From the Sector

Die Digitalisierung und Vernetzung von Maschinen und Anlagen sind maßgeblich für die Zukunftsfähigkeit von fertigenden Unternehmen. Eine Voraussetzung hierfür ist der Einsatz geeigneter Technologien. Um KMU dabei zu unterstützen, die Möglichkeiten von Industrie 4.0 zielorientiert zu nutzen, bietet der Leitfaden „Design für Industrie 4.0“ des VDI Zentrum Ressourceneffizienz (VDI ZRE) praxisrelevante Umsetzungsimpulse.

Industrie 4.0 dominiert derzeit die Diskussionen über die Zukunft der Industrie – auch am Industriestandort Deutschland. Schließlich erweist sich die vierte industrielle Revolution, für die der Begriff steht, als äußerst bedeutsam für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen (KMU) des verarbeitenden Gewerbes. Denn die digitale Transformation, die damit einhergeht, eröffnet immer mehr KMU die Möglichkeit, ihre Produktionsprozesse, Produkte und Geschäftsmodelle zu optimieren oder sie sogar gänzlich neu zu gestalten – und auf diese Weise ihre Zukunft zu sichern.
 
Die Umsetzung der damit zusammenhängenden Digitalisierungsmaßnahmen geht dabei nicht nur mit ökonomischen Investments und administrativen Veränderungen für das gesamte Unternehmen einher. Insbesondere für KMU, die Maßnahmen umsetzen wollen, ist es entscheidend, eine ganzheitliche und in das Unternehmen integrierte Digitalisierungsstrategie zu entwickeln – von der Planung, Umsetzung bis hin zur kontinuierlichen Weiterentwicklung.

Der neue Leitfaden „Design für Industrie 4.0“ des VDI ZRE adressiert genau diese Herausforderung und bietet praxisrelevante Umsetzungsimpulse für KMU.

Der Leitfaden „Design für Industrie 4.0“ bietet einen kompakten Einblick für KMU und zeigt, wie Unternehmen durch den Einsatz geeigneter Technologien ihre betriebliche Ressourceneffizienz entlang der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette steigern können. Ausgewählte Methoden verdeutlichen, auf welche Weise Betriebe die sich bietenden Chancen der digitalen Transformation gezielt nutzen können, um ihre Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu stärken. Anhand eines praktischen Beispiels wird zudem in drei Schritten („Analyse“, „Ideenpool“ und „Implementierung“) illustriert, wie KMU mittels verschiedener Möglichkeiten erste Schritte zur Integration von Industrie 4.0-Konzepten und Technologien gehen können, um die digitale Transformation zu ermöglichen.

The Supervisory Board of Lenzing Group has appointed Rohit Aggarwal as a new member of the Management Board of Lenzing Group. He will assume responsibility for the fiber division during the third quarter. After the departure of Stephan Sielaff, Aggarwal will take over the position of CEO of Lenzing Group.

Rohit Aggarwal has a sound understanding of the strategic development of international markets and the establishment of efficient management teams through global management positions in Europe, the USA and Asia. Thanks to his experience in the global textile and fiber market, he is well versed with Lenzing's core business in all its facets, both in terms of content and geography.

Stephan Sielaff, CEO of Lenzing Group, will leave the company at the latest when his contract expires at the end of March 2025 and devote himself to new tasks.

Archroma has won awards in two categories at the Just Style 2024 Excellence Awards. It took home two coveted Innovation Excellence awards for its SUPER SYSTEMS+ solutions and AVICUERO® leather tanning process, as well as a Social Excellence award for its longstanding and holistic commitment to community engagement in Baroda, India.

The awards recognize how Archroma is driving change with innovations that advance sustainability and through initiatives that contribute to the socio-economic progress of communities near to its Baroda manufacturing plant.

Innovation Awards
Archroma was recognized for advancing sustainable manufacturing in two Just Style Excellence Awards for Innovation.

SUPER SYSTEMS+ is a comprehensive suite of solutions that addresses the textile industry's key challenges, including water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, circularity, chemical management and compliance.

By providing end-to-end, fiber-specific solutions that enhance process efficiency and offer intelligent effects, SUPER SYSTEMS+ enables mills and brands to meet their sustainability targets as well as consumer demand for durable products with enhanced functionality and sustainability. With end-to-end solutions from pre-treatment to finishing, SUPER SYSTEMS+ can be deployed without additional investment. With future compliance in mind, the solutions also go beyond current regulations and industry standards to anticipate upcoming restrictions.

Archroma’s AVICUERO® is a system for sustainable leather tanning and dyeing. Developed in collaboration with UK-based leather technology expert Dr Leather, it is both chrome- and metal-free and yet maintains the quality and performance of traditional tanning methods. Tanners enjoy shorter processing times, eliminate the pickling process and reduce salt usage, leading to lower pollution effluent discharge loads. In addition, AVICUERO® can offer energy savings of up to 25% and CO₂ emissions reductions of up to 23% compared to traditional chrome tanning.

Social Award for Community Engagement
Archroma has also been recognized for the positive impact it is having on communities in the vicinity of Baroda through multifaceted initiatives that span early childhood development, student scholarships, agricultural education and the empowerment of women.

Archroma recently set up an Anganwadi Centre to provide a range of services in the community, including nutrition and health education and pre-school learning. It also runs a scholarship program for students in vocational training, helping to create a skilled talent pool for the region. Archroma is also collaborating with a local NGO to empower farmers with modern agricultural methods and insights.

The building of a Household Biogas Plant in Umraya village is another example of Archroma's sustainable initiatives. The conversion of manure into clean renewable energy by the plant tackles several issues, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil health. It also liberates rural women from the burden of sourcing conventional fuel sources and the health risks associated with burning dung cakes for fuel.

The Top Employers Institute has recognized Autoneum as a Top Employer 2024 in Switzerland. Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organization’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through their policies and people practices. This year, the automotive supplier's Human Resources (HR) department at its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, took part in the comprehensive survey of the Top Employers Insti-tute for the first time and achieved an outstanding result.

The institute has been auditing companies worldwide for over 30 years. The certification program, which is based on an international standard, makes HR measures and their impact on employee conditions objectively measurable. To achieve this, the Top Employers Institute certifies organizations based on the participation and the results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more.

The program has certified and recognized over 2 300 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents.

KARL MAYER Technische Textilien launches the new MAX GLASS ECO, a composite machine with a focus on standard non-crimp fabrics made of glass fibers.

The MAX GLASS ECO incorporates proven solutions from the KARL MAYER GROUP's range of multiaxial machines, including features from its predecessor, the MAXTRONIC®, and combines these with sophisticated new technical developments. The result is a production machine for the economical manufacture of standard glass fiber articles, especially non-crimp fabrics for the wind power industry.

The multiaxial warp knitting machine is extremely efficient, affordable and, unlike the previous MAXTRONIC®, sufficiently flexible thanks to various optional functions. At a rotational speed of up to 1,800 min^-1, a maximum output of 410 m/h is achieved.

The MAX GLASS ECO is available with a working width of 101″ and is suitable for laying angles of +/-45°. A complementary layering system ensures a uniform take-up speed and therefore gentle processing of the fiber material. This sophisticated weft tension compensation device is one of a whole series of tried and tested features of KARL MAYER multiaxial technology that have been integrated into the new machine. Other adopted solutions include the Fiber Chopping Unit, which allows glass fiber chips to be introduced into the laying process and thus cover more fields of application, and a single pin transport chain for a processing method with less waste.

Newly developed innovations also ensure even better performance, including the fixed layer system, which ensures high placement precision at all laying angles. Other equipment details with added value for the customer include a conveyor belt across the full working width, the walking needle system, which prevents the formation of lanes even with long stitch lengths, and the fitting of single compound needles, which can be changed efficiently.

At PRSE in Amsterdam, the DischargePro control system from EREMA's POWERFIL business unit was presented with the Plastics Recycling Award Europe in the "Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year" category. The smart technology for the EREMA laser filter improves process stability over the entire operating period and reacts automatically to fluctuations during the recycling process.

The DischargePro system automatically compensates for fluctuations in the input material, thereby ensuring uniform thickening during melt filtration and thus a consistent process. Depending on the application and contamination, POWERFIL was able to reduce melt loss by up to 50 percent with the DischargePro compared to the previous EREMA laser filter control system. These facts convinced the jury, who described the technology as an intelligent technological advance in the extrusion process.

With the DischargePro control system, POWERFIL significantly increases the degree of automation in the filter process. The discharge control system reacts to specific disruptions in the process. In this way, the speed of the scraper star is adjusted at short notice and returns to the setpoint speed as soon as the contamination peak has been discharged. Furthermore, the control system also recognizes changes in throughput and adjusts the discharge rates accordingly. In the event of a higher pressure drop across the filter screen, which is caused by a higher viscosity of the melt, DischargePro adjusts the setpoint value to ensure a consistent discharge rate. Long-term changes, such as the condition of the filter screen, are also taken into account in all adjustments.

Helinox hat am 19. Juni 2024 seinen ersten europäischen Flagship-Store, das "Helinox Creative Center Paris (HCC Paris)", eröffnet und expandiert damit nach Europa, nachdem es bereits Helinox Creative Center in Seoul, Busan und Tokio gibt.

Das HCC Paris befindet sich in der Rue du Perche 10, 75003, in einem historischen Gebäude aus dem Jahr 1830. Bei der Renovierung wurden viele der ursprünglichen architektonischen Merkmale des Gebäudes aus dieser Zeit erhalten. Die Besucher können diese historischen Elemente im gesamten Geschäft erleben.

In Zukunft wird das HCC Paris wie eine Galerie funktionieren, die ihre Kollektionen ständig verändert und an die lokalen Gegebenheiten anpasst. Dieser Ansatz zielt darauf ab, ein Ladengeschäft zu schaffen, das für die Besucher interessant und fesselnd bleibt, da es immer wieder Neues zu sehen gibt.

Darüber hinaus plant das HCC Paris eine Vielzahl von künstlerischen und kulturellen Veranstaltungen, die auf die lokale Umgebung abgestimmt sind. Als traditionelle Outdoor-Marke wird Helinox nicht nur seine eigenen Produkte vorstellen, sondern auch mit verschiedenen anderen Marken und Produkten zusammenarbeiten. Ziel ist es, ein kulturelles Zentrum rund um Outdoor-Aktivitäten zu schaffen, das sowohl Helinox als auch die Outdoor-Kultur im Allgemeinen in den Vordergrund stellt.
Anlässlich der Eröffnung des HCC Paris plant Helinox eine besondere Zusammenarbeit mit Fragment Design des bekannten japanischen Designers Hiroshi Fujiwara. Die Kollektion umfasst ausgewählte Möbel und Accessoires von Helinox.

Das Modeunternehmen Ernsting’s family präsentierte seine kommende Herbst-/Winterkollektion 2024 unter dem Motto „FAMILY MOMENTS“ in Form einer bunten Modenschau mit rund 200 Gäste am Dienstag, 11. Juni 2024 im Hotel Atlantic an der Alster.

Als Gäste begrüßte das Unternehmen die britische Schauspielerin Elizabeth Hurley mit ihrem Sohn Damian und Model & Schauspielerin Brigitte Nielsen. Auf dem roten Teppich zeigten sich zudem weitere prominente Gesichter wie u.a. die Schauspieler*innen Elisabeth Röhm, Jörn Schlönvoigt und Lukas Sauer sowie die Moderatorinnen Frauke Ludowig mit ihrer Tochter Nele, Nina Moghaddam und Vanessa Meisinger. Darüber hinaus waren die Sängerinnen Patricia Kelly und Alina Wichmann, der ehemalige Leichtathlet Mathias Mester, Tänzer*innen Christian Polanc und Isabel Edvardsson, Stylistin Miyabi Kawai, Luxus-Makler Marcel Remus mit seiner Mutter Silke, die Reality-TV-Stars Hanna Sökeland und Evanthia Benetatou sowie die Models Ben Melzer, Marie Amiére und Nadine Mirada auf dem Red Carpet der Ernsting´s family Fashion Show zu Gast.

Die Fashion-Highlights für die ganze Familie wurden von bekannten Modellen, wie Moderatorin Tanja Bülter, Handwerkerin & Model Sandra Hunke, der ehemaligen GNTM-Teilnehmerin und Model Sayana Ranjan und dem Curvy-Model & Influencerin Saskia Grimm auf dem Laufsteg präsentiert. Immer im Fokus: das Thema Familie.

Ernsting’s family Kommunikationschef Marcello Concilio erklärt warum das Thema Familie so wichtig ist: „Wir sind eine Marke, die in jeder Facette Familie feiert, überzeugt davon, dass starke Werte das Gewebe einer starken Gemeinschaft sind. "Wir sind Familie." Dieser Ausdruck geht über das traditionelle Kernfamilienmodell hinaus; er umfasst alle Formen der Familie. In der heutigen Welt ist Familie nicht nur durch Blutsverwandtschaft definiert. Sie umfasst diejenigen, die wir zu den unseren zählen, diejenigen, mit denen wir uns über gemeinsame Werte, Erfahrungen oder Träume verbunden fühlen. Mit unserer Show möchten wir die Schönheit der Familie, die Wärme des Zusammenseins und die kostbaren FAMILY MOMENTS feiern.“

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from the Turkish insulation felt manufacturer Şiteks to supply a complete needlepunch line for its production plant in Tekirdag.

With this investment, Şiteks will expand its production capacity to meet the international demand for needlepunched nonwoven insulation products in the automotive and construction sectors. The line is scheduled to start up in the first quarter of 2025. This is the second line that Şiteks has purchased from ANDRITZ.

The ANDRITZ needlepunch eXcelle line for Şiteks can process different types of fibers, including natural fibers, and is specifically designed to meet the customer’s requirements in terms of productivity, quality, and sustainability.

Şiteks Şişmanlar Tekstil San. ve Tic. A.Ş, a member of the Hassan Group, is one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of thermal and acoustic insulation felts. Its products are used in a wide range of applications in the automotive, white goods, construction, and mattress and furniture industries.

Jeanologia has been honored with the title of 'Best Business Project' in the inaugural edition of the Spanish Fashion Academy Awards, aimed at recognizing and highlighting the key players in the Spanish fashion industry.

At a gala celebrating Spanish talent, Jeanologia emerged as a leading authority in sustainability and technology applied to fashion. The accolade from the Spanish Fashion Academy acknowledges Jeanologia's global vision and leadership, as well as its ability to catalyze positive change in the global fashion industry. Chosen from over 400 contenders and endorsed by the votes of 129 distinguished founding academics, the award reflects the recognition of Jeanologia's influence in the sector.

The award ceremony, held on Thursday, June 13, at Madrid's Teatro Fernán Gómez Centro Cultural de la Villa, attracted prominent figures from the Spanish fashion scene and marked a significant moment in Spanish fashion, paying homage to the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, a pivotal figure who would have turned 129 in 2024.

Enrique Silla, CEO and founder of Jeanologia, accepted the award statuette, a design by Helena Rohner inspired by Balenciaga's iconic headdress.