From the Sector

Stratasys Ltd. published its second Mindful Manufacturing™ ESG and Sustainability Report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, fulfilling its commitment to transparency. The report includes an extensive overview of activities and advancements in Stratasys’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs.

Some highlights of the Mindful Manufacturing ESG and Sustainability report, by category, include:

Environmental

• Stratasys reduced water intensity by 32.5 percent across global operations, leading to an overall reduction in water usage by the company.
• Solar panels installed at Israeli facilities generated 441,339 kWh of renewable energy, which contributed to 207 metric tons of reduced CO2 emissions, or the equivalent of planting 3,423 trees
• Double digit (11.3 percent) increases in the number of spools, cartridges and canisters recycled through a new recycling program.

Social

• More than 38,000 hours of employee training were provided, equaling 18 hours of training per employee.
• Approaching world-class status with employee engagement, with a 78 percent participation rate in the last all-employee survey, with an all-time high engagement score of 73.
• 81 percent of managers participated in management training.
• 4 diversity KPIs were set in 2022, focusing on hiring practices. Targets were:
• 100 percent of candidate slates for manager and above will have a diverse slate
• 35 percent of management hires will be women
• 25 percent of tech hires will be women
• 40 percent of intern/student hires to reflect a range of ethnicity and gender diversity.

Governance

• 100 percent of new suppliers in 2021 and 2022 signed the Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes environmental, social and ethical standards.
• More than 97% of all employees completed compliance training.
• No product-related health and safety incidents of non-compliance occurred in 2021 or 2022.

For the second chapter of their Spring/Summer 2024 collection, adidas and Yohji Yamamoto continue to explore the concept of Contra-Natural. The collection highlights the tensions at the heart of Y-3: sport and boundary pushing design, organic and synthetic, linear perfection and natural imperfection.

For Chapter 2, Y-3 introduces a selection of dynamic apparel looks with a focus on refined cotton twill workwear inspired garments and reimagined sporting classics. Subtle yet bold overshirts, cargo pants, and tops are constructed with utility pockets and adjustable hems, while updated takes on the iconic adidas Superstar Tracksuit are elevated with topographical map piping. A selection of garments inspired adidas’ Teamgeist soccer jerseys rounds out the apparel collection, with each piece bearing a digital rust print inspired by the natural process of oxidation. Accompanying the apparel offering is a suite of accessories including nylon backpacks, totes, and holdalls.

From apparel to footwear, the second seasonal chapter plays host to an expressive selection of silhouettes as adidas performance Running technology is recontextualized through the lens of Y-3. Moving boldly into tomorrow, Yohji Yamamoto’s take on adidas’ pinnacle running silhouette takes the form of the Y-3 PRIME X 2 STRUNG, while the Y-3 ADIOS PRO 3.0 arrives in three colorways.

From the past, reborn, to the future, the Y-3 Spring/Summer 2024 Chapter 2 collection is then punctuated by the Y-3 WATER SLIDE, the Y-3 SANDAL, and an update to the instantly recognizable Y-3 ITOGO which sees the silhouette’s straps swapped out for an engineered print.

Carbitex – a leader in flexible carbon fiber composites focused on footwear, travel, and accessories – announces the appointment of Filippo Sartor to Vice President of Global Sales and Sam Gardner to the role of Vice President of Engineering and Operations. After a restructuring of manufacturing operations and the return of Carbitex founder, Junus Khan, as company president in 2023, the brand welcomes two strategic hires to catalyze the next phase of the leading materials brand.

With over 20 years in the footwear industry, including nearly 11 years as the Global Senior Sales Manager at JV International, official worldwide licensee for Michelin Soles, Sartor brings high level sales expertise within performance footwear and material innovation. With extensive focus on building new business in the US and Far East, and based in Milan, Italy, Sartor is uniquely positioned to help propel Carbitex globally into the next chapter.

Gardner, based in Renton, Washington, will manage product development and manufacturing at Carbitex. With time at Square One Distribution - a long-time Carbitex brand partner in the wake and waterski segment - and most recently as VP for Union Aquaparks, Gardner has considerable experience designing new products and managing sourcing, logistics, and supply chain. His background will help Carbitex strengthen both factory and brand partner relations and push product innovation.

These recent hires position Carbitex to better serve strategic brand partners, achieve forecasted growth in the short and long term, and expand global market presence.

Indorama Ventures' Combined PET business segment will enter into a consultation process with representatives of site employees to evaluate the possible future for production activities at its PTA (Purified Terephthalic Acid) and PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plants, located at its integrated production site in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

The evaluation follows a comprehensive review aimed at bolstering the site's competitiveness. However, it occurs amidst notable competitive and macroeconomic challenges, including increasing labor, raw material, and energy costs, alongside the influence of low-cost imports. Structural shifts in the industry are contributing to a growing divergence in raw material expenses between China and Europe, with limited anticipated recovery. Consequently, there is a need to optimize the company's asset portfolio to enhance its position and ensure resilience in response to evolving market dynamics.

Customers will not be affected as Indorama Venture’s extensive global footprint will enable seamless operations leveraging alternative assets.

The company will focus on mitigating negative impact and providing care and support for any affected people.

This update follows the company’s announcement of 'IVL 2.0' earlier in 2024, signaling a new strategic chapter focused on optimizing financial structures, fostering organic growth, and delivering enhanced value to customers through sustainable solutions. The strategic pillars of action involve optimizing asset utilization, driving operational excellence, unlocking portfolio value, and maintaining leadership in core markets.

As of April 1, 2024, Eva Baumann takes over the position of CEO in CHT. Together with Prof. Dr. Klaus Müller, who acts as CFO, she forms the management of the internationally active CHT Group.

Until 2020, Eva Baumann had worked for many years in a leading global company in the chemical industry. She has been part of the CHT Group since January 2020 and, as Group Vice President, has headed the Business Field General Industries at Group level. As CEO, Eva Baumann is now responsible for Marketing, Sales, Corporate Strategy, Human Resources and Sustainability.

Eva Baumann has ambitious plans for the future of the CHT Group: "Together with my management team, I will continue to expand the CHT Group as a successful and profitable specialty chemicals group. We focus on what we have been particularly good at for over 70 years: turning innovative ideas into specialty applications. These ideas help our customers to secure their success and at the same time make a sustainable contribution to development. Our customer proximity and the outstanding quality of our products and services set us apart in the market.

Ahead of UEFA Euro 2024™, adidas unveils the latest series of technical performance kits for Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, Spain, and Wales.

Each of the jerseys are built to inspire a sense of pride and belonging, blending traditional elements with modern style to create something new for the next generation of players, including:

• Fresh application of national colours and exploration into new bolder hues – for example, the ‘Tricolore’ for Italy's home and away shirts, and a vibrant colour scheme for Germany’s away kit
• Recoding traditional patterns and applying them in fresh ways. This includes a modern interpretation of tartan in the Scotland shirt, and patterns reflecting the carnation - the national flower – which adorn the base of Spain’s home and away kits 
• Introducing fresh symbols to traditional federation wear, such as the Belgium away kit which celebrates the nation’s rich art and design culture, specifically cartoonist, Hergé, and the comic character he is famously known for; Tintin. Inspired by Tintin’s iconic outfit, a royal nod is found on the back of the collar with a golden crown that glimmers against a bright blue backdrop  
• Across the collection, a blend of dynamic shapes and colours express the jubilation and hope that fans and players share ahead of, and during, a major tournament

Each jersey includes either HEAT.RDY technology, optimized to keep players feeling comfortable, or AEROREADY technology, sweat-wicking or absorbent materials that keep players feeling dry. Lighter crests and additional mesh panels are also applied, helping improve airflow and comfort, to help players focus on the game at hand.

The adidas Euros kit collection will be available from from March 14, 2024.

Autoneum has established a new Business Unit Commercial Vehicles to expand its existing truck business and to increase revenue and profitability in this vehicle segment as part of the Group’s strategic focus on profitable growth. To begin with, the Business Unit will focus on the commercial vehicles business in Europe and South America, as these two regions have a comparable customer base. The Business Unit is responsible for the global commercial vehicles business development, while its financial results will be consolidated within the Business Groups.

The new Business Unit focuses primarily on the business with components for medium and heavy trucks as well as agricultural commercial vehicles. Following the acquisition of Borgers Automotive in April last year, Autoneum has significantly expanded its product and technology portfolio for these vehicle segments. In combination with the Company’s global presence and diversified customer structure, this provides an ideal basis for future profitable growth. Autoneum already operates plants which manufacture products for the exterior and interior of commercial vehicles in Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany and Poland, as well as in Brazil. With the creation of a dedicated Business Unit Commercial Vehicles, Autoneum aims to leverage its existing production footprint in order to further grow the business worldwide.

As with the product portfolio for light vehicles, Autoneum’s multifunctional, lightweight and sustainable systems and components are suitable for commercial vehicles of all drive types. Autoneum is therefore well positioned for the expected increase in electric models due to more stringent environmental regulations.

At this year's JEC World 2024 from 5 to 7 March, KARL MAYER GROUP will be exhibiting with KARL MAYER Technical Textiles and its STOLL Business

One focus of the exhibition will be non-crimp fabrics and tapes made from bio-based yarn materials for the reinforcement of composites.

"While our business with multiaxial and spreading technology for processing conventional technical fibres such as carbon or glass continues to do well, we are seeing increasing interest in the processing of natural fibres into composites. That's why we have a new product in our trade fair luggage for the upcoming JEC World: an alpine ski in which, among other things, hemp fibre fabrics have been used," reveals Hagen Lotzmann, Vice President Sales KARL MAYER Technische Textilien.

The winter sports equipment is the result of a subsidised project. The hemp tapes for this were supplied by FUSE GmbH and processed into non-crimp fabrics on the COP MAX 5 multiaxial warp knitting machine in the KARL MAYER Technical Textiles technical centre.

The STOLL Business Unit will be focussing on thermoplastic materials. Several knit to shape parts with a textile outer surface and a hardened inner surface will be on display. The double-face products can be made from different types of yarn and do not need to be back-moulded for use as side door panels or housing shells, for example. In addition, the ready-to-use design saves on waste and yarn material.

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Synthetic recycled materials such as PET can usually be treated similarly to new yarn, but there are additional complexities where natural fibres like wool and cotton are involved. Today, there’s a trend towards mechanically recycled wool and cotton fibres.

Spinning recycled cotton
The use of mechanically recycled fibres in spinning brings specific quality considerations: they have higher levels of short fibres and neps – and may often be colored, particularly if post-consumer material is used. It’s also true that recycled yarns have limitations in terms of fineness. The Uster Statistics 2023 edition features an extended range of fibre data, supporting sustainability goals, including benchmarks for blends of virgin and recycled cotton.
In general, short fibres such as those in recycled material can easily be handled by rotor spinning machines. For ring spinning, the shorter the fibres, the more difficult it is to guide them through the drafting zone to integrate them into the yarn body. Still, for wider yarn counts and higher yarn quality, the focus is now shifting to ring spinning. The presence of short fibres is a challenge, but Rieter offers solutions to address this issue.

Knitting recycled wool
For recycling, wool fibres undergo mechanical procedures such as shredding, cutting, and re-spinning, influencing the quality and characteristics of the resulting yarn. These operations remove the natural scales and variations in fibre length of the wool, causing a decrease in the overall strength and durability of the recycled yarn. This makes the yarn more prone to breakage, especially under the tension exerted during knitting.

Adapting to process recycled materials often requires adjustments to existing machinery. Knitting machines must be equipped with positive yarn suppliers to control fibre tension. Steiger engages in continuous testing of new yarns on the market, to check their suitability for processing on knitting machines. For satisfactory quality, the challenges intensify, with natural yarns requiring careful consideration and adaptation in the knitting processes.

From fibres to nonwovens
Nonwovens technology was born partly from the idea of recycling to reduce manufacturing costs and to process textile waste and previously unusable materials into fabric structures. Nonwovens production lines, where fibre webs are bonded mechanically, thermally or chemically, can easily process almost all mechanically and chemically recycled fibres.

Autefa Solutions offers nonwovens lines from a single source, enabling products such as liners, wipes, wadding and insulation to be produced in a true closed loop. Fibres are often used up to four times for one product.

Recycling: total strategy
Great services, technology and machines from members of Swiss Textile Machinery support the efforts of the circular economy to process recycled fibres. The machines incorporate the know-how of several decades, with the innovative power and quality standards in production and materials.
Stäubli’s global ESG (environmental, social & governance) strategy defines KPIs in the context of energy consumption, machine longevity and the recycling capacity in production units worldwide, as well in terms of machinery recyclability. The machine recyclability of automatic drawing in machines, weaving systems and jacquard machines ranges from 96 to 99%.

“From Earth to Earth”: The new plan defines goals and concrete actions in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) areas to foster value creation for all stakeholders and put new sustainability regulatory requirements at the centre of attention.

A project, designed to enhance RadiciGroup's transparency and commitment to develop a responsible business along its entire value chain from an economic, social and environmental perspective and focus on the ever more widespread and stringent sustainability regulatory requirements. These are the features and goals of the Sustainability Plan presented by the Group and called "From Earth to Earth", precisely to emphasize the intent to focus on the Earth and future generations.

In the context of a complex and constantly changing scenario, the Group has therefore decided to capitalize on the goals achieved and look beyond them with a plan defining the medium-term targets and the actions to be taken to fulfil them and covering all areas considered to be "material”, i.e., relevant from the point of view of ESG and financial risks, opportunities and impacts. Indeed, the ultimate goal of "From Earth to Earth" is to support business continuity and the growth of the company and all its stakeholders.

The project was the result of a multi-year collaboration with Deloitte, which contributed an external and objective viewpoint on the definition of the material targets and themes. However, it was not an armchair exercise, but the result of an extensive listening process involving internal and external stakeholders, all of whom were sustainability experts who helped define a shortlist of strategic themes for both the Group and its main stakeholders. These issues were then analysed in detail using working tables on the different themes to identify the objectives in Environmental, Social and Governance areas and the related concrete actions needed to achieve them, in line with the European decarbonization and energy transition policies and the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a global blueprint for sustainable growth.

In particular, RadiciGroup’s environmental goals include: a 20% increase and differentiation in renewable source electricity consumption, an 80% reduction in total direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2011, attention to water consumption to limit the impact on local communities and biodiversity, the extension of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to measure the environmental impact of 70% of the products (in terms of weight) manufactured by the entire Group, collaboration among the various actors in the supply chain from an ecodesign perspective and the search for increasingly more sustainable and circular packaging solutions.