From the Sector

• Innovation begins with creativity
• A pioneer of the manmade fiber industry

When the manmade fiber age began a century ago, a German company was responsible for the pioneering work involved. Barmag, established in 1922, was one of the world’s first companies to construct machines for the large-scale production of synthetic staple fibers. To this day, the leading manufacturer of manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing machines in Remscheid – a brand under the aegis of the Swiss Oerlikon Group since 2007 – has shaped technological progress in this sector; in future, with ever more innovations focusing on sustainability and digitalization.

Barmer Maschinenfabrik Aktiengesellschaft (Barmag) is founded in Barmen, located in the Bergische Land region, on March 27, 1922. The German and Dutch founders enter unchartered technological territory, one created as the result of a groundbreaking invention: in 1884, French chemist Count Hilaire Bernigaud de Chardonnet used nitrocellulose to produce the first so-called artificial silk, later known as rayon. The following decades see rapid development focusing on the search for synthetic textile fibers and their manufacturing technologies. As one of the first machine factories, Barmag battles its way through the eventful early years of the manmade fiber industry, the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the Great Depression – and suffers the extensive destruction of its factories at the end of World War Two. Rebuilding is successful. With the unstoppable success story of purely synthetic plastic fibers such as polyamide, the company flourishes from the 1950s through to the 1970s, establishing sites in all international, for the textile industry at the time important, industrial regions and garnering prestige across the globe in the process. In the ups and downs of expansion, global competition and crises, Barmag reaches the very pinnacle of the market and becomes the preferred technological development partner for the manmade fiber industries in China, India and Turkey. The company has been a high-impact brand under the umbrella of the Oerlikon Group since 2007.

On the wings of innovation
Today, Oerlikon Barmag is a leading supplier of manmade fiber filament spinning systems and part of the Manmade Fibers Solutions business unit of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. And our aspirations have not diminished: “The striving towards innovation and technological leadership has been, is and will always be part of our DNA”, emphasizes Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions. In the past, this has been observable in such trailblazing innovations as the revolutionary WINGS generation of winders for POY in 2007 and WINGS for FDY in 2012. Currently, the focus of new and further developments is very much on digitalization and sustainability. Here, Oerlikon Barmag has – as one of the world’s first systems manufacturers – been implementing fully-networked smart factories for globally-leading polyester manufacturers since the end of the last decade. Within this context, digital solutions and automation are also helping to provide greater climate and environmental compatibility. This sustainability commitment is not only evidenced by the e-save label introduced for all products back in 2004: Oerlikon is endeavoring to also make all its sites carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire its energy exclusively from renewable sources. An ambitious target, whose achievement could be helped by the Oerlikon Barmag anniversary, states Georg Stausberg: “Innovation begins with creativity. And remembering the past provides plenty of motivation and inspiration for the future.”

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from Welspun Advanced Materials, India, to deliver a complete neXline spunlace line for the production of nonwoven roll goods and wipes for their new plant in Hyderabad, Telangana. The line has a capacity of up to three tons per hour. Start-up of the line is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021.

The ANDRITZ high-capacity spunlace line will process various types of synthetic or natural fibers, such as polyester, viscose and cotton. The final products will have fabric weights ranging from 25 to 120 gsm, thus covering many applications. This neXline spunlace line also offers the option to integrate a third component from a selection of smart layers, enabling Welspun to also manufacture products for the health care and hygiene sectors.

Welspun is the largest global exporter of home textiles. Innovation and quality lie at the heart of the company’s success, which already has nonwoven production lines in operation, including needlepunch and spunlace equipment. With its new plant in Telangana, Welspun will significantly increase its existing spunlace capacity and also maintain a broad range of applications as the final products are used in hygiene, home care and industrial cleaning. The new, advanced facility is a 100,000 sqm greenfield development that is part of a larger 1,500,000 sqm industrial complex also accommodating the Welspun floorings facility.

Indian Tufropes is partnering with Truetzschler Nonwovens and Voith to install its unique pentamerous technology. The company’s first nonwovens production line will be capable to produce 5 different eco-friendly, hydroentangled products.

Truetzschler Nonwovens and Voith are thrilled to be the technology partner for Tufropes’ (patent pending) unique nonwoven line based on pentamerous technology. The new installation relies heavily on Truetzschler/Voith core components for wet-laying, carding and hydroentangling. Proprietary refinements will allow Tufropes to produce any possible hydroentangled nonwoven material, including bio-degradable, natural fibre, eco-friendly high-performance nonwovens. Globally this would be a first industrial-scale pentamerous technology-based nonwoven project. Based in Gujarat, India, the line is expected to be commissioned next year.

Asahi Kasei's ongoing commitment to strengthen the Bemberg™ fibre value chain from raw materials to final products textile industry and support local people, institutes, and the environment, has been recognized by the United Nations BCtA programme, who has renewed its membership for India. Starting from the company and including the material, Bemberg™ integrates new generations of values such as innovation and responsibility together with design. This important breakthrough showcases how the smart fibre is globally recognized for its innovation, responsibility and ability to deliver high-quality and sustainable ingredients at the same time committed to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objectives of this initiative include:  

• By 2023, enhance skills of 1,671 employees in the Bemberg fiber industry and advance production efficiency of 55 small to medium scale de-linting, weaving and dyeing manufacturers, through employee training, capital investment and technical support.
• By 2023, develop capacity of 575 young people, especially women, who will lead the Indian textile industry, by providing vocational training opportunities and institutional support for the three schools.
• By 2023 cumulative amount of 40,000m3/day textile dyeing effluent will be treated and recycled back to their own textile dyeing process, which is equivalent to saving daily water access to natural water resources for approx. 25,000 households.