From the Sector

Polyurethane has become an integral part of our daily lives, whether in the construction industry, in leisure activities, in the manufacture of furniture or in numerous other applications. The precision gear pumps from Oerlikon Barmag, which will be presented at this year's UTECH Asia / PU China 2024 in Shanghai, impress with customised solutions for demanding tasks in the chemical industry. They increase the productivity of the often complex manufacturing processes for this wide range of applications.

Oerlikon Barmag pumps handle demanding processes in PUR applications, in the chemical, plastics or paint and lacquers industries. One of the greatest challenges lies in the accurate and reliable metering of toxic or low-viscosity media. With the GM and GA series and the associated components, Oerlikon Barmag presents the optimum equipment for these applications.

GM pump
Pumps in the GM series achieve precise dosing by feeding the flow with low pulsation. The multi-stage GM pump conveys low-viscosity media even under high pressure and the most difficult operating conditions (e.g. 250 bar, 100 mPas). The standard pump for many dosing tasks is the GM series in a square design. With the development of the multi-stage pump, the range of applications for the GM series has been significantly expanded. The round 2-stage GM pump has been specially developed for use in high-pressure technology. It fulfils the special challenge of pumping small flow rates with low viscosities. The pump serves flow rates from 0.05 to 20 ccm/rev and is therefore particularly suitable for the production of PUR moulded parts, block foam, refrigeration unit insulation or sandwich panels.  

GA series
Making products and processes more efficient is a constant challenge for manufacturing companies. This is why Oerlikon Barmag has added the GA series to the GM series especially for the demanding conveying of high-viscosity media. The GA series is available in delivery volumes of 1.25 - 30 cm³/rev (0.6-144 l/h). It is designed for pressures up to 200 bar, for viscosities up to 1,500 Pas and for temperatures up to a maximum of 225°C. With this pump series, Oerlikon Barmag offers customised solutions for process engineering processes where highly accurate and uniform metering is required.

The drum pump
The drum pump from Oerlikon Barmag is specially designed for conveying and dosing highly viscous materials such as adhesives, silicones and other highly viscous materials from drums and other large containers and for pressures of up to 250 bar. One of its special features is not only that it discharges highly viscous materials from the drum, but also that the medium can be dosed directly without an intermediate stop.

The gear pump and drum follower plate are synchronised so that the plate effortlessly reaches the bottom of the container, leaving behind only a very small residual quantity of < 1%. This reduces material costs and has a positive effect on the production process.

Stratasys Ltd., a company in polymer 3D printing solutions, announced their financial results for the first quarter 2024.

First Quarter 2024 Financial Results Compared to First Quarter 2023:

• Revenue of $144.1 million compared to $149.4 million.
• GAAP gross margin of 44.4%, compared to 43.8%.
• Non-GAAP gross margin of 48.6%, compared to 47.3%.
• GAAP operating loss of $24.5 million, compared to an operating loss of $16.8 million.
• Non-GAAP operating loss of $1.2 million, compared to non-GAAP operating income of $1.5 million.
• GAAP net loss of $26.0 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $22.2 million, or $0.33 per diluted share.
• Non-GAAP net loss of $1.7 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $1.1 million, or $0.02 per diluted share.
• Adjusted EBITDA of $4.1 million, compared to $7.0 million.
• Cash generated by operating activities of $7.3 million, compared to cash used by operating activities of $17.9 million in the year-ago quarter.

2024 Financial Outlook:
Based on current market conditions and assuming that the impacts of global inflationary pressures, relatively high interest rates and supply chain costs do not impede economic activity further, the Company is reiterating its outlook for 2024 as follows:

• Full-year revenue of $630 million to $645 million.
• Compare to 2023 revenue of approximately $616 million excluding divestments and annualizing Covestro.
• Full-year non-GAAP gross margins of 49.0% to 49.5%, improving sequentially throughout the year.
• Full-year operating expenses in the range of $292 million to $297 million.
• Full-year non-GAAP operating margins in a range of 2.5% to 3.5%.
• GAAP net loss of $88 million to $72 million, or ($1.24) to ($1.01) per diluted share.
• Includes one-time extraordinary costs associated with Stratasys’ strategic alternatives process.
• Non-GAAP net income of $9 million to $14 million, or $0.12 to $0.19 per diluted share.
• Adjusted EBITDA of $40 million to $45 million.
• Capital expenditures of $20 million to $25 million.
• Positive cash flow from operating activities.

Non-GAAP earnings guidance excludes $29 million to $31 million of share-based compensation expense, $26 million to $28 million of projected amortization of intangible assets, and reorganization and other expenses of $29 million to $35 million. Non-GAAP guidance includes tax adjustments of $2 million to $3 million on the above non-GAAP items.

KM.ON launches its new Quality Monitoring System (QMS) for the retrofit market at ITM from June 4 to 8 in Istanbul, presenting a solution for quality management on warp knitting machines.
For its performance in defect detection, the QMS uses the advances of our time: a camera system that captures images of the production process, and a specialized artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the images. Particularly in terms of handling, reliability and precision of defect detection, the QMS from KM.ON offers advantages over conventional systems that do not rely on AI analysis.

The QMS is designed for easy setup and can be operated without prior expertise. If a defect causes the machine to come to a standstill, the operator is informed immediately via a user-friendly interface. The immediate warning enables rapid intervention and therefore less downtime and more productivity.

Thanks to its conceptual design, the QMS only stops production when actual defects are detected. Unnecessary interruptions caused by external disruptive factors, such as changing light conditions, are avoided. This precision prevents productivity losses and helps to ensure continuous operation. Costs due to unnecessary machine downtime are avoided.

Unlike conventional camera systems, the QMS detects even the most complex defects and triggers an immediate machine stop. This minimizes material waste. During operation, the AI-controlled system learns from the data to enhance its detection accuracy, thereby reducing the reject rate and costs. The QMS also adapts to evolving production environments to ensure consistently high efficiency.

Manufacturer of activewear and swimwear, Active Apparel Group (AAG), has committed to a structured approach in reducing its environmental impact across its global operations through an Environmental Management System (EMS). The EMS, built using the ISO14001 Standard Framework, incorporates key environmental policy commitments and has set targets and strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of its operations across China, Australia and USA.

Through a third-party audit of its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), AAG has identified the following areas of focus to reduce impacts:

• Reduction in Scope 1 energy use
• Reduction in air freight
• Reduction in water usage across the business
• Ongoing collection and management of production waste
• Increased use of sustainable materials
• Continued collection of GHG data for ongoing improvement

AAG’s EMS is designed to be embedded within the operations of the business, with functional ownership of targets established and education of the team prioritized, to deliver results on reducing environmental impact. Quarterly reporting of its progress is communicated to stakeholders and reviewed by the company’s Board of Directors.

The EMS is part of AAG’s ongoing Responsible Business Strategy - a company-wide commitment to driving continuous improvement across the areas of Governance, Social and Environmental impact. Other initiatives include Living Wage Audit by Bureau Veritas (AAG pays 100% Living Wage); Materiality Assessment; Supply Chain Traceability Project; Circularity and Waste Management along with annual third-party audits - SMETA, Gold WRAP, Supplier Qualification Program and its Modern Slavery Statement.

Every day, technical service experts from Trützschler visit customers around the globe. Now the company adds another location to their list: the virtual space, called Digital Start-Up. Digital Start-Up is a special service that helps customers get maximum value from Trützschler’s digital solutions. From personalized configurations through to analyzing data and optimizing production processes in real time, Digital Start-Up supports yarn production processes.

Digital Start-Up offers:

• Guided onboarding for all-in-one platform My Trützschler including My Mill, Training, Shop and more.
• On-site training for all machines and services.
• Digital audits that combine online and on-site guidance, training and troubleshooting

The My Trützschler platform provides access to the digital Trützschler world, with insights from digital services including My Mill Training, Shop and My Wires. The My Identity tool ensures safe access on any device, anywhere – and it saves time with single sign-on authentication.

Breaking new ground in plastics recycling means assessing the value chain from end to end. The big opportunities for the future are in fine-tuning the individual process steps; from the collection of recyclable materials to the recycling process and the end product. This is where the cooperation of Lindner and the EREMA Group comes in, officially launched following the 50/50 founding of the holding BLUEONE Solutions in August 2023 to which shares of Lindner Washtech were contributed. The expertise of EREMA, a manufacturer of extruders and filtration solutions for plastics recycling and the largest company within the EREMA Group, has now been combined with the expert know-how from Lindner Washtech, a leading provider of all-in-one solutions for shredding, sorting and washing plastic feed materials.

Data transfer ensures more efficient recycling processes
Process control is an especially important aspect of plastics recycling, which is why standardising the process control system was what the two companies focused on first. "Together, we have developed a platform that allows data to be exchanged between the extruder and the washing system," says Manfred Hackl, CEO of the EREMA Group at IFAT in Munich. "This enables us to analyse the data more precisely so that effective improvement measures can be deduced." All key parameters are taken into account and monitored via a digital interface. For example, it is possible to use information relating to the current throughput of the EREMA Pre Conditioning Unit to optimise the washing process as soon as possible so that it can compensate for fluctuations in capacity and achieve a significant increase in output. This data transfer represents a new step on the roadmap to digitalization.

High efficiency due to smart energy management
"To ensure sustainable recycling, it is necessary to find the right process for each application and to make sure that the individual process steps are perfectly coordinated," emphasizes Michael Lackner, Managing Director of Lindner. Coordinating the process steps has already achieved initial success in energy management, and a clear example of this is heat recovery. "We use the latent heat generated during the extrusion process as an energy source for the washing and drying process," explains Lackner. "This enables our customers to sustainably reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions".

Making the most of synergies along the value chain
Synergies need to be used to establish the quality standards specified for each end application. "The key question is how we can improve the end product and increase the overall efficiency of the recycling process at the same time," agree Manfred Hackl and Michael Lackner. This will only work if companies work together along the value chain. The industry leaders can already point to several examples where together they have improved recycling processes and made it possible to move away from downcycling. "An example of this is the recycling loop of HDPE starting material, which is processed into high-quality, food-safe rHDPE pellets using our two technologies," says Lackner. Lindner Washtech and EREMA continue to work intensively together to develop strategies for upcycling plastics and increase recycling rates.

Trützschler Nonwovens will participate in the ANEX 2024 exhibition (May 22 to 24, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan). Attendees will be able to explore sustainable nonwoven solutions tailored for flushable wipes with the pulp-based CP and WLS lines, as well as other cutting-edge offerings such as the needle-punched line T-SUPREMA for technical nonwovens.

The Dibella sales team continues to grow. Since the first of May, Thomas Kmoch has been supporting customers from South Tyrol, Austria and Switzerland.

Dibella welcomes Thomas Kmoch, an experienced member of staff, to the team. Due to his previous twenty years as an authorised signatory and sales director at Damino GmbH, the sales specialist brings with him in-depth knowldge of flat linen for contract business and comprehensive industry expertise.

At Dibella, Thomas Kmoch is primarily responsible for supporting existing customers and building new customer relationships in South Tyrol, Austria and Switzerland. The company is thus further strengthening ist focus on these three regions.

adidas and Arsenal reveal the new home kit for the 2024/25 season, that celebrates the rich heritage of The Gunners.

The club’s traditional colours of red and white with a slick navy addition, combine to create a modern looking design, that sees the cannon feature outside the crest on the home kit for the first time since the 1989/90 season. Previously seen on Arsenal away and third kits, the cannon represents an enduring symbol of Arsenal’s history which has been synonymous with the club since its inception.  

The new kit will be worn on pitch for the first time by Arsenal Women when they take on Brighton in the final match of the WSL season on Saturday May 18.

Juki America and Coloreel revealed a partnership that will extend Coloreel’s thread dyeing technology to the sewing industry. With Coloreel, Juki sewing machines can now access millions of precise colors in real time.

Juki’s distributors will get exclusive rights to market and sell Coloreel for sewing machines within North and South America. The first official installation of Coloreel paired with a Juki sewing machine will be at FABRIC Incubator in Arizona, USA, a fashion incubator and garment manufacturer that supports up-and-coming designers.