From the Sector

• STOP TALKING. START ACTING.
• Climate change is real. And so is the responsibility of every human being to help in reducing waste.

We no longer want to talk about sustainability, we want to act. For January, PREMIUM is partnering with Spanish fashion label and sustainable clothing pioneer ECOALF. The brand will present its lifelong mission and latest collection in a dedicated space as well as an art installation together with conceptual artist Juan Garaizabal.

"2019 is all about digital first and an active debate about social and environmental issues. Transparency and sustainability are key words. By reducing plastic waste on all our shows, teaming up with ECOALF and giving this wonderful brand dedicated space and time for spreading their message, we are taking steps into right direction. Every little action counts. We should talk about the things we do more instead of talking about what we are not doing. We all need to wake up. Now.” – Anita Tillmann, CEO PREMIUM Group

ECOALF creates high-quality garments using recycled materials collected from the bottom of our oceans. Commitment, sustainability and innovation are at the core of everything the company does, resulting in both conscious and stylish urban, adventure, knitwear and activewear pieces.   
 
“I love collaborating with people that also believe we have the opportunity to change the world for the better. It’s no longer about what you do, but how you do it. It is important to stand up for what you believe in, because fashion cannot just be about looking good.” – Javier Goyeneche, President and Founder of ECOALF. 

On Wednesday, January 16th, at 10am and 2pm, Goyeneche will present his brand’s values, philosophy and way of working on the experience floor of SHOW&ORDER X PREMIUM at Kühlhaus, right next to the STATION area. Show visitors, media and other exhibitors are invited to listen, learn and discuss.   
 
The art piece in partnership with Garaizabal unveiled at PREMIUM on January 15th is filled with waste to portray our everyday reality, and purposefully interactive so that visitors can throw their own trash inside the installation. The aim is to educate about correct waste disposal and show that every individual’s decision matters: Stop, Think, Act.

The Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) has awarded two prizes to graduates of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University - the dissertation prize and the creativity prize of the Walter Reiners Foundation of German Textile Machinery 2018. ITA alumnus Dr Benjamin Weise was awarded the dissertation prize for the development of novel fibres for textile charge storage devices. For their work on a guide to 4D product design, Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal (both ITA students) were honoured with the creativity prize. The dissertation prize is endowed with €5,000 whilst the creativity prize contains a one-year scholarship of €250 per month. Peter D. Dornier, President of the Walter Reiners Foundation and Chairman of the Management Board of Lindauer DORNIER, presented the awards on the 18 September 2018 at the 18th Textile Machinery Forum in the Digital Capability Center in Aachen, Germany.

Graphene revolutionizes all-in-one - supercaps, reduction of terahertz radiation and antistatics

In his dissertation "Development of graphene-modified multifilament yarns for the production of textile charge storage devices", laureate Dr Benjamin Weise developed novel fibres made of polyamide and graphene and further processed them into textile surfaces. The newly developed polyamide graphene fibres are featuring a multitude of advantages:

• Due to their high performance in the charge storage area, they are predestined for use in double-layer capacitors, so-called super capacitors, or supercaps in short. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, supercaps offer significantly higher power density and a longer lifetime as no chemical reactions are taking place. towing to the graphene platelets in the filaments, it is now possible for the first time to integrate a charge storage device directly into a textile without having to sew in a rechargeable battery. This new fibre is therefore suitable for prospective use in smart textiles, for instance in a textile defibrillator.
• The new graphene-modified polyamide fibres can attenuate inident terahertz radiation up to 25 % of their original intensity. Terahertz radiation, for example, offers transmission rates of 100 Mbit/sec and is therefore of high interest for high-performance wireless communication. However, the radiation could damage sensible electronics as in aircrafts if this technology will be used widespread. Consequently, the shielding of the radiation is of high importance, e.g. in the form of fibre composite components in the aircraft, which protect the on-board electronics.
• As the fibres are showcasing a dissipative electrical conductivity, personal protective equipment is another prospective field of application.  

The development of a pilot process for graphene-modified fibres and the production of textile demonstrators are novel and disruptive attainments of Dr Weise’s PhD thesis and the reason for the award ceremony to him. Due to its outstanding properties, the European Union is funding research on graphene within the frame of the "Graphene Flagship" with an overall budget of one billion Euro (source: http://graphene-flagship.eu/project/Pages/About-Graphene-Flagship.aspx).

Modular product design of 4D products is now possible in simplified form

How can three-dimensional products change their shape over time and thus become "four-dimensional"? The students Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal provide answers to this question in their project work "Leitfaden zur Auslegung hybrider morphender Textilien am Beispiel eines Scharniers" (Guidelines for the Design of Hybrid Morphing Textiles Using the Example of a Hinge), for which they were awarded the creativity prize. In their work, the students offer a guideline for the development of a four-dimensional textile from the idea to the demonstrator. Four-dimensional textiles, for example, consist of a hybrid material of elastic textile on which three-dimensional structures are printed. The fourth dimension describes the change in shape and/or a property over a defined period of time (= morphing).  This change is caused by external influences such as light and heat.

Every year, the Foundation of the German Textile Machinery awards prizes for the best dissertation, diploma or master's thesis and the creativity prize for the smartest student research project. Further prizes were awarded to Eric Otto, ITM Dresden, and Susanne Fischer, Reutlingen University.

Bally, the historic Swiss luxury brand is pleased to announce the appointment of two key figures to its executive team, completing the process of strategic redevelopment begun last year with the transfer of the Creative, Merchandising and Marketing offices from London to its new showroom in Milan.

Effective immediately, Eva Quirrenbach joins Bally as Chief Marketing Officer following a term in New York as Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Tory Burch, having previously occupied strategic roles within the Tod’s Group in both Italy and the United States. Eva is a recognised expert in all aspects of international branding and marketing within the luxury sector, and with her proven understanding of consumer behaviour, she played an integral role in the development and acceleration of the digital footprint and in supporting global brand development at Tory Burch.

“Eva is an excellent addition to the Bally team. The combination of a consolidated experience and understanding of luxury brands along with her background driving the strategic development of successful global projects make her the ideal leader to drive Bally's commitment to unified commerce on a global level".
Frédéric De Narp, Bally Group CEO

Bally has moved to a three-pronged regional strategy and as such is also pleased to announce the promotion of Silvia Onofri to a new role as CEO for the EMEA region, in addition to her current role as Vice President of Global Wholesale. During her time in Bally, Silvia has obtained outstanding results entering top tier multi-brand doors around the world and increasing Bally's footprint in Travel Retail to make the brand a global leader in the field.

Silvia has extensive experience in the global fashion and luxury industry, having first joined the Bally team 10 years ago, following key marketing roles in Bulgari.

“Silvia has the unique benefit of intimately understanding the Bally brand and it’s DNA, and having proven experience in forging new relationships with the world’s leading retailers and their customers. With this invaluable expertise in hand, I am confident that she will infuse the EMEA Retail division with enthusiasm, professionalism and unique market insights to take Bally to the next level in these crucial markets” -
Frédéric De Narp.

The arrival of Eva Quirrenbach and the promotion of Silvia Onofri are part of Bally Group CEO Frédéric de Narp’s ongoing strategic vision to infuse Bally’s prestigious brand identity with heightened dynamism, appeal and allure.
Both roles report directly to Bally’s Group CEO, Frederic de Narp.

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, announces the appointment of Marcos Furrer to the post of President Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, and Innovation, based in Archroma's headquarters in Reinach, Switzerland.

Marcos Furrer will take over from Thomas Winkler who will retire at the end of March 2018 after more than 30 years in the textile industry, among which 12 years at the helm of the business.
Announcing the appointment, Archroma CEO Alexander Wessels said: “Marcos Furrer was rather an obvious choice when we started to look for a potential successor for Thomas Winkler. He has the right combination of strong textile expertise and leadership skills that we need to drive the business in line with Archroma’s ambitious growth strategy.”

A Swiss national with a 20 years career, Mr Furrer has earned a strong reputation as a well-rounded business manager with excellent leadership skills and a taste for delivering on targets.

Biography
A Chemical Engineer from the Ingenieurschule Beider Basel, Mr Furrer started his career with Clariant in Switzerland as Product Manager Sulphur Dyes, Textile Business, in 1997. He then grew in the organization as Head of Continuous Dyeing Cellulosic (1999 to 2001); Head of Business Unit (BU) Textile Dyes and Textile Chemicals in México (2001 to 2005); Global Head for the Product Group Cellulosic Dyes (2005 to 2007), Head of BU Textile Chemicals Latin America (2007 to 2009); Head of BU Textile Chemicals Americas (2009 to 2012); Head of Emulsions (January 2012 to June 2012); and Head of Marketing and Sales Plastic and Special Applications, BU Pigments (January 2013 to 2015).

His latest role as Head of Regional Business Line Europe, BU Pigments, Strategic Plastics, brought him back to Switzerland in January 2015, with the mission to implement the new BU Pigments regional structure in Europe.

Mr Furrer speaks 5 languages: English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and French.
 

• HPR is the highest status a plant can achieve for fire risk prevention and protection
• The site Ideal Fibres & Fabrics Comines is the second in the Beaulieu International Group to reach HPR status
• Underlines Group’s commitment to risk prevention at B.I.G. sites & to reinforcing our strong business contingency plan

Wielsbeke, Belgium – Beaulieu Yarns, the global supplier of high-quality polyamide and polypropylene yarns, is pleased to announce the achievement of Highly Protected Risk (HPR) status for its French production site, Ideal Fibres & Fabrics Comines. Awarded by FM Global, HPR designation means a facility meets the highest industry standards for property protection.

FM Global, Beaulieu International Group’s (B.I.G.) industrial property and business interruption insurer for the past two years, offers a unique concept that supports the Group in reducing its exposure to loss and increases its business resilience. A dedicated worldwide team of engineers focuses on providing assistance and protection of its assets, helping the Group to achieve a higher level of risk protection.

The Ideal Fibres & Fabrics Comines site produces high quality yarns for a large variety of application and market segments including the automotive industry. It scored exceptionally well in its FM Global assessment which focused on aspects including fire protection, protection against natural hazard, mechanical breakdown of machinery and also cyber risks.

Its overall risk mark of 76 ranks it within the top 25% of its industry for fire risk prevention and protection.

Commenting on the Award, Emmanuel Colchen, Global Sales Director Yarns within BU Beaulieu Engineered Products, said: “This HPR yarn production site reinforces strongly our supply chain security and demonstrates our engagement towards our customers and partners. Our contingency planning and risk management are essential, well-considered elements within our long-term business strategy to demanding sectors such as Automotive and Commercial & Residential floor covering contracts.”

Ideal Fibres & Fabrics Comines is the second facility in the Group to attain HPR status, and the very first in Europe. Pinnacle Polymers LLC in the USA also achieved the HPR as a chemical plant, which is a rare achievement within the chemical business. Fire risk prevention is part of the Group’s broader risk management activities. B.I.G. is investing in increasing the level of protection at all B.I.G. plants in order to protect its business continuity.

The divisions of B.I.G. are also implementing a number of safety programmes to raise awareness of workplace safety and to maintain strong safety records.

Karena Cancilleri, Vice President BU Beaulieu Engineered Products, commented: “I am proud of Beaulieu Yarns for achieving the highly-regarded FM Global HPR Award and setting an example for the whole Beaulieu International Group. This positive step reflects the strong commitment of the Engineered Products division and the rest of the Group to improving safety and protecting our workplaces and our production facilities.”

Beaulieu Yarns received the HPR Award at a ceremony on November 7, 2017 attended by all staff, and representatives of B.I.G. Management, Beaulieu Yarns Management and FM Global Management.

Based in Porto, Portugal, Rodrigo Siza will focus on nurturing new regional collaborations to benefit the needs of Lectra’s customers, and faciliate their success in the Industry 4.0 era. Rodrigo will rely on Lectra’s highly experienced teams located in the region.
“Rodrigo has very effectively established long-term partnerships with our fashion and apparel, automotive and furniture customers in Portugal. He has helped our customers to emerge stronger from the world crisis which heavily impacted them. After 10 successful years as head of Lectra Portgual, Rodrigo is now also in charge of meeting the expectations of our Spanish customers,” stated Daniel Harari, Lectra Chairman and CEO.

Players in the region are witnessing a strong dynamic, notably fashion brands in Spain and fashion and automotive industrialists with heightened added-value in Portugal. With the recent announcement of a new strategy to focus on Industry 4.0, Lectra is in a strong position to support these businesses in the digitalization of their processes.
For industries faced with more demanding consumers and ever-shorter product development and manufacturing cycles, integrating all steps along the extended supply chain, from design to cutting, is now a top priority. This is particularly apparent in Spain and Portugal, two countries positioned, in their own way, at the heart of Europe’s fashion and automotive industries.
Rodrigo started his career at Tradetex, a trading company of textiles for clothing, as a textile designer. From 1991 to 1999, he was an associate of V-Sistemas Informatica, specialized in the development and distribution of technical solutions for the textile industry. In 2000, he joined Lectra Portugal as a design and merchandising manager, and then evolved into the position of international consultant in 2004. He left Lectra in 2005 to take the position of Sales Director of RPB Têxteis e Vestuario, a company that makes clothes, before returning to Lectra in 2007 to take over the management of the Portuguese subsidiary. Rodrigo has a masters in marketing from Minho University and a degree in design and communication from Porto University, both located in Portugal.

German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Brigitte Zypries presented the first-ever German Global Health Award at “Global Health – the International and the German Agenda”, an event with more than 200 participants from around 30 countries taking place in the context of the B20 Health Conference. The prize honours German companies, associations or individuals for innovative projects and partnerships in global health that contribute to health system strengthening in developing and emerging countries.

The German Global Health Award, under the patronage of Federal Minister Brigitte Zypries, is granted in two categories by the German Healthcare Partnership (GHP), the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and BIO Deutschland. Federal Minister Zypries lauded the work of the recipients, saying “Both projects demonstrate how the German healthcare sector drives innovation to attain the worthwhile goal of supporting global health at home and abroad,” adding, “The recognition of such work is especially important in the context of the meeting of the Health Ministers of the G20 countries taking place in Berlin later this week.”