From the Sector

Die CHT Group, a worldwide company for chemical specialties, has built a new production facility in Meghna Industrial Economic Zone (MIEZ), Narayanganj which was inaugurated on May 9th, 2023.

Martin Stangs, Regional Sales Manager APAC Auxiliaries at CHT says: “The long-term success story with RH Corporation now comes to an even higher level. In addition to the decade-long service provided by motivated colleagues of RH Corporation and constant visits by well-experienced CHT application field colleagues, CHT products will now be made available locally by our new production facility at CHT Bangladesh. This will further enhance our current high-end offer with in-time deliveries which are now possible. The well-known services provided by our up-to-date laboratory facility in Dhaka will continue to prevail. This is all supported by the profound analytical and technical equipment at CHT Germany as well as CHT Switzerland. Less water, less energy, less time, but still “fit-for-purpose performance”: these requirements are no strangers to us. In alignment with our CHT Group policy ‘We take care’, we will solve these problems, too”.

Sustainability is anchored at CHT Group and plays an important role in Bangladesh, too. The new facility of the CHT Group in Bangladesh contributes to sustainability in more ways: The roofs of two buildings are fully covered with solar photovoltaic modules. For a proper use of natural light all the other buildings have periphery glass and transparent roofs There are additionally a ground water tank to harvest rainwater as well as a biological effluent treatment plant to reuse treated water as process water in the plant.

NDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced four recipients for the Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. Jan O’Regan, Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

Jan O’Regan: INDA Lifetime Service Award
Jan O’Regan was the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Nonwovens Marketing, for Cotton Incorporated and retired in 2022. In this capacity, she uncovered new opportunities for cotton to bring value into the nonwovens industry. Her work included leading efforts in strategic planning, technical and market project management, and sharing new ideas and results with the global supply chain.
O’Regan spent over four decades in the nonwovens industry in various roles, including sales, marketing, strategic planning and business management. Market responsibilities included consumer and industrial markets on regional, national, and global teams. Over the most recent years, she applied these broad experiences to new markets for cotton in nontraditional applications.
Serving and volunteering with INDA for decades, O’Regan most recently chaired the World of Wipes® committee, which she efficiently organized to produce innovative conferences for the wipes industry.  She was a frequent speaker at INDA, INSIGHT, EDANA, and other events, and for nearly two decades was a go to source of information for cotton fibers in nonwovens and hygiene. O’Regan earned a BS in Textiles and Business, summa cum laude, from Penn State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Seshadri Ramkumar: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Seshadri Ramkumar has over twenty-five years of experience within the technical nonwovens space, conducting industry leading research and educating nonwovens professionals at Texas Tech University (TTU).  At TTU, he established the Nonwovens Laboratory. Many of Ramkumar’s students have gone on to become technical leaders within their organizations and the nonwovens industry.
Ramkumar has numerous patent and invention disclosures, including Fibertect® toxic chemical decontamination wipes which have been recognized by the American Chemical Society as a notable success of federally supported innovation, endorsed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and adopted by multiple branches of the military.
In addition to many peer-reviewed publications, articles, and columns collectively over 500, including one on nanofibers that has been cited over 2,100 times, Ramkumar has contributed his expertise on the editorial boards of multiple fiber, nonwoven, and textile journals. Ramkumar has also organized conferences for nonwovens and textiles and actively promoted INDA and its technical training offerings for over 20 years.
He is a longtime member of the INDA Technical Advisory Board, been recognized by TAPPI, Society of Dyers and Colorists (UK), the Textile Institute (UK), and the Textile Association (INDIA), and received numerous awards from TTU.
Ramkumar holds a Bachelors of Technology (Textiles), Graduated with Distinction, and a Masters of Technology (Textiles), University First Rank in the Discipline, Anna University, and a Ph.D. (Textile Materials) from the University of Leeds, UK.

Jim Robinson: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Jim Robinson has 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. He led technical teams that focused on the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in hygiene products. Robinson has extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing. While with BASF, Robinson led efforts with multiple external companies to provide co-supplier solutions to hygiene converters.
Robinson’s extensive understanding of test methods and test method development led to his coordinating the establishment of fitness for use standards of adult incontinent products with the National Association for Continence and involvement in development and review of absorbent product test methods with INDA/EDANA. He is also an active contributor to INDA’s Technical Advisory Board and Hygienix organizing committee and was a contributing developer in establishing the INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course. Robinson has provided numerous presentations at INSIGHT, Hygienix, and RISE on performance and interactions of absorbent system components.
Recently, Robinson has been consulting and contributing to the success of multiple start-ups including those having been nominated for INDA product awards. Robinson has a BS in Chemistry from Hampden-Sydney College and an MS in Chemistry from Duke University.

Ed Thomas: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Ed Thomas retired after 39 years, with 32 years in the nonwovens industry, and has remained active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.
Thomas’ experience includes Process Engineering Manager and Plant Management, DuPont; Technical Director, Reemay; VP of Research and Operations, VP of Operations and Technology, and Global VP of Research and Development for Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens; and Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality Nonwovens.
Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse innovations that have played significant roles in the success of the nonwovens industry. These include applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.
During his career, Thomas has presented several keynote addresses and papers to industry conferences, participated in North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) prior to it becoming The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, INDA’s Sustainability Committee, and was Vice Chair of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board prior to retirement and remains an Emeritus member.
Thomas received his mechanical engineering degree from SUNY Buffalo.

At ITMA 2023, XORELLA, a specialist in steam setting and conditioning equipment for yarns and fabrics, will launch XO AUTOMATION for the double door XO SELECT conditioning machine series, and XO SOLID, a new machine series to complement XO SMART, XO TREND and XO SELECT machines.

XO AUTOMATION
The new XO AUTOMATION system consists of roller conveyor systems for loading and unloading two-door XO Select conditioning machines. Additional pallet wrapping machine with a turntable, weighting station, label printer, safety fence and security system can complete the system. The XO Select controller and automation system can handle and store individual customer-specific material and packing programmes.  

XO SELECT and XO AUTOMATION are designed for yarn steaming on multiple pallet dimensions and heights up to 2,650mm. The linear material flow passing conveyor and steaming machine avoids any mix between steamed and un-steamed materials. XO AUTOMATION fills the gap between the XO automated moving platform and the fully automated transport system – from spinning hall to warehouse.

XO SOLID
The new cubical XO SOLID combines a high loading space of 1,800mm x 1,700mm x 4, 000mm (H x W x L) through double row pin trolleys or pallets for easy manual loading of six units on floor level without a pit or platform. XO SOLID is therefore designed for installations on upper floor levels. The new frame design combines all necessary components factory preinstalled on a single frame, for easy ‘plug and play’ installation at the customer site. Additional smaller steamer dimensions for two and four loading units are also at the planning stage.

The new XO SOLID incorporates all the renowned features of XORELLA machines based on the long term experience in high temperature dyeing vessel production of FONG’s, including:

• A Siemens controller with OPC UA interface and XO data tool for batch storage.
• A XO EcoPac waterless claw pump or two-stage water ring vacuum pump.
• A high energy efficient accumulator for steam, electric and combined heating.
• Vessel and piping in world-class stainless steel.
• European key components such as pumps, heating elements, valves and sensors

Established in Switzerland in 1967, XORELLA became known in the global textile industry for its innovative indirect steaming system. Since 2002 the company has been a member of the CHTC Fong’s International Group, and a member of SINOMACH Group (China National Machinery Industry Corporation) since 2019.

International technology group ANDRITZ entered a partnership with Pellenc ST and Nouvelles Fibres Textiles to set up the very first industrial-scale automatic textile sorting line in France combining automated sorting and recycling technology.

The partners have expert knowledge in sorting technologies (Pellenc ST), textile machinery and processes (ANDRITZ), as well as post-consumer textile value chains from sorting to manufacturing (Nouvelles Fibres Textiles newly founded by Les Tissages de Charlieu and Synergies TLC).

The new textile sorting line being built is the first to combine Pellenc ST's automated sorting technologies with ANDRITZ’s recycling technologies. It will process post-consumer textile wastes to produce recycled fiber engineered for the spinning, nonwoven and composite industries. Starting operations in mid-2023, it will serve as a production line for Nouvelles Fibres Textiles, as an R&D line for the three partners, and as a test and demonstration center for their customers.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles aims to become a reference in both industrial grade material production and industrial scale post-consumer textile sorting, thanks to innovative technologies with hard point removal providing pure fibers, selective colors, and differentiated fiber types.

Nouvelles Fibres Textiles’ partners also work closely together in R&D at the ANDRITZ Laroche and Pellenc ST technical centers to keep pushing technical boundaries.

Since 1 April 2023 sales and service of Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines in Bangladesh have been under new management. A new dynamic team “Mayer Bangladesh” has been formed. Mayer & Cie.’s longstanding Indian representative Batliboi has joined business activities in Bangladesh since the beginning of the month, supported by the team of Brady Services and by Almani Biz.

In Batliboi, Mayer & Cie. has set up a business partner of many decades standing as its representative in Bangladesh. For around 40 years Mumbai-based Batliboi has overseen sales and service of Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines in India. Abhay Sidham heads Batliboi’s Textile and Machinery Group. He and his team have many years of experience in strategic marketing, and a focus on sustainability and processing recycled raw materials is part of Batliboi’s expertise.

These competences are of relevance in the Bangladesh market because “we face strong competition from Asian manufacturers here,” as Wolfgang Müller, Mayer & Cie.’s sales director, explains. The premium market was growing smaller, and the trend was toward specialities – value-added fabrics, spacer fabrics and athleisure with a high proportion of elastic. Mayer & Cie. sees in these requirements significant potential for its machines – and in Batliboi a partner able in view of its experience to put them to optimal use.

One building block in the set-up of Mayer & Cie. representatives is unchanged. Brady Services will continue with Batliboi to contribute its close ties with the local market. A significant number of existing companies will continue to be looked after by Brady Services.

The new member in Mayer Bangladesh team is Dhaka-based Almani Biz. A lubricants specialist for circular knitting machines Almani Biz has a wide network with Bangladesh knitting industry.

Mayer & Cie. feels well positioned by this new set-up. “We,” Wolfgang Müller says, “are of the opinion that the market for textile machinery in Bangladesh will continue to grow and we are confident that by strengthening our sales, service and marketing team we will be able to make good use of this opportunity.”

Customers in Bangladesh have placed large orders in the past. The latest, placed in January, was for several dozen machines to be delivered this autumn. Further orders from Apex and BEXIMCO (Bangladesh Export Import Company) are also scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2023.

While reorganising the set-up of its representatives in Bangladesh Batliboi has also taken over as Mayer & Cie.’s representative in Nepal, where the company had previously had no local representative. There is a demand for machines for interlock, 8-lock and single jersey, but sales are still in single figures.

The 14th in-store asia will be held in Mumbai from 1 June to 3 June 2023. The trade exhibition for retail resources and investment in store design, VM and in-store marketing gathers decision-makers from more than 7,500 retail companies, consultants, service providers, and manufacturers, bringing together over 100 exhibitors.

Since 2018, in-store asia has been a member of the international trade fair family of EuroShop in Düsseldorf. It assembles all leading retail solutions providers from India and other countries under one roof. Here decision-makers from retail, including branded product producers, retail consultants as well as providers of services and solutions for retail, store designers, architects and VM experts come together.

The 3-day event includes not only the Expo area but also a wide range of side events comprising a Convention with over 30 speakers, the presentation of the coveted VM & RD Retail Design Awards as well as the VM Challenge, a live shop window challenge for top-notch visual merchandisers that is unique for India. Furthermore, the Retail Technology Pavilion will present new tools, for instance for retail management and customer tracking as well as solutions revolving around AI & virtual reality, NFTs, smart checkout all the way down to store management, retail security and payment. Celebrating a premiere here will be the Start-up Hub, which will provide emerging, innovative companies with a stage to present themselves to the industry.

The Indian retail industry has changed drastically; being one of the fastest growing retail markets it has proven a key driver for the Indian economy. The Indian retail sector is forecast to continue posting enormous growth rates due to such factors as growing urbanisation, rising household incomes, better connected rural consumers and rising consumer spending.

International technology group ANDRITZ has started the 2023 business year with unchanged high growth dynamics despite a slowing global economy. Revenue and operating result both increased significantly by well over 20 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared with the same period of the previous year. Net income improved by almost 50 percent to 104.5 million euros (MEUR). Order intake reached a favorable level of 2.4 billion euros but was 6.5 percent below the figure for the first quarter of 2022, when the booking of two large-scale orders had provided a peak.

The key financial figures developed as follows during the reporting period:

• Order intake amounted to 2,420.2 MEUR and was thus 6.5% below the high level of the previous year’s reference period (Q1 2022: 2,588.6 MEUR), which included two large-scale orders. The Metals business area was able to increase its order intake significantly compared to the previous year’s reference period.
• The order backlog as of March 31, 2023 amounted to 10,407.8 MEUR and has thus increased compared to 2022 (December 31, 2022: 9,976.5 MEUR).
• Revenue at 1,962.6 MEUR was 28.5% higher than the reference figure for the previous year’s reference period (Q1 2022: 1,526.9 MEUR). All four business areas were able to significantly increase their revenue compared to the previous year.
• The operating result (EBITA) increased in line with revenue, reaching a very favorable level at 158.5 MEUR in the first quarter of 2023 (+29.6% versus Q1 2022: 122.3 MEUR). The Group’s profitability (EBITA margin) increased slightly to 8.1% (Q1 2022: 8.0%).
• Net income (without non-controlling interests) increased significantly to 104.5 MEUR (Q1 2022: 71.5 MEUR).

Following the successful first quarter, ANDRITZ confirms its previously published outlook for the full year 2023. Both revenue and earnings for the full year are expected to be above the level of 2022.

The international association that will manage the Single-Entry-Point (SEP) of the BIONANOPOLYS project has been formally constituted and will be able to support companies across the European Union in the market introduction of bionanomaterials through technical, legal, regulatory, safety, economic and financial support services.

The SEP was established as an AISBL (non-profit entity) on 17 February 2023 in the framework of the European project BIONANOPOLYS, funded by the Horizon 2020 programme. The technical director of ITENE and coordinator of this project, Carmen Sánchez, is the president of this association in which representatives of other project partners also act as directors. Specifically, the CTP (Centre Technique du Papier) from France; CIDAUT (Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo en Transporte y Energía), from Spain; CENTI (Centre for Nanotechnology and Smart Materials), from Portugal, and the law firm Gil & Robles - San Bartolome & Associés, from Luxembourg.

The BIONANOPOLYS SEP will reduce the risks and barriers to the commercial exploitation of bio-based materials and polymeric bionanocomposites with nanotechnology and accelerate market penetration and innovation processes. SMEs, large companies, and potential customers who are users of the BIONANOPOLYS OITB (Open Innovation Test Bed) will be able to access the services offered by the project partners through this entity, which will act as a one-stop shop, at affordable costs and conditions.

The test bed consists of 14 enhanced pilot plants and complementary services to support technological and commercial breakthroughs. Collaboration between all the partners that make up BIONANOPOLYS and access through the SEP allows joint access to all the services offered by the partners and helps to drive collaborative open innovation.

Call for access to the BIONANOPOLYS OITB
The SEP and the project partners will be in charge of evaluating the projects submitted to the BIONANOPOLYS platform once the open call launched last February to select five projects from different European countries that will be able to access its services free of charge to develop, test or scale-up bionanomaterials in the BIONANOPOLYS OITB closes.

Companies wishing to access the services to develop or test nanomaterials can submit their applications until 30 April.

The BIONANOPOLYS test bed could benefit companies involved in the production of biopolymers, cellulose paper, nonwovens, foams, or coatings, as well as the packaging, agriculture, food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, hygiene, textiles and 3D printing sectors.

The first set of coloured carbon fibre bike wheels made a debut public appearance at The Cycle Show at Alexandra Palace.

Developed in partnership with leading wheel brand Parcours, the Chrono carbon fibre wheels feature a gold finish made of Hypetex’s Zlatan uni-directional material and offer a lighter and higher-performance product than the traditional painted alternative.

Hypetex is a sustainable colouring technology for advanced materials, such as carbon fibre. Born out of Formula 1 racing, its patented paint-replacing process is a key step in advancing the lightweight revolution. Combining water-based eco-resins with a sustainable curing process, Hypetex materials are made with bold, colourful aesthetics as well as technical and cost-saving benefits.

Parcours is a leading wheel brand that offers high-performance, premium wheelsets that employs the latest advancements in aerodynamic technology. The Parcours X Hypetex gold wheels were featured at The Cycle Show in London on a bespoke Handsling A1R0evo, which was nominated for the Jaw Droppers trophy - a competition for the industry’s most striking designs.

DyStar announces the plan to restructure its Ludwigshafen facility located in Germany. The strategic decision is made by the company in response to changing business conditions and market shifts.

Mr. Xu Yalin, Managing Director, and President of DyStar Group said, “This is an important strategic move for DyStar. We will focus on developing key emerging markets, which have been shifting over a decade. In the wake of higher energy costs and inflation, DyStar is determined to further improve cost efficiency and drive sustainable productivity as we continue to deliver the highest quality of innovative products that support the global supply chain.”

Mr. Eric Hopmann, Chief Commercial Officer of DyStar Group said, “The restructuring of this facility will be carried out in a phased manner. DyStar will diversify the production activity out of Europe and start with the reduction of manpower as a consequence. DyStar’s customers can be further assured of undisrupted supply, hence their production should not be affected as we will work closely to meet their specific requirements.”

The facility has been an integral part of DyStar’s global network. DyStar inherited this facility from their founders who started the Indigo research and manufacturing more than 125 years ago.