From the Sector

Cobra International, a leading manufacturer of advanced composite products for the watersports, automotive, marine, and industrial sectors, will highlight recent diversification into new composite markets at JEC World 2022, with exhibits ranging from VTOL drones to carbon fibre prosthetics.  Cobra will also demonstrate how it is working alongside automotive and water sports customers to further enhance the sustainability of products in these sectors.

High Volume Production Capacity for the UAV sector
Cobra will display a wing from the Swiftlet UAV. This compact tactical fixed wing UAV platform has a 5.5m wingspan and was developed by the Royal Thai Air Force and National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) for survey, monitoring and search and rescue operations. Cobra manufactured the 32kg Swiftlet composite airframe using a combination of CNC cut carbon sandwich internal structure and PVC foam sandwich skins using both high grade glass fibre and carbon fibre reinforcements.  

Sustainability Options for Automotive and Watersports
Sustainability has a been a key focus for the Cobra Waterports division and CAC, the Cobra automotive business unit. At JEC World 2022, Cobra will showcase the increasing material and process options it has developed with both bio-resin and natural fibre reinforcements variants presented alongside more traditional carbon fibre parts.

Visitors will be able to get up close to a new Bio SUP Wingfoil board featuring a basalt, flax, bamboo and GreenPoxy bio-epoxy construction created for partners NSP, as well as state-of-the-art compression moulded prepreg foils. Cobra’s first fully recyclable surfboard incorporating the Recyclamine® resin technology that Cobra was recognised for in the 2020 JEC Innovation Awards will also be on display alongside a new Audi e-tron foil by Aerofoils – the world’s safest electric hydrofoil board.

The CAC team (Automotive Business Unit of Cobra) will present a set of OEM mirror cap parts that showcase a range of carbon SMC, woven visual carbon, pure woven visual flax, hybrid flax-carbon and painted flax construction options for the same component.  Clear carbon aesthetic and structural parts including CAC made M-carbon components for the BMW S 1000 RR Motorcycle will furthermore underline the high quality and eye-for-detail for which CAC is renowned.

Carbon Prosthetics
An entirely new composite application for the company, Cobra will also show two composite prosthetic devices at JEC which were productionised by the in-house design and development team. Working alongside a leading Thai university and a medical device OEM, Cobra created a rapid and cost effective series production process for a lightweight carbon fibre prosthetic foot. In another example of lightweight composites creating major quality of life improvements, Cobra has also designed and manufactured a carbon and glass fibre prepreg foot support for Elysium Industries.

• Expert Speakers Delivering Key Region Market Updates

Industry leaders will gain a compelling region-by-region view of the nonwovens industry from experts presenting the latest nonwovens trends in their areas of the world at IDEA®22, March 29-31 in Miami Beach.

Speakers with the latest knowledge will deliver important nonwoven market updates, demand forecasts and research findings on the industry in China, Asia, South America, North America and Europe.

The conference will explore how each region has responded to the pandemic challenges and supply chain issues with new innovations and solutions, providing IDEA®  attendees with vital insights for decision-making.

Program highlights include:

• Overview and Green Innovation Development of China’s Nonwovens Industry,  by Guimei Li, Vice President, China Nonwovens and Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) on March 29
• South America – Land of Opportunity or Land of Turbulence? The Recent History and Trends That Are Shaping the South American Nonwovens Market, presented by Mariana Mynarski, Corporate Marketing Manager, Fitesa on March 29
• Asian Nonwovens Production and Market Update by Chan-Hyou Park, Chairman, Asia Nonwoven Fabrics Association (ANFA) on March 30
• Understanding the State of the North American Nonwovens Industry and a Market Gone Mad presented by Brad Kalil, INDA Director of Market Intelligence and Economic Insights on March 31
• An Overview of Key Issues Facing Nonwovens on Top of European Market Trends presented by Pierre Wiertz, General Manager, EDANA on March 31

IDEA® Award Presentations
Another conference highlight will be the presentation of the IDEA® 2022 Achievement Awards in partnership with Nonwovens Industry magazine, based on the results of online voting in six categories as well as the announcement of the first Sustainability Advancement Award on March 30.

IDEA® – the World’s Preeminent Event for the Nonwovens & Engineered Fabrics Industry – will feature several hundred exhibitors from a myriad of industry sectors and is expected to once again draw an audience of several thousand senior-level buyers and attendees from over 60 countries to the Miami Beach Convention Center. A welcome reception will be held to officially kick off the event on March 28.

IDEA®22 Essentials of Nonwovens Training Courses
Product developers, marketing managers, technical sales, support and other professionals can expand their industry-focused knowledge by attending the IDEA®22 Essentials of Nonwovens Training Courses.

This vital training program will provide an immersive dive into the latest nonwoven technologies, industry segments and more with courses on absorbent hygiene cores, making nonwovens, industrial wipes and consumer wipes.

A must-attend educational session on patent searching on March 31 will cover the latest major changes in patent searches on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) website that has been updated to enhance user experience. 

• Sustainability at Milano Unica:  Ecodesign for an environmentally friendly fashion industry.

A ski suit made of yarn obtained from recycled materials and fully recyclable at end-of-life, without giving up on style, design and technical performance: this is RadiciGroup’s business card at the 34th Milano Unica, the international high-end textiles trade show taking place at the Milan Rho Fairground on 1-2 February.

In the Innovation Area of TexCubTec, Sistema Moda Italia’s technical and functional textile section, visitors can see and touch the new uniform of the RadiciGroup Ski Club designed by RadiciGroup in collaboration with the DKB sportswear brand.

“The ski suit, consisting of jacket and trousers, is fashioned with fabric made of RENYCLE®, a RadiciGroup yarn obtained from mechanically recycled nylon,” pointed out Marco De Silvestri, sales & marketing manager – Apparel and Technical of RadiciGroup Advanced Textile Solutions business area. “In addition, the suit’s padding and numerous accessories, such as zippers, Velcro, buttons and thread, are also made of polyamide. It was an ambitious project and we reached a definitive goal: circularity in sportswear without compromising on performance. A goal achieved through continuous close collaboration with other companies in the chain to develop chemically compatible materials that guarantee the high technical performance required by this kind of application.”

At Milano Unica, besides RENYCLE®, RadiciGroup is showcasing garments made of   REPETABLE®, a polyester yarn obtained from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and articles made of BIOFEEL®, a brand identifying both nylon and polyester yarn made from renewable source materials.

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.

"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.