From the Sector

Autoneum Holding Ltd has been awarded the gold medal in the 2023 EcoVadis sustainability rating, ranking the automotive supplier in the top 5% of companies assessed. Following a silver medal the previous year, the Company was able to further improve the overall rating of its sustainability performance in the four categories Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement and achieved the second-highest recognition level.

As part of its commitment to transparency towards its stakeholders and the public at large, Autoneum reports regularly on its key developments and achievements in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In addition to reporting in line with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, Autoneum uses external platforms such as EcoVadis – a globally recognized sustainability rating agency – to assess the quality of its sustainability management system. EcoVadis uses 21 criteria based on international CSR standards to rate companies in four categories: Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. Since its foundation in 2007, EcoVadis has assessed the sustainability performance of more than 100 000 companies from 175 countries.

In the 2023 sustainability rating by EcoVadis, Autoneum achieved gold medal status for the first time, placing it in the top 5% of companies assessed. Having already been awarded the EcoVadis silver medal in 2022, Autoneum thus moved up to the second-highest recognition level in this year’s rating, thanks to significant progress in the Environment and Labor and Human Rights categories.

More information on Autoneum’s sustainable products and processes can be found in the current issue of the Corporate Responsibility Report.

A delegation of 12 Italian textile machinery manufacturers will be on hand at the ITME Africa trade show, to be held in Nairobi (Kenya) from November 30th to December 2nd 2023. These Italian companies will be exhibiting at the Italian Pavilion, organized by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, and by the Italian Trade Agency.

Kenya’s economy is among the most dynamic in sub-Saharan Africa, with annual GDP growth rates of around 6%. Its textile and garments industry ranks among the Country’s leading economic revenue sources, and is supported by government programs aimed at sustaining growth, as well as international agreements, such as the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and Kenya, currently in the process of ratification.

The total value of Kenya’s imports of textile machinery reached Euros 24 million in 2022. In the future, demand from local companies will mainly focus on high-end and medium to high-end technology, thus allowing Italian manufacturers to strengthen their market share in Kenya. Currently, Italian imports amount to approximately 4% of total imported machinery technology, for a value of roughly Euros 900 thousands in 2022.

Among the 12 Italian exhibitors the following ones are ACIMIT associated members: Biancalani, Bianco; Danitech, Ferraro, Lgl, Mei, Monti Antonio, Reggiani Macchine, Savio, Stalam and Tomsic.

Hexcel will continue to celebrate its 75th anniversary and highlight its latest developments for the Marine market at METSTRADE 2023 on November 15-17. Hexcel will showcase innovative advanced lightweight material technologies including new intermediate and high modulus fiber HexPly® M79 prepregs and present example high-performance superyacht and windship components developed by customers using Hexcel materials.

The new intermediate modulus prepreg combines the low temperature curing and simple processing of the DNV GL accredited HexPly M79 resin system with the market-leading stiffness of HexTow® IM2C fiber, creating a uniquely optimized composite material for highly loaded components. Originally developed to provide best-in-class performance for America’s Cup and IMOCA hull and deck structures, the new combination minimizes structural deformation under load in parts such as rigs, foils, and other appendages.

For a high modulus solution, HexTow® HM54 fiber is also now available with the HexPly M79 resin system. The unique mechanical properties of HexTow HM54 fiber allow structural designers to achieve higher safety margins for both stiffness and strength critical applications. Both products can be manufactured with Hexcel G-Vent technology for out-of-autoclave processing, delivering a reduction in process time and cost without compromising mechanical performance.

Hexcel will also display customer products that have benefited from the performance and processing gains provided by HexPly materials. A section of a Solid Sail mast made using Bureau Veritas (BV)-approved HexPly® M9.6 prepregs will be exhibited at METS. Such masts are used for wind propulsion and, by harnessing the power of ocean winds, they reduce reliance on engines, reducing fuel usage and emissions.

Visitors to the Hexcel booth will also see a section of a radar arch part from luxury motor yacht builder Sunseeker made using HexPly® XF surfacing technology and HexPly® SuperFIT semi-pregs. The part is lighter in weight and stiffer than versions made using resin-infusion processes and de-molds with a pinhole-free surface that needs minimal preparation to be ready for painting. Sunseeker has recorded an overall reduction in process time and material costs of around 30% against traditional prepreg parts, using Hexcel composite materials.

Baldwin Technology Company Inc. will showcase its TexCoat™ G4 precision spray finishing system at ITMA Asia 2023 (November 19-23, National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai). ITMA Asia participants can stop by and see Baldwin’s wide array of TexCoat G4-applied fabric samples from textile mills around the world and experience what precision finishing feels like while learning how the technology eliminates chemistry waste on changeover, saves water, and achieves faster speeds through the stenter frame and relaxed dryer.
 
Baldwin’s team will be available to discuss how the company’s technology can meet the textile supply chain’s sustainability and carbon footprint goals while improving performance and saving money. In the context of a cost-sensitive global economy and an increased focus by brands, consumers and regulatory agencies on sustainability, customers are placing a premium on sustainability-advantage textile production.

TexCoat G4’s non-contact spray technology offers numerous advantages compared to outdated finishing-chemistry application methods. TexCoat G4 processes a wide range of low-viscosity water-based chemicals, such as durable water-repellents –  including PFAS-free, softeners, anti-microbials, easy-care and flame retardants. The company's technology uses the same chemicals as found in traditional pad baths with no special auxiliaries required.

Testimonial videos from Pincroft Dyeing and Print Works and Graniteville Specialty Fabrics along with a video highlighting Baldwin’s partnership with North Carolina State University will also be screened at their stand.

Solvay announced the future Board of Directors of SYENSQO, effective upon completion of the planned separation of Solvay into two companies – SOLVAY and SYENSQO – which is on track to be completed in December 2023.

SYENSQO’s Board will be composed of 10 members, including 6 independent members, 3 members representing the reference shareholder, Solvac, and the company CEO. They have deep expertise in specialty industries, international business operations, risk management, corporate governance, finance and clean technology.

The following individuals will serve on the SYENSQO Board of Directors:
Rosemary Thorne will serve as independent Director and Chair of the SYENSQO Board, as well as Chair of the Board’s Finance Committee. She is currently an Independent Director on the Solvay Board of Directors, appointed in 2014, and Chair of the Board’s Audit Committee. She is also an Independent Director on the Board of Merrill Lynch International (UK), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America, serving as Chair of the Audit Committee. Ms. Thorne has decades of financial leadership experience across a wide range of industries. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer at J. Sainsbury, the UK’s largest supermarket chain at the time; Bradford & Bingley; and Ladbrokes. Ms. Thorne previously sat as an Independent Director on the Boards of Royal Mail Group, Cadbury Schweppes, Santander UK, First Global Trust Bank and Smurfit Kappa Group.

Dr. Ilham Kadri will serve as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of SYENSQO. She is currently CEO and President of the Executive Committee at Solvay. Ms. Kadri has successfully led the turnaround of Solvay, delivering double-digit EBITDA growth and 18 consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow, deleveraging the balance sheet and promoting superior people engagement. She is an independent Board member at A.O. Smith and L’Oréal. She is active in non-profit organizations, as Chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), member of the steering committee of the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT) as well as a permanent member of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council (WEF). Ms. Kadri has extensive leadership experience across a variety of industries in four continents and with leading industrial multinationals, including Shell, UCB, Huntsman, Dow, Sealed Air. Prior to Solvay, she was CEO and President of Diversey in the USA, led the company’s return to profitability and resulting spin off and divestiture to Bain Capital. She founded two non-Profit foundations: the Solvay Solidarity Fund in Belgium in 2020 which supported more than 7000 families affected by Covid-19 and natural disasters; and founded the ISSA Hygieia Network in 2015 in the USA, to help women in the cleaning industry. She received two Doctor Honoris Clausa from EWHA University in Korea and Université de Namur in Belgium.

Julian Waldron will serve as independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee. He currently serves as Deputy Executive Chairman of privately-held Albea Group, a global beauty and personal care packaging company which operates 35 facilities in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Mr. Waldron has held senior leadership roles at several leading listed companies in the industrial, technology and services sectors and brings a wealth of expertise in finance and business operations. Prior to joining Albea in 2022, he was Chief Financial Officer of Suez for three years after serving as Chief Financial Officer and subsequently Chief Operating Officer of Technip. He started his career at UBS Warburg where he spent 14 years. Mr. Waldron also served as an independent Board member and Chairman of finance, risk and investments at Carbon Clean, a privately-owned carbon capture company dedicated to achieving net zero.

Heike Van de Kerkhof will serve as independent Director and Chair of the Nomination Committee. She currently sits on the Board of OCI N.V.. Ms. Van de Kerkhof brings more than 30 years of experience in the chemicals, oil & gas and materials industries, having served in numerous leadership roles around the globe. From 2020 to 2023, she was Chief Executive Officer of Archroma Management, a global specialty chemicals company. During her tenure, she successfully completed the transformational acquisition of Huntsman’s Textile Effects business. Prior to her role at Archroma, Ms. Van de Kerkhof served as Vice President of Lubricants, Western Hemisphere at BP, and held positions at Castrol, The Chemours Company, and Neste Corporation. She also held many leading roles within DuPont over 18 years.

Matti Lievonen will serve as independent Director and Chair of the Compensation Committee. He is currently an independent director on the Solvay Board, appointed in 2017. Mr. Lievonen is a proven executive in the energy, forestry, power and automation industries with an extensive track record of leading businesses through climate transition. For over ten years until 2018, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Neste Corporation, a global leader in next-generation renewable fuels and chemicals. During his time at Neste, Mr. Lievonen successfully promoted the development of clean fuels as well as Finland’s bioeconomy strategy in advancing renewable transportation fuels. He has also been involved with organizations such as Fortum Board, SSAB, Nynäs AB, Ilmarinen, and the HE Finnish Fair Foundation. Until 2021, Mr. Lievonen was also Chairman of the Board of Directors at Fortum. He has been recognized for his admirable leadership and expertise, and in 2016 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Technology by the Aalto University Schools of Technology.

Dr. Françoise de Viron will serve as non-independent Director, Chair of the ESG Committee and Vice-Chair of the Board. She is currently a director of the Solvay Board, appointed in 2013. Ms. de Viron is a regarded academic leader and has extensive experience in innovation, R&D and qualitative research. She is a Professor Emeritus at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences and Louvain School of Management at UCLouvain in Belgium where she has been an Academic Member of various groups at UCLouvain. Ms. de Viron previously served as the president of AISBL EUCEN – the European Universities Continuing Education Network. Prior to her university position, from 1985 to 2000, she was in charge of developing Artificial Intelligence applications at Tractebel S.A. (now Tractebel-Engie).

Roeland Baan will serve as independent Director. He currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Topsoe, a privately-held leading provider of clean energy and petrochemical technologies. He is also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SBM Offshore NV. Roeland Baan has extensive experience in supply chain management, M&A, business development and operations management. Prior to joining Topsoe in 2020, he was President and CEO of Outokumpu and has held several executive roles at global organizations such as Aleris International, ArcelorMittal and SHV NV. He spent over 16 years in various roles across the globe at Shell, living in South America, in Africa and in the United Kingdom.

Edouard Janssen will serve as non-independent Director. He is currently a Director on the Solvay Board, appointed in 2021. Earlier this year, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer of D’Ieteren Group, a European leader in automotive distribution services. Mr. Janssen is also a Board member of privately-held Financière de Tubize and Union Financière Boël, as well as Co-Founder and Chair of Trusted Family. Mr. Janssen is active in academics, as Vice-Chair of the International Advisory Board of the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management and on the advisory board of the INSEAD HGIBS. He brings expertise in finance, strategy, entrepreneurship, business management, planning and marketing. He has served as Solvay’s Vice President in strategy and M&A between 2019 and 2021, and prior to that, he was the US-based General Manager for North- and Latin America at Solvay’s Aroma Performance Global Business Unit.
 
Dr. Mary Meaney will serve as non-independent Director. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors and of the Audit Committee of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA. She also sits on the Board of Directors and the Remuneration Committee of Beamery, the privately-held talent management company. She is a member of the Board of Directors and of the Finance Committee of Imperial College, London.Dr. Meaney will bring expertise in Strategy, M&A, and change management, which she acquired over a 24-year career at McKinsey. She was a Senior Partner, served on the McKinsey Shareholders Council and led McKinsey’s global Organization practice.

Nadine Leslie will serve as independent Director and is based in the United States of America. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Provident Financial Services , as well as a Non-Executive Director of Seven Seas Water Corporation, a water and wastewater treatment multinational company. She also sits on the Board of Trustees of Hackensack Meridian Health Network and is active as strategic consultant for civil engineering firm T&M Associates. Over a 22-year career at Suez, Ms. Leslie held several leadership positions, the last one being Chief Executive Officer of Suez North America, until 2022. Previously she served as Executive Vice President Health & Safety.

In China, the textile industry is forward-looking and resilient – with a healthy appetite for new technologies and a determination to keep its leading position. Sustainability is increasingly coming into focus, so there is a growing demand for recycling technologies, as well as automated solutions and digitalization. Cornelia Buchwalder, Secretary General of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association, is clear: “China is the main market for a large number of our association members.” On top of growing consumer demand and technological capabilities, the latest ambitious five-year plan will drive further development of the Chinese textile industry in world markets, and Swiss companies will work with all stakeholders to enable its success.

Market proximity
Swiss companies realized many years ago that geographical proximity is the key to success. Stäubli has started to set up offices in Chinese cities since 1998 and counts 12 locations today, to serve the whole country. In 2002, Itema established a centralized local branch which today has 160 employees in various functions. Loepfe has expanded its presence by creating an independent local business unit to overcome the 9,000 km distance by air, while Uster Technologies has had a Chinese subsidiary since 1982, with offices and service stations in different provinces. Luwa set up its offices and workshop in Shanghai in 1997. Rieter established a presence in mainland China in 2005, driven by a strong commitment to expanding the country’s know-how and expertise – and ten years later opened an advanced research center. All Swiss companies with serious business goals in China have made similar commitments to connect with customers and maintain strong relationships.

Understanding Chinese customers
Swiss companies also understand that Chinese customers require dedicated attention, and that speed is more essential than ever in delivering both machines and services.
Manufacturers in China are seeking cost-effective solutions to remain competitive, while consumers are looking for value in their purchases. Companies need to develop solutions that provide tangible economic benefits to their clients. Furthermore, energy savings have become paramount in China, due to the government's commitment to environmental sustainability and reduced carbon emissions. “Businesses are adopting more energy-efficient processes and technologies to meet stringent energy conservation and emission reduction targets,” says Peter Schnickmann, Managing Director at Luwa Air Engineering (Shanghai). He notes an investment trend for solutions helping Chinese companies cut operational costs and minimize their carbon footprint.

To enhance the reputation of both companies and products – and boost the image of the entire industry – the environmental impact needs to decrease. Priorities are saving water and waste, as well as reducing, replacing or completely eliminating the use of harmful substances. China has a strong demand for environmental-friendly solutions and sustainable technologies.

Customer-oriented in weaving
The huge number of Chinese fabric producers calls for an immense volume of weaving machinery to be supplied by international and local providers. Swiss machinery manufacturers hold an impressive share of this business.
Chinese weavers require advanced technology, with increasingly higher standards of efficiency. In weaving preparation, latest solutions match the speed, quality and reliability now wanted. Weaving machines too offer the eco-efficiency, performance, and ease of use needed, with innovations that extend the scope of sustainable weaving, and open-platform systems configurable to weavers’ specific operations. A huge increase in demand for technical textiles in recent years has been driven by applications such as carbon fiber, aramid and glass fiber.

Profitable in spinning
China’s competitive advantages come from its large-scale and integrated manufacturing capabilities, along with the use of advanced automation and digitization technologies. Spinners aim to capitalize on extended market opportunities, with more economical production. The latest air-jet spinning machines serve these goals, allowing exceptionally low production costs per kilogram of yarn, coupled with high flexibility and reliability. Sustainable yarns are in great demand.

The automation trend in spinning mills focuses on connecting production processes. Data is used to ensure the highest quality standards, most efficient raw material usage, reduction of waste, and energy savings. To make spinning mills more competitive, latest solutions combine cutting-edge hardware, data-enabled software and renowned textile expertise.

Textiles are a given in civil engineering: they stabilize water protection dams, prevent runoff containing pollutants from landfills, facilitate the revegetation of slopes at risk of erosion, and even make asphalt layers of roads thinner. Until now, textiles made of highly resistant synthetic fibers have been used for this purpose, which have a very long lifetime. For some applications, however, it would not only be sufficient but even desirable for the auxiliary textile to degrade in the soil when it has done its job. Environmentally friendly natural fibers, on the other hand, often decompose too quickly. The German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) are developing a bio-based protective coating that extends their service life.

Depending on humidity and temperature, natural fiber materials can degrade in the soil in a matter of months or even a few days. In order to significantly extend the degradation time and make them suitable for geotextiles, the Denkendorf team researches a protective coating. This coating, based on lignin, is itself biodegradable and does not generate microplastics in the soil. Lignin is indeed biodegradable, but this degradation takes a very long time in nature.

Together with cellulose, Lignin forms the building materials for wood and is the "glue" in wood that holds this composite material together. In paper production, usually only the cellulose is used, so lignin is produced in large quantities as a waste material. So-called kraft lignin remains as a fusible material. Textile production can deal well with thermoplastic materials. All in all, this is a good prerequisite for taking a closer look at lignin as a protective coating for geotextiles.

Lignin is brittle by nature. Therefore, it is necessary to blend the kraft lignin with softer biomaterials. These new biopolymer compounds of brittle kraft lignin and softer biopolymers were applied to yarns and textile surfaces in the research project via adapted coating systems. For this purpose, for example, cotton yarns were coated with lignin at different application rates and evaluated. Biodegradation testing was carried out using soil burial tests both in a climatic chamber with temperature and humidity defined precisely according to the standard and outdoors under real environmental conditions. With positive results: the service life of textiles made of natural fibers can be extended by many factors with a lignin coating: The thicker the protective coating, the longer the protection lasts. In the outdoor tests, the lignin coating was still completely intact even after about 160 days of burial.

Textile materials coated with lignin enable sustainable applications. For example, they have an adjustable and sufficiently long service life for certain geotextile applications. In addition, they are still biodegradable and can replace previously used synthetic materials in some applications, such as revegetation of trench and stream banks.

Thus, lignin-coated textiles have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint: They reduce dependence on petroleum-based products and avoid the formation of microplastics in the soil.

Further research is needed to establish lignin, which was previously a waste material, as a new valuable material in industrial manufacturing processes in the textile industry.

The research work was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection as part of the Baden-Württemberg State Strategy for a Sustainable Bioeconomy.

The expansion of production capacities is a milestone for the Brembo SGL Carbon Ceramic Brakes (BSCCB) joint venture and is evidence of the company's successful development in recent years.

After completion, the two new production halls will have a total area of around 8,500 m². The construction is scheduled to be completed as early as October 2024. Immediately after completion, the installation of new production machinery will begin. The start of production in the new manufacturing facilities for high-quality carbon ceramic brakes is scheduled for January 2025. The expansion of production capacities will create around 80 new jobs in various production professions at the Meitingen site.

Production capacities at the Meitingen and Stezzano (Italy) sites will be expanded by more than 70%. The demand for carbon ceramic brake discs from BSCCB has increased worldwide. The high product quality and performance of carbon ceramic brake discs meet the specific requirements of automotive manufacturers, especially in the premium and luxury segments where high braking performance is required.

The Board of Renewcell has appointed Magnus Håkansson as the new acting CEO. Magnus has experience from leading roles in the retail and fashion sector and from leadership in a listed environment. On Monday, October 16, he started his position, replacing Patrik Lundström, who has been the company's CEO since 2019.

Magnus Håkansson has a degree in economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management. He started his career as a management consultant at McKinsey and has since held several leading roles in global growth companies in the retail sector, as well as the pulp industry, including many years with experience from a listed environment. He most recently came from a role as CEO of MediaMarkt Sweden.

Comment from Michael Berg, Chairman of the Board of Renewcell:
"With a slower adoption in the value chain, and thus lower sales growth, than expected, the Board has decided that a new leadership in the company is necessary. I would like to thank Patrik for his contribution to the development of Renewcell, he has been instrumental in taking the company from the development stage to listing, factory construction and production.

We are very pleased that Magnus Håkansson is now stepping in as acting CEO. His experience from consumer focused companies and his solid leadership skills will add value to the company in its current phase – focusing on sales to brand companies in the clothing retail sector, where we see continued strong interest."

The innovative company RUDOLF has been honoured for its outstanding achievements in the field of sustainability and environmental protection and has won the coveted Responsible Care Federal Competition 2023 in the category SME.

The award was presented as part of a competition organised by the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI). Responsible Care is a voluntary initiative of the chemical industry. Its aim is continuous improvement in the areas of environmental protection, health and safety. Chemical companies and associations in more than 50 countries support the initiative. The award-winning project of the innovative company RUDOLF impressed the jury with its pioneering technology, which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 99.9 % compared to conventional cooling systems. „The project uses near-surface geothermal energy for industrial cooling - according to the motto „Efficiency First“ the most efficient way has been chosen!“ - Jury statement
 
TerraCool‘s winning system uses near-surface geothermal energy as the most natural form of cooling. It utilises the constant temperature of around 10°C at a depth of around 10 metres below ground. A specially developed heat exchanger system takes advantage of this natural cooling effect. In the future, it will be used to cool chemical production processes at RUDOLF. The main advantage of this technology is that it is CO₂ neutral. The technology is highly efficient and consumes only 0.1 % of the electricity used by conventional cooling systems.  By using natural resources, the system reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 99.9 % compared to conventional cooling systems, resulting in a very presentable carbon footprint. Another impressive aspect is its high energy efficiency. With just 1 kW of electrical energy, the system generates up to 600 kW of cooling capacity, thanks to the use of a highly energyefficient circulating pump system. Energy is, and will continue to be, a valuable „raw material“ for our industry and one that we need to manage carefully. The system is self-contained and has no contact with groundwater. No environmentally harmful refrigerants or antifreeze are required. With this technology, RUDOLF has made a pioneering contribution to the climate-neutral transformation of the economy, proving that innovative solutions can go hand in hand with environmental protection and sustainability. The Responsible Care award recognises the company‘s commitment to a greener future.