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.

As part of ISKO’s Responsible Innovation™ strategy, the company has a commitment to supporting the next generation of design students and up-and-coming designers and brands. This commitment was shown most recently when the leading denim innovator donated a selection of its denim fabrics to three students at the Savannah College of Art and Design, to support the design and development of their final year collections and help them shape their creative vision.

On 7 May, the students’ collections were presented to a panel of fashion industry experts, including ISKO’s Marketing and Business Development Manager, Sonny Puryear, who offered invaluable feedback and support for their future endeavours.

The university has taken part in several past editions of ISKO’s I-SKOOL™ denim design contest, so it was logical that three of this year’s graduates, Ifeade Adedokun, E'Naiyah Frazier, and Maryam Muhammad would turn to ISKO in light of its longstanding knowledge and expertise when it comes to denim. The company was proud to provide them with ISKO fabrics, developed according to advanced and responsible processes and in compliance with strict international standards.

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.

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) —a division of Barry-Wehmiller and a global supplier of high-performance converting machinery for the tissue, nonwovens, package-printing and bag-converting industries — presents its new Paragon rewinder during an online launch event.

Held June 8 at 9 a.m. (CT), the virtual reveal will include a machine overview, a demonstration of its patent-pending winding technology and a live Q&A session. In addition, attendees will learn how the Paragon’s design allows for robust caliper, bulk and diameter flexibility, and how its new HMI gives operators unparalleled machine control with intuitive navigation and fewer, simpler adjustments.

For more information click here.

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.

Teijin Carbon Europe introduces a new thermoplastic carbon fiber tape (TPUD) based on PPS. The new Tenax™ TPUD with PPS matrix allows entry in new cost-sensitive markets while offering the typical TPUD advantages like high resistance to chemicals and solvents, low flammability, storage or shipping at room temperature and recyclability.  

Due to its flame retardant properties and low smoke emission, it can be used in interior applications of aircraft or rail vehicles, among others. The maximum continuous operating temperature is up to 220 °C. Very low water absorption, excellent creep resistance even at elevated temperatures and high dimensional stability round off the property portfolio of this new TPUD. It is therefore also suitable for demanding applications in the aerospace, oil & gas, sporting goods or industrial sectors, while remaining cost-effective. These properties make the product perfect for highly automated processing routes such as ATL or AFP in combination with overmolding for complex geometries. Production start for the Tenax™ TPUD with PPS matrix is the first quarter in 2021.

For almost 10 years, unidirectional tapes (TPUD) have been manufactured from carbon fibers and thermoplastics in Heinsberg, Germany. The semi-finished products have so far been offered with PEEK or PAEK – and PPS is now added to the list of available matrixes. PPS allows a lower process temperature compared to PEEK or PAEK. For the industrial market in particular, increasing the production rate to make processes more cost-efficient is an opportunity.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Pratrivero s.p.a. to supply a new eXcelle batt forming line for their production facilities in Valdilana, Italy. The line will be dedicated to the production of Maliwatt products, used in furnishing, automotive, naval, medical, geotextiles, advertising, clothing, and packaging applications. Installation and start-up are scheduled for the third quarter of 2021.

The ANDRITZ batt forming line includes an eXcelle card and eXcelle crosslapper, a ProDyn™ web profiling correction system as well as a scanning gauge with a closed loop. The ProDyn system combines actions from the card doffers with dynamic speed variation at the crosslapper. This will result in substantial fiber savings and reduction in CV%, providing improved weight evenness in the final product. The ProDyn closed loop will ensure the best possible self-regulation for the equipment and thus enable Pratrivero to produce one of the best product qualities on the market. Pratrivero will be the world’s first company to use the ProDyn technology in the Maliwatt stitchbonding process.

Stitchbond is a nonwoven process made by mechanically interlocking fiber webs with continuous filaments, thus imitating textiles. Stitchbonded products are used in many applications due to their lower production costs compared to woven textiles. Among all the different nonwoven processes in which it operates, ANDRITZ is also a market-leading supplier of batt forming equipment for the stitchbonding processes producing Maliwatt, Malivlies and quilting.

Pratrivero is an important player in the production of nonwoven fabrics using stitchbonding technology.

The 7th ITMA Asia + CITME takes place from 12–16 June 2021 in Shanghai, China. Groz-Beckert presents the new products from all six product areas:
Knitting, Weaving, Felting, Tufting, Carding und Sewing.

The products are presented both physically as exhibits and in extended form via augmented reality. Groz-Beckert welcomes guests on-site at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hall 4, Booth C31. In addition to the face-to-face event, the company is inviting industry visitors to its virtual booth.

• Group sales in the first quarter 2021 of €241.5 million, down 2% below prior year (currency adjusted on prior year level)
• Expected positive impact from a contract termination with a customer of reporting segment Graphite Solutions contributes around €9 million to sales and earnings
• Transformation program proceeds according to plan in all areas
• EBITDA pre of €33.0 million significantly higher year-on-year (Q1/2020 €29.0 million), EBIT increases to €17.0 million (Q1/2020 €6.4 million)
• Positive net result at €6.1 million (Q1/2020 minus €4.3 million)
• Liquidity at €168.6 million also developed positively (year-end 2020 €141.8 million)
• Net financial debt decreases by 5% to €271.5 million (year-end 2020 €286.5 million)
• Equity ratio increases to 20.4% (Year-end 2020 17.5%)
• Outlook for fiscal year 2021 fully confirmed

See attached document for more information.

International technology Group ANDRITZ has successfully started up a new batt forming line at Romatex Home Textiles (Pty) Ltd., based in Cape Town, one of the largest household textile manufacturers in South Africa. The line is dedicated to the production of Maliwatt products used in a wide range of applications, including home textiles, construction, geotextiles, medical, footwear, and as a replacement for plastic in the retail sector.

ANDRITZ has supplied Romatex with dedicated batt forming equipment, mixing an aXcess card and an eXcelle crosslapper to provide Romatex’s technical characteristics in terms of product quality and line performance. This new stitchbonding line will enable Romatex to better serve its customers and meet their requirements perfectly.