From the Sector

The decision by Messe Frankfurt, the organiser of the annual Heimtextil exhibition for home textiles, to significantly expand its focus on textile technologies in 2020, has received an extremely enthusiastic response from members of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery manufacturers association.

“Heimtextil is already a huge show, having attracted well over three thousand visitors to Frankfurt in January this year, filling all twelve halls of the Messe Frankfurt fair grounds,” says TMAS Secretary General Therese Premler-Andersson. “The expansion of textile technologies at next January’s Heimtextil can only help further boost this international community of manufacturers and suppliers for the home textiles market at all levels, and naturally we want to be a part of it.”

• ACG Kinna Automatic
  At Heimtextil 2019, TMAS member ACG Kinna Automatic generated a significant buzz with live demonstrations of its new robotic pillow filling system and will provide details of how it has been further developed over 2019, with several commercial systems now in place.
• Automatex
  Meanwhile, in the first quarter of 2020, Automatex ES, the specialist in automated cutting, sewing and folding equipment, is planning to launch another innovation in advanced manufacturing for the bedding industry.
• IRO AB
  IRO AB has consistently introduced new milestones in the field of yarn feeding technology for weaving machines and at Heimtextil 2020 will be providing information on new introductions to its product range.
• Eltex
  Eltex is achieving considerable success with its yarn fault detection and tension monitoring systems across a range of sectors, including the tufting of carpets and the creeling of woven materials, but at Heimtextil 2020 the focus will be on its advanced systems for the sewn products sector, including the UPG-Stitch thread break sensor, which is based on the piezoelectric principle and is suitable for all types of yarns while being insensitive to dust, dirt and humidity variations.
• Svegea of Sweden
  Svegea of Sweden now has over 60 years of experience in exclusively designing, manufacturing and installing bespoke bias cutting, roll slitting and rewinding and inspection machines.
  The company’s complete Bias System includes a tube sewing unit a bias cutter/winder for opening up previously-formed tube material – spirally on a bias – and strip cutter.

• Order intake of CHF 524.5 million after nine months
• Order intake for a major project from Egypt booked in October 2019
• Market situation remains challenging
• Real estate sale in Ingolstadt successfully completed
• Outlook 2019

The cumulative order intake recorded by Rieter Group in the first nine months of 2019 of CHF 524.5 million (2018: CHF 749.8 million) was down by 30% compared to the prior-year period. In the third quarter of 2019, order intake was CHF 146.2 million (Q3 2018: CHF 238.0 million).

Order Intake for a Major Project from Egypt Booked
On October 7, 2019, Rieter booked the order intake for the first six projects with Cotton & Textile Industries Holding Company, Cairo (Egypt) of around CHF 165 million. This amount is thus not included in the figures for the third quarter of 2019 and will positively affect the fourth quarter. The sales are anticipated to be realized in the 2020/2021 financial years. The order includes deliveries of compact and ring spinning systems and it is part of a comprehensive modernization program for the Egyptian textile industry.

Market Situation Remains Challenging
The demand for new machinery remained at a low level in the third quarter of 2019. The primary reasons are existing overcapacity in the spinning mills, the trade conflict between the USA and China, as well as political and economic uncertainties in other regions of importance to Rieter. Rieter's market share continues to be at the level of around 30%.

Real Estate Sale in Ingolstadt Successfully Completed
Rieter completed the real estate sale in Ingolstadt (Germany) to GERCHGROUP of Düsseldorf (Germany) on September 13, 2019. Rieter expects a non-recurring profit contribution from this transaction on a net profit level of around EUR 60 million.

Outlook 2019
Rieter estimates significantly lower sales for the year 2019 as a whole compared to 2018, and expects a significant drop in the result from the ongoing business. EBIT and net profit are anticipated to be significantly above the levels of the previous year due to the non-recurring profit contribution from the sale of real estate in Ingolstadt (Germany). The cost-cutting measures introduced have been implemented to a great extent.

C.L.A.S.S. discloses five key and influencing brands with unique outfits already available in the market, that demonstrate how smart materials are able to deliver eco hi-tech valuable innovations.

• Gilberto Calzolari: A luxury prêt-à-porter brand Made in Italy with a responsible soul, whose style is represented by the demi-couture dress: fresh, glamorous and romantic
• Closed: the German brand, founded in1978, focuses on great designs, small details and pure quality to create understated and advanced denim looks totally handmade in Italy.
• Martin Greenfield: Within the premium brand adoptions of Bemberg™, Martin Greenfield shines as one of the world's most renowned tailor company.
• My.Suit: Since My.Suit was founded in 2008 in NYC, their philosophy has been simple: provide their clients with a better way to buy a suit.
• un-sanctioned™: An innovation-driven performance running apparel brand newly launched in September, 2019; founded on the belief that it’s time for running to give back to the environment all runners take so much joy from.

As of October 1st, 2019, the Netherlands-based global market leading manufacturer of advanced automation equipment and solutions for composites, Airborne, strengthens its activities particularly in German speaking countries, the so-called D-A-CH region, comprising Germany, Austria and Switzerland with Dr. Michael Effing from AMAC. The Dutch company is looking for specialised partnerships to develop and deepen its international business opportunities in the aerospace and automotive markets.

Airborne’s focus is on high-end composite components, at high production rates at radically low conversion costs. Airborne is building up a suite of automated solutions for the manufacturing of composites with the aim to radically reduce costs and touch labour, minimize the footprint and use of material, and improve the time to market for their clients. The company offers i.a. solutions in automated honeycomb potting, automated kitting and automated lamination of thermosets and thermoplastics. In order to develop new business opportunities in the D-A-CH region for the end-markets aerospace and automotive, Airborne is cooperating with AMAC to accelerate the process of locating suitable partnerships.

Dr. Effing, CEO of AMAC GmbH confirms: "As a first step for the establishment of Airborne on the German market, we just signed their membership at AZL in Aachen which will help to connect with over 80 companies and latest research developments. In the framework of theirstrategy to strengthen the supply to the aircraft sector, Airborne will also exhibit at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg from March 31st to April 2nd 2020.”

Deterioration in market segments Textile Fibers and Industrial Applications in the business unit CFM will be counteracted with various measures; strategic growth markets remain intact

• Continued weakness in the business unit Composites – Fibers & Materials (CFM) in the final quarter of 2019 due to the further weakening in the market segment Textile Fibers as well as the deteriorated economic environment in the market segment Industrial Applications leads to a guidance adjustment for the full year 2019
• Earnings deterioration at CFM triggers an impairment testing; impairment charge will become necessary
• Initial outlook for 2020
• Comprehensive measures initiated to improve earnings of the CFM business unit
• CFM strategic growth markets automotive and aerospace remain intact
• Growth in higher-margin aerospace business to be accelerated

While the preliminary results for the first nine months 2019 remain, overall, within the scope of the full year outlook outlined in the ad-hoc notification of August 14, 2019 (preliminary 9M/2019 recurring EBIT: Group: approx. €54 million, CFM: approx. minus €2 million, GMS: approx. €71 million, Corporate: approx. minus €15 million), continued weakness is becoming apparent for the final quarter 2019 in the reporting segment Composites – Fibers & Materials (CFM). This is due to the further weakening in the market segment Textile Fibers as well as the deteriorated economic environment in the market segment Industrial Applications.

SGL Carbon therefore now expects for the full year 2019 a recurring EBIT in the reporting segment CFM in a negative mid to high single digit million € amount (previous guidance: positive mid-single digit million € amount). This results in a Group recurring EBIT for the full year 2019 in the magnitude of €45 to 50 million (previous guidance: approx. €55 million).

The earnings deterioration at CFM triggers an impairment testing. Based on the preliminary status of the new five-year plan, a non-cash impairment charge of €70 to 80 million is becoming apparent in CFM mainly due to the lower starting point in 2019 as well as the ongoing weakness in the market segments Textile Fibers and Industrial Applications. This impairment charge will be recorded in the third quarter 2019. In recent years acquired assets of the former joint ventures with BMW and Benteler are not affected by this impairment.

Eco-friendly dyeing auxiliary saves time, water and energy by enabling pre-scouring, dyeing and reduction clearing in a single-bath
Huntsman Textile Effects introduces the breakthrough ERIOPON® E3-SAVE dyeing auxiliary for the new “single-bath scour-dye-reduction clear concept” providing the shortest possible processing cycle for polyester thus saving time, water, energy and cost.

The demand for polyester and man-made fibers is booming as sports and athleisure apparel markets expand rapidly around the world. At the same time, brands, consumers and mills are increasingly focused on sustainability and performance resulting in raising demand for optimization of the costly, time consuming and resource intensive polyester dyeing process.

Developed by Huntsman Textile Effects specifically to meet these challenges, the advanced all-in-one ERIOPON® E3-SAVE dyeing auxiliary is engineered to help the mills achieve considerable savings in the water, energy and time for the intensive process of dyeing polyester and its blends by combining pre-scouring, dyeing and reduction clearing in a single bath.

Graf introduces at ShanghaiTex three novelties for the textile market: a new card clothing with up to 30% longer lifetime, a height adjustable comb and a helpful solution for card clothing management.
MULTISHARP, the unique wear resistant alloy for card clothings, increases the lifetime of metallic card clothings on the cylinder by up to 30%. Additionally, the work load of the maintenance team can be minimized by providing longer service cycles and less unplanned downtimes.

The yield on raw material can be increased without compromising the quality requirements – thanks to the continuous height adjustability of the new combs series. The continuous and exact gap setting between nipper and circular comb on each individual combing head provides customers a new level on raw material utilization. Additionally, the maintenance people will appreciate the comfortable and easy installation of the circular comb.

With the card clothing management the overall investment costs can be reduced. This is based on minimizing the operational expenses including optimizing the overall equipment effectiveness. Graf’s card clothing management prolongs the lifetime of flexible flats by up to three times without comprising on the quality parameters throughout the entire life cycle.

Suessen presents the new compacting devices for high flexibility, new weighting arms and premium rotor spinning components for excellent yarn quality.
COMPACTeasy is the new mechanical compacting device available as a plugon/ plug-off unit for any ring spinning machine type and suitable for most common applications like cotton, man-made fibers and blends. COMPACTeasy is the solution in compacting without additional energy requirement.

New EliTe is a versatile compact-spinning system with new innovative components. The customers profit from higher productivity, better quality and lower operational costs. Upgrade packages and spare parts packages enable the customers to benefit also on existing installations.

The new Top Weighting Arm HP 4080 for roving frames offers a new design for easy settings and improved stability. In addition, consistent yarn quality over the lifetime is guaranteed.

"Fulfillment Hub” presentation will feature collaborations with major brands, thought leadership sessions
Kornit Digital (Nasdaq: KRNT), a worldwide market leader in digital textile printing technology, has announced the details of its presence at PRINTING United 2019, taking place in Dallas, Texas, October 23-25, 2019.

PRINTING United brings the North American public debut of Kornit’s Konnect software, a cloud software analytics platform that provides users a single comprehensive user interface to monitor and manage their productivity. This empowers customers to receive real-time data about their operations, prioritize, assess costs, troubleshoot, and set goals from the convenience of their laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Long-established expertise and bold imagination define a state-of-the-art collection, providing an overview of the company’s complete denim services. From the idea development to the finished garment, the project was entirely envisioned, advanced and manufactured by the leading international group.

Mastery and creativity belong to Elleti Group’s character since the very beginning of its journey in the textile industry. Enhancing its unique approach, which also combines a solid tradition of excellence and the commitment towards innovation, the company returns once again to Kingpins Amsterdam Show with an exclusive new project to be presented at Transformatorhuis – Booth T7.

Inspired by six great artistic movements from the past century, Out of the blue impressions is the special capsule collection reimagining the timeless beauty of art through a unique style that breaks new ground. Twelve garments, featuring denim and more, are the result of the in-house R&D team effort and commitment to the development of one-of-a-kind solutions.

Every piece was envisioned and advanced according to a fresh and disrupting approach to art, resulting in unprecedented interpretations of much loved art periods to be realized on special canvases through specific techniques.