From the Sector

"ROICA™ new identity is the ultimate upgrade and milestone of the brand’s evolution path which brings together and merges performance, innovation and responsible imprint. ROICA™ strategic commitment is built on two main pillars that meet value driven consumer’s expectations: first, continuous R&D and innovation activities focusing on new contemporary stretch functionalities with the highest integration of sustainability. Second, developing synergies and partnerships with leading responsible innovators throughout the whole value chain from throwsters down to consumers, people and companies sharing the same goals", declares Shinichiro Haga, Senior Executive Manager of ROICA Division.

ROICA™ identity will be activated in all its communication tools and channels, such as a renovated website and social media presence.

Balanced geometries, calibrating color and different anatomical details: the visual identity is then declined in 5 different designs, each for one of the 5 applications that can be enhanced by ROICA™ yarns: ACTIVATION for performative sportswear garments, AQUA for smooth swimwear, STYLE#FIT for casual wear and athleisure, ESSENTIALS for next to skin lingerie and underwear and LEGWEAR for stylish hosiery. A complete wardrobe.

The company also created and introduced a branding policy indicating the allowed blends for their smart yarns belonging to the unique ROICA Eco-Smart™ family for complete transparency and transparent authentic communication.

Constant investments in R&D, people and technology allowed the company to engineer agile, multi-facetted and sustainable stretch yarns which redefine the new circularity, delivering the style, support and finish, trusted to match the performance demands and ambitions of the new generation contemporary consumer.

Todd Zimmerman, a long-time graphic arts executive with a strong track record of growing advanced technology initiatives in print, has joined Electronics For Imaging, Inc. as its new vice president and general manager, Display Graphics.

He comes to EFI™ from Fujifilm® USA, where he spent a decade and a half in a variety of executive roles, most recently as division president and corporate VP of Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems. Prior to joining Fujifilm, Zimmerman worked in sales with Kodak Polychrome Graphics.

Zimmerman assumes his new role at a time when many EFI customers are growing their businesses to meet recovery-fuelled, post-pandemic business needs, especially in key application areas, such as point-of-purchase graphics, tradeshow and event signage, and environmental graphics and décor. As print businesses regain their momentum, Zimmerman will lead EFI’s largest inkjet business segment, a Display Graphics business that is among the world’s largest developers of superwide-format UV LED and dye-sublimation inkjet printers and inks.

Alchemie Technology, a leader in waterless, digital on-demand, smart dyeing technology, has today announced its partnership with HeiQ, a leader in textile innovation, as it prepares the production rollout of its NOVARATM digital multifunction finishing solution to the global textile market in Q3 this year.

NOVARA can apply single-sided, or simultaneous two-sided, coating of multiple finishes to specific areas of textile. For example, combining anti-odour and water repellence in one material.

“For example, using NOVARA for single-sided finishing of HeiQ Viroblock required 52% less chemistry, 66% water reduction and 50% less energy, whilst achieving a 99.7% reduction in antimicrobial activity after 15 washes at 400celsius. With the huge demand for high-performance antibacterial, antiviral finishing for face masks, medical apparel, gym wear, home furnishing, mattresses, and textiles for high-risk, high traffic areas such as train, plane seats, and more, our combined technology is critical for increasing protection and reducing environmental impact of these products” says Dr Simon Kew, Managing Director, Alchemie Technology.

NOVARA also enables unique lifestyle product innovations at lower production cost for fashion, sportswear, technical clothing, and upholstery such as combining sustainable odour control, skin care additives, and fragrance finishing, without impacting breathability, hand feel or wicking. It is suitable for finishing all fabric types, from 50 - 1000 gsm, including polyester, cotton, nylon and polycotton.

Archroma announces a successful first year on the U.S. home care market with its whiteness solutions for laundry and detergents.

Archroma acquired in December 2019 the BASF's stilbene-based optical brightening agents (OBA) business for liquid and powder laundry detergent applications. The acquisition included the OBA technology, portfolio and manufacturing unit at Ankleshwar, India.

Since then, Archroma has mobilized its global experts, technologies and know-how, to design a holistic solutions portfolio for household, industrial & institutional cleaning (HI&I) aimed to support detergent manufacturers.

The portfolio now includes solutions for whiteness, coloration, stain removal, fabric softening, as well as sequestering agents and surfactants, which can be used in applications such as multipurpose cleaning powders, detergent powders, dish wash tablets and liquids, laundry liquids and fabric softeners, and hard surface cleaners.

Archroma used its experience working with manufacturers and brands in the textile industry to enter the US detergent markets for the very first time, and has been able to gain a significant position with most key laundry detergent manufacturers with its solutions for whiteness.

In particular, the company reports special interest from U.S. detergent brands and manufacturers for its Leucophor® 5BMGX, as this optical brightener allows them to achieve high levels of whiteness with a blueish undertone. The product is also highly soluble in water and stable in oxidative environment.

RINCO ULTRASONICS is strengthening its market presence in Central America – a significant market for the automotive supply industry – by opening its own subsidiary in Mexico.

Romanshorn, May 2021 – With the establishment of its eleventh global subsidiary and its first in Central America, RINCO ULTRASONICS is highlighting the importance of the Central American market. “The automotive supply industry is one of the strongest sectors of industry in Mexico and one of the most important markets for RINCO. Our subsidiary in Querétaro, which is located 200 km away from Mexico City, will bring us closer to customers and partners alike,” explains Serge Patamia, CEO of RINCO ULTRASONICS. “We already enjoy high levels of confidence from both customers and partners in the region, and local presence will only serve to improve this. Investing in a dedicated subsidiary underlines our commitment to the market in Central America.”

José Armando Vázquez, the newly appointed country manager for Mexico, brings both passion and specialist expertise to his role. Having grown up in the automotive industry, Vazquez knows the needs and requirements of the supplying industry and the plastics sector inside out.

In José Armando Vázquez, customers and interested parties in Mexico have a local point of contact who is bringing Swiss perfection to Querétaro in the form of RINCO ULTRASONICS MEXICO. In addition to sales, RINCO in Mexico also offers technical services such as an application-based test laboratory and various service facilities to promote the building of partnerships and the delivery of new projects.
“Our aim is to captivate users with our ultrasonic technology and offer them tangible added value so that by using solutions like our AGM Pro ultrasonic generator, for example, they can save time and user fewer materials,”, says Serge Patamia, summarising what customers in Central America can expect.

GREENBOATS, Sicomin and Bcomp are nominated as finalists for the JEC Innovation Awards 2021. The three project partners have been selected as finalists in the awards’ Renewable Energy category for their innovative Green Nacelle – the first offshore nacelle manufactured with natural fibre composites (NFC).

The Green Nacelle was designed by NFC innovators GREENBOATS, who were also responsible for the structural engineering, manufacturing and assembly of the nacelle.  By incorporating Bcomp’s ampliTex™ flax reinforcements, FSC certified balsa wood cores and bio-based resins, the Green Nacelle’s NFC construction saves approximately 60% CO2 equivalent and reduces the energy consumption by over 50% compared to a nacelle made with existing GFRP technology.

In addition to the lower CO2 footprint, the natural fibre composite structure also introduces viable options for the end of the nacelles’ life unlike traditional GFRP structures - an issue of increasing concern for the wind energy sector that presents a great opportunity for natural fibre composites to bring a sustainable change to this market.

Sicomin, the formulator and supplier of the leading range of GreenPoxy bio-based epoxy resin systems, supplied its DNV GL approved InfuGreen 810 resin system that was used to infuse the Green Nacelle’s main structural sandwich panels, as well as providing intumescent FR gelcoats, bio-based laminating resins and UV resistant clear coatings for the groundbreaking new nacelle.  Materials, as well as on-site technical support, were delivered by Sicomin’s German distributor TIME OUT Composites.

The winners of the awards will be announced during JEC Connect which will be held on the 1st and 2nd June 2021.

• Premium-Marke für Mode und Interior eröffnet im Frühsommer
• Weitere hochkarätige Openings im Laufe des Sommers 2021
• Art-Invest Real Estate entwickelt mitten in Hamburg den Alten Wall als modernen Flanier-Boulevard zum neuen Wahrzeichen von Fine Arts, Fine Shopping und Fine Dining

by Aylin Koenig wurde 2018 von der Designerin Aylin Freund und ihrem Ehemann Tobias Freund gegründet. Der Fokus der Marke liegt auf natürlichen Materialien, hoher Qualität und einem nachhaltigen Mindset. 2020 kam noch eine Interior Kollektion, bestehend aus Vasen und Übertöpfen, hinzu. Ziel der Marke by Aylin Koenig ist es, zeitlose und geschmackvolle Designs zu kreieren, die für lange Zeit und zu jedem Anlass getragen werden können.

Neben by Aylin Koenig haben bereits die Shops von Anthropologie, Ladage & Oelke und Uniqlo sowie die Gastronomie Wallter’s im Alten Wall eröffnet. Für den Frühsommer 2021 sind weitere Openings namhafter Marken und Events geplant.

• Order intake of around CHF 300 million received in the month of April 2021
• Order intake in the first half of 2021 expected to be around CHF 800 million
• Start of implementation of the Rieter CAMPUS project in Winterthur

In the month of April 2021, Rieter received orders of around CHF 300 million. The order intake in April was broadly based internationally with the main focus on Turkey, Uzbekistan and India.

In addition to the regional development of the market, Rieter also attributes the business performance to a catch-up effect due to the low propensity to invest in 2019/2020.

As a result, Rieter expects an order intake of around CHF 800 million in the first half of 2021.

As already announced, Rieter anticipates that sales in the first half of 2021 will be below the break-even point. Rieter expects an operating profit for the full year 2021. On July 15, 2021 Rieter will give an updated outlook for 2021 in connection with the semi-annual results, taking into consideration the ongoing challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Rieter Board of Directors has approved the implementation of the CAMPUS project. The Rieter CAMPUS comprises a customer and technology center as well as an administration building at the Winterthur location. It will make an important contribution to the implementation of the innovation strategy and to the enhancement of Rieter’s technology leadership position.

Sateri has entered into agreement with Funing Aoyang Technology Co., Ltd. (Funing Aoyang) to acquire its viscose fibre business. The acquisition is part of Sateri’s growth strategy which will bring Sateri’s total number of viscose mills in China to six and total annual production capacity to more than 1.8 million tonnes.

Funing Aoyang is a subsidiary of listed company Jiangsu Aoyang Health Industry Co., Ltd. Its 330,000-tonne per annum mill that will be acquired by Sateri under the agreement, is located in Aoyang Industrial Park, Funing County, Jiangsu Province. Sateri is a member of the RGE group of companies; RGE manages a group of resource-based manufacturing companies with global operations spanning Indonesia, China, Brazil, Spain and Canada.

Allen Zhang, Sateri’s President, said: “This acquisition will boost Sateri’s market footprint and further strengthen our ability to serve customers in eastern and northern China. We will invest in advanced technologies to upgrade the mill so as to enhance its process technology, safety and environmental performance. Through better management and operational excellence, we hope to make a positive impact to the local economy and accelerate the sustainable development of the industry.”

The closing of the acquisition is subject to procedural approvals by relevant authorities.

• Checkpoint becomes the first RFID label manufacturer to achieve ARC certification with NXP’s UCODE 9 IC

Checkpoint  Systems,  a  vertically  integrated  supplier  of RFID  solutions  for  retail,  has again  demonstrated  its  commitment  to  innovation  by becoming the first manufacturer to have an RFID inlay featuring the new NXP UCODE 9 IC certified by Auburn University’s ARC Laboratory.

The  announcement  follows  news  that  Checkpoint  recently  became  the  first  company  to achieve ARC-certification for its Impinj M700-based inlays. By setting another new standard for the  industry,  Checkpoint  are  enabling  retailers  around the  world to  further  improve  their inventory visibility, reduce costs, improve performance and increase their overall profitability.

Delivering enhanced performance
Delivering the same ARC certifications as the Vortex U8 (Spec G, K and Q), the new Vortex U9 goes one step further by meeting the requirements of Spec N.

All aspects of the retail supply chain benefit from the increased read and write sensitivity of the  Vortex  U9.    The  11%  increase  in  read  distance,  decreases the time  for  inventory  cycle counts in both sparse or densely populated environments.  It also increases the compatibility of  smaller  RFID  labels with  RFID  Point  of  Exit  (PoE)  or  loss  prevention systems.  The  write sensitivity is significantly improved which is beneficial when encoding labels in densely packed cartons during source tagging and bulk encoding operations.

Finally,  the  new  Vortex  U9  will  provide  retailers  with  added  value  when  it  comes  to sustainability. NXP’s UCODE 9 RFID IC is 18% smaller than its predecessor, reducing the carbon footprint on an individual IC basis.

Scott Mitchell-Harris, Group Vice President Checkpoint Systems, commented:  “The investment Checkpoint has made over the past few years in our manufacturing facilities is evident. We have one of the most talented development teams who are continually seeking out the latest technology with new ideas to deliver market leading label designs.”

Checkpoint’s Vortex range delivers high read rate performance in semi-automated  physical inventory control and RFID as EAS. Vortex is ISO18000-6C compliant and can be encoded and printed tocarry EPC data in several formats -RFID EPC global protocol, printed bar code and human readable text.