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INDA: Tampon by Sequel won 2023 Hygienix Innovation Award™ (c) INDA
20.11.2023

INDA: Tampon by Sequel won 2023 Hygienix Innovation Award™

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, connected absorbent hygiene and personal care professionals throughout the supply chain at the ninth edition of Hygienix™, the event for absorbent hygiene & personal care markets, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 13-16.

Senior-level leaders enjoyed presentations in these key topics affecting the future of absorbent hygiene:

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, connected absorbent hygiene and personal care professionals throughout the supply chain at the ninth edition of Hygienix™, the event for absorbent hygiene & personal care markets, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Nov. 13-16.

Senior-level leaders enjoyed presentations in these key topics affecting the future of absorbent hygiene:

  • AHP Trends, Innovation & Market Statistics
  • Redefining Absorbent Hygiene: Navigating Consumer Voice, Sustainable Innovations and the Circular Economy
  • The Proof Is in the Pudding – Demonstrating What’s Possible in AHP
  • Sustainability Inside & Out – Inputs & Packaging
  • Words Matter! Shaping Consumer and Industry Thoughts
  • Neither Fish nor Fowl: Designing Hybrid AHP Products
  • There Be Dragons: Tales of Innovation

The winner of the Hygienix Innovation Award™ was the Sequel Spiral™ Tampon by Sequel. The Sequel Spiral™ Tampon features a proprietary spiral design that is engineered to be more fluid mechanically efficient, meaning it is designed to absorb more evenly and not leak before it’s full. In August 2023, the Sequel Spiral™ Tampon received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device and the company will now begin a series of consumer trials, with broad availability expected in Q1 of 2024.

New this year to Hygienix was Lightning Talks and pre-conference webinars. Lightning Talks are short presentations covering new trends, products and ideas in absorbent hygiene. The pre-conference webinar topics featured the new Quality Audit Program from INDA and EDANA, an in-depth look at the period care product category, and North American trends and insights in baby diapers.

Back was a hands-on workshop providing attendees with information on the various absorption systems used in disposable hygiene products. This workshop focused on the components and interaction of the absorption system in common commercial hygiene products. The workshop was led by Jim Robinson, Principal, Absorbent Hygiene Insights, LLC.

Jim Robinson received the honor of being named the 2023 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award winner for his decades of technical advancements that have grown the nonwovens industry. Robinson has 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. Robinson has extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing.

Hygienix 2024 will be held Nov. 18-21, in Nashville, Tennessee.

More information:
INDA nonwovens Hygienix Sequel
17.11.2023

Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp: Flax fibres for Sailing boats

The adoption of composite parts based on flax fibres by the Marine Industry continues to grow, with major OEMs as well as smaller shipyards now aiming to take advantage of the reduced carbon impact and impressive mechanical properties they can provide.

“Over the last ten or fifteen years, several innovative flax fibre boats have been built and the fibre has started to gain significant traction,” says Julie Pariset, Innovation & CSR Director at the Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp. “In addition to the environmental benefits, manufacturers are realising significant technical and processing gains with flax fibre composites.”

“Flax is a very low-density fibre, with a high specific stiffness,” she explains. “It can be used to manufacture composite laminates with mechanical properties not dissimilar to typical E-glass composites and the coefficient of thermal expansion of a flax fibre epoxy part is also quite close to that of a carbon fibre part.” This allows the materials to work well in combined assemblies with carbon fibre composites and the flax parts are also highly impact resistant.

The adoption of composite parts based on flax fibres by the Marine Industry continues to grow, with major OEMs as well as smaller shipyards now aiming to take advantage of the reduced carbon impact and impressive mechanical properties they can provide.

“Over the last ten or fifteen years, several innovative flax fibre boats have been built and the fibre has started to gain significant traction,” says Julie Pariset, Innovation & CSR Director at the Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp. “In addition to the environmental benefits, manufacturers are realising significant technical and processing gains with flax fibre composites.”

“Flax is a very low-density fibre, with a high specific stiffness,” she explains. “It can be used to manufacture composite laminates with mechanical properties not dissimilar to typical E-glass composites and the coefficient of thermal expansion of a flax fibre epoxy part is also quite close to that of a carbon fibre part.” This allows the materials to work well in combined assemblies with carbon fibre composites and the flax parts are also highly impact resistant.

Flax fibres also provide acoustic and vibration damping in composite applications, as well as providing a warm and aesthetically pleasing appearance below decks.

ecoRacer30
As a member of the Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp, Bcomp, headquartered in Fribourg, Switzerland, has this year been working with Northern Light Composites (nlcomp), based in Monfalcone, northern Italy, on the creation of what is billed as the first fully recyclable nine-metre-long sailing boat – the ecoRacer30.

The boat is based on nlcomp’s proprietary rComposite technology – a combination of thermoplastic resins and BComp’s ampliTex high-performance natural fibre reinforcement fabrics and patented powerRibs technology.

It was built in a collaborative effort with the help of Barcelona-based Magnani Yachts, which took care of the composite manufacturing, and Sangiorgio Marine, which provided technical assistance as the boat was being assembled at its shipyard in Genova, Italy.

Magnani Yachts has subsequently become the first shipyard to hold an rComposite license and others are now being encouraged to adopt the technology.

The second ecoracer30 is currently under construction and has already been sold and nlcomp is planning to build a fleet of eight of these boats in time to enter a series of regattas in the summer of 2025.

Flax 27 Daysailer
Greenboats, based in Bremen, Germany, is another specialist in building boats from natural fibre composites and has this year launched the Flax 27 daysailer.

The lower hull of this vessel is also made from Bcomp’s ampliTex technical fabrics in combination with a sandwich core of recycled PET bottles. Using a vacuum infusion process, the fibres were integrated with a plant-based epoxy resin in order to further reduce the CO2 footprint of the vessel.

The light structure and modern shapes of the lower hull of the boat result in very fast, sharp and agile handling on the water.

Greenboats has also recently announced significant new backing from alliance member Groupe Depestele, which manages 13,000 hectares of flax land in Normandy, France.

Blue Nomad
A project in Switzerland has meanwhile proposed the use of flax fibre composites in solar-powered habitats designed for comfortable living on the oceans – as the world grapples with the frightening implications of climate change and rising sea levels.

As envisaged by students from Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St Gallen, Switzerland working with Denmark-based SAGA Space Architects, Blue Nomad structures would form modular blocks to establish large communities and oceanic farms.
 

Source:

Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp

Hygienix Graphics INDA
05.10.2023

Glatfelter, Mundeo, and Sequel to Vie for Hygienix Innovation Award™

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, revealed the three finalists that will compete for the Hygienix Innovation Award™. Glatfelter, Mundeo, and Sequel will present their new absorbent hygiene products to senior-level leaders at Hygienix, Nov. 13-16, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Here is a summary of the finalists’ products:

Glatfelter: GlatPure™
GlatPure™ is a range of bio-based absorbent hygiene components derived from renewable materials. This product range consists of a variety of plant-based and natural topsheets, an acquisition distribution layer, an absorbent core, a newly improved backsheet, and a landing zone. Crafted from 100% renewable fibers and biodegradable materials, and enriched with bio-based binders, GlatPure™ stands as the industry’s first fully functional, fossil-fuel free range of solutions.  

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, revealed the three finalists that will compete for the Hygienix Innovation Award™. Glatfelter, Mundeo, and Sequel will present their new absorbent hygiene products to senior-level leaders at Hygienix, Nov. 13-16, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Here is a summary of the finalists’ products:

Glatfelter: GlatPure™
GlatPure™ is a range of bio-based absorbent hygiene components derived from renewable materials. This product range consists of a variety of plant-based and natural topsheets, an acquisition distribution layer, an absorbent core, a newly improved backsheet, and a landing zone. Crafted from 100% renewable fibers and biodegradable materials, and enriched with bio-based binders, GlatPure™ stands as the industry’s first fully functional, fossil-fuel free range of solutions.  

Mundao: Diap’Earth®
From nature to nature: Mundao brings to market DIAP’EARTH®, an industrially compostable baby diaper. This diaper provides a circular solution to the AHP waste issue. Ecoconception (DIAP’EARTH is a bio-based & plastic free diaper) makes it possible to compost the diaper in an industrial composting facility to turn it into carbon where it can become fertilizer for soil. DIAP’EARTH has been successfully composted in major French cities.

Sequel: The Sequel Spiral™ Tampon
The Sequel Spiral™ Tampon features a proprietary spiral design that is engineered to be more fluid mechanically efficient, meaning it is designed to absorb more evenly and not leak before it’s full. In August 2023 the Sequel Spiral™ Tampon received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a medical device and the company will now begin a series of consumer trials, with broad availability expected in Q1 of 2024.

The winner of the Award will be announced at the end of the event, Thurs., Nov. 16th, at 11:30 am. Last year’s award recipient was Pads on a Roll™ by Egal Pads. Pads on a Roll is a wrapped super-thin absorbent period pad that dispenses like toilet paper in public bathroom stalls, preventing the personal embarrassment of not having a menstrual product when needed.

Conference Highlights
In addition to the award presentation, the Hygienix™ conference will focus on consumer-centric innovations, the circular economy, raw material advancements in sustainability, opportunities for advanced recycling in absorbent hygiene, optimizing the packaging footprint, new approaches for odor control, and market trends and drivers. Plus, INDA’s Government Affairs office will be in attendance to provide insights into recent regulatory and legislative issues. Participants can learn about how the current political landscape could affect the nonwovens industry.

More information:
Hygienix
Source:

INDA

05.10.2023

EURATEX and CIE warn EU Presidency about de-industrialised Europe

Ahead of the extra-ordinary Council on 6 October in Granada, EURATEX President, Alberto Paccanelli, and CIE President, Jose Vte Serna, call on the EU Presidency to develop a new competitiveness strategy, which can relaunch the European industry and ensure it will remain competitive in the decades to come. This means bringing together trade, energy, state aid and sustainability policies into a single, integrated, comprehensive approach, which can support a robust and modern European manufacturing industry.  
 
To consolidate a strong industrial structure in Europe, the Union should

Ahead of the extra-ordinary Council on 6 October in Granada, EURATEX President, Alberto Paccanelli, and CIE President, Jose Vte Serna, call on the EU Presidency to develop a new competitiveness strategy, which can relaunch the European industry and ensure it will remain competitive in the decades to come. This means bringing together trade, energy, state aid and sustainability policies into a single, integrated, comprehensive approach, which can support a robust and modern European manufacturing industry.  
 
To consolidate a strong industrial structure in Europe, the Union should

  1. secure the supply of clean energy at a competitive cost;
  2. support innovation and foster the necessary talent pool and
  3. be more assertive in achieving an international level-playing field on sustainability, based on the European model.  

During the past few years the implementation of incoherent and conflicting objectives under the trade, energy, industrial and sustainability policy has been observed. As a matter of fact, while the circular economy promised to be a recipe for a competitive industry of the future, the likelihood of pushing the EU industry out of the market and driving investment elsewhere than in Europe is very high. If this approach were to continue in the next years, it will result in a de-industrialised Europe, depending on imports from abroad. Such a Europe would be more exposed to geopolitical turmoil, with no agency to deliver its vision of peace, well-being and a healthy environment to its citizens.

It is fundamental for Europe to pursue a more coherent set of policies that put the competitiveness of its domestic industry at the core. In this context, all the industrial manufacturing sectors should be in the scope, including the textile industry, given its importance in providing essential products and applications to our society. A first impactful action that can be taken in this direction, would be to expand the scope of the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) to include the textiles and clothing industry.
 
The history of European industry is fully woven in the birth and expansion of the European textiles industry since the XVIII century. Still today, the European textiles and clothing industry holds a pivotal position in the market, encompassing a diverse range of sectors and applications. In terms of employment, our industry creates 1,3 million direct jobs in Europe, encompassing a wide range of roles, from design and production to distribution and retail. European textiles have a wide range of applications, the most common one is of course clothing and fashion. The industry has a long history of producing high-quality apparel, with various regions specializing in specific niches.
 
Beyond clothing, there is a wide range of industrial sectors were textiles play an essential role, including  Automotive (used for upholstery, interior components, and even lightweight composite materials), Aircraft and Shipbuilding (where textiles are employed for their lightweight and high-strength properties, to enhance fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve overall performance), Building and Construction (insulation, roofing, geotextiles, and architectural textiles), or Personal Protective Equipment, for medical personnel, firefighters, police and army officers. This includes masks, gowns, uniforms, helmets, and fire-resistant clothing, ensuring safety in hazardous environments.
 
Textiles are essential components of our society and our well-being. It is key for Europe to maintain its capacity to manufacture high-quality, sustainable and high-technology textiles.  With this in mind, the competitiveness policy of the future and the related funds to support it, should include the textile ecosystem in its scope.  

 

More information:
Euratex EU council Policy Hub
Source:

Euratex

22.09.2023

INDA Partners & Waterloo Filtration Institute: Partnering for the FiltXPO™ 2023 Technical Program

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is partnering with the Waterloo Filtration Institute to deliver the FiltXPO™ technical program on October 10-11, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The Waterloo Filtration Institute was instrumental in recommending program topics and world-class presenters.

Engineers, scientists, and industry professionals will gain the latest insights into the filtration and separation topics affecting the industry today and into the future. The program features presentations include: filter media technologies, advancements and opportunities in filtration machinery and equipment, innovations in clean air for homes and urban areas, standards and testing, industry trends and new developments, and filtration challenges and opportunities.

The keynote for this year’s event is “IAQ Is the New Black” presented by Suzanne Shelton, President & CEO, Shelton Group. Shelton will share the latest data around consumer views on health, safety, people, and the planet. Participants will gain an understanding of the filtration opportunities and the challenges manufacturers face in communicating the value of their products.

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, is partnering with the Waterloo Filtration Institute to deliver the FiltXPO™ technical program on October 10-11, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The Waterloo Filtration Institute was instrumental in recommending program topics and world-class presenters.

Engineers, scientists, and industry professionals will gain the latest insights into the filtration and separation topics affecting the industry today and into the future. The program features presentations include: filter media technologies, advancements and opportunities in filtration machinery and equipment, innovations in clean air for homes and urban areas, standards and testing, industry trends and new developments, and filtration challenges and opportunities.

The keynote for this year’s event is “IAQ Is the New Black” presented by Suzanne Shelton, President & CEO, Shelton Group. Shelton will share the latest data around consumer views on health, safety, people, and the planet. Participants will gain an understanding of the filtration opportunities and the challenges manufacturers face in communicating the value of their products.

A preview of the subject matter experts includes:

  • AAF Flanders – “Air Filter Standards Activity and What It Means for Innovation”
  • Ahlstrom – “Expanding Wetlaid Filtration Media Performance Through Innovation”
  • Air Techniques International – “Application of Automated Filter Tester in Quality Control Testing: Importance of Consistent Aerosol Particle Size Distribution”
  • American Truetzschler, Inc. – “How Really Good Filter Media Is Made”
  • CEREX Advanced Fabrics – “The Antimicrobial Nylon Advantage”
  • Elsner Engineering Works, Inc. – “When Does Automation Make Sense”
  • Hollingsworth & Vose – “Accelerating Membrane Adoption with ROI”
  • INDA – “Beyond Porter’s Five Forces – When Regulation Reshapes Markets”
  • MANN+HUMMEL GmbH – “Filtration for Cleaner Urban Mobility – Introducing Horizon Europe Innovation Action Aersolfd”
  • NatureWorks – “Optimizing Biopolymers to Improve Filter Performance – A Spectrum of Approaches and Opportunities”
  • Palas GmbH – “Influence of Temperature and Humidity to Filter Efficiency and Dust Holding Capacity”
  • Ptak Consulting – “Residential Filtration – Performance Against Infectious Aerosols”
  • The University of Georgia – “Recent Advances in Melt Blown Nonwovens and Filter Media Research”

New this year to FiltXPO are Lightning Talks. Lightning Talks are an opportunity to connect with new trends, products, innovations, and ideas with speakers rotating every eight minutes. Presenting companies include Ahlstrom, Elsner Engineering Works, Inc., Gottlieb Binder GmbH, TSI, and the Waterloo Filtration Institute.

The FiltXPO exhibition takes place October 10-12 and will run concurrently with the technical program.

More information:
INDA Filtxpo Conference
Source:

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

20.09.2023

TMAS Members at ITMA Asia + CITME 2023

Members of TMAS – the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – will be taking part in the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition, taking place from November 19-23 2023 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China.

Weaving
In the area of weaving, 93% of the 114,000 new looms delivered in 2022 went to Asia, according to the latest figures from the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), with China the top destination, followed by India.
As a result, TMAS members like Vandewiele Sweden AB and Eltex have a huge market to address that has been established over many decades.

Vandewiele Sweden AB benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of the market-leading Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.

Members of TMAS – the Swedish Textile Machinery Association – will be taking part in the forthcoming ITMA Asia + CITME exhibition, taking place from November 19-23 2023 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, China.

Weaving
In the area of weaving, 93% of the 114,000 new looms delivered in 2022 went to Asia, according to the latest figures from the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), with China the top destination, followed by India.
As a result, TMAS members like Vandewiele Sweden AB and Eltex have a huge market to address that has been established over many decades.

Vandewiele Sweden AB benefits from all of the synergies and accumulated know-how of the market-leading Vandewiele Group, supplying weft yarn feeding and tension control units for weaving looms to the majority of weaving machine manufacturers. It also retrofits its latest technologies to working mills to enable instant benefits in terms of productivity and control.

Yarn and sewing thread monitoring
With nearly 70 years of expertise in yarn sensor technology, Eltex of Sweden AB has been at the forefront of new product development. Its EYE and EyETM systems are capable of accurately and efficiently monitoring the movement and tension of more than 1,000 yarns simultaneously. These systems are suitable for various applications and fibre types, including warping, winding, multiaxial weaving and new material applications.

Eltex sewing tension monitors, such as the ETM422, have been well-received by customers. This device can monitor the tension of sewing threads in real time, effectively improving the quality and safety of sewn products. Particularly in China's rapidly growing automotive manufacturing sector, the ETM422 has seen widespread use to meet the industry’s escalating demands for product safety and quality.

Dyeing and finishing
“Digitalisation, automation and AI have become the key enablers for sustainable gains across the entire textile industry and so much has been achieved in the past few years, especially in terms of automation,” says TMAS secretary general Therese Premler-Andersson. “One area in which TMAS members are really making a difference right now, is in replacing water and energy-intensive technologies for the dyeing and finishing processes with new digital technologies.”

The TexCoat G4 non-contact spray technology for textile finishing and remoistening, for example, will be showcased in Shanghai by Baldwin. It not only reduces water, chemicals and energy consumption, but also provides the flexibility to adapt to a customer’s requirements in terms of single and double-sided finishing applications. The TexCoat G4 can reduce water consumption by as much as 50% compared to traditional padding application processes.

03.08.2023

INDA & EDANA: Pushing the Reach of the Industry’s First QAP for Hygiene Product Suppliers

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

INDA and EDANA, the leading trade associations representing nonwovens and related industries, joined forces to implement and support the industry’s first Quality and Audit Program (QAP) in the United States. This joint effort will increase the reach of, and support for, the program in the North American absorbent hygiene products and wet wipes industries.

Much like the harmonization of test methods years ago, this joint program has the potential to reduce complexity for both suppliers and converters of AHP and wipes. This program grew from the inefficiency of facing multiple audits from converter supplier audit programs, often assessing similar requirements, but according to differing standards.

The program went through a rigorous testing and piloting phase before being rolled out in the summer of 2022. Initially only available in Europe, the program is expanding its reach to cover Asia and the Americas.

More information is available on the EDANA website where converters and suppliers can register to take part. The program is based on a harmonized quality and hygiene standard, which facilitates an objective third-party audit. Organizations can also register to follow a training course to familiarize themselves with the standard.

Source:

INDA

20.07.2023

VDMA Textile Machinery: Planned PFAS ban threatens important textile machine components

The EU's planned ban on the entire group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) would endanger many industrial processes, states VDMA Textile Machinery. Textile manufacturing would be affected twice – by missing important chemicals for technical textile production and by the lack of indispensable textile machine components. The latter would affect the whole supply chain from textile machinery manufacturers and its suppliers to the textile industry in the EU.

The EU's planned ban on the entire group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) would endanger many industrial processes, states VDMA Textile Machinery. Textile manufacturing would be affected twice – by missing important chemicals for technical textile production and by the lack of indispensable textile machine components. The latter would affect the whole supply chain from textile machinery manufacturers and its suppliers to the textile industry in the EU.

Solid PFAS parts are widely used in textile machinery production, especially where extreme conditions prevail. Verena Thies, Managing Shareholder Thies GmbH & Co. KG, explains: “Our textile dyeing machines are world leaders and set standards in efficiency and sustainability. They work under pressure at temperatures of up to 140° C using highly acidic, highly basic and/or oxidative or even reductive chemicals. This is precisely why PFAS is needed, for example, in seals and rings, flaps as well as valves for a long-lasting and high-quality machine concept – because there are no alternatives with qualitatively equivalent properties. In addition, PTFE semi-finished products enable a sliding and gentle contact with the textile fabric in ecologically important techniques in the transformation of textile wet finishing."

PTFE and also FKM are fluoropolymers (fluoroplastics and fluoroelastomers), a group within the broad PFAS range of about 10,000 substances which would be banned for production, use and sale in the EU. They are high-tech materials, and as so-called "polymers of low concern" are not a danger to the environment, according to the OECD. Furthermore, these components are installed inside a machine and exchanged or disposed of properly. PFAS such as PTFE and FKM must be exempted from the ban, demands the VDMA in its position paper.

"In this way, the association also supports the approach taken in Great Britain. With the 10,000 substances, everything is lumped together, although the various PFAS groups are very different," warns Dr Sarah Brückner, Head of VDMA Environmental Affairs and Sustainability. "We should take our cue from the UK and look at the substance groups in a differentiated way."
Apart from several types of dyeing machines, PFAS components are indispensable in textile drying machines (e.g., conveyor dryers, tumblers and stenters) and damping machines. They are also used in fully automatic chemical dispensing systems and pressure vessels for thermochemical treatment of textile recycling material, heat recovery systems and wastewater treatment technology. This means that a lot of machines needed for a sustainable textile production would be affected by the PFAS ban.

VDMA Textile Machinery will take part in the ongoing EU public consultation. The association will describe indispensable key functionalities and conditions of use in the textile machinery sector as well as the consequences for the companies and the customers in the EU if the ban is imposed. The consultation ends on September 25, 2023, and VDMA urged its members affected by the planned restriction to participate in the consultation at an early stage. This is the only way to ensure that the broad scope of the mechanical and plant engineering sector is represented.

More information:
VDMA Textilmaschinen PFAS
Source:

VDMA e. V.
Textile Machinery

 

28.06.2023

EPTA highlights contribution of pultruded composites to sustainable construction

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

Increasing energy and resource efficiency in the construction sector will be key to the EU’s ambition of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. By enabling the manufacture of strong, durable and lightweight products, composite materials can help the construction sector improve its environmental sustainability, as well as reduce total lifecycle costs. The latest EPTA industry briefing, Pultruded composites contribute to a more sustainable future for construction, discusses how pultruded composites answer the need for materials offering high performance, faster installation, corrosion resistance and low maintenance.

The report is available to download from the EPTA website.

The future of construction
As one of the largest global users of energy and raw materials, the construction industry is under immense pressure to improve its sustainability. At the same time, it must respond to demands for improved performance and reduced total cost of ownership. New materials will be needed to minimise the use of natural resources, enable a reduction of carbon footprint and facilitate circular economy practices. Choosing the optimum materials required for durability throughout the lifecycle will be increasingly important. A shift to off-site production is also forecast, where factory-controlled environments and automated processes can improve quality control, lower waste, and reduce work on site.

Lightweight pultruded parts can be pre-assembled into modules or complete structures in the factory for faster installation on site. Lightweight profiles lower energy use during transportation and installation, and a longer service life combined with minimal maintenance can deliver a reduced through-life carbon footprint. Pultruded parts such as profiles, gratings, beams, tubes and planks are increasingly found in a range of building, construction and infrastructure applications. Examples include bridge decks, fencing, stairs and handrails, train platforms, cladding, utility poles, modular building concepts, and window frames.

One application offering large growth potential for composites is bridges. Composite bridges are being designed to provide a service life of 100 years and unlike steel bridges do not require regular repainting to protect them from corrosion. Over recent years, pultruded glass fibre composite has become a highly popular choice for pedestrian and cycle bridges. Pre-fabricated ‘easy fit’ bridge decking planks, pre-assembled bridge modules and complete bridge ‘kits’ are now available. Corrosion-resistant composite bridges are ideal for use near water or on the coast, and in remote locations where regular maintenance operations would be difficult. A composite bridge can deliver the same performance as a steel structure with a weight saving of up to 50% or more. This enables more streamlined bridge designs which require less substantial supporting structures and foundations, greatly reducing consumption of materials and energy. Lightweight also results in easier logistics and simplified installation. Pultruded are more easily transported to the construction site, with lower fuel consumption, and easier to move on site, often reducing labour requirements and the capacity of lifting equipment.

A lifecycle approach
As the construction industry looks to the future, the environmental and economic benefits of composite materials linked to easier logistics and installation, durability and low maintenance are becoming increasingly valued. More projects are demonstrating the benefits of composite materials and standards covering the design, fabrication and installation of pultruded profiles are making it easier for the construction industry to use them. With ongoing development and collaboration, pultrusion has the potential to contribute to a more sustainable future for construction and many other industries. EPTA will continue to promote the advancement of pultrusion technology and its applications and foster sustainable practices within the industry.

Source:

The European Pultrusion Technology Association (EPTA)

24.05.2023

Way2ITMA: Recycling technologies offered by VDMA members

In the run-up to ITMA, VDMA is presenting an overview of the textile recycling technologies offered by member companies exhibiting at ITMA. VDMA and its members are committed to a responsible use of all resources used in textile production. VDMA members create the technical prerequisites for the efficient reuse and recycling of textile raw materials.

In the spirit of the circular economy, VDMA companies offer solutions for the entire processing and production chain. The production programme and services include equipment and technologies for recycling textile production waste, textiles, textile auxiliaries or waste heat and for processing recycled materials into textiles.

An overview of the available technologies is provided here: Way2ITMA-Recycling
The short descriptions of the solutions offered by the member companies are structured according to the following headings:

  • Recycling of textile production waste and textiles
  • Recycling of caustic soda and waste heat
  • Processing of recycled materials

In the run-up to ITMA, VDMA is presenting an overview of the textile recycling technologies offered by member companies exhibiting at ITMA. VDMA and its members are committed to a responsible use of all resources used in textile production. VDMA members create the technical prerequisites for the efficient reuse and recycling of textile raw materials.

In the spirit of the circular economy, VDMA companies offer solutions for the entire processing and production chain. The production programme and services include equipment and technologies for recycling textile production waste, textiles, textile auxiliaries or waste heat and for processing recycled materials into textiles.

An overview of the available technologies is provided here: Way2ITMA-Recycling
The short descriptions of the solutions offered by the member companies are structured according to the following headings:

  • Recycling of textile production waste and textiles
  • Recycling of caustic soda and waste heat
  • Processing of recycled materials
Source:

VDMA e.V.

(c) INDA
10.05.2023

Four Nonwoven Industry Professionals honored with INDA Lifetime Awards

NDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced four recipients for the Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. Jan O’Regan, Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

NDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced four recipients for the Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. Jan O’Regan, Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

Jan O’Regan: INDA Lifetime Service Award
Jan O’Regan was the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Nonwovens Marketing, for Cotton Incorporated and retired in 2022. In this capacity, she uncovered new opportunities for cotton to bring value into the nonwovens industry. Her work included leading efforts in strategic planning, technical and market project management, and sharing new ideas and results with the global supply chain.
O’Regan spent over four decades in the nonwovens industry in various roles, including sales, marketing, strategic planning and business management. Market responsibilities included consumer and industrial markets on regional, national, and global teams. Over the most recent years, she applied these broad experiences to new markets for cotton in nontraditional applications.
Serving and volunteering with INDA for decades, O’Regan most recently chaired the World of Wipes® committee, which she efficiently organized to produce innovative conferences for the wipes industry.  She was a frequent speaker at INDA, INSIGHT, EDANA, and other events, and for nearly two decades was a go to source of information for cotton fibers in nonwovens and hygiene. O’Regan earned a BS in Textiles and Business, summa cum laude, from Penn State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Seshadri Ramkumar: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Seshadri Ramkumar has over twenty-five years of experience within the technical nonwovens space, conducting industry leading research and educating nonwovens professionals at Texas Tech University (TTU).  At TTU, he established the Nonwovens Laboratory. Many of Ramkumar’s students have gone on to become technical leaders within their organizations and the nonwovens industry.
Ramkumar has numerous patent and invention disclosures, including Fibertect® toxic chemical decontamination wipes which have been recognized by the American Chemical Society as a notable success of federally supported innovation, endorsed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and adopted by multiple branches of the military.
In addition to many peer-reviewed publications, articles, and columns collectively over 500, including one on nanofibers that has been cited over 2,100 times, Ramkumar has contributed his expertise on the editorial boards of multiple fiber, nonwoven, and textile journals. Ramkumar has also organized conferences for nonwovens and textiles and actively promoted INDA and its technical training offerings for over 20 years.
He is a longtime member of the INDA Technical Advisory Board, been recognized by TAPPI, Society of Dyers and Colorists (UK), the Textile Institute (UK), and the Textile Association (INDIA), and received numerous awards from TTU.
Ramkumar holds a Bachelors of Technology (Textiles), Graduated with Distinction, and a Masters of Technology (Textiles), University First Rank in the Discipline, Anna University, and a Ph.D. (Textile Materials) from the University of Leeds, UK.

Jim Robinson: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Jim Robinson has 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. He led technical teams that focused on the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in hygiene products. Robinson has extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing. While with BASF, Robinson led efforts with multiple external companies to provide co-supplier solutions to hygiene converters.
Robinson’s extensive understanding of test methods and test method development led to his coordinating the establishment of fitness for use standards of adult incontinent products with the National Association for Continence and involvement in development and review of absorbent product test methods with INDA/EDANA. He is also an active contributor to INDA’s Technical Advisory Board and Hygienix organizing committee and was a contributing developer in establishing the INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course. Robinson has provided numerous presentations at INSIGHT, Hygienix, and RISE on performance and interactions of absorbent system components.
Recently, Robinson has been consulting and contributing to the success of multiple start-ups including those having been nominated for INDA product awards. Robinson has a BS in Chemistry from Hampden-Sydney College and an MS in Chemistry from Duke University.

Ed Thomas: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Ed Thomas retired after 39 years, with 32 years in the nonwovens industry, and has remained active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.
Thomas’ experience includes Process Engineering Manager and Plant Management, DuPont; Technical Director, Reemay; VP of Research and Operations, VP of Operations and Technology, and Global VP of Research and Development for Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens; and Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality Nonwovens.
Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse innovations that have played significant roles in the success of the nonwovens industry. These include applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.
During his career, Thomas has presented several keynote addresses and papers to industry conferences, participated in North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) prior to it becoming The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, INDA’s Sustainability Committee, and was Vice Chair of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board prior to retirement and remains an Emeritus member.
Thomas received his mechanical engineering degree from SUNY Buffalo.

02.03.2023

VDMA: Way2ITMA

100 days before ITMA 2023 in Milan, VDMA Textile Machinery launched its “Way2ITMA” webinar series. “Transforming the World of Textiles: efficient – digital – circular”. Under this heading, VDMA technology providers will present their solutions along the value chain.

Speakers of the virtual event were Dr. Janpeter Horn, Chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association and Managing Director of August Herzog Maschinenfabrik, Dirk Vantyghem, Director General, EURATEX, Francis Elias Junker, Area Sales Manager, Andritz Laroche and Tanja Karila, Chief Marketing Officer, Infinited Fiber Company.

With regard to the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, Dr. Horn said: “This topic concerns all of us, consumers and producers. We as machinery builders position ourselves as enablers. We want to be part of the solution of this ambitious project”.

100 days before ITMA 2023 in Milan, VDMA Textile Machinery launched its “Way2ITMA” webinar series. “Transforming the World of Textiles: efficient – digital – circular”. Under this heading, VDMA technology providers will present their solutions along the value chain.

Speakers of the virtual event were Dr. Janpeter Horn, Chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association and Managing Director of August Herzog Maschinenfabrik, Dirk Vantyghem, Director General, EURATEX, Francis Elias Junker, Area Sales Manager, Andritz Laroche and Tanja Karila, Chief Marketing Officer, Infinited Fiber Company.

With regard to the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles, Dr. Horn said: “This topic concerns all of us, consumers and producers. We as machinery builders position ourselves as enablers. We want to be part of the solution of this ambitious project”.

Dirk Vantyghem introduced the core issues of the EU textile strategy launched in 2022, which is the most ambitious plan ever, to push the textile sector towards sustainability and transparency, and promote a new circular business model. If wrongly designed, that new framework may collapse the European textile value chain. But if done rightly, the changes ahead could bring a paradigm shift in the sector, where competitiveness is no longer based on price only, but also on sustainability and innovation, explained Vantyghem.

Francis Elias Junker showed high level of expertise for mechanical textile recycling for both spinning and nonwovens industries that Andritz has. The company has a diversity of solutions to offer and several cooperation partners, covering the value chain from recovery of fiber to the chemical modification and preparation for the production of yarn.

Tanja Karila gave an overview of how Infinited Fiber is turning textile waste into new fibers. Patented technology turns post-consumer textile waste into brand new premium quality fibers for the textile industry. The textile-to-textile recycling technology captures the value in waste that would otherwise be landfilled or burned.

More information:
ITMA 2023 Sustainability Webinar
Source:

VDMA e. V.
Textile Machinery

30.12.2022

Composites United declares membership in Composites Germany

Society and the economy are facing existential challenges. In addition to the consequences of climate change, these include the realisation that energy and many resources are no longer available in the usual quantities, so that their efficiency must be significantly increased in the short term. Lightweight construction, especially with fibre composite materials, can and will make an important contribution here, e.g. in wind power plants or hydrogen storage systems. As an umbrella organisation, Composites Germany represents the capabilities and interests of the German fibre composite industry. With the re-entry of Composites United, Composites Germany will combine the forces of the two leading composites networks in Germany and its position will be significantly strengthened. Changed framework conditions make the re-entry possible and necessary.

Society and the economy are facing existential challenges. In addition to the consequences of climate change, these include the realisation that energy and many resources are no longer available in the usual quantities, so that their efficiency must be significantly increased in the short term. Lightweight construction, especially with fibre composite materials, can and will make an important contribution here, e.g. in wind power plants or hydrogen storage systems. As an umbrella organisation, Composites Germany represents the capabilities and interests of the German fibre composite industry. With the re-entry of Composites United, Composites Germany will combine the forces of the two leading composites networks in Germany and its position will be significantly strengthened. Changed framework conditions make the re-entry possible and necessary.

VDMA and Leichtbau BW will continue to support the work of Composites Germany as associate members and contribute the know-how of their members. Together, the organisations will promote sustainable lightweight construction as a key technology for Germany, focusing on composites materials, says Prof. Klaus Drechsler of Composites United, one of the two board members of Composites Germany. As a network and mouthpiece of the composites industry, Composites Germany bundles the interests of its members. The aim is to continuously expand activities, promote innovations and technologies, develop new markets and new value chains, and anchor training and further education, adds his board colleague Dr Michael Effing of AVK. The agreement was concluded on 29 November 2022 during the JEC Forum DACH in Augsburg, where both associations were cooperation partners of the event.

Source:

Composites Germany

Photo VDMA
12.12.2022

Young Talent Award for AI supported production control of carbon fibres

  • Formula 1 cars will be cheaper in future

Carbon is the stuff Formula 1 cars are made of, at least the bodywork. But until now, carbon has been expensive. It can be produced more cheaply and efficiently if artificial intelligence monitors the production processes. A camera system combined with artificial intelligence automatically detects defects in the production of carbon fibres. This makes expensive manual inspection of the carbon fibres obsolete and the production price of the carbon fibre can be reduced in the long term.

For this idea, the young engineer Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the second prize of the "Digitalisation in Mechanical Engineering" Young Talent Award on 6 December.

  • Formula 1 cars will be cheaper in future

Carbon is the stuff Formula 1 cars are made of, at least the bodywork. But until now, carbon has been expensive. It can be produced more cheaply and efficiently if artificial intelligence monitors the production processes. A camera system combined with artificial intelligence automatically detects defects in the production of carbon fibres. This makes expensive manual inspection of the carbon fibres obsolete and the production price of the carbon fibre can be reduced in the long term.

For this idea, the young engineer Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the second prize of the "Digitalisation in Mechanical Engineering" Young Talent Award on 6 December.

Carbon fibres are sought after because of their good properties. They are very light - they weigh up to 50 percent less than aluminium. The combination of low weight and good mechanical properties offers many advantages. Especially in times of the energy transition, lightweight materials like carbon are more relevant than ever before. At the same time, carbon fibres are as resistant to external stresses as metals. However, achieving these good properties of carbon fibres is very complex.


Up to 300 individual fibre strands - bundles of individual fibres - have to be monitored simultaneously during production. If carbon fibres tear, it costs time and money to sort out the damaged fibres. This is just one example of various defects that can occur in the fibres during production.


Therefore, Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt attached a camera to the carbon fibre line that takes pictures of various fibre defects during production and collects them in a database. The artificial intelligence in the camera's information technology system evaluates the fibre defects by assigning the images to predefined reference defects. In doing so, it recognises various fibre defects with a classification accuracy of 99 per cent. The process can also be used in other areas that produce chemical fibres.

Deniz Sinan Yesilyurt received the prize from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He is a Bachelor's graduate at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University. The full title of his bachelor's thesis is: "Development of a Kl-supported process monitoring using machine learning to detect fibre damage in the stabilisation process". The VDMA awarded the prize to a total of four theses from different universities. The prize is awarded for outstanding theses and was offered in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Source:

ITA – Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen Universit

Copyright: MK-Fotografie & JECDachforum
from left to right: Dirk Punke, Gerhard Lettl, Dr. Michael Effing, AVK-GF Dr. Elmar Witten, Prof. Jens Ridzewski, Michael Polotzki
08.12.2022

AVK Federation of Reinforced Plastics board unanimously re-elected

The German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) re-elected its previous Board on 29 November 2022 in Augsburg during the regular Board elections at the JEC Forum DACH.

At the constituent board meeting on 6 December 2022, the board positions were also confirmed. Dr. Michael Effing, Managing Director of AMAC GmbH, remains Chairman of the Board, and Dirk Punke, Managing Director of BÜFA Thermoplastics Composites GmbH, is Deputy Chairman. Treasurer is Prof. Jens Ridzewski, IMA Materialforschung und Anwendungstechnik GmbH, the other board members: Gerhard Lettl, Managing Director C.F. Maier Europlast GmbH & Co. KG and Michael Polotzki, Managing Director Menzolit S.r.L. The board is officially in office for three years from 1.1.2023.

"It's nice to see the Board's work so well evaluated that there is no doubt that this will continue for the next legislative period. We are very much looking forward to that," explains Managing Director Dr Elmar Witten, the members' vote. The general meeting took place during the JEC Forum DACH.

The German Federation of Reinforced Plastics (AVK) re-elected its previous Board on 29 November 2022 in Augsburg during the regular Board elections at the JEC Forum DACH.

At the constituent board meeting on 6 December 2022, the board positions were also confirmed. Dr. Michael Effing, Managing Director of AMAC GmbH, remains Chairman of the Board, and Dirk Punke, Managing Director of BÜFA Thermoplastics Composites GmbH, is Deputy Chairman. Treasurer is Prof. Jens Ridzewski, IMA Materialforschung und Anwendungstechnik GmbH, the other board members: Gerhard Lettl, Managing Director C.F. Maier Europlast GmbH & Co. KG and Michael Polotzki, Managing Director Menzolit S.r.L. The board is officially in office for three years from 1.1.2023.

"It's nice to see the Board's work so well evaluated that there is no doubt that this will continue for the next legislative period. We are very much looking forward to that," explains Managing Director Dr Elmar Witten, the members' vote. The general meeting took place during the JEC Forum DACH.

Source:

AVK Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe

(c) AVK
02.12.2022

AVK awards Innovation Prices

AVK, the Federation of Reinforced Plastics, has once again awarded its Innovation Awards to a range of companies, institutes and their partners in 2022. Three innovative composites from each of the three categories Products & Applications, Processes & Methods and Research & Science were honoured during the JEC Forum for Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Augsburg at an award ceremony on 29 November 2022. A professional jury, composed of engineers, scientists and trade journalists, presented the awards for 2022 in three categories.

List of award winners in the three categories:
Products & Applications category

First place: LAMILUX Composites GmbH, Rehau, Germany: Lamilux Sunsation® – the new standard under the sun
Second place: Carbo-Link AG, Fehraltorf, Switzerland: CL RESTRAP – Reinforcement of concrete girders using flexible, prestressed CRP tapes
Third place: Borgers SE & Co. KGaA, Bocholt, Germany: blue label by Borgers ®

AVK, the Federation of Reinforced Plastics, has once again awarded its Innovation Awards to a range of companies, institutes and their partners in 2022. Three innovative composites from each of the three categories Products & Applications, Processes & Methods and Research & Science were honoured during the JEC Forum for Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Augsburg at an award ceremony on 29 November 2022. A professional jury, composed of engineers, scientists and trade journalists, presented the awards for 2022 in three categories.

List of award winners in the three categories:
Products & Applications category

First place: LAMILUX Composites GmbH, Rehau, Germany: Lamilux Sunsation® – the new standard under the sun
Second place: Carbo-Link AG, Fehraltorf, Switzerland: CL RESTRAP – Reinforcement of concrete girders using flexible, prestressed CRP tapes
Third place: Borgers SE & Co. KGaA, Bocholt, Germany: blue label by Borgers ®

Innovative Processes & Methods category
First place: BaltiCo GmbH, Hohen Luckow, Germany: Rod laying technology as an additive manufacturing process
Second place: Schmidt & Heinzmann GmbH & Co. KG, Bruchsal, Germany: Pole Position, a positioning system for polarisation imaging
Third place: NETZSCH Process Intelligence GmbH, Selb, Germany: SensXPERT, process optimisation driven by material data to increase the efficiency of thermosets and fibre composites

Research & Science category
First place: Institute for Textile Machinery and High Performance Textiles at the Technical University of Dresden: Spherically curved fibre-reinforced plastic composite components made from near-net-shape fabrics
Second place: Leibniz-Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH, Kaiserslautern, Germany: HyKoPerm – a measurement system for an industry-specific characterisation of textile impregnation behaviour
Third place: Technical University of Munich, Chair of Carbon Composites: Manufacturing processes for a tension-strut-supported pressure vessel that can be adapted to suit a given space

Source:

AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V.

(c) INDA
23.08.2022

INDA Announces the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award Finalists

  • Innovations in Recycling and Sustainability: Sustainable Diaper Components, Natural Fibers, and Kitty Litter from Recycled Nappies

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the three finalists that will present their innovative material science solutions as they compete for the prestigious RISE® Innovation Award during the 12th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference (RISE®) to be held in person September 27-28, 2022 at North Carolina State University.  The award recognizes novel innovations within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry that creatively use next-level science and engineering principles to solve material challenges and expand the usage of nonwovens and engineered fabrics.

  • Innovations in Recycling and Sustainability: Sustainable Diaper Components, Natural Fibers, and Kitty Litter from Recycled Nappies

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the three finalists that will present their innovative material science solutions as they compete for the prestigious RISE® Innovation Award during the 12th edition of the Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference (RISE®) to be held in person September 27-28, 2022 at North Carolina State University.  The award recognizes novel innovations within and on the periphery of the nonwovens industry that creatively use next-level science and engineering principles to solve material challenges and expand the usage of nonwovens and engineered fabrics.

Finalists for the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award:
Cat Litter Made from Recycled Nappies – DiaperRecycle
DiaperRecycle has developed technology to recycle used diapers into cat litter. The aim of the company is to make an environmental impact and decrease the climate changing emissions of diaper waste. They’re diverting used diapers (used in households and businesses such as elder care) from landfill, separating the plastic and fiber and making cat litter. The plastic is prepared for recycling by plastics recyclers. The cat litter product is made by DiaperRecycle from the super absorbent fiber of diapers; it’s highly absorbent and flushable.

Biodegradable Diaper Components – Gottlieb Binder GmbH & Co. KG
Together, Avgol and Binder take on the challenge of disposable absorbent articles for the good of future generations and came up with sustainable diaper components. The technologies used are based on biotransformation technology, which makes it possible to achieve more sustainable products by supporting recycling and providing an alternative route for non-recyclable/fugitive waste management.

sero® hemp fibers – Bast Fibre Technologies, Inc.
Bast Fibre Technologies’ sero® hemp fibers offer the nonwoven industry an all-natural substitute for plastic fibers. From dedicated European- and US-based production facilities, BFT transforms raw bast fibers into premium natural fibers for applications ranging from single-use and durable wipes to industrial applications. Suitable for minority or majority blends, sero® hemp combines easily with standard nonwoven fibers to produce fabrics that meet the industry requirements for strength, uniformity, and processing efficiency.

RISE® conference attendees, technology scouts and product developers in the nonwoven/engineered fabrics industry seeking new developments to advance their businesses, will electronically vote for the recipient of the 2022 RISE® Innovation Award. The winner will be announced Wed., Sept. 28th.

Technical experts on INDA’s Technical Advisory Board selected three finalists from among 12 nominations.  The 22-member board of technical professionals is represented by companies such as Absorbent Hygiene Insights LLC, Attindas Hygiene Partners, Berry Global, Cotton Incorporated, Crown Abbey, LLC, The DAK Group, Fi-Tech, Inc. Freudenberg Performance Materials, Glatfelter Sontara Old Hickory, Inc., Lenzing Fibers, Inc., Natureworks LLC, Nice-Pak Products, Inc./PDI, Nonwovens by Design, Norafin (Americas) Inc., The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, Poccia Consulting, LLC, The Procter & Gamble Company, RKW North America, Inc., Rockline Industries, Smith, Johnson & Associates, Suominen Corporation, and Texas Tech University.

“The RISE Conference recognizes and promotes innovation across the nonwoven and engineered material industry. Technology leaders will share invaluable information on innovative new approaches and concepts to resolve material science challenges. For any technical leader, technology scout or new product innovator, RISE is an event not to be missed,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA’s President.

The conference program will cover relevant and timely topics including: Creating a Circular Industry, Advancements in Sustainable Inputs in PLA, Developments in Natural Fibers I and II, Sustainable Inputs in Fibers and Biofibers, Sustainable Inputs from Waste Products, and Economic Insights and Market Intelligence.

More information:
INDA RISE®
Source:

INDA

04.08.2022

EU-India Free Trade negotiations

  • Opportunity to rebalance trade relations and promote a global sustainable textile industry

Today’s trade relations between the EU and India in textiles and clothing are characterised by a large and systemic trade deficit for the EU; annual imports from India exceed €6 bln (2021) – making it the 4th supplier – while EU exports to India reached just half a billion – the 20th place in our export markets.

Against this background, the free trade negotiations are an opportunity to rebalance that relationship; European textile and clothing companies can offer high quality and innovative products for the Indian market, but they can also offer solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of the textile industry.

EURATEX, as the voice of textiles and apparel manufacturers in Europe, supports an ambitious EU trade agenda, that puts reciprocity, transparency, fair competition and equal rules at the centre of its action. The FTA is an opportunity to establish a more sustainable and fair trading system, based on rules, global environmental and social standards, which are effectively respected by all.

  • Opportunity to rebalance trade relations and promote a global sustainable textile industry

Today’s trade relations between the EU and India in textiles and clothing are characterised by a large and systemic trade deficit for the EU; annual imports from India exceed €6 bln (2021) – making it the 4th supplier – while EU exports to India reached just half a billion – the 20th place in our export markets.

Against this background, the free trade negotiations are an opportunity to rebalance that relationship; European textile and clothing companies can offer high quality and innovative products for the Indian market, but they can also offer solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of the textile industry.

EURATEX, as the voice of textiles and apparel manufacturers in Europe, supports an ambitious EU trade agenda, that puts reciprocity, transparency, fair competition and equal rules at the centre of its action. The FTA is an opportunity to establish a more sustainable and fair trading system, based on rules, global environmental and social standards, which are effectively respected by all.

In this context, EURATEX highlights that the sector needs open and efficient markets, but combined with effective controls where necessary, thus ensuring level playing field for European companies. It is clearly essential that the same level of market access to India – both in terms of tariff and non-tariff barriers – is available to EU producers as vice versa.

India today benefits from reduced customs duties due to GSP. For European companies instead, market access to India is challenging, facing non-tariff barriers (related to proof of origin, quality control procedures, etc.) as well as national or state-level support programmes which distort the level playing field between EU and Indian companies.

That level playing field should also apply to our sustainability targets. As the EU will roll out its EU Textile Strategy, setting ambitious standards and restrictions (e.g. on chemicals), we must ensure the FTA is fully aligned with that strategy.

Director General Dirk Vantyghem commented: “We look to these negotiations with great interest. The FTA is an opportunity to develop a shared ambition between the European and Indian industry to make sustainable textiles the norm, and to create a regulatory framework where our companies can compete in a free and fair environment.”

Source:

EURATEX

Photo: ACIMIT
13.07.2022

Italian textile machinery sector returning to pre-Covid levels

  • Annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers

  • Digitalization and Sustainability Key to Resiliency for Italian Textile Machinery Sector

The objective critical issues faced by Italy as a whole throughout the course of 2021, primarily dictated by a pandemic that upset any and all pre-existing equilibriums, have not slowed or halted the Italian textile machinery sector.

Indeed, data presented during the annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, held on 1 July proved decidedly positive, showing that in 2021 the sector recovered significantly compared to 2020, to the point of returning to pre-Covid levels.

Specifically, Italian textile machinery production amounted to 2.388 billion euros (+35% over 2020 and + 5% over 2019), with total exports amounting to 2.031 billion euros (+37% over 2020 and +9% over 2019).

  • Annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers

  • Digitalization and Sustainability Key to Resiliency for Italian Textile Machinery Sector

The objective critical issues faced by Italy as a whole throughout the course of 2021, primarily dictated by a pandemic that upset any and all pre-existing equilibriums, have not slowed or halted the Italian textile machinery sector.

Indeed, data presented during the annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, held on 1 July proved decidedly positive, showing that in 2021 the sector recovered significantly compared to 2020, to the point of returning to pre-Covid levels.

Specifically, Italian textile machinery production amounted to 2.388 billion euros (+35% over 2020 and + 5% over 2019), with total exports amounting to 2.031 billion euros (+37% over 2020 and +9% over 2019).

However, these results do not cancel the obstacles that companies are still facing. Looking to the near future, expectations are for a rather uncertain outlook, as underscored by ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi: “2022 remains a year replete with unknown factors, starting with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, along with the persistence of the pandemic, which seriously risk delaying expected growth consolidation for businesses in the sector. Difficulties in finding raw materials and components negatively affect the completion and fulfilment of orders processed as far back as 2021. To boot, rising energy costs and inflationary trends affecting numerous commodities are depressing overall business confidence. So the outlook for the sector is not so good.”
As such, the two cornerstones through which ACIMIT aims to support the Italian textile machinery sector are digitilization and sustainability.

4.0: The textile machinery sector looks to the future
The road to digital transformation has already led numerous manufacturers to completely rethink their production processes, rendering them more efficient and l ess expensive. The digital world is moving ahead at a decisive rate in the textile machinery sector, where the buzzwords are increasingly, for instance, the Internet of Things connecting to a company’s ecosystem, machine learning algorithms applied to production, predictive maintenance, and the integrated cloud management of various production departments. It is no coincidence that ACIMIT has focused decisively on its Digital Ready project, through which Italian textile machinery that adopt a common set of data are certified, with the aim of facilitating integration with the operating systems of client companies (ERP, MES, CRM, etc.).

A green soul
Combining production efficiency and respect for the environment: a challenge ACIMIT has made its own and which it promotes among its members through the Sustainable Technologies project. Launched by the association as early as 2011, the project highlights the commitment of Italian textile machinery manufacturers in the area of sustainability. At the heart of the project is the Green Label, a form of certification specifically for Italian textile machinery which highlights its energy and environmental performance. An all-Italian seal of approval developed in collaboration with RINA, an international certification body.
The assembly held on 1 July provided an opportunity to take stock of the Sustainable Technologies project, more specifically, with the presentation of the Rina Consulting survey on the Green Label’s evolution and impact in recent years.

The results have confirmed the initiative’s extreme validity. The technological advances implemented by the association’s machinery producers participating in the project have effectively translated into benefits in terms of environmental impact (reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions for machinery), as well as economic advantages for machinery users.

With reference to the year 2021, a total of 204,598 tons of CO2 emissions avoided on an annual basis have been quantified, thanks to the implementation of improvements on machinery. This is a truly significant reduction which, for the sake of comparison, corresponds to the carbon dioxide emissions generated by 36,864 automobiles travelling an average of 35,000 km a year. In terms of energy savings, the use of green labeled textile machinery has provided excellent performances in allowing for a reduction of up to 84% in consumption.

A round table discussion on the Green Label’s primary purpose
The environmental and economic impact generated in production processes for Italian textile machinery through the use of Green Label technologies was the focus of the round table which concluded the ACIMIT assembly.

Moderated by Aurora Magni (professor of the Industrial Systems Sustainability course at the LIUC School of Engineering), the debate involved Gianluca Brenna (Lipomo Printing House administrator and Vice President of the Italian Fashion System for Welfare), Pietro Pin (Benetton Group consultant and President of UNI for the textile-clothing area), Giorgio Ravasio (Italy Country Manager for Vivienne Westwood), as well as ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi.

Called on to compare common factors in their experiences relating to environmental transition processes for their respective companies, the participants were unanimous: the future of Italian textile machinery can no longer ignore advanced technology developments capable of offering sustainable solutions with a low environmental impact while also reducing production costs. This philosophy has by now been consolidated, and has proven to lead directly to a circular economy outlook.

The upcoming ITMA 2023 exhibition
Lastly, a word on ITMA 2023, the most important international exhibition for textile machinery, to be held in Italy from 8 to 14 June 2023 at Fiera-Milano Rho. Marking the 19th edition of ITMA, this trade fair is an essential event for the entire industry worldwide, providing a global showcase for numerous innovative operational solutions on display. A marketplace that offers participants extraordinary business opportunities. The participation of Italian companies is managed by ACIMIT.

08.07.2022

Swedish textile machinery in Brazil at Febratex

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

A delegation from TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association, will participate in the forthcoming Febratex textile show which is being held in the German Village Park in Blumenau, in Santa Catarina, Brazil from August 23-26.

As the fourth largest textiles manufacturer in the world, Brazil’s annual revenues from textiles and apparel amount to an annual $48 billion and the industry employs around 1.5 million people directly.

As with the USA and many European countries, product shortages resulting directly from the Covid-19 pandemic, and subsequent supply chain difficulties, have emphasised to Brazil’s industry the attractiveness of more diversified and shorter supply chains which are closer to customers wherever possible. In the past two years, there has been less reliance on imports from Asia to Brazil, and opportunities are arising again for local manufacturing.

Svegea of Sweden has supplied many automatic collarette cutters to Brazilian companies, which are used by garment manufacturers around the world for the production of tubular apparel components such as cuff and neck tapes and other seam reinforcements.

Svegea supplies many other bespoke machines for applications in the production of both garment components and technical textiles, including rewinding, measuring, inspection and band knife machines.

Eton Systems, the inventor and world’s leading provider of automated production systems for apparel and other textile-based processes, has supplied a large amount of workstations to Brazilian companies over the years, and believes its newly-launched Opta system is good news for this market becoming more efficient and profitable.

Automation is also high on the agenda of ACG Kinna Automatic, which specialises in automation solutions for filled products such as quilts, pillows and mattresses and also has extensive knowledge in areas such as bed linen and textile filters.

Given Brazil’s extensive forestry sector, the country is a key market for Texo AB, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of weaving machines for the production of paper machine clothing (PMC).

All paper manufacturing machines require a regular supply of PMC, which as large continuous engineered fabrics, carry the paper stock through each stage of the paper production process. With technologically sophisticated designs, they employ fibres and other polymeric materials in complex structures and each paper machine has an average of ten separate fabrics installed on it. Although the PMC business represents just a small proportion of the total cost of manufacturing paper, it can have a significant impact on the quality of the paper, the efficiency of a machine and machine production rates.

More information:
TMAS Febratex
Source:

AWOL Media