From the Sector

Kornit Digital Ltd., a worldwide market leader in digital textile production technologies, released its 2020 Impact and Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) Report. This inaugural report affirms Kornit’s commitment to achieving specific ESG goals. This includes the way Kornit conducts business, creates meaningful impact in local communities, and achieves environmental sustainability, in addition to how Kornit will continue to build a diverse and inclusive company culture, foster employee growth and development, and empower fair and safe labor practices globally.
 
In addition to enabling eco-friendly production processes with technology and consumables that use less water, reduce waste, and minimize the carbon footprint, Kornit technology solutions enable sustainable production on demand, which eliminates overproduction of apparel and other textile goods. A 2021 Life Cycle Assessment conducted on two flagship products, the Kornit Atlas MAX and Kornit Presto S, demonstrated that relative to traditional analog processes, Kornit’s digital production systems used up to 95% less water and 94% less energy, and produced up to 83% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Presto S system and up to 93% less water and 66% less energy, and produced up to 82% less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Atlas MAX system.

Based on this study, in addition to past sustainability performance results and strategic projections for business growth and market expansion, by 2026 Kornit Digital’s sustainable on-demand solutions are expected to enable the production of approximately 2.5 billion apparel items in a responsible manner to deliver:

• Zero overproduction: By moving the industry to on-demand manufacturing, Kornit will help eliminate the estimated 1.1 billion apparel items overproduced using traditional production methods, based on an industry average of 30% overproduction. This is about 1 apparel item for each and every person living in Europe and North America – saved.
• Zero water waste: In addition to eliminating overstocks, Kornit-enabled production on demand will support saving an estimated 4.3 trillion liters (1.1 trillion gallons) of water. This is the estimated amount of drinking water needed for the entire U.S. population for 11 years.
• Reduced CO2 emissions: By enabling sustainable on-demand production, consuming less energy, and generating less waste, Kornit will prevent an estimated 17.2 billion kilograms (37.9 billion pounds) of greenhouse gas emissions, compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This is equivalent to the estimated amount of carbon dioxide emitted from circumnavigating the entire planet with a car nearly 2,400 times.

Furthermore, the report outlines Kornit’s commitment to achieving KPIs that address waste, chemicals, GHG emissions, energy, product development, employee training, diversity and inclusion, and the company’s supply chain.

The 11^th edition of RISE®, Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics Conference will be presented virtually on Sept. 28-30 with more than 150 professionals in product development, materials science, and new technologies.

The conference will culminate on Sept. 30 with the presentation of the 2021 RISE® Innovation Award recognizing problem-solving innovations that advance the nonwovens industry.

The program includes presentations from industry leaders, round-table discussions and question-and-answer sessions on the key themes of material science developments for sustainable nonwovens, sustainability, increasing circularity in nonwovens, and promising innovations in nonwovens, processes and materials:

• Promising Materials Development Using PLA
  presented by Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Ph.D., William A. Klopman Distinguished Professor and Executive Director, North Carolina State University, The Nonwovens Institute
• Phantom Platform: The Polyolefin-cellulose Coformed Substrates Technology at Its Best, featuring insights from Fabio Zampollo, CEO, Teknoweb Materials S.r.l.
• Biotransformation Technology in Polyolefin Fibers and Nonwoven Fabrics, Focus on Fugitive Used Articles
  with speakers, DeeAnn Nelson, Ph.D., Development Program Manager, and Nick Carter, Vice-President of Marketing and Business Intelligence, both from Avgol Nonwovens
• High-Loft, Ultra-Soft Hygiene Solutions,
  presented by Paul Rollin, Ph.D., Global Team Lead – Nonwovens, ExxonMobil Chemical Company
• Innovating a Sustainable Future for Nonwovens; A European Perspective
  given by Matthew Tipper, Ph.D., Operations Director, Nonwovens Innovation & Research Institute Ltd., (NIRI), UK
• Filtration Media Functionalized with Zinc Oxide
  by Wai-shing Yung, Ph.D., Technical Director, Ascend Performance Materials

DyStar, a specialty chemical company with a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation, is pleased to announce their continued commitment to the protection of their global intellectual property portfolio.

As an innovative global chemical organisation, DyStar’s intellectual property portfolio is an important part of their DNA. To date, their innovation encompasses more than 1,000 patents, trademarks and patent applications worldwide.

Eric Hopmann, Chief Executive Officer of DyStar Group explains: “As DyStar continues to focus on managing challenges of the rapid global business recovery and exploring exciting growth opportunities across the emerging markets, our team needs to stay vigilant and vigorously protect our global intellectual property portfolio. This has again been demonstrated in a recent incident, where DyStar had to charge three former employees who had neglected to protect DyStar’s intellectual property, and were also under suspicion of having shared DyStar’s proprietary information with the competition.”

• New high-capacity line enables diversification to meet growing demand

Avgol, a global leader in the manufacture of high performance non-woven fabric solutions, has announced it is investing in a new high-speed, high-capacity flexible multiple beam production line at its facility in Uzlovaya, Russia.

“The addition of this new line enables us to have greater production capacity for growing regional markets and support the release of new Avgol technologies,” said Tommi Bjornman, CEO of Avgol.
“Serving the growing baby diaper, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene markets along with satisfying sustained demand for meltblown filtration and medical materials, this investment enables Avgol to deliver an improved degree of service across the entire area while consolidating and strengthening our existing position,” he said.

Avgol, an Indorama Ventures Limited company, leads the global hygiene market with the most comprehensive range of ultra-lightweight spun-melt nonwoven fabrics. This new line at the company’s Uzlovaya facility, in the Tula Oblast region of Russia, will see Avgol investing in new Reicofil 5 (RF5) technology. The third line for this location will include biocomponent and corresponding high-loft capabilities thus producing materials for applications that meet the needs of upper tier products for Hygiene customers.

As part of the investment, Avgol is including new capacity for meltblown production with a dedicated line, ensuring a continuous supply of this critical material for the region. One other aspect of the investment, and a new inhouse capability for Avgol, includes the addition of cutting-edge lamination capabilities. These capabilities will allow Avgol to offer enhanced performance products into the existing markets the company serves, as well as allowing the company to explore new opportunities in other markets. “The RF5 line, meltblown line and lamination capabilities will provide us a powerful set of platforms as a base from which to provide high-value products for our customers,” said Mr. Bjornman.  “It will enable us to further diversify the Avgol innovation portfolio while remaining true to our roots.”

Mr. Bjornman further commented that the investment will also significantly support further sustainable product development in Avgol, under its innovative FIT™ (Forward Innovative Thinking) strategy. “Avgol is committed to the future of nonwoven fabrics with a particular focus on bringing polyolefins forward as viable resins in single use articles,” he said. “We are excited to bring new assets, new capabilities, and new technologies that will challenge customer expectations of the nonwoven fabric industry.” This investment will move the Russian production facility to the second largest site for Avgol (the largest facility remains the Mocksville site in North Carolina, USA).

Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd of Leeds, UK has now commenced construction of a new purpose-built Research & Development Centre to enable continued growth through innovation. This modern two-storey development will be situated on the adjacent site, providing state-of-the-art facilities, including a Visitor Centre and enhanced Process Development Laboratory (PDL) for client testing and product development. Central to FET’s success has been its ability to provide customers with advanced facilities and equipment, together with unrivalled knowledge and expertise in research and production techniques. The new expanded premises will further improve this service.

Clients frequently spend several days on site participating in development trials and technical sales meetings, so the Visitor Centre is designed to make their stay more efficient and comfortable. Sales, administration and design departments will also be housed in the new building.

The addition of the Visitor Centre will free up a considerable amount of space for production and other facilities in the existing premises. This major refurbishment phase for the existing premises is scheduled for completion at the end of 2021. As a result, FET’s manufacturing capacity will increase by more than 50% to cope with customer demand.  

Substantial year-on-year growth has driven this initiative and FET’s current order book in excess of £10million has provided the opportunity for equipping the company infrastructure for the future. Sustainability has been at the forefront of FET’s growth, supporting customers in their development of sustainable textiles and this principle is reflected in the choice of building materials and products for the Visitor Centre wherever possible.

It is expected that the new Visitor Centre will be opened in the first quarter of 2022.

Lectra announces its plan to acquire the entire capital and voting rights of US-based Gerber Technology. A key Industry 4.0 player in the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, Lectra designs smart industrial solutions – software, equipment, data and services – that help brands, manufacturers and retailers develop, produce and market their products.

The acquisition, if and when consummated, would allow Lectra to complement its market position and continue to enhance its offerings based on Industry 4.0 technology that will enable its customers to boost the productivity and profitability of their operations. After the French work council of Lectra is consulted and the binding documentation is signed, completion of the acquisition shall remain subject to merger control clearance and other customary conditions and shall be submitted to Lectra shareholders for approval.

The proposed combination would occur at an opportune time for both companies and their customers. The current uncertain economic climate and unprecedented challenges that fashion, automotive and furniture companies are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic make it more important than ever for them to transform, digitalize and optimize their operations.

For over 50 years, Gerber Technology has used its proprietary technologies and deep domain expertise to provide integrated software and automated hardware solutions to companies around the world, including over 100 Fortune 500 companies in 134 countries.

The strategic combination of Gerber Technology and Lectra will create a premier advanced technology partner, able to quickly meet changing customer needs and deliver even more value through seamlessly integrated solutions. Together, the two companies will have a large installed base of product development software and automated cutting solutions in operation, with a worldwide presence and a long list of prestigious customers.

Consolidating the two companies’ research and development capabilities will enable the combined company to accelerate development of Industry 4.0 technologies and help its expanded customer base seize the full potential of these innovations.
Integrating the technology of the two companies will endow them with the resources to anticipate and address rapidly changing market conditions.

Key transaction terms

Under the proposed acquisition, Lectra would acquire all outstanding shares of Gerber Technology on a cash-free debt-free basis for an upfront payment of 175 million euros – through a combination of cash and debt – plus 5 million newly issued Lectra shares to AIPCF VI LG Funding, LP (“AIPCF VI LG”), an affiliate of American Industrial Partners that is Gerber Technology’s sole shareholder. This would represent a total amount of about 300 million euros based on Lectra’s closing share price on February 5, 2021. No contingent consideration is contemplated.

Gerber Technology’s revenues was 165 million euros in 2020.

Thanks to the strong value creation deriving from significant synergies, Lectra expects the transaction to be accretive for shareholders from 2022.

Upon closing, Daniel Harari would own c. 14.6% of the Lectra shares and AIPCF VI LG would own c. 13.3%.

Lectra’s Board of Directors would welcome a director representing AIPCF VI LG.

Daniel Harari would continue to be the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lectra. Gerber Technology Chief Executive Officer, Mohit Uberoi, would assume special advisor to Daniel Harari role until end-2021.

Lectra’s shareholders would be invited to vote on the issuance of the 5 million new Lectra shares reserved to AIPCF VI LG at a dedicated Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting which is currently expected to be held on April 30, 2021. A report containing additional information will be made available to the shareholders prior to the Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting.

Lazard is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Lectra, and Latham & Watkins as legal counsel to Lectra.

Goldman Sachs is acting as exclusive financial advisor to AIPCF VI LG, and Ropes & Gray LLP, Baker Botts LLP and Gide Loyrette Nouel A.A.R.P.I. as legal counsel to AIPCF VI LG.

2020 results, update on the 2020-2022 strategic roadmap and guidance for the coming years will be disclosed on February 10, 2021.

Lectra management will discuss the transaction, provide forward-looking guidance for the combined company upon closing of the transaction and answer questions from the financial community during the February 11, 2021 webcast Analyst Conference meeting in French starting at 8:30 am (CET - Paris).

• Partnership offers customers access to full-scale garment design, manufacturing and packaging

Ascend Performance Materials has announced a commercial agreement with The S Group, a globally recognized provider of apparel design, development and manufacturing. The alliance will focus on commercialization of Acteev Protect™ antimicrobial yarns, fibers and fabrics, offering customers full-scale supply chain service from garment design to delivery.

The agreement pairs Ascend's world-class manufacturing operations with The S Group’s track record of success in the wholesale and direct-to-consumer apparel industry. “Our customers will now benefit from a revolutionary antimicrobial material combined with end-to-end support to guide a product from ideation to actualization,” said Lu Zhang, vice president of Acteev.

The S Group offers complete supply chain management for apparel brands, including product development, manufacturing, logistics, quality assurance, packaging and order fulfillment. The company lists some of the world’s most recognized brands among its partners, including Lululemon, New Balance and Mack Weldon. Athleisure, performance, scrubs, and seamless products such as intimates, leggings, active wear, socks and gaiters will be available.

Gary Peck, CEO of The S Group, says his team is excited about the commercial potential of Acteev, especially given the new reality of global health concerns. “Garment design has primarily focused on functionality, sustainability and comfort,” said Peck. “The past year has made us all aware that safety can be a valuable feature of fabrics as well, and Acteev checks all those boxes.”

Acteev is Ascend’s patent-pending technology that embeds zinc ions in a polymer to create fibers with long-lasting antimicrobial properties. The result is a fabric that destroys odor-causing bacteria and fungi. Acteev technology is available in a wide range of textiles featuring the flexibility, softness and durability of nylon 6,6.

Recent testing on knit fabric completed at the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that Acteev technology deactivates the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, with 99.9% efficacy on contact1. Ascend is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies to obtain the appropriate regulatory clearances to make specific claims regarding the technology’s antiviral properties.

• Composite textiles for modern mobility
• Extremely lightweight, high tensile components by vombaur

In the snow, on a plane, in an electric vehicle or on a bicycle: no matter where and how we are on the road – composite textiles by vombaur ensure that we make good progress. With materials that are both extremely light and extremely reliable.

Lightweight components for modern mobility
Modern mobility relies on high-tech lightweight components Narrow textiles by vombaur are woven from high-performance fibres. On looms that are specially made for particularly demanding composite textiles: the textile company uses special machines to produce high-tech woven tapes with closed selvedges and elasticated UD tubulars that retain their 0° orientation over the entire length of the component – regardless of the diameter. Since they do not exhibit undesired break points caused by seams or welding, they not only have a particularly high bursting strength, they are also extremely reliable and durable.

Challenging applications
"From snowboards to aerospace – the applications for our composite textiles are demanding; the mechanical, chemical and thermal requirements are extreme," explains COO Christoph Schliefer. "As a development partner, we at vombaur are therefore often involved in product development at an early stage. We specify our woven tapes and tubulars individually for each project to suit the specific task at hand."

High quality raw materials, wide variety of geometries
The variety of shapes is virtually unlimited. vombaur manufactures 3D fabrics for composites in individual special shapes from carbon, aramid, glass or hybrids. Curves, edges, tubulars, spiral fabrics – the shape of the 3D fabrics, like the material itself, depends entirely on the task at hand. Powder or non-woven coatings create additional important properties.

Pioneering tech tex
"Developments in the field of modern mobility are happening at a rapid pace," emphasizes Schliefer. "With our composite textiles for extremely lightweight and high tenacity components, we at vombaur are also pushing these developments forward."

• In cooperation with partners, testing service provider Hohenstein has created the new DIN SPEC 4868, which will define the market standard and testing protocols for compression behaviour of sportswear.

Until now, there has been no uniform standard in the booming sports and leisure segment. Claims of textile compression properties could not be checked transparently and understandably. The DIN SPEC 4868 test method combined with the HOSYcan compression tester will enable objective comparison of products and materials and provide analytical performance data with regard to the desired properties.

Florian Girmond, the Hohenstein expert in charge of developing the new standard, is convinced of the opportunities it offers to the entire industry: "The objective and precise data obtained with HOSYcan will serve as the basis for innovative product development as well as for quality assurance and competitive comparisons.”

In addition to the test scenarios defined in DIN SPEC 4868, HOSYcan can also be customised for special requirements and covers the entire range of products, from compression cuffs and socks to shapewear, for example, shirts, underwear and trousers.

• Technical Absorbents Limited (TAL) has developed a new grade of superabsorbent fibre (SAF) specifically for use within a new range of SAF nonwoven fabrics that are more resistant to shrinkage.

The new SAF was developed in response to the demand from the medical industry for a superabsorbent fabric suitable for use in advanced wound pad dressings. The fibre had to be capable of withstanding the moisture used in the EtO sterilization process that is frequently employed in the production of the pads, in order to ensure product safety and compliance.

EtO sterilization is a low-temperature process (typically between 37 and 63°C) that uses ethylene oxide gas to reduce the level of infectious agents. While generally applied in gas form, however, the EtO is usually mixed with other substances – and often steam.

“Obviously superabsorbents and moisture generally aren’t a good combination at this stage in processing and can cause problems,” says TAL Product Development Director Dr Mark Paterson. “Other methods can be used, but when silicone materials are included, which is more frequently becoming the case, EtO is the preferred treatment method. Regular SAF grades tend to shrink a little and can become hard, which is often not desirable. This innovative SAF grade significantly reduces such potential problems.”

The amount of shrinkage caused by EtO sterilization depends very much on the product design and construction, he adds, but in general, the new SAF has been tested and proven to reduce fabric shrinkage by around 70%. It is suitable for use in all SAF nonwoven formats, whether needlepunched, thermally bonded or airlaid.

While the proprietary process developed at TAL for the production of this new fibre and resulting fabrics was prompted by the specific requirements of wound pad dressings, TAL sees opportunities for its application in other areas as well.

“It’s an extremely flexible fibre that can be easily switched with existing SAF grades when manufacturing fabrics and we have a number of current projects in which we’re exploring other end-uses,” Mark concludes. “We believe this new range could also open up entirely new application areas on the market.”