From the Sector

SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, along with its Italian subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., will be participating in the Techtextil exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany from the 21st till the 24th of June 2022.

On display will be SHIMA SEIKI’s latest innovation in flat knitting technology as applied to the field of technical textiles—a prototype weft knitting machine capable of multi-axial yarn insertion. Fabrics produced on this machine use inlay technique for the production of hybrid textiles that combine the stretch characteristics of knitted fabrics with the stability of woven textiles, suited to various technical applications. To this, warp yarn is inserted to further expand its capability to produce 3D-shaped carbon fiber and composite preforms directly on the machine. This is made possible by taking advantage of the fact that flat knitting as a textile production method is capable of producing end products that are shaped-to-form and with added thickness. Compared to current methods of preform production, savings in post-processing time, material, labor and associated costs are immense, realizing efficient and sustainable production. SHIMA SEIKI’s own yarn unwinding technology is also used for optimum yarn feed and tension for use with technical yarns that are otherwise difficult to knit. Industrial textile samples knit on the multi-axial machine will also be available for examination on-site.

SHIMA SEIKI's SDS®-ONE APEX4 3D design system will be available for demonstrations as well. Of particular interest should be its ultra-realistic simulation capability that realizes Virtual Sampling. When countless variations must be evaluated before arriving at a final design, virtual product samples can be used to streamline the decision-making process by minimizing the enormous amount of time, cost and material normally associated with producing actual samples for each variation. When approved, the same data can be converted to machine data for immediate knitting, significantly reducing lead times.

Archroma will be at Techtextil 2022 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, from 21 to 24 June 2022, to launch its latest innovations and system solutions aimed to help textile manufacturers with optimized sustainability, productivity and value creation in their markets.

Archroma will present 9 new solution systems and 3 innovations, and will hold 2 booth events.

3 innovation highlights

• PFC-free* Smartrepel® Hydro SR, a new solution developed for the repellence of water-based soil;
• Biocide-free OX20, a new odor-neutralizing technology newly launched by our partner SANITIZED AG;
• Perapret® AIR, a new mineral finishing technology for air purification is activated by natural and artificial light sources and can be applied on all fabrics

9 new solution systems
Archroma introduced its first ever solution systems at the Techtextil 2019 edition, and since then has developed more than 30 systems for technical textile and nonwoven applications.

• CLEAN AIR, a mineral air purification system that stays put on all kinds of fabrics and is activated by artificial and natural light, for as long as there is light; ➔ based on the new Perapret® AIR;
• CONSCIOUSLY DEEP, a metal-free one-step scouring and dyeing system for medium to very dark colored nylons that stay deep and bright day after day, and are good for you and the planet;
• EARTH SOFT, a biomass-based and vegan softening system that is suitable for all kind of fibers and makes you comfortable in your own skin;
• NATURE BOUND, a compostable binder system for food filtration materials that protect you and the planet;
• ODOR CONTROL 2.0, a system for odor-free sportswear where permastink cannot build up on your favorite clothes, that’s applicable on polyester, cotton and nylon; ➔ based on the new OX20;
• RAG N’ROLL, a compostable binder system for nonwoven cleaning rags, that protect you and the planet;
• SAFE SEATS NextGen, a PFC-free* and halogen-free* modular surface treatment system for safer and cleaner seating materials, ➔ based on the new Smartrepel® Hydro SR;
• SWEET DREAMS, a metal and particle free* system that redefines protection for mattress ticking fabrics, with long-lasting hygiene and outstanding softness, that protects you and the environment;
• TAKE A BREATH, an enhanced filtration system that keeps your air clean and fresh for longer putting health first and your competition behind;

2 booth events
A WORLD WITHOUT ODORS, FIGHT OR FLIGHT?
Innovation highlight: Biocide-free OX20 odor management solution by SANITIZED AG

Speakers:

• Nuria Estape, Panel Moderator, Head of Marketing & Promotion, Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, Archroma
• Georg Lang, Head of CC Finishing, Archroma
• Stefan Müller, Head of BU Textiles Additives Sanitized
• Yann Ribourdouille , Global registration expert Product Stewardship, Archroma

A WORLD WITHOUT PFC, DREAM OR REALITY?
Innovation highlight: PFC-free* Smartrepel® Hydro SR

Speakers

• Nuria Estape, Panel Moderator, Head of Marketing & Promotion, Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, Archroma
• Roland Borufka, Head of Competence Center Repellents, Archroma
• Wolfgang Knaup, Head of R&D repellents, Archroma
• Yann Ribourdouille, Global registration expert Product Stewardship, Archroma

The ITMC 2022 conference, which will take place at the BAnQ from September 19 to 21, 2022, is aimed at attendees from various sectors of the textile industry. Its interdisciplinary approach is the key to maximizing the potential and development of textile materials and tools for various applications. The objective of the conference is to explore new ideas, effective solutions and collaborative partnerships for business growth by creating synergy between designers, manufacturers, suppliers, students and end users from all sectors and fully exploiting this potential.

The main topics are: Composites and textile reinforcement - Sustainable Production & Ecotextiles - Smart and functional textiles - Nanotechnology & Advanced Technical Textiles - Comfort & Protective Textiles - Medical Textiles - Digital Tools & Mass Customization

Keynote speakers :

• Omar Cherkaoui, ESITH : how ESITH was able to support the operators of the Moroccan textile sector during the covid-19 crisis
• Tracy Toulouse, TT : the impact and legacy of our clothing is to identify us as a nation
• Prof. Raul Fangueiro, University of Minho: fiber-based materials: from nano to macro scale
• Pierre-Alexandre Fournier, Exoskin: the role of smart textiles in the future of health
• KyoungOk Kim, Shinshu University: Patternmaking for attractive clothing for mass customization
• Marie O’Mahony, Consultant, Royal College of Art (RCA): smart materials & systems: has embracing uncertainty become vital to commercialization?
• Xianyi Zeng, Ensait: intelligent garments for online monitoring of human health and well-being
• Corinne Farace, Techtera: The collaborative approach: a major stake in meeting the challenges of tomorrow

Focus on eccentric screw pumps and pumps for shear-sensitive materials

Improved productivity and increased lifespan and tailored solutions also for the most demanding applications within the chemicals and plastics industries and in PUR applications – these are the convincing arguments with which Oerlikon Barmag is showcasing its precision metering pumps at this year’s ACHEMA between August 22 and 26, 2022 in Frankfurt. The focus is on the new pump for shear-sensitive conveying media and the new eccentric screw pump.

Eccentric screw pumps – robust all-rounders convey any medium
The requirements for pumps are considerable, as the demand for customized solutions for increasingly complex processes is rising. This is particularly true for Oerlikon Barmag’s new eccentric screw pump range. High wear-resistance, increased durability and robust operation – the new pump is tailor-made for conveying highly-filled, high-viscosity and abrasive media, such as filled adhesives, filled silicones and filled casting compounds, for example. The is the multi-stage seal system, which considerably increases the pump’s lifespan. The upstream shaft sealing ring protects the slide ring seal against excessively-fast wear caused by challenging media. In turn, the optimum alignment of the drive shaft – ball bearing-supported and centrally-guided through the shaft sealing ring – prevents any metal debris caused by friction and hence ensures considerably greater durability. Producers benefit from considerably greater productivity, as the pumps’ maintenance intervals and hence machine downtimes are significantly reduced.

New pump for shear-sensitive materials
For increasingly complex customer-specific process solutions, Oerlikon Barmag is now expanding its GA series, developed especially for the challenging conveying of high-viscosity media, to include the GAB51F for shear-sensitive conveying media. The newly-developed pump with its viscosity range of max. 300 Pas is tailored to conveying high-viscosity, shear-sensitive materials such as adhesives and silicones, for example. “The shear forces impacting the medium within the pump are reduced to a minimum as a result of a specially geometry”, explains Thorsten Wagener, Senior Sales Manager within the Pump Construction business unit. The material is conveyed through the pump in an as gentle and low-pulsation manner as possible and metered precisely at the outlet – ensuring it retains its characteristic properties.

High-speed metering pump with sealed product space
The high-speed metering pump has been especially developed for metering poorly-lubricating media. Here, the main benefit is the sealed product space, which extends the pump’s lifespan considerably. The space that comes into contact with the media is limited to the area around the gears. “As a result, the high-speed pump is particularly suited for applications in the chemicals industry, which frequently involve aggressive acids”, comments Thorsten Wagener.

GM series for low-viscosity media
The pumps in the GM and GA series provide precision metering with low-pulsation feeding of the conveying medium. The multi-stage GM pump conveys low-viscosity media (i.e. 250 bar, 100 mPas) even under high pressure and in the most challenging conditions. The square design from the proven GM series is the standard pump for many metering tasks. The development of the multi-stage pump expands the applications range for the GM series considerably. The round 2-stage GM pump has been developed especially for use in high-pressure technology. It masters the particular challenge of conveying small throughputs with low viscosities. The pump is perfect for 0.05 through 20 cm³/rev feed sizes and is excellently suited for use in high-pressure machines for PUR molded parts, foam slab stock, refrigeration unit insulations and sandwich panels, for example.

GA series pumps for high-viscosity media
The Oerlikon Barmag GA range has been especially developed for the challenging conveying of media with higher viscosities. The GA series pumps are available for conveying volumes of between 1.25 and -30 cm³/rev (0.6-144 l/h). They have been designed for pressures of up to 200 bar, for viscosities of up to 1.500 Pas as well as for temperatures of up to max. 225 °C. With this range of pumps, Oerlikon Barmag offers its customers tailor-made solutions for many technical processes in which high-precision and even metering is of paramount importance.

The drum pump – conveying and metering using a single unit
With the drum pump, the Oerlikon Barmag pump specialists have created a pump designed specifically for conveying and metering high-viscosity materials such as adhesives, silicones and other high-viscosity materials from drums and other large containers and for pressures of up to 250 bar. Its special features not only include the fact that it removes high-viscosity materials from the drum, but that it also meters the medium directly without any additional interim stops.

Report Offers INDA Members Key Metrics to Assist in Strategic Planning and Investments

INDA, the Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry, announces publication of the ninth edition of the annual North American Nonwovens Supply Report for its members.

Based on extensive research, producer surveys and interviews with industry leaders, the report provides an overall view of North American supply, including the key metrics of capacity, production and operating rates, in addition to regional trade, through the year 2021. The 75-page report contains 36 figures and 11 tables.

Findings from this year’s Supply Report include:

• North American capacity continues to increase with investments being made across all the processes and for a variety of end-uses. Production output exceeded that of new capacity, resulting in the industry’s nameplate capacity utilization increasing year-over-year, for the fourth consecutive year.
   
• In 2021, capacity of nonwovens in North America reached 5.540 million tonnes, an increase from the previous year of 1.8% (net growth of 98,300 tonnes) and an improvement over the previous year’s pandemic-impacted growth rate of 0.5%.
   
• The industry was able to quickly react to the demand for electrostatically charged fine-fiber meltblown used in the manufacture of respirators and pleated face masks. Twenty-two meltblown lines were added in 2020, resulting in 7.2% year-over-year growth rate for meltblown. In 2021, another 12 lines were added, resulting in 8.5% annual growth over 2020.
   
• North American imports, in tonnage, increased 1.6% in 2021 as exports decreased 6.0%. Imports were led by China accounting for 39% of the imports into North America followed by India (14%) and Germany (9%). Even with the significant shifts in North American trade dynamics, nonwovens tend to stay where they are produced, with the net trade balance (imports less exports, 422,100 tonnes) accounting for less than ten percent of the region’s capacity

The report—and the quarterly INDA Market Pulse and monthly Price Trends Summary—are provided to the nearly 400 INDA member companies and associates as part of their membership. The data gathered for this annual report serves as the foundation for the both the biannual Global Nonwoven Market Report published in September of 2021 and the biannual North American Nonwovens Industry Outlook, which will be updated and published this fall.

• Hexcel Composite Innovations for Aerospace Applications on Display at JEC World 2022: Hall 5, Stand J41

In late 2021, Hexcel announced an agreement with Fairmat, a deep technology startup, to build the capability to recycle carbon fiber prepreg from Hexcel European operations for reuse in composite panels sold into commercial markets, giving a second life to recovered carbon fiber. To do so, Fairmat has developed a virtuous recycling process, and a sample of its newly recycled material will be available to view at JEC World 2022. Hexcel will present an array of product innovations for aerospace and urban air mobility customer applications during JEC World 2022 in Paris on May3-5. These latest innovations demonstrate the company’s leadership in developing advanced composites technology for the aerospace market.

• Sustainability Focus on Recycling and Reuse
• HiTape® and HiMax® Reinforcements for OoA Processing
• Innovative HiFlow™ Resins for Continuous and Shorter Cycle Injection Processes
• HexPly® Prepregs for Primary Structure and Engine Applications
• HexTow® High Modulus Fibers HM63 and HM54
• Thermoplastics and Processing Innovations for Primary and Secondary Structures
• Lightweight PrimeTex® Reinforcements Solutions for Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

With global consumers becoming more conscious about personal hygiene and environmental protection, exhibitors at Cinte Techtexil China will spotlight materials and technologies for products that respond to these trends. The fair will probe into the associated growth opportunities as the country is one of the leading markets for nonwovens and technical textiles. The event will be held from 6 – 8 September at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

The technical textiles and nonwovens industries, the latter notably, are significantly expanding amid the pandemic. A recent forecast[1] predicts that the global polypropylene nonwoven fabric market will continue to rise at a CAGR of 6.7%, reaching USD 39.23 billion by 2028. The anticipated growth is bolstered by demands in end-use industries such as sanitation, medical, automotive and more. In 2020, Asia Pacific was named the largest regional market in the world and is expected to grow significantly over the forecasted period.

The prediction reaffirms the growth prospects of nonwovens. In this regard, industry players expressed much optimism about associated future opportunities during Cinte Techtextil China last year. “The field of nonwovens is poised for a positive growth as the awareness of personal hygiene and pandemic prevention sustains in the domestic market,” commented Mr James Gao, Head of Marketing and Textile Technologies, Uster Technologies (China) Co Ltd. He added: “We decided to join the fair and showcase our new launches as we remain confident in the future development of the industry, especially since China is dominating the global scene.”

Going green is the way forward
Turning to yarns and fibres, the sector is shifting to greener and smarter production that echoes the trend towards sustainability that is gaining considerable traction across the globe. Meanwhile in China, this movement was observed by many exhibitors at the 2021 edition, including Mr Roberto Galante, Plant Manager of FMMG Technical Textiles (Suzhou) Co Ltd, the Chinese subsidiary of the Fil Man Made Group. He mentioned: “The market is paying more attention to environmental protection, and we receive enquiries about special yarns for this every day. We focus on technical yarns for filtration as well as anti-bacterial properties, which are very important for the environment. The potential here in China is incredible and this is a big opportunity for everybody.”

Cinte Techtextil China’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span across a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw material providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

The DiloGroup informs at Techtextil in Frankfurt (June 21 – 24, 2022) about new developments aimed at improving production technologies with a focus on needlefelts.

It becomes more evident that the textile industry comes into the focus of regulatory authorities who push respecting sustainability principles and who initiate a new body of laws. Hence all industrial sectors are requested to achieve savings in material and energy. The textile machine building, of course, plays an important role by seizing this initiative and offering solutions for fibre pulp recycling and reduction of energy, water and ancillaries. DiloGroup has made big efforts to meet these challenges together with a circle of partner companies. In this regard focal points of the development work are:

1. Intense Needling
   Needling per se is a mechanical production method with a high energy efficiency. For this reason, the development efforts of DiloGroup aim at producing nonwovens by “intense needling” instead of water entangling, even for light nonwovens made of fine fibres for the medical and hygiene sector with an area weight of 30 – 100 g/m². This would result in a reduction of the environmentally relevant production costs; per annum to about 1/3 to 1/5 of current.
   Despite the prospective advantages of the mechanical intense needling method over the hydrodynamical, water entanglement is at the moment the most important production method for low area weights and highest production capacity and is also offered by the DiloGroup as general contractor in cooperation with partner companies.
2. “Fibre Pulp Recycling”
   Fibrous material in nonwovens and particularly used clothes can be successfully recycled, if staple length can be conserved in the tearing process. In the classical tearing process, staple lengths are dramatically reduced and therefore these fibres can only be used as base material for inferior uses in thermal or acoustic insulation or in protective textiles, transportation or protective covers etc.
   When recycling textile waste in the context of the collection of used clothes, the so called “filament-saving” tearing using special tearing machines and methods must be used to produce fibres with longer staple lengths which can be fed to a nonwoven installation. Hence product characteristics can be better specified and controlled.
3. Additive nonwoven production
   The additive production method of the “3D-Lofter” is especially suited for automotive parts with differently distributed masses; but there may also be potential for increasing uses in the sector of apparel and shoe production.
4. “IsoFeed”-card feeding
   In the field of card feeding, the “IsoFeed” method offers great potential for a more homogeneous card feeding at the same time reducing the variation in cross-machine fibre mass distribution and thus the fibre consumption while conserving the end product quality.

Standard & Poor's Global Ratings (S&P) raises its long-term rating for SGL Carbon to B- and its issue rating on its financial instruments to B. The outlook for the company is rated as stable by the renowned rating agency.

S&P Global Ratings explains the upgrade of SGL's rating with the company's improved capital structure and the reduction of net debt. The rating agency expects SGL Carbon to generate positive free cash flow in the coming years, which will support the reduction in absolute debt.

For the future development of SGL Carbon, S&P assumes an improvement in profitability based in particular on the expansion of products and materials for the future-oriented core markets of mobility, energy transition and digitalization, besides the savings from the restructuring.

"We are pleased that our operational successes and the already advanced trans-formation of SGL Carbon have been honored by the two major rating agencies - Moody's and S&P - by upgrading the ratings. We also see this as a motivation for the further development of SGL Carbon," explains Thomas Dippold, Chief Financial Officer of SGL Carbon SE.

Organized by the partnership of Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization Inc. and Teknik Fairs Inc., the ITM 2022 International Textile Machinery Exhibition will be held at Istanbul Tüyap Fair and Congress Center on 14-18 June 2022. Hundreds of domestic and international exhibitors are looking forward to presenting their newest technologies for the first time at the ITM 2O22 Exhibition. Leading textile machinery manufacturers, global sector investors, and professional visitors are planning to come to the ITM 2022 Exhibition to examine the latest technologies closely.

Trade committees from dozens of countries are requesting to attend the ITM 2022 Exhibition, which is included in the ‘Domestic Organizations Covered by State Incentives’ list by the Ministry of Commerce. Bangladesh, India, Iran, Serbia, Czech Republic, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Mexico, Egypt and Vietnam are among the countries that requested procurement delegations.

The ITM 2022 Exhibition is of great importance for Turkish textile machinery and accessories manufacturers to increase their competitiveness in exports and to sign collaborations that will result in worldwide exports. Leading textile technology brands, which focus on product development and new productions during the pandemic conditions, are looking forward to the ITM 2022 Exhibition to present their products to the market and introduce them to their customers face to face. More than 300 manufacturers will make the world launches of their latest technological innovations at the ITM 2022 Exhibition.