From the Sector

• JEC Group pays tribute to the winners at JEC World 2018

The 2018 session of JEC World, the reference trade show organized by JEC Group, is in full swing and the focus is on innovation!
The JEC Innovation Awards ceremony, which took place on the Agora stage on Wednesday, March 7 at 5 pm, opened with a presentation by Yves Rossy, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack. Then the jury revealed the names of the composite champions up for a JEC Innovation Award. Eleven winning innovations were chosen, out of the thirty finalists that had been previously selected from more than 100 applications from all over the world.

“JEC Group supports innovation. In 1998, it created the first award dedicated to composites, as a way to promote and reward the sector’s champions. Thanks to the work of JEC Group’s teams, the program has become an international benchmark. Each year, we receive more than a hundred applications from all over the world. Selection is now based on criteria like the level of involvement of the innovation’s partners in the value chain, the technical nature of the innovation, or its commercial applications,” explains JEC Group President & CEO Frédérique Mutel.
A new feature this year is that the jury revealed the winners during the ceremony, and the public could choose their favorite innovation before, during, and after the ceremony. So there is still time to vote! Votes are opened until Thursday March 8th, 5pm http://innovationawards.jec-world.events
Did you miss the ceremony?

11 AWARD WINNERS:
AEROSPACE APPLICATION
Winner:
AeroComposit, JSC (Russia) and its partner Solvay (United Kingdom)

• Infusion technology for an aircraft wing

The use of infusion technology to manufacture primary structural components for an aircraft wing. The technology makes it possible to create extra-long, integrated composite structures with complex aerodynamic shapes.

AEROSPACE PROCESS 
2 tied winners!
Winner: Airbus (Germany) and its partners, BMW Group (Germany), Technical University of Munich (TUM) (Germany), Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH (Germany), Werkzeugbau Siegfried Hofmann GmbH (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Foldcore GmbH (Germany), Neenah Filtration (Germany) and SGL Carbon GmbH (Germany)

• Complex structural applications for MAI sandwich technology

Cost-effective production of a complex 2.5D structure made of thermoplastic composite sandwich, with very short cycle times: under 5 minutes for aerospace materials and 2.5 minutes for automotive materials.

Winner: M. Torres Diseños Industriales SAU (Spain)
Moldless process to manufacture one-piece parts
A new manufacturing process for oversized one-piece reinforced composite structures, without requiring the use of complete molds.

AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION
Winner: Ford Werke GmbH (Germany) and its partners, Gestamp (United Kingdom), GRM Consulting (United Kingdom) and University of Warwick (United Kingdom)

• Lightweight composite automotive suspension part

Structural suspension part made of lightweight composite, using a brand-new patented process for prepreg/SMC/steel overmolding that was designed using a new computer-aided engineering (CAE) technology.

AUTOMOTIVE PROCESS
Winner: Audi AG (Germany) and its partners, Voith Composites GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Dow Automotive (Switzerland), and Zoltek Corp. (United States)

• Series production of a rear panel module made of carbon composite

For the first time, the potential of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) is used to full advantage in series production with a new rear panel module and cost-effective production technologies.

CONSTRUCTION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Winner: Komatsu Seiren Co., Ltd. (Japan) and its partners, Kanazawa Institute of Technology (Japan) and Nagase ChemteX Corporation (Japan)

• Cabkoma cable made of CFRTP

Komatsu Seiren has developed a cable made of molded carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP), using a very cost-effective process that consists in polymerizing a thermoplastic epoxy resin in situ.

MARINE
Winner: Uljanik JSC (Croatia)

• Composite cargo decks for a vehicle carrier

On the SIEM Cicero, a vehicle carrier with a capacity of 7,000 vehicles, glass-fiber reinforced composites are used for a number of the structures for the cargo decks, thereby considerably reducing the ship’s weight, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

RAILWAY
Winner: ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd. (United Kingdom) and its partners, Alstom Transport (United Kingdom), Magma Structures (United Kingdom), the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), and the University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)

• A bogie frame made of optimized lightweight carbon fiber

This project has developed the very first carbon-fiber bogie frame that uses a recycled material, making it possible to overcome the obstacles to a commercial adoption of this type of structure.

SPORTS & LEISURE
Winner: BMW Group (Germany) and its partners EDAG Engineering GmbH (Germany), KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH (Germany), Chr. Karl Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), TUM-LCC (Germany), Automation W + R GmbH (Germany), and FHG-IGCV (Germany)

• A modular construction system for the rear swing arm suspension of a motorcycle

A modular system to produce a complex-shape swing arm suspension reinforced with carbon fiber. The system can adjust the mechanical properties on a case-by-case basis, for a competitive cost and weight compared to metal solutions.

SMART CITIES
Winner: MC Materiales Compuestos (Argentina) and its partners, Plaquimet (Argentina), Purcom (Brazil), IS Groupe - Composite Integrity (France), and G12 Innovation (Brazil)

• The Wet Core Pod composite housing module

The Wet Core Pod is a composite housing module with an industrialization potential that can facilitate the most complex, costly and difficult step in a construction project.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Winner: Cetim-Cermat (France) and its partner, CETIM (France)

• “3-in-1” line for producing recycled composites

A modular line that uses an innovative thermomechanical process to make large panels from recycled composites or plastics. The panels are then thermoformed into parts.
 

• New collaboration of sustainable viscose suppliers formed in China

Digital Printing Zone debuts at Spring Edition
Despite the economic ups and downs in China over the last few years, demand for premium European textiles remains high.
Whether it be premium wool for the flourishing suiting market, ladieswear fabrics, lace & embroidery for high-end domestic brands each with hundreds of stores across the country, innovative yarns & fabrics for the booming sports and activewear sectors, or original pattern designs for the thousands of new online fashion brands, European suppliers remain the go-to option for Chinese buyers looking for quality and style.

As one of the undisputed leaders in the European textile scene, Italy is always a good bellwether of the trends between Europe and China. After a less than stellar 2016, Italy’s fabric exports to the Mainland China and Hong Kong markets grew by 12.4% in the first 10 months of 2017[1]. The expected demand for European brands at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics will be most evident in the SalonEurope zone, which features exhibitors from Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK, as well as country pavilions & zones from France, Germany, Italy and Turkey.

There is also continuing demand for overseas expertise when it comes to more technical areas such as sustainability and digital printing, solutions to which can be found in the fair’s All About Sustainability area and Digital Printing Zone.

SalonEurope showcases the continent’s full textile expertise
The best of the best from Europe will be on display in this edition’s SalonEurope, with a range of products across the whole textile spectrum on offer. Some of the highlights this edition include:

• Alumo (Switzerland): celebrating its 100-year anniversary this July, Alumo has undertaken a complete refresh of their brand, highlighting the character of their mill in Appenzell, Switzerland that has deep roots in the local textile industry. This edition, they will showcase a renewed collection of luxury shirting fabrics with intricate designs and added functions such as natural stretch and wrinkle-free, and a newly enlarged, never-out-of-stock ‘Sartorial’ collection.
• Hatfil Tekstil Isletmeleri (Turkey): a Turkish-Italian joint venture, they offer a huge range of yarns including eco-friendly options such as organic, BCI and fair trade yarns, as well as cotton, Tencel, Amicor, bamboo, cashmere, modal and other varieties.
• Hohenstein Textile Testing (Germany): offering testing services, OEKO-TEX® services and certifications, the Hohenstein Quality Label and more.
• Ricamificio Paolo Italy SpA (Italy): an embroidery manufacturer, they have developed a new technique using very thin embroideries to produce a lace-like effect, which can also be customised to the customer’s requirements in no more than four weeks. They have also produced a quilt-like fabric suitable for spring / summer garments which is made from materials such as silk organdie, cotton yarn or lurex to produce a shiny effect.
• Teseo Tessitura Serica Di Olmeda SpA (Italy): for their summer 2019 collection, Teseo is inspired by the natural elements with increased attention to sustainability with GOTS-certified bio silk and eco-friendly yarns. New articles are lighter and enriched with yarn-dyes, include jacquard stripes and checks, gauze and devoré bands to add transparency, and more.

New collaboration of sustainable viscose suppliers formed in China
While the textile industry in China still has a long way to go in terms of sustainability, genuine progress is being made at both a government and company level. January of this year saw the implementation of a new environment protection tax, with companies charged for noise, air & water pollution and generating solid waste[2]. Replacing a pollutant discharge fee that had been in place for 40 years, the new tax is set by local governments – with some of the regions suffering from worse pollution setting higher rates – and also incentivises companies with lower emissions.

In another encouraging move, 10 leading global viscose producers in China have come together to form the Collaboration for Sustainable Development of Viscose (CV) to promote the sustainable sourcing and responsible production of viscose. These 10 producers collectively account for over 50% of the world’s viscose staple fibre production, and have partnered with two trade associations to adopt a sustainability roadmap for the viscose industry. Built around credible international sustainability standards and programmes, the CV Roadmap aims to provide guidance to viscose producers on sustainable sourcing and production practices.

The CV collaboration will make its debut appearance in the fair’s All About Sustainability zone, where visitors can learn more about this initiative, as well as sustainable developments in the Chinese textile industry. Apart from an educational programme and garment display area, the zone will also feature a number of exhibitors other than CV.

Digital Printing Zone debuts at Spring Edition
While digital printing is rapidly gaining traction in the global textile industry, this is especially so in China due to its potential to reduce pollution during the production process. Amongst the exhibitors looking to take advantage of this in the fair’s new Digital Printing Zone is MS Italy, a market leader in the design, development and distribution of innovative digital ink-jet printing systems and associated consumables, which serves the high-end, roll-to-roll textile printing and specialty material markets. Also exhibiting is DIGITEX which will introduce the latest digital- and inkjet-printed natural and manmade fabrics.

Apart from digital printing exhibitors, a day-long forum will inform fairgoers on the exciting possibilities of digital printing. Held on day 2 of the fair, the Fast Fashion and Digital Printing Application Forum features sessions on fast fashion technology & trends and digital printing applications. These are followed by a series of discussions on topics such as flexible supply chains, business opportunities created by digital printing and IP protection. The forum also includes a presentation on the findings of a six-month study conducted by Fashion Print, a Chinese publication, for which they visited hundreds of textile companies, printing and dyeing enterprises, as well as their suppliers to produce a research paper on the digital textile printing market and technology.

In addition to Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, four other textile fairs also take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center: Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, fashion garment fair CHIC and knitting fair PH Value.

• Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2018 is co-organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Textile Information Centre. For more details on this fair, please visit: www.intertextileapparel.com. To find out more about all Messe Frankfurt textile fairs worldwide, please visit: www.texpertise-network.com.

[1] http://hk.fashionnetwork.com/news/Italian-textile-industry-back-on-growth-track-in-2017,944760.html
[2] http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/china-imposes-environment-protection-tax-beginning-jan-1-239965-newsdetails.html

 

Wilmington, MA – March 1, 2018 - Koch Membrane Systems, Inc. (KMS), a global leader in membrane filtration technologies, announced today that it has provided PURON® Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) modules as part of a system upgrade to the wastewater treatment facility of KPR Mill Limited. KPR Mill is one of the largest apparel manufacturing companies in India. KPR Mill decided to upgrade their wastewater treatment facility from an old conventional plant to an advanced MBR technology due to its environmental commitment to ensure zero liquid discharge (ZLD) by recycling 100% of their wastewater. Among the key reasons for selecting the PURON® MBR modules are its unique design, including single header and central aeration, reliable and consistent operation, and strong after-market support from KMS.
 
KPR Mill has been using a conventional Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP).  Their old technology involved high chemicals consumption which required high maintenance levels, resulting in frequent production shut downs due to ETP failures.  The new MBR plant is designed to handle 3000 m³/day of textile effluent, utilizing two MBR trains. Initial results show that KPR Mill has reduced chemical costs and eliminated downtime, maximizing textile production. In addition to savings in operational cost and production optimization, KPR strives for an eco-friendly textile processing system. KPR’s selection of PURON® membranes help them achieve their goals of environmental sustainability.
 
“The membrane bioreactor technology from KMS operates very reliably and has resulted in a significant reduction of chemical, operating and maintenance costs of about 10%,” said Mr. C.R. Ananda Krishnan, executive director of KPR Mill Limited. “And as we are a trend setter in using eco-friendly advanced technologies, we were happy to have PURON® MBR as a technology partner who fits our needs and our vision.”
 
“KMS has developed advanced membrane solutions for the textile industry,” said Mr. Manny Singh, President of KMS. “Our products and services help the industry treat wastewater to meet strict discharge and reuse targets, and create value through various chemical recovery processes.”

On March 6-8, 2018, Paris will host the largest international trade show for advanced materials: JEC World, which is organized by JEC Group. For three days, more than 43,000 professional visits from some 100+ countries will gather at the world’s most innovative platform for the materials and products that are revolutionizing our century. “One field where France is a global leader is the field of composites!” says JEC Group President and CEO Frédérique MUTEL.

COMPOSITES ARE GOING STRONG
The share of composites in the global economy is growing. The market for these products is worth 83 billion euros, for a volume of 11.23 million metric tons of volume (2017 statistics). Analysts are predicting a steady 5% growth by 2021. From the industrial viewpoint, composites are developing rapidly, with new automated processes for high-volume production.

INNOVATION IN COMPOSITES
“Innovation is there with the raw materials, such as better-formulated resins (and even recyclable ones like thermoplastics) and higher-performance fibers like carbon, glass and aramid. Moreover, natural materials like starch for matrices and flax, hemp, sisal and bamboo for fibers are being introduced. There is also innovation in the ways composites are being used, and with the creation of completely new things like drones, electronic devices, hydrofoils and flying taxis. Composites are currently making progress everywhere there is a need for low weight and performance. They offer nearly infinite possibilities. These are truly the materials of the century. Designers are adopting them in a broad range of fields like smart cities, infrastructure, networks, transportation, medical devices, sports & leisure and design. Composites materials expand the field of possibilities.” explains Ms. MUTEL.

“MAKE IT REAL” AT THE 2018 JEC WORLD TRADE SHOW
To present the latest trends and innovations, the 2018 JEC World has even more surface area, with 68,000 square meters. The 1,350 exhibitors (from carbon fiber producer to auto builder, from designer to decorator, from research fellow to aircraft manufacturer) will display their latest advances. All stakeholders will be present at the show. JEC World received more than 40,000 professional visits last year, and is expecting 43,000 this year!

THE NEW “MUST” THINGS TO SEE
This year, JEC World will have four planets. Besides the aerospace, automotive and construction planets, there will be a new “Make it real” planet, which gives a preview of designer creations to be exhibited at the Ghent museum starting in October 2018. “We will show the many aspects of composites, and how these materials are being gradually incorporated into everyday objects,” adds Ms. MUTEL.
This year’s JEC World will feature a new “Composite Challenge” program that gives the floor to ten PhD students, who will be given five minutes to pitch their research projects with the help of a single slide. “True to its mission, the JEC Group has set up this new program to share the latest research on composites. But it is not just a way to share the most advanced knowledge, it also helps to bridge the gap between academics and the industry and to identify the industry’s next generation of leaders,” she says.
JEC World will also be the occasion to launch Flax & Hemp Fiber Composites, A Market Reality: The Biobased Solution for the Industry, a new book published by JEC Group on the use of plant-based materials.

KNOWLEDGE & NETWORKING PROGRAMS SUPPORTED BY JEC GROUP
The trade show will host well-known speakers, including Dirk AHLBORN, the CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, a company that is reinventing transportation with high-speed travel (up to 1,300 km/h, or 808 mph), and Yves ROSSY, aircraft pilot and inventor of the first jet-powered wingpack, with which he is able to reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, or 186 mph. The Startup Booster program will pay tribute to startups, and the JEC Innovation Awards program, to innovations. For the first time, the public will be invited to vote on these two programs!
Six new conferences will also address the latest technical advances that are moving the sector forward, and a Composites in Action program will present live demonstrations throughout the show, in three different places.

STAMFORD, February 26, 2018 - at JEC World 2018, taking place in Paris March 6-8, Hexcel will display an array of product innovations for customer applications in aerospace, automotive, wind energy and marine markets.
Hexcel’s banner at the exhibit hall entrance features the Airbus H160 helicopter and A350 XWB aircraft, both with carbon fiber livery to acknowledge the high Hexcel composites content in both programs. Hexcel’s reinforcements, prepregs, adhesives and honeycomb materials were selected for the H160’s composite fuselage structures and main rotor blades, contributing to the lightweight fuel-saving design and performance optimization. Airbus has loaned Hexcel an H160 BLUE EDGE blade to display on the booth.

Among the Aerospace promotions at Hexcel’s booth are carbon-reinforced 3D printed parts, made from Hexcel’s HexAM™ additive manufacturing technology that uses PEKK ultra-high performance polymers. Hexcel acquired this technology from Oxford Performance Materials in December 2017 to provide a weight-saving solution for intricate parts in highly demanding aerospace, satellite and defense applications. HexPEKK™ structures offer significant weight, cost and time-to-market reductions, replacing traditional cast or machined metallic parts with a new technology.

Aircraft engines benefit from a number of Hexcel technologies that will be promoted at JEC 2018, including HexShield™ honeycomb that provides high temperature resistance in aircraft engine nacelles. By inserting a thermally resistant material into honeycomb cells, Hexcel provides a core product with unique heat-shielding capabilities that allows for the potential re-use of material after a fire event.
Another honeycomb innovation from Hexcel is Acousti-Cap® broadband noise-reducing honeycomb that significantly improves acoustic absorption in aircraft engine nacelles. The acoustic treatment may be positioned at a consistent depth and resistance within the core, or can be placed in a pattern of varying depths and/or resistances (Multi-Degrees of Freedom and 3 Degrees Of Freedom), offering an acoustic liner that is precisely tuned to the engine operating conditions. These technologies have been tested at NASA on a full engine test rig and meet all 16 design conditions without trade-offs. An example of this technology will be on display at JEC 2018.

Rounding off the aircraft engine exhibits is a CTi fan blade for new generation lightweight turbofan engines from Rolls-Royce, manufactured from Hexcel’s HexPly® M91 high toughness and impact-resistant epoxy prepreg. Hexcel supplies HexPly® M91 as slit tape for the automated lay-up of the complex aerodynamic shape, with a constantly changing thickness across the blade length. The blade which is thinner and lighter than titanium fan blades is currently undergoing flight tests.
Hexcel’s HiTape® and HiMax™ dry carbon reinforcements that were developed for the automated lay-up of preforms for resin-infused aerospace structures will be promoted at the show. Two demonstrator parts, one made with HiMax™ and one with HiTape®, were both infused with HexFlow® RTM6 resin to demonstrate the potential benefits of an integrated design for aircraft skins, spars and stiffeners that meets OEM requirements for production rate increases and cost effectiveness.

Hexcel is also introducing its new range of HiFlow™ advanced liquid resins for aerospace structures manufactured by liquid molding technologies. Based on novel proprietary chemistry, the new resin family will enhance the performance of composites and ease processing when combined with HiTape® and HiMax™ dry carbon reinforcements. HiFlow™ HF610 is the first resin in the range.
Hexcel’s range of high performance adhesives has expanded considerably following the company’s acquisition of Structil last October. Hexcel is relaunching the acquired products under the new HexBond™ brand name at JEC World. This fast-growing range of pastes, liquid shim and film adhesives has a wide spectrum of operating temperatures and is in qualification with a large number of aerospace and industrial OEMs.
In the Planet Aerospace area at JEC, Daher and Hexcel will jointly display an aircraft spar manufactured from HexPly® M56 prepreg. Hexcel’s Neil Parker and Daher R&T Director Dominique Bailly will give a joint presentation focusing on the materials used and the benefits for the finished part. The aircraft spar was designed and manufactured by Daher using Hexcel’s HexPly® M56 prepreg, in slit tape format, that was developed for automated deposition and out-of-autoclave curing. The spar was manufactured using only the vacuum bag process and demonstrates very low porosity levels. It is currently undergoing testing and validation through CORAC funding.

Hexcel’s Automotive promotions at JEC World 2018 include a new prepreg for composite leaf springs, HexPly® M901. In contrast to steel leaf springs used for suspension on vans, trucks and SUVs, newer composite versions offer many advantages including weight savings of up to 70%, high corrosion resistance, optimized system integration and superior performance. Hexcel’s HexPly® M901 prepreg raises the bar further, reducing mold cure time below 15 minutes, a 50% reduction compared to standard industrial prepregs. HexPly® M901 provides 15% higher mechanical performance, with enhanced fatigue properties. It also operates at high temperatures, providing a Tg of up to 200°C following a post cure. Hexcel’s expertise in manufacturing heavy weight glass UD prepregs, with fiber areal weights of up to 1600gsm, allows the company to offer a highly cost-competitive solution for the rapid manufacture of these safety critical components.

Hexcel is constantly seeking ways to ensure that customers obtain the maximum benefit from composites and has recently acquired state-of-the-art simulation technology that accurately predicts how HiMax™ non-crimp fabrics will drape in a mold. Working in collaboration with Nottingham University Hexcel has created a car seat shell, for which the material selection was optimized using this new drape simulation technology. Visitors to Hexcel’s stand at JEC will see an on-screen demonstration that illustrates how the simulation tool operates, predicting process and performance and ensuring that the optimum fabric architecture is quickly identified, reducing the need for expensive trial programs.
Hexcel’s HexMC®-i 2000 carbon fiber/epoxy molding compound has been successfully used by Audi to manufacture a high-performance engine cross brace. HexMC®-i is a fast curing high-performance molding material, suitable for the series production of complex shaped parts and providing excellent mechanical properties. The Audi cross brace covers the engine, providing torsional stiffness for enhanced drive dynamics.

Hexcel’s product offering for customers in the Marine industry has expanded following the acquisition of Formax in 2016 and Structil in 2017. At JEC World, Hexcel will promote its enhanced portfolio of carbon fibers, prepregs, woven reinforcements and multiaxial fabrics for builders of racing catamarans and luxury yachts.
Marine customers have supplied a number of parts for display to illustrate their expertise in manufacturing composite structures from Hexcel materials. These include part of a Diam 24 yacht mast made by ADH Inotec from Hexcel’s HexPly® M79 fast curing, low temperature cure prepreg. ADH Inotec purchased the prepreg from Composites Distribution, a Hexcel Official Distributor that also supplied HexPly® M9.6 prepreg to Lorima for the Outremer 5X catamaran mast section on display. Part of Lorima’s 42m wing mast for a multihull racing boat made with HexPly® prepreg from Vert-Le-Petit (formerly Structil) will complete the marine display.

Hexcel’s innovations for Wind Energy include Polyspeed® pultruded laminates for load-carrying elements in wind blades. These continuous cross-section profiles, made from a polyurethane matrix reinforced with unidirectional carbon fiber, provide consistently high mechanical properties, including high stiffness, fracture toughness and shear strength, combined with low weight and durability. Visitors to Hexcel’s stand will see a 2m diameter coil of pultruded carbon laminate that contains 255m of material in a single roll. This technology offers an economical way of reinforcing large-scale composite structures such as wind turbine blades. Hexcel will also launch its surface finishing prepreg for wind turbine blades and components. This provides a tough, durable and ready-to-paint blade surface without the use of gel coat and results in faster blade manufacture, saving time in production and reducing material costs. The benefits of the new surfacing prepreg will be demonstrated via a wind blade exhibit that has been given four different treatments across the blade surface. These include a section with gel coat, a section of standard prepreg without gel coat, and a section where a fleece has been added to improve surface quality but still requires preparation before painting due to pin holes. The final section made with new HexPly® XF2P surfacing prepreg has a ready-to-paint surface, straight from the mold, without any requirement for gel coat, fleece or finishing operations.

CHOMARAT, the composite reinforcement specialist group, is launching its multiaxial glass NCF for thermoplastic composites. The unique patented stitching yarn used can withstand processing temperatures to 400°C, making it an innovative industrial solution for thermoplastic composites and an alternative to the woven reinforcements used especially in the automotive sector. For the first time, CHOMARAT is also exhibiting a unidirectional carbon NCF reinforcement that is adapted to the productivity and performance requirements in the wind energy sector.

AN INNOVATIVE INDUSTRIAL SOLUTION TO REINFORCE AUTOMOTIVE THERMOPLASTICS
Thanks to a unique patented stitching yarn, the glass NCF reinforcement (G-PLY™) developed by CHOMARAT offers new possibilities in thermoplastic RTM and organosheet processes. “This is an especially innovative solution, utilizing stitching yarns that are compatible with processing temperatures to 400°C. These multiaxials improve the performance and provide a lot of construction freedom in terms of fibre orientation. These new design possibilities contribute to structural optimization. The quest for more lightweight vehicles, shorter cycle times and lower cost is a major issue for all builders,” explains CHOMARAT Automotive Market Manager Francisco De Oliveira.
This new heat-stable G-PLY™ reinforcement can withstand very high processing temperatures without deformation and provides optimal mechanical performance.

A CARBON UD TO REINFORCE EXTRA-THICK WIND TURBINE STRUCTURES
For the first time, CHOMARAT is exhibiting an infusion-moulded laminate made with 150 plies of its new unidirectional carbon C-PLY™. This 600g/m², high-permeability NCF can be used to create extra-thick structures, in particular the wind-turbine blade stiffeners, or spar caps. “Cost reduction is the challenge in the wind energy industry. Increasing the blade length by incorporating carbon stiffeners increases power, and so it also lowers the cost of the energy,” says CHOMARAT Wind Energy Market Manager Raphaël PLEYNET. The carbon UD developed by CHOMARAT provides a solution to achieve the goal to optimize the weight/power ratio. The UD’s high permeability reduces cycle times and lowers the blade production costs.

Professor Sung Ha from the University of Hanyang will give a conference on composite challenges in the wind energy sector at 11:30 am on Wednesday, 7 March 2018 at JEC World.
Established in 1898, CHOMARAT is an international industrial textile group, involved in three businesses: Composites Reinforcements, Construction Reinforcements, Coatings & Films–Textiles. The privately held company operates in France, Tunisia, the United States and China to service its global customers.
CHOMARAT leads a strong innovation strategy, rising to challenges, developing materials for the future. Hence, the Group invests in new technologies and enters into collaborative research programs with universities and technical centers worldwide.
CHOMARAT offers strong technical know-how and mastery of complex technologies in fields ranging from automotive, aerospace, sports, energy, marine, construction, and also in markets requiring creativity and expertise, like luxury goods.

On Febuary 20, 2018 – Hexcel congratulated Airbus on delivering the first A350-1000 to Qatar Airways earlier today, following successful FAA and EASA Type Certification on November 21.
Hexcel is a major supplier of advanced materials for the A350 XWB program, and composite materials make a significant contribution to the weight savings, performance and fuel efficiency of both aircraft in the family, the A350-900 and the A350-1000. This stretched version of the aircraft is 7 meters longer than the A350-900, carries an additional 40 seats, and offers similar unrivalled comfort and efficiency. Both versions are powered by latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

Hexcel’s HexPly® M21E/IMA carbon fiber/epoxy prepreg is used to manufacture all composite primary structures of the aircraft, including the fuselage panels, keel beam, wing and empennage. The lower wing cover is the biggest single civil aviation part ever made from carbon fiber and spans 32 meters long.

A further advancement is the introduction of CFRP in other structural components such as the pylon upper spar and door surround. For the first time on an Airbus aircraft, Hexcel’s HexMC® carbon fiber/epoxy molding compound has also been used for the A350-1000 fuselage crutches.

“I send my congratulations to Airbus on delivering the first A350-1000 to Qatar Airways,” said Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President. “Hexcel is proud to be a partner-supplier to Airbus and to have Hexcel carbon fiber and composite materials incorporated into so many structural parts in the A350 XWB family.”

As the global textile industry’s most comprehensive sourcing summit for the spring / summer season, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics is naturally the ideal place to find the latest developments in product innovation and sustainability. This is especially true in the fair’s Beyond Denim zone, which this edition will feature over 110 exhibitors from China, Japan, Pakistan, Turkey and elsewhere. Adding to a total of some 3,300 exhibitors from around 22 countries and regions, they provide sourcing options for the entire industry, from fabrics for ladieswear, menswear, suiting, shirting, lingerie and swimwear to high-end wool fabrics, original pattern designs, functional & performance fabrics, sustainability products & services, digital printing technologies, garment & fashion accessories and more.

Denim enriched with volcanic ash: the latest innovation from Orta Anadolu
Volcanic ash is not uncommon in beauty products – it is known as Mother Nature’s skin purifier after all, and used as an exfoliator for example – but it is far less common in the textile industry. Orta Anadolu are set to change that with their BIOWARE denim which is enriched with mineralised volcanic ash to create an odour absorbing effect. This technology captures and absorbs odour compounds that would normally pass through the fabric, neutralising bad bacteria while retaining the helpful bacteria that common deodorisers, which contain harsh substances, normally eliminate. This leads to a more environmentally friendly product that is better for the user’s skin.

Orta will also be presenting BIOCHARGE at Intertextile, which, according to the company, is the world’s first denim fabric for muscle wellness. Infused with minerals, Orta state that BIOCHARGE is medically proven to refresh muscles, relieve muscle tension and optimise body balance. They will also present their BOUNCE stretch range, with high elasticity and a ‘street’ style, while CHRONICLE, another in their S/S 19 range, is a blend of heritage and future styles.

US Denim Mills blend tomorrow’s technology with yesterday’s style
Another innovative denim firm exhibiting at Intertextile Shanghai, and another blending old and new, is US Denim Mills. According to the company, their collection at the fair will “harness tomorrow’s textile advances to revitalise the great style visions of the past by adding fashion, comfort, performance and sustainability advantages to authentic denim looks.” This collection includes:

• Selvedge: using the company’s legacy selvedge looms to produce bi-stretch ‘SelvedgeX’ while experimenting with blends of natural yarns and high-tech fibre blends in its ‘HeritEdge+’ range
• Stretch: including ‘Flex 360’ bi-stretch denim with a slight cross-bias freedom, and ‘Modern Stretches’ with a higher stretch range for intense comfort
• SoftWear: advanced finishing treatments for superior soft touch from natural fibre blended yarns and softness-selected weaves
• Sustainable: new additions to the range of recycled and natural ‘GreenEgo’ denims

Kipas Denim step up their sustainability efforts
Well aware of the effect denim production has on the environment, Kipas Denim’s multi-faceted programme to address this is one of the most comprehensive in the denim sector. Their recycled yarn initiative includes recycling waste yarn from the production process, while it also takes waste cotton yarn and blends it with REPREVE® fibres to create an eco-friendly denim fabric. Kipas also uses BCI cotton and organic cotton, and targets each to be 15% and 5% of total consumption, respectively. Furthermore, their Conservablue technology aims to reduce the environmental impact of the dyeing process by eliminating the use of rinsing overflow boxes before and after the indigo dye boxes, as well as ensuring 100% of applied dyestuff remains on the yarn in the rinsing bath.

As well as the overseas offerings, a wide range of domestic denim exhibitors covering all price and quality points will also feature in Beyond Denim. Some of the more notable brands participating include Advance Denim, Black Peony, Guangzhou Foison and Prosperity Textile.

Denim’s ‘next move’ to be debated in INVISTA panel discussion
The market is changing and so must apparel and textile manufacturers. Low prices and discounts are no longer driving sales the way they used to. Today’s consumer wants better quality, appreciates new technology and is evolving their casualwear style. This is the premise behind the INVISTA-sponsored panel discussion which will take place on day 1 of the fair. Titled ‘Denim’s Next Move – New Opportunities to Keep Growing Sales of Jeans and Casualwear at Retail’, participants will learn what consumers really want in jeans and casualwear, the return of chinos and new fabric technologies that are energising casualwear.

The panel will be moderated by Jane Singer, Director and Head of Market Development at Inside Fashion. Panellists will include representatives from Advance Denim, Guangzhou Conshing Clothing Group, Prosperity Textile and Texhong who will share their latest innovations that will help brands and retailers drive sales and profits.

In addition to Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, four other textile fairs also take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center: Yarn Expo Spring, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Spring Edition, fashion garment fair CHIC and knitting fair PH Value.

• Emphasis on Process, Third-party Validation and Outcome-based Testing

ALEXANDRIA, Va., February 16, 2018 —Kansas City, Mo.-based Superior Linen Supply has again achieved Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification, reflecting their commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The laundry was first certified in 2014. Recertification confirms the organization’s continuing dedication to infection prevention, compliance with recognized industry standards and processing healthcare textiles using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, a focal point for Hygienically Clean inspectors’ evaluation. The independent, third-party inspection must also confirm essential evidence that:

• Employees are properly trained and protected
• Managers understand regulatory requirements
• OSHA-compliant
• Physical plant operates effectively

To achieve certification initially, laundries pass three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of yeast, mold and harmful bacteria. They also must pass a facility inspection. To maintain their certification, they must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained. Re-inspection occurs every two to three years.

This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification acknowledges laundries’ effectiveness in protecting healthcare operations by verifying quality control procedures in linen, uniform and facility services operations related to the handling of textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Certified laundries use processes, chemicals and BMPs acknowledged by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, American National Standards Institute and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare brought to North America the international cleanliness standards for healthcare linens and garments used worldwide by the Certification Association for Professional Textile Services and the European Committee for Standardization.

Objective experts in epidemiology, infection control, nursing and other healthcare professions work with Hygienically Clean launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles.

“Congratulations to Superior Linen Supply on their recertification,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their ongoing commitment to infection prevention and that their laundry takes every step possible to prevent human illness.”

Baldwin Technology Company Inc.’s exclusive and innovative Precision Application System—which realizes substantial savings of water, chemistry and energy while increasing productivity—was designed with companies like HanesBrands in mind.

HanesBrands—whose venerable apparel lines include Hanes, Champion, Playtex, Bali and Maidenform, to name a few—has set significant environmental stewardship goals to reduce energy consumption and water use. The company’s recent investment in Baldwin’s Precision Application Systems, with a textile finishing technology that allows for accurate and controlled placement and therefore, reduced use of end-of-line chemicals and water, will help HanesBrands achieve its environmental sustainability goals. Additionally, Baldwin’s groundbreaking application system improves output through greater flexibility, fewer production steps and increased uptime.

Mike Abbott, HanesBrands Global Director of Research and Innovation, said: “Baldwin fulfilled our requirements to provide a solution that optimizes our productivity while reducing our environmental impact.” HanesBrands thoroughly evaluated the technology for eight months in live production conditions with positive results. Abbott continued: “During the evaluation period of the system, we have had outstanding results in productivity increase, and we can clearly see that this technology will make a great contribution to our future efficiency and sustainability savings.”

Peter Hultberg, Chief Commercial Officer at Baldwin, said: “We are honored to partner with one of the world’s strongest apparel brands to help the company achieve not only its business goals, but also its corporate responsibility goals. The trust the HanesBrands team placed in Baldwin and our innovative application technology marks an important milestone for Baldwin and our quest to redefine the standards of sustainable textile finishing.”

The HanesBrands contract includes an option to supply 15 additional Precision Application Systems.