From the Sector

• Leading Turkish textile printing company Hamle has installed a new Monforts Thermex dyeing range as part of its ongoing strategy of continuous investment.

“Investment in new technology and capacity expansions are very important to us, in order to stay ahead in terms of sustainable, high quality production,” says general manager Gürkan Uzuner. “We carefully assess the benefits of each advanced new technology in order to thrive in a sector that is constantly changing.

“The Zara Group is a major European customer for us, along with well-known Turkish brands such as LCW and De-Facto, and it’s no accident that Çorlu, due to its proximity to Istanbul and the ease of supplying to Europe, has become the epicentre of Turkish textile production. The quality of textiles coming from the region is now very well proven.”

Integration

Hamle’s plant in Çorlu already houses a Monforts ten-chamber Montex stenter and two Monforts sanforizing ranges on which the company carries out an extensive range of finishing processes. The new Thermex range further integrates a number of processes on technology all from a single supplier. The Thermex universal hotflue for continuous dyeing, condensing and thermosoling achieves unrivalled reliability even at maximum fabric speeds, for exceptional cost-effectiveness when dyeing both large and small batches of woven fabrics. The new range installed for Hamle benefits from the Econtrol® process* for reactive dyestuffs. This is quick and economical one-pass pad-dry and wash off process, with drying in the hot flue at 120-130°C and controlled humidity (25-30% by volume) to obtain fixation in 2-3 minutes.
Econtrol® ensures excellent reproducibility of all colours, improved dye penetration on difficult fabrics and no risk of the browning of cotton or other cellulose fibres due to the low fixation temperature.

As such, it is the ideal process for fast change technology and operational savings. “The new Thermex range has some very advanced automation features which ensure our machine operators have full control over the entire system,” Mr Uzuner concludes. “ As the Monforts representative in Turkey, Neotek has been our solution partner in the installation and commissioning and has been with us every step of the way.
.
* Econtrol® is a registered mark of DyStar Colours Distribution GmbH, Germany.

Cobra International, Chonburi, Thailand: COBRA International, one of the world’s largest OEM manufacturers of composite goods for Water Sports, Automotive, Marine and Civil Engineering, is pleased to confirm the shipment of its first 36 composite canoes to ARE Tahiti.

COBRA has collaborated with leading outrigger canoe brand ARE Tahiti to mass produce its new OC-1 canoe, ‘Mana’. Designed by former professional windsurfer Baptiste Gossein  (JP Australia and Neil Pryde), ‘Mana’ features a closed deck on which the paddler sits on top of the hull. Available in two models; a hybrid version weighing 12kg, using an 80:20 mix of E-glass and carbon fibre reinforcement fabrics, and the PRO model – a weight optimized, ultra-light, full carbon version that weighs as little as 9kg.   

“We required the best in composite construction for both models, a stunning final finish and a build rate that could keep up with our growing order book”, comments Baptiste Gossein.

As with all of COBRA’s watersports’ projects, a perfect master model formed the basis of the mass production tooling and two sets of composite hull tooling were taken from the master plug allowing a build rate of up to 50 OC-1 canoes per month.

For the lay-up and construction process, COBRA’s high-performance PVC foam sandwich windsurf board construction provided a solid starting point.  Having selected vacuum consolidated epoxy wet layup for the mix of woven and stitched biaxial reinforcements, COBRA was able to build down to the customer’s weight target with the absolute minimum of waste and additional consumables.  Top and bottom sections of the hull were moulded separately then bonded together, with the smaller outrigger hull – known as the ‘ama’ – produced in the same way.  Prepreg carbon fibre and in-house split mould tooling was also used for the two ‘Iakos’ - the two cross beams that join the ama to the main hull. 

An in-mould applied finish coat was then used for the hybrid OC-1 while the PRO carbon fibre model benefits from COBRA’s ultra-light paint system.

“COBRA is able to provide mass production capability and rapid new model turnaround, as well as delivering consistently high quality. We are delighted with the first COBRA built OC-1s and have received exceptionally positive feedback from both customers and racers” comments Baptiste Gossein.

The next ARE project to enter mass production at COBRA will be the V-1 canoe. Similar to the OC-1 but an open boat that the paddler sits inside, the V-1 will have no rudder or steering system, requiring more finesse to manage underway.

“The OC-1 outrigger canoe is a superb example of our customer focused approach to production process development.  By working closely with Baptiste and the ARE team, COBRA is able to provide mass production capability and a rapid new model turnaround, as well as delivering consistently high quality.  This is a sector in which we expect to see significant expansion over the next few years”, comments Danu Chotikapanich, CEO, COBRA International.

In pandemic year 2020 circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. (MCT) has further improved its leading position in Turkey. So the country continues to be one of the company’s strongest and most consistent sales markets. Even in difficult years, the manufacturer and its longstanding Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik have achieved positive results. The reasons for this year’s success, as Mayer & Cie. sees it, are the transfer of production to locations close to Europe, Turkey’s state-of-theart machinery and the increase in demand for comfortable clothing that is suitable as home office wear.

Turkish market is a growth market despite corona setback
“Compared to 2019, we anticipate a growth in the Turkish market even though the corona situation was a serious setback in the second quarter of 2020,” says Stefan Bühler, Mayer & Cie.’s regional sales manager for Turkey.

Mayer & Cie. got off to a strong start on the Bosporus in the first quarter of 2020 with additional positive effects until mid-March. This was due to a desire for production locations close to Europe. In the second quarter, during the lockdown, demand largely ground to a halt. Government measures helped to cushion the downturn. Says Ahmet M. Öğretmen, general manager of MCT’s Turkish sales partner Mayer Mümessillik: “In the second quarter, GDP was down by about 10 percent, so we got off lightly.”

Since July 2020, orders for Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines have bounced back again. Ahmet M. Öğretmen sees an interplay of reasons for this recovery. The main reason, he says, is the low exchange rate of the Turkish lira, which has boosted exports of ready-made textiles. The Turkish daily Hürriyet reports, with reference to the Turkish state news agency, 11 percent year-on-year growth in August 2020. The most important export markets, the newspaper says, are Germany, the UK and Spain. Between them, they account for around half of exports totalling € 1.27 billion.* “This demand must be fulfilled,” Öğretmen says. “That leads to investment in machinery by manufacturers.”

Relanit is synonymous with single jersey
The machines of choice for Turkish knitwear manufacturers are regularly Mayer & Cie. machines. The long-established German firm’s share of the Turkish market is substantially higher than in other markets. The manufacturer’s position is particularly strong in the market for plain single jersey fabrics, with the Relanit 3.2 HS being the machine of choice. It achieves an extraordinarily high level of productivity, especially in processing elastomer yarns. It also handles a wide range of yarns reliably.

“Interlock is Mayer & Cie.”
Mayer & Cie. is one of the leader in the second major circular knitting discipline, rib and interlock fabrics. The machines used for double jersey fabrics are the OV 3.2 QCe, the D4 2.2 II and the D4 3.2 II. The OV 3.2 QCe knits interlock, 8-lock structures, spacers and fine gauge with 3.2 systems. The D4 2.2 II is another stalwart for rib, 8-lock and interlock. The 8-lock D4 3.2 II is the machine of choice for firms that want to manufacture structures such as Piqué, Punto di Roma or Thermal in addition to interlock.

The MBF 3.2 is another top seller in Turkey. A three-thread fleece machine, it knits fabrics for sportsand leisurewear such as hoodies and is very much in keeping with the trend in home office year 2020. “Comfortable clothing is circular knitted,” says Ahmet M. Öğretmen, “and we benefit from that of course.”

One of the world’s most state-of-the-art machine parks are in Turkey
Another advantage is the modernity of the Turkish machine park, which is doubly attractive in view of Turkey’s weak currency. Says Mayer Mümessillik general manager Öğretmen: “In the past 10 to 20 years there has been very heavy investment in high-quality machines. As a consequence we have the world’s youngest and most up-to-date production facilities.” Combined with geographical proximity to the main export markets in Europe that should prove a growth driver in the years ahead – and keep demand for Mayer & Cie. machines brisk and high.

*More informationen here.

The AVK – Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V. – has once again announced the winners of its prestigious Innovation Awards. Decided by an expert jury, the awards recognise and honour sustainable innovations in three categories: “Innovative Products/Applications”, “Innovative Processes” and “Research and Science”.

Overview of all the winners in the three categories:

Category “Innovative Products/Applications”
1st Place: “Directly-cooled electric motor with integral lightweight housing made of fibre reinforced polymers - DEmiL” – developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, Pfinztal, Germany, in partnership with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.*

2nd Place: “Intrinsically Reprocessable, Repairable and Recyclable (3R) thermoset composites for more Competitive and Sustainable Industries” – developed by cidetec, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain*

3rd Place: “Fireproof composite metal hybrid structure – LEO® fire protection sandwich with integrated Hyconnect steel-glass hybrid connector” – developed by SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KG and Hyconnect GmbH.*

Category “Innovative Processes”
1st Place: “Robotised Injection Moulding (ROBIN)” – developed by Robin, Dresden with the Institute for Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology at the TU Dresden*

2nd Place: “Omega stringer from the roll” – developed by the German Aerospace Center, Braunschweig*

3rd Place: “Hybrid die-casting – manufacturing of intrinsic CFRP-aluminium composite structures in aluminium high-pressure die-casting” – developed by Faserinstitut Bremen e. V. with Fraunhofer IFAM, Bremen*

Category “Research and Science”:
1st Place: “New high-temperature resistant UP resins and toughening agents” – developed by Münster University of Applied Sciences with BASF SE Global New Business Development, Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research e. V., Saertex multicom GmbH*

2nd Place: “Scientific basis for the industrial application of the thermoplastic resin transfer moulding (T-RTM) process” – developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, Pfinztal*

3rd Place: “The material- and energy-efficient production of turbine struts by the integrative combination of thermoset fibre reinforced materials” – developed by the Institute of Polymer Technology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg with the German Aerospace Center, Gubesch Group, Schmidt WFT, Siebenwurst, Raschig.

Award ceremony on the Internet for the first time
For the first time, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the award ceremony took place as an online event on 12 November 2020. Many of the award winners’ innovations will be presented again in this year’s AVK Innovation Award brochure. This will be available online: https://www.avk-tv.de/innovationaward.php

*Please see attached document for more information.

The textile machinery industry is eagerly awaiting the start of the virtual trade show "Innovate Textile & Apparel". What and how will the more than 160 exhibitors present themselves virtually? How will the approximately 10,000 registered visitors accept the digital offer? WTIN is breaking new ground as organizer with this platform. But one thing is already certain: From 15 to 30 October 2020, they will bring the textile machinery industry a little closer together again in the Corona Pandemic. Oerlikon invites all visitors to take a look into the future of manmade fibers production and get to know the comprehensive range of products and services.

"Reconnecting innovation in the textile & apparel value chain" is the motto of WTIN's virtual trade show. And Oerlikon intends to more than live up to this motto. With more than 50 active experts from sales, customer service and technology as well as partners from its international network of representatives, the Manmade Fibers segment of the Swiss Oerlikon Group will try to be represented around the clock. "It is an interesting experiment for all of us and we would like to see it succeed," explains André Wissenberg, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs. "Our aim is to meet our existing customers again, make new contacts and see 'old friends' from the industry. We have prepared an attractive digital offer for them all. Those of you who missed our roller coaster ride in Barcelona last year can now enjoy the journey through time in peace and quiet from your home office on your digital tour of the fair. And, there are no more waiting times either," promises Wissenberg.

Factory know-how from a single source
From Melt to Yarn, Fibers and Nonwovens. From the polycondensation and the processing of PTA and MEG as well as the extrusion of, for example, recycled polyester chips all the way through to hundreds of thousands of packaged and stored or directly-delivered textured bobbins for a market within the textile industry worth billions. From the planning and construction of highly complex production plants to the engineering of large-scale plant projects and competent customer services. This business model runs like a red thread through the self-conception of the Manmade Fibers segment of the Swiss Oerlikon Group. The right partner, especially – but not exclusively – for newcomers to the textile industry. "With us they get everything they need for a successful business: Factory know-how from a single source. And that's what we would like to show our visitors at our virtual trade fair booth," says Wissenberg.

For more than 50 years, vehicle manufacturers have relied within their model development on Autoneum’s measuring systems for vehicle acoustics. With ATLAS, Autoneum has now added another particularly powerful device to the portfolio: Thanks to the efficient and reliable measurement methodology, noise-reducing vehicle components and materials can be analyzed and developed faster and with a significantly lower need for resources in the future.

With the ongoing electrification of vehicles and trends like autonomous driving, future car generations will no longer be used solely for transport – remote working and recreation will equally play a key role. This requires a vehicle interior that is as noiseless as possible. In order to identify and insulate potential internal and external sound sources already in the pre-development of new models, car manufacturers around the world rely on Autoneum’s highly specialized measurement tools. The newly launched ATLAS – short for “Airborne Transmission Loss Analysis System” – measures the acoustic insulation and transmission loss of components such as carpets, inner dashes and floor insulators. This allows customers to assess noise-reducing parts within minutes and select acoustic components tailored to their needs.

ATLAS sets new testing standards in this regard. While developers previously had to analyze the NVH behavior (noise, vibration, harshness) of interior parts using material samples of around one square meter in size, ATLAS makes this process faster, cheaper and more environmentally-friendly. It enables measurements of small samples with a diameter of no more than ten centimeters, which substantially decreases the amount of material used. Thanks to its four highly sensitive microphones, only two trials are required to collect precise and valid test data, making the system developed at Autoneum’s research center in the Swiss city of Winterthur especially suitable for quality assurance and repeatability of the results obtained. Users also benefit from time savings of up to 50 percent compared to the previous testing standard.

Autoneum’s measurement systems represent the global industry standard and are used successfully by vehicle manufacturers, automotive suppliers and research institutions alike. The Company is therefore not only making a significant contribution to the mobility of the future with its noise-reducing products, but now with ATLAS as well.

Rester Oy, which is developing the plant in Paimio, recycles companies' end-of-life textiles, and Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto Oy (LSJH), which will hire a production area at the same facility, processes households' end-of-life textiles. The plant will process 12,000 tonnes of end-of-life textiles every year, which represents about 10% of Finland’s textile waste.

The textile industry’s end-of-life textile problem is intolerable. Natural resources are increasingly used to manufacture products, but these materials are lost at the end of their life cycle. About 100 million kilograms of textile waste are generated annually in Finland alone. Reusing this material could reduce the textile industry’s carbon footprint and significantly reduce the use of natural resources.

Rester Oy and LSJH will drive the textile sector towards a circular economy and begin processing textile waste as an industrial raw material. The Nordic countries’ first industrial end-of-textile refinement plant will open in Paimio in 2021. The 3,000-square-metre plant is being developed by Rester Oy, which recycles companies' end-of-life textiles and industrial waste materials. LSJH, which processes households’ end-of-life textiles on its production line, will hire part of the plant.

Outi Luukko, Rester Oy’s board chair, says, “The processing plant will begin a new era of textile circular economy in Finland. As industry pioneers, we are launching a system change in Scandinavia. The transition of the textile industry from a linear model to a circular economy is essential, as virgin materials cannot sustain the current structure of the textile industry. And why should it, when there is so much recyclable material available?”

From the perspective of Rester Oy’s main owner, work clothing supplier Touchpoint, the circular economy plant not only represents resource efficiency, but is also necessary from the perspective of the entire life cycle of a responsible work clothing collection.

Luukko adds, “Finding a local solution to a global problem is a huge leap in the right direction and raises Finland's profile as a pioneer of circular economy."

The future plant will be able to process 12,000 tonnes of end-of-life textiles annually, which represents about 10% of Finland’s textile waste. Both production lines produce recycled fibre, which can be used for various industrial applications, including yarn and fabric, insulating materials for construction and shipping industries, acoustic panels, composites, non-woven and filter materials, and other technical textiles, such as geo-textiles.

LSJH is piloting a full-scale refinement plant

LSJH has launched a pilot production line for processing households' end-of-life textiles. Unfortunately, consumers' end-of-life textiles are heterogeneous, making them a challenging raw material for further processing. Before processing, the textiles are sorted by material into various fibre classes using optical identification technology developed by LSJH and its partners. This ensures the quality of the raw material and the resulting fibre products.

Jukka Heikkilä, managing director for Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto, explains: “On the basis of the experiences gathered from the pilot project, Lounais-Suomen Jätehuolto is preparing a full-scale refinement plant in the Turku region. As soon as 2023, the plant will process Finnish households' end-of-life textiles. The project involves all waste treatment plants owned by Finnish municipalities.”

Paimio has ambitious goals for circular economy companies

Rester’s initiative aims to create a circular economy cluster in Paimio that combines the processing and reuse of end-of-life textile fibres. Paimion Kehitys Oy, which is owned by the City of Paimio and the local association of enterprises, supports the development of circular economy companies in Paimio.

Mika Ingi, managing director for Paimion Kehitys Oy, says, “We want to step out of our traditional municipal role and create significant added value for everyone taking part. That is why we are involved in the development of a new modern service model based on ecosystem thinking. We are piloting the textile cluster, followed in the coming years by clusters focusing on plastic, construction, and energy. The aim of our service is to support and help develop new profitable business by bringing circular economy companies and their potential customers to innovate together."

The foundation stone of the processing plant was laid today (18 August 2020). The processing plant will begin operations in February 2021.

• ECOSENSOR™’s new references combine high-performance and innovation to empower people with the possibility to live life naturally both for mind and body.
• The new range is woven from certified ingredients, a completely traceable production process and highly certified suppliers               

"A New Eco high-tech force of Nature", a bold claim, a daring attitude and true facts. ECOSENSOR™ by Asahi Kasei has concentrated all its key values into a Nature-driven and high-tech fabric collection that respects the environment and human being.

Sustainability, active climate control, exquisite touch and extreme performance co-habit the textiles: the collection is made of wovens and knits where the main technology is represented by GRS - Global Recycle Standard certified polyamide and polyesters, sometime combined with ROICA™ recycled stretch yarns and dyed and finished with Oekotex Standard 100 certified processes and/or by BlueSign® partners’ companies.

But there is much more than it meets the eye.

Behind the new collection is a great story of sustainability.

"Our international team strives to innovate with a human-based approach to research and develop solutions that meet high-performance standards as well as the transparency and traceability of both the ingredients and the supply chain", says Mr. Hashimoto, Senior Managing Director of Asahi Kasei Advance, the global materials innovator and manufacturer.

Indeed, the company has set the high bar all its suppliers and partners must match. Such criteria include: thoroughly transparency and traceability of both materials and production, corporate responsibility at all levels and a strategic commitment granted by influential certifications such as GRS - Global Recycle Standard for recycled ingredients and processes, as well as Bluesign® and OekoTex Standard 100 certifications, which focus on environmentally-friendly impact of the dyeing and finishing processes.

The human, environmentally-friendly and cutting-edge imprint of ECOSENSOR™ ultimate collection reflects a vision for a more responsible way of fabric manufacturing.

A new force of nature, because story telling truly must match the story making.

Shanghai – Sateri has unveiled FinexTM as its new product brand for recycled fibre. FinexTM, short for ‘Fibre Next’, is an innovative next-generation cellulosic fibre containing recycled content. Internationally known outdoor brand Lafuma has produced FinexTM apparel ahead of 618, China’s major mid-year online shopping festival, while independent China designer Rico Lee will launch his FinexTM apparel next month.

Since its announcement in March this year of a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste, Sateri has worked closely with its downstream yarn and garment manufacturing partners to bring the recycled fibre product to the consumer market.

“We’re pleased to collaborate with Sateri as one of their first brand partners for FinexTM. Sateri’s dedication to this partnership made it possible for Lafuma to produce T-shirts with this fine quality fibre in a short time. T-shirts made with FinexTM will be among the offerings Lafuma has in store for the 618 festival as we look to support environmentally-friendly and excellent performance solutions to strengthen our position as a leading outdoor apparel brand,” said Wu Qian, General Manager of Lafuma China.

Echoing similar sentiments is Rico Lee who established his own independent label in 2014, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with Sateri when they approached me because FinexTM encapsulates what my brand stands for – Beautiful Technology that combines function and fashion.”

Tom Liu, Sateri’s Commercial Vice President said, “Like our flagship brand EcoCosy®, FinexTM is made from bio-based natural fibres. Innovation and technology has made cellulosic textile fibre recycling possible and FinexTM represents how nature not only renews itself but that products made from nature can also be regenerated. This, at its heart, is what circular fashion looks like. Our brand promise to customers remains constant– Sateri’s products are sustainable, high quality, efficient, and cost-effective. The FinexTM tagline ‘Together For A Better Next’ expresses our aspiration to be the partner of choice for next-generation fibre - we thank Lafuma and Rico Lee for pioneering with us on this quest.”

Last month, Sateri announced its entry into China’s Lyocell fibre market. The recent string of product portfolio expansion announcements is underpinned by Sateri’s business strategy to capture value. Allen Zhang, President of Sateri said, “Being the world’s largest viscose producer gives us the advantages that come with volume, but value is what we hope differentiates us. By this, we don’t only mean higher value products like Lyocell or FinexTM but also the value we bring to communities, country, climate and customers.”

Globally, less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. This presents a big opportunity for textile fibre recycling, particularly in China which is the largest textile producing country in the world. Last month, Sateri became a council member of the China Association of Circular Economy (CACE). The company will work closely with CACE’s Textile Waste Comprehensive Utilisation Committee to establish standards and promote industrial-scale textile waste recycling. Sateri is part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies which has committed USD200 million into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology.

STAMFORD – German ultralight aircraft specialist Flight Design has chosen Hexcel as its key supplier adopting low-temperature curing prepreg into its aircraft production. Hexcel’s HexPly® M79 Carbon Fiber prepregs deliver a more consistent final product by ensuring constant material quality and processing parameters and produce a lighter and stronger aircraft at a more competitive overall cost.

Flight Design has always relied heavily on composites for its aircrafts’ ultralight construction and turned to long-term composite materials partner Lange + Ritter, part of Hexcel’s European distribution network, when they began searching for a prepreg material solution. Hexcel and Lange + Ritter created several new product codes specifically for Flight Design and then supplied materials for initial handling trials and prototyping. Hexcel’s HexPly M79 low temperature curing out of autoclave solution was first used in the new F2 prototype. As part of its material supply package, Lange + Ritter also sent a team for on-site training and technical support, allowing the Flight Design production team to get up to speed with prepreg as quickly as possible.

HexPly M79 prepregs can be cured at temperatures as low as 70˚C for eight hours or 80˚C for four hours, reducing tooling costs and increasing build rates. When combined with Hexcel’s innovative air venting Grid Technology, HexPly M79 UD carbon tapes can also be laminated with reduced debulking steps to produce void contents <1% irrespective of laminate thickness. With consistently low void contents and improved mechanical properties, designers and engineers are able to further optimize highly loaded composite aerostructures.

As more and more of its composite aircraft parts are transferred to prepreg technology, Flight Design is seeing the benefits of its switch to HexPly M79. Lay-up is cleaner and more precise, low temperature oven curing is quick and energy efficient, and the manufacturing process consistently outputs exceptionally high-quality laminates and components. The long-term strategy is to integrate HexPly M79 across the range, with Hexcel materials lightening the ultralight aircraft at Flight Design even further.

“The materials and technology package from Hexcel and Lange + Ritter has been a big success for us at Flight Design,” comments Daniel Gunther, Managing Director at Flight Design. “When we took the decision to switch to prepreg, we looked at many options but only Hexcel and Lange + Ritter could offer us low temperature out-of-autoclave (OOA) curing, globally respected material quality and the customer service levels we were searching for.”