From the Sector

AkzoNobel is to further strengthen its African footprint after reaching an agreement with Kansai Paint to acquire its paints and coatings activities in the region. Completion, which is subject to regulatory approvals, is expected during the course of 2023.
 
Present in 12 countries in Africa, Kansai Paint has regional consolidated revenue of around €280 million. The transaction includes the Plascon brand, which has more than 100 years of heritage in South Africa. Together with our own Dulux brand, they’re the longest-established paint brands in the region. The intended acquisition also includes automotive and protective coatings, and coatings for wood and coil.
 
“Acquiring Kansai Paint’s activities in the region will help us to further expand our paints and coatings business in Africa and provide a strong platform for future growth,” says AkzoNobel CEO, Thierry Vanlancker. “Kansai Paint shares our commitment to innovation and sustainability, and we look forward to combining our expertise, which will result in a wider range of innovative products and more sustainable solutions for our customers.”
 
Adds Kunishi Mori, Kansai Paint’s president: “We are convinced that AkzoNobel is the best owner as AkzoNobel considers the decorative paints business as a core business and will therefore be able to unlock the full potential of the business, thereby contributing to the development of the African economy.
 
”For Prejay Lalla and Arvind Shekhawat, Chief Executive Officers of KPAL and KPEA (the respective Africa entities being sold by Kansai Paint in this transaction), this agreement is an opportunity to further enhance growth. “We believe that AkzoNobel will be the owner who will elevate the business to the next level as AkzoNobel is willing to invest in ESG, is committed to innovation, workforce development and broader career opportunities as well as the long-term success of its paint businesses in Africa.”
 
The intended acquisition follows on from a series of recent acquisitions by AkzoNobel across paints and coatings over the last two years, including Titan Paints in Spain and Portugal, New Nautical Coatings in the US and, most recently, Grupo Orbis in Latin America.

• Continued focus on sizeable investments in innovation and sustainability.
• Underway in India, the acquisition of the Engineering Plastics business of Ester Industries Ltd. with the objective of keeping up the Group’s global growth trend

With total sales of EUR 1.508 million generated by over 30 production and sales units in Europe, Asia and America, RadiciGroup closed its 2021 financial year with positive results, despite the difficulties due to the lingering effects of the pandemic and the steep increase in the cost of raw materials and energy, especially during the latter part of the year.

The Group – led by brothers Angelo, Maurizio and Paolo Radici – continued to pursue its strategy of focusing on the core businesses considered to be strategic and synergistic, such as nylon chemicals, engineering polymers and advanced textile solutions, while, at the same time,  introducing new products, such as a line of personal protective equipment for medical and industrial use.

EBITDA reached EUR 268 million, and net income for the year was EUR 150 million.

Despite this situation, RadiciGroup considers it essential to continue making investments.

“In 2021, the Group invested EUR 53 million financed from cash flow,” Alessandro Manzoni, CFO of RadiciGroup, emphasized. “There was no impact on net financial position, which registered an improvement over 2020, as did all our balance sheet ratios."

Furthermore, in spite of the complexity of the period, in 2022 the Group shareholders have kept on with their significant investment plan aimed at strengthening RadiciGroup’s presence in global markets and improving its competitiveness.

Indeed, the Group has moved forward, according to plan, with the acquisition of the Engineering Plastics business of Ester Industries Ltd., an India-based company engaged for decades in the production of engineering polymers and listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange. RadiciGroup’s EUR 35 million investment in this transaction furthers the internationalization strategy of its High Performance Polymers business area.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL) completed the acquisition of Ngoc Nghia Industry – Service – Trading Joint Stock Company (NN), one of Vietnam’s leading PET packaging companies. The acquisition will boost IVL's market position as it continues to expand its integrated offering of PET products to major multinational customers throughout the region.

Ngoc Nghia is a trusted market leader in PET, preforms and closures, with long-term partnerships with major global and Vietnamese brands in the beverage and non-beverage industries. It has four manufacturing facilities in Vietnam's north and south with a total production capacity of 5.5 billion units of PET preforms, bottles, and closures, totaling 76,000 tons of PET conversion each year.

IVL plans to sustainably grow the business to better serve customers in Vietnam, a high-growth new market, as well as IVL’s major PET packaging customers across the region including global household beverage brands. Ngoc Nghia’s family business roots, led by its founder for over 30 years, was integral to IVL’s decision to invest in the company as a strategic match. The existing team’s extensive local market knowledge will be further augmented by leadership from IVL’s PET packaging business unit, bringing a powerful combination of local, regional and global expertise to the market.

• Indorama Ventures completes acquisition of Brazil-based Oxiteno, extending growth profile into attractive surfactant markets

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, today completed its acquisition of 100% of Brazil-based Oxiteno S.A. Indústria e Comércio, becoming a leading global supplier in high-value surfactant markets.

The acquisition of Oxiteno, formerly a subsidiary of Ultrapar Participações S.A., was announced in August 2021 and is effective from 1 April 2022 after the transaction was approved by Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE). Through the acquisition, IVL extends its growth profile into highly attractive markets in Latin America and the U.S., becoming the leading surfactants producer in the Americas, with additional potential to expand in Europe and Asia.

Oxiteno becomes part of IVL’s Integrated Oxides and Derivatives (IOD) business segment, which IVL formed in 2020 with the purchase of assets from U.S.-based Huntsman (Spindletop transaction). IOD is a high-margin growth driver alongside IVL’s traditional Combined PET (CPET) necessities segment and its Fibers segment. Together, IVL’s three segments create a stronger and more resilient integrated platform along the company’s petrochemicals value chain.

The Oxiteno acquisition includes 11 manufacturing plants in Latin America and the U.S., 5 R&D centers, an experienced management team, a strong environmental governance record, and expertise in green chemistry innovation. Through Oxiteno, IOD assumes a leading position in technologies catering to innovation-led, high-value-add (HVA) surfactant solutions in attractive home & personal care, crop solutions, and coating & resources markets. This diversity increases IOD’s earnings stability and resilience. The surfactants market has seen consistent growth over the last decade, driven by trends in population growth, urbanization and increasing hygiene awareness amid the global pandemic.

• Order intake of CHF 2 225.7 million at record level
• Sales of CHF 969.2 million despite bottlenecks in the supply chains
• EBIT margin of 4.9% and net profit of 3.3% of sales
• Milestones achieved in strategy implementation
• Dividend of CHF 4.00 per share proposed
• Outlook

The 2021 financial year was characterized by a rapid market recovery. As market and technology leader, Rieter succeeded in this environment in posting a record order intake, significantly increased sales compared with the previous year despite the bottlenecks in the supply chains, and generated an EBIT margin of 4.9%. This success is based on the investments in innovation and competitiveness of Rieter in recent years. Crisis management in the 2020 pandemic year, which aimed at benefiting from the expected market recovery after the pandemic, was also a contributing factor. With the acquisition of three businesses from the Saurer Group, a further milestone in the implementation of the strategy has been achieved. The acquisition strengthens Rieter’s market position by completing the ring and compact-spinning system. With the laying of the foundation stone for the Rieter CAMPUS in September 2021, an important prerequisite for the expansion of the company’s technology leadership has been created.

Order Intake and Sales
At the end of 2021, the company had an order backlog of around CHF 1 840 million (December 31, 2020: around CHF 560 million). Rieter closed the 2021 financial year with sales of CHF 969.2 million, which corresponds to an increase of 69% compared to the previous year (2020: CHF 573.0 million).

EBIT, Net Profit and Free Cash Flow
The profit at the EBIT level in the 2021 financial year was CHF 47.6 million, which represents 4.9% of sales. At the net profit level, a profit of CHF 31.7 million accrued, which corresponds to 3.3% in relation to sales. Free cash flow at CHF 128.1 million is a result of the positive developments in earnings and net working capital. The acquisition of three businesses from the Saurer Group for a purchase price of CHF 321.4 million resulted in net debt of CHF 161.9 million; as of December 31, 2020, net liquidity amounted to CHF 41.3 million. At December 31, 2021, liquid funds amounted to CHF 249.4 million (2020: CHF 283.2 million). The equity ratio as of December 31, 2021, was 27.6% (previous year’s reporting date: 36.4%).

Sales by Region
Sales increased in all regions, with the exception of Africa. The highest growth of CHF 126.0 million compared to CHF 50.8 million in the previous year was achieved in India, followed by North and South America with CHF 149.9 million in 2021 compared to CHF 66.4 million in the previous period, and the Asian countries excluding China, India and Turkey with CHF 318.7 million (2020: CHF 184.8 million). In Turkey, Rieter increased sales to CHF 182.3 million (2020: CHF 122.0 million), in China to CHF 135.3 million (2020: CHF 92.8 million) and in Europe to 43.3 million (2020: CHF 38.4 million). In Africa, sales were below the prior-year level at CHF 13.7 million (2020: CHF 17.8 million).

Business Groups
Despite the well-known challenges in the supply chain, the Business Group Machines & Systems posted an order intake of CHF 1 708.6 million (2020: CHF 363.9 million) and achieved sales of CHF 590.3 million, double the previous year’s figure (2020: CHF 295.8 million). Ring and compact-spinning systems, on whose customer benefits Rieter has worked intensively in recent years, were particularly in demand.
The order intake of the Business Group Components was CHF 296.0 million, 75% above the previous year’s level (2020: CHF 169.1 million). Against the backdrop of successful strategy implementation and good capacity utilization at spinning mills worldwide, sales increased to CHF 231.5 million (2020: CHF 174.3 million). The Business Group After Sales recorded an order intake of CHF 221.1 million, 106% higher than the previous year (2020: CHF 107.2 million). Sales reached a level of CHF 147.4 million (2020: CHF 102.9 million). The positive evolution of the Business Group After Sales was also significantly influenced by successful strategy implementation and good capacity utilization at spinning mills around the world.

Acquisition of three Saurer businesses
Effective from December 1, 2021, Rieter is consolidating the components businesses acquired from Saurer. With the acquisition of Accotex (elastomer components for spinning machines) and Temco (bearing solutions for filament machines), Rieter is strengthening its market position in the components business. The acquisition of the third business from Saurer (automatic winder) completes and thus considerably increases the attractiveness of Rieter’s ring and compact-spinning system. This acquisition marks an important milestone in the implementation of the company’s strategy as an innovative systems supplier. The transaction is expected to be finalized in the first half of 2022.

Rieter CAMPUS
On September 8, 2021, at the Winterthur location, the foundation stone was laid for the Rieter CAMPUS, which includes a customer and technology center as well as an administration building. With the Rieter CAMPUS, the company is creating a state-of-the-art and creative working environment, ensuring access to cutting-edge European technology and enhancing its ability to attract young talent. Thus, the Rieter CAMPUS will make an important contribution to the implementation of the innovation strategy and to the enhancement of the company’s technology leadership position.

Dividend
In view of the profit of CHF 31.7 million at the net profit level in the 2021 financial year, the Board of Directors proposes to the shareholders for 2021 the distribution of a dividend of CHF 4.00 per share. This corresponds to a payout ratio of 57%.

Changes to the Group Executive Committee
With effect from March 1, 2021, the Board of Directors of Rieter Holding AG appointed Roger Albrecht as Head of the Business Group Machines & Systems and a member of the Group Executive Committee.

Board of Directors and Annual General Meeting
At the 130th Annual General Meeting held on April 15, 2021, the shareholders approved all motions proposed by the Board of Directors. The Chairman of the Board Bernhard Jucker and the Directors This E. Schneider, Hans-Peter Schwald, Peter Spuhler, Roger Baillod, Carl Illi and Luc Tack were confirmed for a further one-year term of office. Stefaan Haspeslagh was newly elected to the Board of Directors for a one-year term of office. This E. Schneider, Hans-Peter Schwald and Bernhard Jucker, the members of the Remuneration Committee who were standing for election, were also each re-elected for a one-year term of office.

Changes to the Board of Directors
The two members of the Board of Directors, Luc Tack and Stefaan Haspeslagh, resigned from Rieter’s Board of Directors with effect from August 30, 2021.

Outlook
Rieter anticipates a gradual normalization of the demand for new systems in the coming months. The company expects demand for wear and spare parts to remain at a good level due to high capacity utilization at spinning mills. For the full year 2022, due to the high order backlog and the consolidation of the businesses acquired from Saurer, Rieter anticipates sales of around CHF 1 500 million. Sales in the second half of 2022 are expected to be higher than in the first half of the year. The realization of sales from the order backlog continues to be associated with risks in relation to the well-known bottlenecks in the supply chains, the ongoing pandemic and the geopolitical uncertainties. Despite the price increases already implemented, the rise in global costs poses a risk to the development of profitability.

• Winners in Six Categories to be Announced at IDEA® 2022 in Miami Beach

Online voting for the IDEA® Achievement Awards representing the “best of the best” innovations in the global nonwovens and engineered fabrics industry in six categories will open on Feb. 28.

Industry professionals will have the opportunity to vote for the winners from the finalists and see award-winning achievements in person at IDEA® 2022, the World’s Preeminent Event for Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics, March 28-31, at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Presented by INDA, in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, the awards recognize the leading introductions in equipment, raw materials, short-life, long-life and nonwovens products, and sustainability. To vote on the Nonwovens Industry website, visit: https://www.nonwovens-industry.com/idea-reg-achievement-awards

In addition, INDA will unveil the IDEA® 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award honoree and Nonwovens Industry will announce the IDEA® Entrepreneur Achievement Award recipient at the event.  

All of the winners will be announced on March 30 at a ceremony at IDEA® from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. moderated by Dave Rousse, President, INDA and Karen, McIntyre, Editor, Nonwovens Industry.

The INDA Technical Advisory Board, consisting of technical professionals from member companies, has narrowed the competition from more than 100 online nominations to the following 18 finalists selected for their leading innovations since the last IDEA show in 2019.

The industry will have the chance to select their top choices from the three finalists in each of the following six categories through the online voting process:

IDEA® Equipment Achievement Award

• ESC-8 – Curt G. Joa, Inc.
  Imagine endless combinations of insert and chassis designs for adult incontinence production at the push of a button. With patent-pending ESC-8™ Electronic Size Change Technology, JOA has addressed the need for automated product size change. The release of this industry-leading, first-of-a-kind technology gives customers the flexibility to configure endless insert and chassis combinations while maintaining higher production speeds and minimizing raw material usage. The ESC-8™ can be integrated into new and existing machines.
   
• Elastic Thread Anchoring (ETA) Sonotrode – Herrmann Ultrasonics Inc.
  Elastics are an integral component to many hygiene products. Imagine a diaper or incontinence product that is reliable, adhesive-free and extremely soft. Herrmann Ultrasonics Elastic Thread Anchoring (ETA) Sonotrode technology provides just that, in an industry first, easy-to-use closed-loop feedback manufacturing solution. The fixation of the elastic threads is accomplished with ultrasonic energy that offers a wide process window, without the need for tool changeovers, at processing speeds above 2,000 ft./min.
   
• Doffer Airlay Card – Technoplants SRL
  With airlaying suction and a doffing system like traditional roller cards, the Doffer Airlay Card makes it possible to produce carded webs with doffer in thicknesses from 10 to 1.500 gsm. With top and bottom suction, it can produce a partly carded and partly airlaid web. This card can comb, separate and make parallel all types of natural, synthetic and regenerated fibers for applications including hygiene, filtration, medical and gradient acquisition distribution layer (ADL).

IDEA® Raw Material Achievement Award

• sero™ premium hemp fiber – Bast Fibre Technologies Inc.
  sero™ 100 percent premium hemp fibers are the result of years of the company’s top-to-bottom supply chain experience. BFT’s proprietary processing technology is employed to carefully clean, individualize, and soften bast fibers that meet stringent nonwoven technical standards and are plastic-free, tree-free, and compostable. sero™ fibers are a plug-and-play replacement for plastic fibers that run seamlessly on major nonwoven platforms without compromising production speeds, efficiency, or uniformity.
   
• ODOGard – Rem Brands, Inc.
  Rem Brands, Inc.’s patented ODOGard® technology is a revolutionary advancement in odor elimination. This next-generation odor elimination mechanism works by covalent molecular bonding to malodors. Malodors are permanently attached to the ODOGard® molecule, changing them into non-odorous molecules forever. ODOGard® can be impregnated into pulp fluff and other kinds of media. Whether  malodors come from the air or from hygiene products, ODOGard® has it covered.
   
• SharoWIPES™ – Sharon Laboratories
  SharoWIPES™ by Sharon Laboratories, Israel, is a technological breakthrough from in-depth scientific research addressing industry needs for more “clean label, non-irritating, eco-friendly” consumer wet wipes. With their unique anti-biofilm mechanism, SharoWIPES™ offer dual protection from microbial contamination of both the wet wipe formula, as well as the non-woven fabric. SharoWIPES™ preservation systems deliver broad-spectrum protection at low levels contributing to wet wipe brand equity with free from, microbiome friendly, vegan and biodegradable claims.
   

IDEA® Short-Life Product Achievement Award

• MDP™ – Dermasteel, Ltd.
  MDP™ presents a breakthrough approach to restoring the quality of life for men experiencing bladder leakage. MDP™ is a revolutionary nonwoven product for men coping with light urinary incontinence that is invisibly discreet, effective, comfortable, and reliable. It features Body ID Technology™ for customized adjustment, variable elasticity strapping, self-reflexive side panels for unimpeded breathability, form-fitting to the unique characteristics of each man’s anatomy, and the smallest carbon footprint of any comparable male incontinence option.
   
• Organic 2.0 – Ellepot A/S
  In young plant propagation, plastic products are used in large quantities. Ellepot’s new paper is a game-changer supporting plastic exit strategies. During six years in development, Ellepot and Ahlstrom-Munksjö partnered with OrganoClick, the developer of special binders using organocatalysis, a field of chemistry awarded the Nobel Prize in 2021. The product is approved for organic crops in Germany, the UK, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden and Canada and certified okay home compostable and biodegradable in soil.
   
• LifeSavers Wipes – LifeSavers LLC
  LifeSavers Wipes are personal hygiene wipes that change color if they detect abnormal health indicators in the urine. The launch product is a diabetic wipe, which will change color if there are abnormal levels of glucose in the urine. The wipes are therefore triple purposed as they assist with personal hygiene after urinating, act as an early warning system, and serve as an instant glucose monitor. UTI and kidney disease wipes are next in line.
   

IDEA® Long-Life Product Achievement Award

• Canopy Hero Pro – Canopy
  Today’s reusable respirators are uncomfortable, limit communication, and can lose effectiveness after cleaning. Disposable options pose similar issues and generate waste. Canopy® has created a next-generation, reusable respirator for healthcare workers that’s comfortable, easy to clean, exceeds federal safety standards, has a transparent front to allow for improved communication, costs less than disposables, and can help save 7,200 tons of waste daily. Its patented, transparent, fully mechanical filter helps protect those who protect us.
   
• Long-Life Cellulose-based Nonwovens for Higher Performance in Reusable Baby Diapers – Kelheim Fibres GmbH and Sumo Diapers
  Innovation exemplified: the trend-setting Sumo Baby Cloth Diaper shows how needle-punched/thermobonded nonwovens find their way into reusable diapers, thanks to Kelheim Fibres’ specialty viscose fibers with adjusted cross-sections (trilobal and hollow). This technology pushes liquid management capabilities and the absorbency of washable hygiene products to new levels, creating a unique duality of high-performance and high-sustainability credentials, and opening up new fields of application.
   
• Nanofiber Cabin Air Filter – MANN + HUMMEL GmbH
  MANN+HUMMEL has developed a hybrid media by combining electret-based spunbond and a pure mechanical filtration layer of ultrafine polymer fibers. The result: an outstanding separation of PM1 particles up to 95 percent, according to DIN EN ISO 16890. This technology enables stable filtration performance and long-term efficiency over the whole filter lifetime. The nanofiber layer can be combined with any cabin air filter media of the MANN+HUMMEL range, improving air quality in a vehicle’s cabin significantly.
   

IDEA® Sustainability Advancement Award

• Pureflow8 – In Flight Material Separator – Diaper Recycling Technology Pte. Ltd.
  New bolt-on additions to the company’s Generation 8 recycling platform guarantee increased performance in terms of material purity and work efficiency. While recovering up to 87 percent of diaper waste raw material’s financial investment, DRT pushes the boundaries further to meet sustainability targets and include active pulp scanning, fluidizing SAP re-gen technology, and gravimetric pulp refeed processes. DRT recognizes its teams and suppliers who have worked tremendously hard to complete this major milestone.
   
• Fitesa® 100 Percent BioBased Bico – Fitesa
  Fitesa® S Bico 100 percent BioBased PE/PLA is a technically sophisticated plant-sourced nonwoven that has been successfully applied in innovative baby diapers as topsheet, backsheet, and front ear components to deliver classic spunbond strength with good abrasion resistance and converting performance. It is responsibly sourced, PE soft, and sustainable, leaving a negative carbon footprint by reducing environmental CO2. It represents the next generation of hygienic nonwovens designed to make work easier and life better.
   
• Fiber-based Screw Caps – Glatfelter Corp. and Blue Ocean Closures
  Finally, an alternative to metal and plastic screw caps! Blue Ocean Closures partnered with Glatfelter and ALPLA to accelerate and produce sustainable and environmentally-friendly packaging solutions. The companies optimized their use of renewable and recyclable wood fibers and airlaid materials by creating paper-based screw caps that are durable, strong, and water-resistant. The method of proprietary vacuum press forming allows for low production cost and high scalability.
   

IDEA® Nonwoven Product Achievement Award

• Sontara® Silk – Glatfelter Corp.
  Sontara® Silk perfectly fits facial contour, is luxurious on the skin, and has a minimal environmental impact. When infused with lotion, these masks have enhanced elasticity, conform closely to the skin, and have excellent adhesion. Sontara® Silk has superior translucency and ensures even penetration of active ingredients onto the skin. Sontara® Silk fabric is manufactured with premium fibers derived from natural raw material. These sustainable materials allow the product to be biodegradable and compostable.
   
• HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo – Sustainable Nonwoven Substrates – Suominen Corporation
  Suominen’s latest moist tissue product, HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo achieves dry tissue dispersibility through a proprietary blend of 100 percent sustainable cellulosic materials, minimizing environmental impact. This flushable nonwoven has a premium hand feel for a luxurious consumer experience. In addition, it passes dispersibility standards set by INDA (GD4) and the International Water Services Flushability Group (IWSFG.) HYDRASPUN® Aquaflo is produced in Europe and North America and represents multi-year development and market insights to deliver a personal care product ideal for today’s consumer.
   
• LS SAF™ Nonwoven Fabrics –Technical Absorbents
  Technical Absorbents developed a new grade of Low Shrink (LS) superabsorbent fiber (SAFTM) for use within a new range of nonwovens that are more resistant to shrinkage. The new LS SAFTM fiber and resulting fabrics were developed in response to demand from the medical industry for a superabsorbent nonwoven suitable for use in advanced wound pad dressings. The new fiber was engineered to be capable of withstanding the moisture used in the EtO sterilization process.

Moving forward after this year, the IDEA® Achievement Award will be presented every two years under the new cycle announced for the event with the subsequent IDEA® taking place April 23-25, 2024.

Digitalization is a big story in the world of business. It’s all about change, making use of technology to transform attitudes and create new opportunities to grow revenue. At its heart is innovation, with new systems and intelligent use of data. In textiles, the entire value chain is going digital, as evidenced by the commitment of Swiss Textile Machinery Association member firms. Their story – presented here in six ‘chapters’ – spans industry sectors through spinning, weaving, finishing and nonwovens.

Cost savings and more
The process of digitalization in the textile industry today is continuous – faster in some segments than others – but noticeable everywhere. Automation is promising in many areas of finishing and making-up, where initial investments are being made. An example is folding of finished goods, previously a slow manual operation. Now, high-performance automatic folding machines from Swiss company Espritech deliver the potential for cost savings, unlocking new options for positive change at this most labor-intensive stage of production. For manufacturers in low-cost areas, the benefit results from its volume and is a simple financial one. In higher-cost segments, the application of this technology can be part of a completely new business model, taking production closer to the end customer.

Better process, better workplace
Pioneering in the field of digitalization embraces social responsibility along with the introduction of bold new technological innovation. That’s a commitment made by Uster, as it aims to shape future working practices in the textile industry in areas where its systems are applied. In fabric inspection, that means combining the strengths of human capabilities with the performance of Artificial Intelligence. Automatic defect classification with machine learning technology is the next leap in digitalization for fabric manufacturers, following on from automated detection of fabric faults, which is already well established in weaving and finishing mills. This will bring benefits in profitability for the manufacturer – as well as an improved working environment for their operatives, freed from repetitive tasks.

Information, flexible and fast
Access to data is critical in the digitalized world of textiles. It must be flexible, fast and secure, and available to all levels of the company – worldwide. Jakob Muller serves the narrow fabrics industry ideally with a digitalization portal, perfectly developed to provide essential production information. The portal is a browser-based production data acquisition system, with direct access to the machine controls. The system offers unique data monitoring and communication on a global framework. Digitized weave rooms present information 24/7 on desktops at the customer’s plant, as well as on tablets and smartphones remotely.

Making the most of it
Rieter takes advantage of latest digital technology to offer customers a unique experience. Their digital spinning suite helps spinners overcome their daily challenges and manage costs and efficiency more effectively. This all-in-one mill management system connects all the machinery, giving quick access to the right information and a holistic view, from bale to yarn. Users profit from full transparency, and are presented with recommendations based on long-standing experience and know-how. This is digitalization at its most practical, applied to allow spinners to make the most of their installed machinery.

Production, service, training – digital everything
As a solutions provider, Saurer puts digitalization at the core of business, integral to its technology offering to customers. Some latest examples include self-optimization of spinning machines, and a fully automated transport of cylindrical or conical cross-wound packages. These are automatically stored in an internal buffer system, for later feeding to subsequent processes. Of course after-sales service is also digital: the e-shop and machine information hub, together with the web-based training centre, ensure that knowledge is transferred to customers – turning employees into experts.

See the future system today
Autefa Solutions uses the concept of digital twinning, visualizing any real-world concept of a nonwovens line to make it easier for potential customers to grasp the idea. It’s also a big help for training and servicing needs. Most of all they digitalize important parts e.g. of a baling press line with perfectly interconnecting software tools. This is an excellent method for reducing commissioning times. Ordered bale presses reach technical readiness in the form of a digital twin, before they are commissioned in the real world. This typically halves the total time to get the line up and running.
Speaking on behalf of Swiss Textile Machinery Association members, André Imhof, CEO of Autefa Solutions Switzerland AG, says: “Making digitalization our friend opens doors for business model innovations, which is essential for our industry competitiveness. The approach is to digitalize everything that can be digitalized. We won’t stop.”

• Strengthening market position in Asia-Pacific

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL), a global sustainable chemical company, announces that it is in the process of acquiring shares in Ngoc Nghia Industry – Service – Trading Joint Stock Company (NN).

NN is a leading PET converter in Vietnam with long-standing relationships with major brands. It has four manufacturing sites in both the North and South of Vietnam. It has a total production capacity of approximately 5.5 billion units of PET preforms, bottles and closures, or equivalent to a PET conversion of 76,000 tons per annum.

Operating with high quality standards, NN is a trusted provider of PET packaging products to major multinational and Vietnamese brands in the beverage and non-beverage industries. Its business operations are run by an experienced management team with strong industry knowledge as well as local market exposure and understanding. These competitive advantages are strategic fits for IVL and would complement the company’s long-term growth after integration. This proposed acquisition will strengthen IVL’s market position in the packaging business in high growth markets of the Asia-Pacific region.

Mr. D K Agarwal, CEO of Combined PET, IOD and Fibers Business at Indorama Ventures, said, “This investment opportunity is in line with IVL’s business strategy of expanding our footprint in rising economies like Vietnam. The country is positioned to be the ASEAN production hub for the Asia-Pacific region. Moreover, Vietnam’s PET packaging market is expected to grow continuously due to strong growth in consumption and improving living standards. The proposed acquisition would foster sustainable growth in our largest business segment, Combined PET, which has been growing constantly to serve increasing demands globally.”

The acquisition process is required to follow the Law on Securities, its guiding decrees and circulars as required by the State Securities Commission of Vietnam and regulations of the Hanoi Stock Exchange. Through its affiliate, Indorama Netherlands B.V., IVL would be required to do the tender offer of all of NN’s shares. The transaction is expected to be completed by the first half of 2022.

The year 2021 is expected to end on an extremely positive note for the Swiss Group, with an organic turnover record (significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels) and an acceleration of the product range completion strategy: after the addition of Amom, in June, Riri is proud to share the closing of the acquisition and integration into the Group of DMC, a company specialized in the metal components sector for haute couture, more specifically leatherwear. This is another step towards creating a single hub dedicated to luxury accessories, whose goal is to develop a balanced portfolio including zips, buttons, metal hardware, and fashion jewels.

DMC, established in 1976 in Scarperia e San Piero a Sieve, near Florence, has a consolidated experience with major luxury brands and a strategic position, being located close to the Tuscan leatherwear district. Originally a family-run business, today it is a company which combines highly skilled Italian artisan tradition, which has a strong connection in the region, with the use of cutting-edge technologies. Its comprehensive vertical integration system allows for in-house management of all production process phases.

“The addition of DMC to the family” – explains Renato Usoni, CEO of the Riri Group – “is not just a bonus for our offer in terms of product range. It means also a fundamental milestone in the creation strategy of a fully integrated business model”. As a matter of fact, the operation is a further improvement in the Group’s designing potential, increasingly able to provide tailor-made accessories, as requested by each client, achieving very high levels of customization while keeping up massive investments in new technologies, organization systems and sustainability projects with a cross-cutting impact.

“Our Group” – Usoni adds – “is, to all intents and purposes, a leader in terms of innovation, thanks to its state-of-the-art plants, which are located in seven production factories, and thanks to its constant search on emerging technologies and materials”. More specifically, DMC’s proposal – in line with Riri’s – is increasingly focused on the use of sustainable products and on processes with a low environmental impact.

Furthermore, the new company in the Group is committed to integrating the economic development of its business with the ensuing social accountability. Evidence of this attention is shown by its having been awarded the certifications ISO 9001, due to the quality of its processes, products and services, and SA 8000, for its ethical management of human resource. Moreover, every year DMC produces a social report which, in line with what have always been distinctive values of Riri, bears witness to its intent of communicating its achievements clearly and transparently.

International technology group ANDRITZ will present its innovative nonwovens and textile technologies at the booth of its Indian representative PRN Techtex at Techtextil India 2021 in Mumbai, India, from November 25 to 27, 2021. A special focus will lie on its technologies for air-through bonding, needlepunch, textile recycling, and processes for biodegradable wipes, like spunlace and WetlaceTM.

Air-through Bonding
Air-through-bonding lines are the preferred choice for producing nonwovens with the best quality of softness and bulk for acquisition distribution layers, top sheets, and back-sheet products. With ANDRITZ carding machines and the new flat belt oven, customers benefit from high-performance fabrics from 16 to 80 gsm, produced with bicomponent fibers. Several Chinese customers have already invested in ANDRITZ aXcess carding machines, which provide perfect web uniformity. In addition, the CETI (European Center for Innovative Textiles) in Lille, France, has installed an air-through-bonding oven from ANDRITZ.

Textil-recycling Technologies
Recently, ANDRITZ acquired Laroche SAS, a leading supplier of fiber processing technologies such as opening, blending, dosing, airlay web forming, textile waste recycling, and decortication of bast fibers. The product portfolio further complements and increases the ANDRITZ Nonwoven product range. One focus of this product range lies on complete recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial textile waste to produce fibers for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end uses.

Needlepunch Technologies
Driven by the dynamic market for durable nonwovens, ANDRITZ has developed an elliptical pre-cylinder tacker – the PA3000. With this modern machine, ANDRITZ is responding to customer demands for higher capacities and lighter products. The PA3000 is an optimized cylinder pre-needleloom, which offers greater speeds and widths and has been specially developed for lighter webs. There is no friction between the web and the rolls, and there are no issues with the visual appearance.

ANDRITZ is also focusing on its latest needling technology for producing veloured felts, mainly for applications in the automotive industry.

In addition, ANDRITZ will be presenting the next generation of its batt-forming technology, the ProWin system. ProWin is a further development of ProDynTM and ProWidTM, which have achieved a high level of acceptance on the market with around 200 systems installed. This technology improves the current weight-profiling options and increases the actual production capacity.

Production of Bio-Wipes
For many years now, ANDRITZ has offered different nonwoven processes, such as spunlace and Wetlace, with one goal in mind: reduction and elimination of plastic raw materials while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties. The latest development in this field is the ANDRITZ neXline wetlace CP line. This is a fully engineered production line, combining the benefits of wetlaid and drylaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes. This process achieves high performance entirely with plastic-free raw materials. The added benefit of using a blend of fibers, like wood pulp, short-cut cellulosic fibers, viscose, cotton, hemp, bamboo, or linen, without chemical additives, results in a 100% sustainable fabric.