessary materials to start make the masks.

“Unfortunately, no one in America builds mask-making machines. Likewise, securing the nonwoven fabrics to make masks in America is almost impossible,” Giezentanner continued. “For the past 25 years, it’s been cheaper to import masks from China or other far east countries and as a result the PPE supply chain disappeared.”

In July, Giezentanner hired a San Francisco-based electrician to help communicate in Chinese and calibrate his new machine. By late-August, the mask materials arrived, and Salus Supply was in business. The mask machine can produce up to 40,000 masks a day and 1 million masks per month.

“We’re thrilled to be part of a national effort to re-establish the PPE supply chain in America,” Giezentanner continued. “It’s also been extremely rewarding to create local jobs, start a California-based supply chain in my hometown and make something positive happen in 2020.”

Salus non-medical, source control face masks are authorized by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization for use as source control by members of the general public as well as health care professionals in healthcare settings to help prevent the spread of infection or illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Posted September 16, 2020

Source: Salus Supply

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