From the Sector

Technological progress often results from close collaboration, and industries that rely on continual improvement stand to benefit from the return to in-person business. Cinte Techtextil China’s first edition since eased pandemic measures is set to reflect a 27.9% increase in exhibitor numbers, with a rejuvenated international contingent further supplemented by the return of the European Zone. Taking place from 19 – 21 September across 40,000 sqm at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, the platform is expected to welcome buyers from across Asia, Europe, and beyond. Pre-registrations have doubled compared to the previous edition, and international buyers account for over 20% of the total.

The new zone, Marine Textile Zone, will be comprised of multiple Chinese green marine and nautical rope netting exhibitors, while also hosting the Technology Exchange Forum, and the awards ceremony of the Top 10 Suppliers in the China Rope Net Industry. Prominent exhibitors in this zone include Ropenet Group, Hunan Xinhai, and Zhejiang Four Brothers Rope.

Other domestic exhibitors, such as Shanghai Shenda Kebao New Materials, SIJIA New Material (Shanghai), Zhejiang Hailide New Material, and Zhejiang Jinda New Materials, will showcase products for applications in outdoor advertising, tents, boats, vehicles, environmental engineering, and much more.

Supplementing the fairground’s wide variety of domestic suppliers will be a much-increased showing of international exhibitors, with many to be found within hall E1’s European Zone. Several global industry leaders are featured in their categories below:

Nonwovens equipment

• Autefa Solutions, Germany: solutions provider for nonwovens lines and machines for carded-crosslapped needlepunching lines, spunlace lines and thermobonding lines.
• Dilo, Germany: in addition to offering general services, Dilo supplies opening and blending equipment, carding and airlay machines, and crosslapping and needling machines.
• Groz-Beckert, Germany: provider of industrial machine needles, precision parts and fine tools, as well as systems and services for the production and joining of textile fabrics.
• Reifenhäuser Reicofil, Germany: provider of innovative technologies and components for plastics extrusion, producing blown films, cast films, sheets as well as nonwovens.

Weaving equipment

• Itema, Italy: provider of advanced weaving machines, spare parts, and integrated services, specifically for rapier, air jet and projectile weft insertion technologies.
• Lindauer DORNIER, Germany: the company manufactures weaving machines, film stretching lines, and composite systems, also offering technical support and spare parts supply.
• Picanol, Belgium: producer and servicer of high-tech air jet and rapier weaving machines, with around 2,600 weaving mills utilising their systems worldwide.

Coating and lamination

• BRÜCKNER Textile Technologies, Germany: manufacturer of machines and lines for the coating and finishing of apparel fabric, technical textiles, nonwovens, glass fabrics and floor coverings.
• ROWA Lack, Germany: developer of high-quality materials and product solutions for the polymer industry, with applications including automotive, electrical engineering, construction, technical textiles, and medical technology.
• Stahl, the Netherlands: the Dutch company provides high quality coatings, dyes and process chemicals for leather, flexible coated substrates, textiles, films and foils, paper, and related products.

Fibre

• Monosuisse, Switzerland: with production sites in Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Mexico, and Germany, Monosuisse manufactures various precise, high-quality polymer monofilaments from 19µm to 3.00 mm in diameter.
• Perlon, Germany: specialised in the manufacture of synthetic filaments in diverse application areas, including paper machine clothing, dental care, and advanced technical textiles for agriculture, 3D printing, sports and leisure, home, and more.

Meanwhile, first-time exhibitors include Rökona (Germany), showcasing RE:SPACE, their range of recycled technical textiles; Testex AG (Switzerland), the official OEKO-TEX® representative in multiple countries including China; Hohenstein (Germany), the renowned testing laboratory and research institute; and zwissTEX (Germany), the knitted fabrics and lamination specialists. In addition, the returning Taiwan Pavilion is set to feature the debut of Shinih Enterprise Co Ltd (Taiwan China).

Beyond the innovation displayed at the booths, the fair’s programme is set to welcome global experts from various technical textile and nonwoven sub-sectors to offer specific insights and unveil innovations. Highlighted events include:

The 11th China International Nonwovens Conference
14 sessions cover topics such as the quality control of medical supplies; green development in technology and applications in the nonwovens industry; and the development and application of flashspun nonwovens in China.

Marine textiles and rope netting events
Events specific to this zone include the Top 10 Suppliers in the China Rope Net Industry; Conference on Textile Applications for Marine Engineering and Fisheries; and the China Nonwovens & Industrial Textiles Association (CNITA) Rope Net Branch Council Meeting

"Nonwovens, Creating a Better Life” Innovation Showcase
Product display area showcasing around 100 nonwovens products with applications in five areas: medical and health, quality of life, human habitat, sustainable development, and innovative design.

Advanced Technical Textiles Industry Chain Synergistic Innovation Development Forum
Includes presentations from multiple key players in the technical textile industry, including Mr Steven Liu, Commercial Manager of Polymer Additives Business of Sanitized (China) Ltd.

OCSiAl, a leader in graphene nanotube technologies, has been granted a construction permit for a nanotube production facility near Belgrade, Serbia. The new nanotube synthesis plant will be launched in 2024 and will have an initial annual capacity of 60 tonnes of graphene nanotubes. Over the next two years, the capacity of this plant will be increased to 120 tonnes per year. “The project will facilitate logistics and lower supply chain costs. European-produced nanotubes and nanotube derivatives will be primarily supplied to our customers in central and western Europe, North America, and Asia,” said OCSiAl Group Senior Vice President Gregory Gurevich.
 
In addition to synthesizing nanotubes, the facility will manufacture nanotube suspensions for lithium-ion battery manufacturers in Europe, the US, and Asia – enough to enhance the performance of more than 1 mln electric cars with an average battery capacity of 75 kWh per car. OCSiAl nanotubes create long and robust electrical networks between active material particles, improving key battery characteristics, including cycle life, lower DCR, C-rate performance, and cohesion between active battery material particles, making the battery electrodes more durable. Graphene nanotubes unlock new battery technologies, including high-silicon content anodes, thick LFP cathodes, fast-charging graphite anodes, and more. They can be applied in both conventional and emerging battery tech, such as a dry battery electrode coating process, and solid-state batteries.
 
As well as synthesizing nanotubes and producing suspensions, OCSiAl project includes manufacturing of nanotube concentrates for high-performance polymers. The project has passed environmental impact assessment and it is 100% powered by green energy. It enjoys support from Serbian municipal and national governments. The plant is planned to be certified in accordance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001, and to be compliant with the IATF 16949 automotive industry standard. The project will create more than 200 job opportunities for engineers, scientists, managers, operators, and administrative staff.
 
Currently, OCSiAl has an extensive manufacturing system of nanotube-based products in the regions of highest market demand, such as China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Malaysia, and other countries. The Serbia nanotube hub will operate in conjunction with the company’s operational R&D center and planned graphene nanotube synthesis facility in Luxembourg.

Die AZL Aachen GmbH, bekannter Innovationspartner für Industriekooperationen auf dem Gebiet der Leichtbautechnologieforschung, startet eines neuen Projekts mit dem Titel "Trends und Designfaktoren für Wasserstoffdruckbehälter". Das Projekt wird Fragestellungen der Industrie in Bezug auf die Wasserstoffspeicherung adressieren.

AZL Aachen GmbH, a recognized innovator in lightweight technologies research and industry collaboration, announces the initiation of a new project titled "Trends and Design Factors for Hydrogen Pressure Vessels". The project aims to address industry needs surrounding hydrogen storage.

Hydrogen has gained significant attention as a key technological solution for decarbonization, with high pressure storage and transportation emerging as vital components. Its applications extend from stationary storage solutions to mobile pressure vessels employed in sectors such as transportation and energy systems.

The AZL team, renowned for its high reputation in providing market and technology insights as well as developing component and production concepts in the format of Joint Partner Projects seeks for companies along the whole composite value chain interested in further developing their application know how in this economically highly relevant field.

The project will provide an in depth exploration of market insights, regulatory standards, and intellectual property landscapes. Beyond this, there is a dedicated focus on staying updated with state of the art and advancements in design, materials, and man ufacturing techniques.

An integral component of the project involves the creation of reference designs by AZL´s engineering team. The reference designs will encompass a variety of pressure vessel configurations and will consider a diverse range of materials and production concep ts.

With the scheduled project start in October 2023, and a project timeline of approximately nine months, AZL encourages companies active across the composite value chain to participate. Companies interested in participating or seeking further information should reach out directly to the AZL expert team.

With over 400 exhibitors, the fourth Istanbul Fashion Connection event from August 9-11, 2023, at the Istanbul Expo Center on 35,000 sqm was again successful.

With over 20,000 visitors from more than 125 countries, IFCO recorded an increase in visitors of over 30% compared to August last year. International visitors more than doubled, with the largest visitor groups coming from Asia and the Middle East at 33% each, Europe at 17%, Africa 11% and the Americas at 6%.

All retail channels were represented at the show, from large shopping mall and department store groups to wholesalers, international retail chains, multi-brand boutiques and online platforms.

Exhibitors
In six clearly segmented halls, more than 400 brands presented themselves on 35,000 sqm from womenswear, menswear, kidswear sportswear, denim, leather and fur.

The Core Istanbul
For the second time, the exclusive design area The Core Istanbul, originally launched as part of Istanbul Fashion Week, presented itself at IFCO. Among others, Arzu Kaprol, Ceren Ocak, Çiğdem Akın, Essin Barış, Ezgi Karayel, Fulyaİlkmen - F.ILKK, Mehmet Emiroğlu, Meltem Özbek, Mert Erkan, Merve Ulu - Kuela, Murat Aytulum, Nejla Güvenç - Nej, Özlem Erkan, Selin Küçüksöz, Tuba Ergin joined the show. Menswear was also represented with Emre Erdemoğlu, Seydullah Yılmaz - SYHZ Wear and Yakup Biçer - Y Plus.

The Exclusive Area
Leading Turkish retail brands, already internationally active, showed in The Exclusive Area such as B&G Store, Climber BC, Damat, Giovane Gentile, Hatemoğlu, Ipekyol, Kayra, Kiğılı, Lee Cooper, Lufian, Jakamen, Naramaxx and convinced with their high quality, sustainable and fashionable products, which were in great demand among international buyers. Jakamen opened the IFCO Shows on the first day of the fair with its latest spring / summer collection for 2024.

FashionIst
With its own catwalk, the occasion fashion section FashionIst for women and men featured thirty leading brands and showed a cross-section of the latest designs in evening fashion with their innovative colors and dynamic styles. Daily fashion shows informed visitors about the latest trends.

B2B Match Making
The B2B Match Making at IFCO took place in speed dating mode and was well received. Exhibitors were efficiently networked with buyers from all over the world such as Inditex from Spain, Walmart, Quicksilver, Teddy Fresh or Wilbo from the USA, Sainsbury's from the UK, Cihuah from Mexico, the Apparel Group and Safari Group from the United Arab Emirates, Ria Miranda from Indonesia, Hi Style and Zalora from Malaysia, Musinsa from South Korea, Ackermans from South Africa etc.

IFCO February 2024
For the next date of IFCO (7.-10. February, 2024), the organizers expect more than 600 companies. The participation of international fashion companies is to be expanded, for which IFCO provides the ideal springboard into the European and Asian markets.

Ananas Anam, the provider of innovative low-impact textile solutions made from pineapple leaf waste, announced the appointment of Manel Echevarria as the new CEO. The Spanish executive who had previously worked as CEO for Grupo Excens Sports and Lacoste Iberia, as well as in senior executive roles for Swarovski and MontBlanc, will lead the global business from its European research and production site near Barcelona in Spain.

At the beginning of the year, the company reported the successful closing of a funding round led by HALTRA Group, a family-backed sustainable investment firm in Luxembourg and a group of strategic investors, including the French Compagnie Fruitière, one of the leading producers in Europe and major fruit producer in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific region, as well the global automotive technology supplier Forvia, and Asahi Kasei Corp, a leading Japanese multinational group working in innovative materials and technologies.

“The appointment of Manel Echevarria as a seasoned CEO with an impressive track-record in the fashion and luxury industry marks another important milestone in setting Ananas Anam up for the next phase of growth” says Dr. Christian Kurtzke, Chairman of Ananas Anam. “Following our investment in the development of an impressive portfolio of next-generation innovative biodegradable, traceable and sustainable materials, and into the setup of its network of strategic partners on the supply and shareholder side, Manel will provide the leadership for driving growth and industrial scale of this pioneering sustainability brand amidst a continued challenging global market environment in fashion, interiors and automotive.”

With Ananas Anam’s core portfolio of innovative materials, the company has successfully collaborated with well-known brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, H&M, Paul Smith and Cat Footwear and sustainable-fashion pioneers like Ecoalf to drive innovation in footwear, as well as with fashion brands like Carolina Herrera in the area of bags and accessories, substituting animal leather in the product design with its vegan, cruelty-free, low-impact and sustainable pineapple leaf fibre based textiles. In July 2023, at the Premiere Vision exhibition in Paris, the company presented the next generation of Piñatex as well as its breakthrough innovation Piñayarn as a biodegradable, traceable and sustainable yarn, and introducing Anam PALF, as a commercially available premium textile grade pineapple leaf fibre, opening up a world of new applications and markets.

“Driving the sustainability transformation in fashion, as well as in interiors and automotive has become a key priority on the agenda of brands and OEMs around the world,” says Manel Echevarria, CEO Ananas Anam. “I am proud to have the opportunity to lead the company in this decisive time, and I am looking forward to collaborating with our exceptional Spanish founder, Dr Carmen Hijosa, and Josep Taylor in Spain, with Bruno de Penanster and his team in the UK, as well as with Chuck Lazaro and his team in the Philippines to turn this amazing sustainability ambition and purpose into a reality.”

OETI - Institute for Ecology, Technology and Innovation’ (or OETI for short), is now working with the independent platform ‘MeineRaumluft’.

OETI and MeineRaumluft will work closely together to make a sustainable contribution to optimising the indoor climate. Starting this autumn, they will implement a groundbreaking initiative in Austria. The primary objective of this initiative is to raise awareness of the significance of indoor air as a factor for health and productivity in work and office environments. This message will be conveyed by means of precise measurements, knowledge sharing as well as practical recommendations

OETI has a great deal of expertise in the field of indoor air measurements and certifications. The accredited institution is certified for emission testing according to ISO 16000 parts 2, 3, 6, 9 and 11 as well as EN 16516. OETI also sets standards for indoor air quality with its CLEANAIR certification.

Toray Composite Materials America, Inc. headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, has been awarded the "Boeing Supplier of the Year" award, a leadership-nominated award given to supplier companies that support and propel Boeing's strategic objectives through risk-sharing and enduring partnerships. This year, 12 companies were selected from among 11,000 Boeing suppliers worldwide, and CMA was selected as one of them for the Alliance Award. This is Toray's second award from Boeing, receiving the Supplier of the Year Excellence Award in 2019.

Toray began supplying Boeing in 1975 when it first qualified TORAYCA™ T300 carbon fiber for commercial application on the Boeing 737. Since then, Toray has provided high-performance carbon fiber and highly toughened, primary structure carbon fiber composite prepreg on various programs.

The trophy was presented by William A. Ampofo II, Vice President of Parts & Distribution Services and Supply Chain for Boeing Global Services and Chair of the Supply Chain Operations Council to CMA.

Albany International Corp. has completed its acquisition of Heimbach Group (Heimbach). Headquartered in Düren, Germany, Heimbach is a global supplier of paper machine clothing for the production of all grades of paper and cardboard on all machine types as well as high-tech textile products used in a variety of sectors, such as the food processing, chemicals, construction materials and automotive industries.

Daniel Halftermeyer, President of Machine Clothing, said, “We are excited about the opportunities to create additional value for our shareholders and customers through the increased scale, complementary technologies and broader geographic footprint this transaction provides. Together we will effectively combine the strengths of each company to set a new standard in customer value delivery as the industry’s partner-of-choice.”

Albany acquired Heimbach for €132 million in cash, and assumed net debt of approximately €22 million. The transaction was funded with cash held in Europe.

SETEX Schermuly textile computer GmbH, a global leader in manufacturing process management software and textile machinery controls, is pleased to announce the transfer of a majority stake to Elvaston Capital Management GmbH.

Private equity partner Elvaston has established the overarching Textile Solutions Holding GmbH. This company will manage a portfolio of technology companies that ensure seamless integration along the textile process chain and introduce unique market functionalities.

The current company owners of SETEX, Christoph and Oliver Schermuly, will continue their roles as managing directors.

SETEX is convinced that this step will further expand SETEX's competitiveness and growth potential.

The international OEKO-TEX® Association, offering collaborative solutions for partners in the textile and leather industry, has once again recorded positive business development. Overall, OEKO-TEX® issued more than 43,000 certificates and labels between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023 - an increase of 21% compared to the previous financial year. The MADE IN GREEN product label recorded the strongest growth of 52%. OEKO-TEX® continues to drive urgently needed change through cooperation and joint action - with their services and at the organizational level.

For their two new certifications, OEKO-TEX® focused on cooperation with numerous parties along the global supply chain. Launched in November 2022, OEKO-TEX® RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS addresses the increasing global expectations and due diligence requirements. The tool and certification supports textile and leather companies in preventing negative effects from their own business operations, supply chains and broader business relationships. Companies working with OEKO-TEX® ORGANIC COTTON benefit from a global network of certified companies to facilitate sourcing of chemicals, materials and business partners - from cultivation to finished product.

At the organisational level, OEKO-TEX® is focusing on partnerships with multi-stakeholder initiatives to include as many different perspectives as possible and allow all parties to benefit. Working with ZDHC to promote sustainable chemical management and becoming an ISEAL community member are just two of many collaborations for OEKO-TEX®, which is striving to address the industry's most pressing challenges.

Meanwhile, the Association’s core business advances. For example, based on industry developments and scientific findings, OEKO-TEX® issued a general ban on the use of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS/PFC) in textiles, leather and shoes certified by STANDARD 100, ORGANIC COTTON, LEATHER STANDARD and ECO PASSPORT. OEKO-TEX® also surpassed the milestone of 1,000 STeP certified production facilities. OEKO-TEX® is in a strong position to continue its work - enabling the industry and consumers to make more responsible decisions through partnership and education.