From the Sector

IDEA, the North American nonwovens show, will take place in Miami from March 28th to 31st. Trützschler’s booth focuses on the needs of the American market. It's about local service, the efficient production of sustainable nonwovens and the digital support of production processes.

Tomorrow’s products are sustainable
In addition to the in-depth know-how, Trützschler Nonwovens has a broad portfolio of line concepts for the production of sustainable, biodegradable nonwovens. Cotton is an important raw material for American producers, which is why Trützschler is showing solutions for processing raw cotton, comber noils and blends of viscose and cotton. Another focus is on the Voith/Trützschler concepts for wet-laid, hydroentangled WLS and CP nonwovens. Nonwovens made from viscose fibers and NBSK pulp, the raw material for the paper industry, not only offer a good cost/performance ratio, but also a small CO2 footprint.

Digital solutions optimize the production floor
In order to ensure lasting quality, Trützschler Nonwovens presents a modular, digital work environment that systematizes, digitizes and simplifies typical work processes. With the help of Industry 4.0 technologies, line, process and quality data relevant to a production lot can be stored, aggregated, visualized and analyzed with regard to process improvements.

Trützschler USA
With its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and more than 100 employees, Trützschler USA is the first point of contact for all matters relating to American nonwovens producers. The company is able to equip and convert machines according to customer specifications (certified UL508A panel shop), carry out factory acceptance tests and a wide range of repairs in Charlotte.

SHIMA SEIKI ITALIA S.p.A., Italian subsidiary of leading Japanese computerized knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD., will exhibit at the 90th edition of the Pitti Immagine Filati exhibition in Florence, Italy. Products exhibited will include the N.SVR®123SP computerized flat knitting machine as well as APEXFiz™ design software.

The N.SVR®123SP computerized knitting machine features a special loop presser bed, capable of producing hybrid inlay fabrics with both knit and weave characteristics. Demand for such novel fabrics are very high across a wide range of applications, from fashion apparel to sportswear, innerwear, outerwear, uniforms and other functional clothing, as well as home furnishing and technical textiles. Shown in 18G at the SHIMA SEIKI booth, N.SVR®123SP will also feature the special i-Plating option, capable of alternating yarn colors in any pattern, producing jacquard-like designs using plain jersey stitch. Plating can be performed within the same course and for individual needles. In combination with the loop presser and spring-type moveable sinker system even greater diversity in knit design is possible. An SVR®123SP machine in 14G with i-Plating option will also be on display at the booth of yarn spinner IAFIL S.p.A. as well.

APEXFiz™ is subscription-based design software that maintains the proven functions that have made SHIMA SEIKI’s SDS®-ONE APEX series design systems so popular with fashion designers. Installed on personal computers, those strengths are now enhanced with the added versatility to adapt to different work styles and business environments including teleworking and telecommuting. APEXFiz™ software supports the creative side of fashion from planning and design to colorway evaluation, realistic fabric simulation and 3D virtual sampling. Virtual samples are a digitized version of sample making that are accurate enough to be used effectively as prototypes, replacing physical sampling and consequently reducing time, cost and material that otherwise go to waste. APEXFiz™ thereby helps to realize sustainability and digitally transform the fashion supply chain.

APEXFiz™ along with SHIMA SEIKI’s yarnbank™ digital yarn web platform are featured at a special section launched at the previous session of Pitti Filati no. 89 called Pitti Studios. Pitti Studios is a content production service that yarn companies exhibiting at Pitti Filati can use for their own promotion. Yarn companies provide a piece of yarn, which is digitized on yarnbank™ and used to simulate photorealistic fabric on APEXFiz™. This is then processed by a creative studio specializing in digital content to provide static and animated 3D virtual representations. The process shows how to use the latest DX tools to provide accurate representation of a finished garment without having to produce any fabric, converting the conventionally wasteful process of sample-making into a sustainable one.

Continuing from past editions of Pitti Filati are knit samples produced in collaboration with Italian designer Vittorio Branchizio.

Sistema Moda Italia confirms its Innovation Area for the 34th edition of Milano Unica, an area which responds to the growing demand for innovation in products, processes and services able to give specific performances or made with innovative and sustainable systems. And right here we find Sitip’s technical fabrics for clothing, with the COSMOPOLITAN Fashion-tech fabrics collection, modern and comfortable, dedicated to contemporary urbanwear/sportswear style and which perfectly meets the new needs required by the market and by the final consumer: performance and design.

COSMOPOLITAN Fashion-tech is declined into urbanwear through the sartorial technical fabrics that the company has defined Techno Sartorial: a tailoring that combines flawless cuts with exceptional fabric performance.

For the production of contemporary urbanwear, thought for the city, Sitip showcases the man’s suit made of jacket+trousers in warp-knit Cosmopolitan Citylife fabric: bi-stretch nylon with UV protection (UPF 50+), quick drying, easy care and skin comfort. Highly performing, breathable, comfortable, insulating and with an exceptional fit: incredible elegance and comfort that enhance the contemporary urbanwear style.

For women, Sitip presents COSMOPOLITAN Fashiontech fabrics dedicated to athleisure, with leggings made - for the summer version - in Cosmopolitan London, a bi-stretch circular knitted fabric, no seethrough, breathable, comfortable on the skin with UV protection (UPF 50+), with easy care and perfect shape retention, and - for the winter version - in Cosmopolitan Paris GZ, a circular knitted fabric raised on the reverse side, with the same properties as the previous one and thermoregulation characteristics.

The Instinct fabric is available in the recycled and raised version NATIVE INSTINCT GZ: a GRS certified thermal fabric made with pre-consumer recycled yarns, bi-stretch, breathable, resistant to pilling, easy care and high comfort, ideal for sporty knitwear and urbanwear part of the NATIVE SUSTAINABLE TEXTILES family, the Sitip fabric collection produced with GRS certified recycled yarns and low environmental impact chemicals with a lower consumption of natural resources , able to respect the environmental and social criteria extended to all the stages of the production chain, including the traceability of raw materials. Sitip also operates in line with international certifications such as OEKO-TEX®, BLUESIGN®, GRS and adheres to the ZDHC gateway, adding to these an ISO 14001 environmental management system, which certifies the company’s commitment to reducing pollution risks.

During the 22^nd annual Connect conference at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort, Electronics For Imaging, Inc. is highlighting digital print innovations, that give print businesses more capability and profit potential in a range of market applications. Display graphics inkjet offerings at Connect from the company’s leading-edge product portfolio include the new EFI™ Pro 30h production printer. Plus, Connect features the first-ever live demonstration of the new EFI Fiery^® FS500 Pro digital front end (DFE) – the most-advanced print server in EFI’s 30+ year history – and the debut of the EFI Fiery Impress™ DFE, a scalable, flexible server and colour management solution for inkjet label and packaging applications as well as for inline manufacturing lines that need variable print.
                                               
EFI Connect has more than 130 break-out sessions presenting the latest tips and trends across all the industry segments EFI supports. This includes sessions addressing the growing analogue-to-digital transformation opportunities using EFI’s industrial Corrugated & Packaging, Textile, and Building Materials/Décor solutions.
 
EFI Connect also marks the debut of an innovative prepress product for display graphics businesses, EFI Fiery Prep-it™ software for the preparation, layout, and automated production of print-for-cut jobs. Designed to address productivity needs amid continued labour shortages, this powerful and cost-saving true-shape nesting solution reduces the time needed to nest complex objects for wide-format printing by up to 90%. Compared with competing products, Fiery Prep-it software also reduces media usage by 10% or more, helping to alleviate media supply constraints. With the media savings it generates, this affordable, effective software can pay for itself in four months or less, helping print shops become more competitive.

Since few days, most countries have been facing a new wave of Covid, reinforced by the rapid expansion of the Omicron variant. Impacted by this surge, many companies among the 1,700 companies that have confirmed they will attend M&O in January at the Parc des Expositions of Paris-Nord Villepinte, indicate that they don’t want their employees to take risks and are now alerting to the disruptions they are experiencing in their operations. The obligations of compliance with isolation rules, even when people are vaccinated, and the numerous work absences are in fact starting to seriously disrupt the functioning of their services, supply or production circuits.

Moreover, facing the peak of contamination, several countries are currently taking restrictive measures regarding international travel. Measures which are now delaying or discouraging visitors from confirming their attendance. In addition, the French government has announced, December 27^th 2021 a 2.000 people gauge for major events, so probably fairs such as Maison&Objet Paris.

Under these circumstances, seeking to avoid a risky situation and committed to making all efforts to ensure an optimal return on investment for exhibitors, buyers and specifiers, the SAFI decides to postpone the next session of the Maison&Objet trade event from 24th to 28th March 2022. Period for which we hope to see an improvement in the situation.

Exhibitors who have already confirmed their registration and location may have the same location conditions, which will allow them to keep the same stand showcase. Likewise, visitors who have already ordered their badges for the January edition will of course have access to the show from March 24^th to 28^th, 2022.

With an opening scheduled for the day before, Maison&Objet In The City, an event organised on the sidelines of the Maison&Objet fair and offering a journey of discoveries in the heart of Parisian showrooms, will be held from 23 to 28 March 2022.

By postponing the fair until the end of Q1, SAFI wishes to bring together the best operational and healthy conditions to allow actors in the art of living, decoration, and design to be inspired, to accelerate their development and to forge new business relationships

In summary: the next editions of the Maison&Objet fairs will therefore be: March 24^th - 28^th, 2022 + September 8^th - 12^th, 2022

• JEC Group announces theme for JEC World 2022 and reaffirms global leadership in composites innovation, business and networking

JEC World, the leading global trade show dedicated to composite materials, their manufacturing technologies and application markets, will take place in Paris from March 8-10, 2022, under the theme Composites for a Sustainable World. JEC World 2022 will be the industry’s most awaited international face to face event after the long pandemic period. Exhibition space is already 98% booked, a clear demonstration of the industry’s commitment to meet and resume business. Those unable to join in person will be able to experience the show via the JEC World Connect digital platform.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our exhibitors, partners and visitors back to Paris to resume business and promote innovation,” comments Thomas Lepretre, VP Events, Sales and Operations of JEC Group. “JEC World will bring the composites industry together to showcase the sustainability benefits of composite materials to a global audience, and to provide a stimulating meeting-place for the industry to pursue its sustainability ambitions by exchanging knowledge, forging collaborations, and imagining new concepts to protect our environment.”

• JEC World a unique get-together on sustainability throughout the product lifecycle
• JEC World a real composites “think tank”
• JEC World 2022 will demonstrate how sustainable thinking is at the heart of the innovative designs, technologies and business models driving the development of the next generation of composites applications.

Four conferences will be held over the three days, focusing on:

• Sustainability of Raw Materials for Composites: Fueling the Circular Revolution
• Rethinking Composite Materials Production: The Path to Sustainable Manufacturing
• Design for Circular Composite Products: Turning Waste, Recycling & Reuse into Opportunities
• Applications of Composite Materials for Circularity: Towards a Net-Zero World

Innovation is in JEC World’s DNA
One of JEC World’s objective’s is to promote the composites sector’s most innovative projects. More than 600 product launches are expected to be announced over the three days of the show, which will also feature JEC’s high-regarded innovation challenges and awards ceremonies :

• The JEC Composites Innovation Awards celebrate innovative global composite projects, as well as fruitful collaborations between different players in the value chain. Over more than 15 years, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards have highlighted collaborations between some 1,900 companies and recognized 203 creative projects. The winners will be announced on March 7th during a dedicated ceremony and their successful technologies will be on display throughout the show.

• The JEC Composites Startup Booster is the leading startup competition in the world of composites. In 2022, this competition will celebrate its fifth anniversary, with a special event to be organized onsite and the launch of a new “sustainability” award. And, with 20 finalists for 2022, it will recognize innovations with the greatest potential market impact and promote them to an influential audience of decision-makers. The finalists’ innovations will be displayed at JEC World’s “Startup Village.”

• For the first time, JEC World will host the 3rd edition of the SMC BMC Design Award organized by the European Alliance for SMC BMC. This international competition recognizes and promotes design excellence in the use of SMC and BMC materials. The theme of this edition is Sustainable Living, and the award is opento design students and young design professionals (less than 3 years of experience) living in Europe.

International technology group ANDRITZ will present its innovative nonwovens and textile technologies at the booth of its Indian representative PRN Techtex at Techtextil India 2021 in Mumbai, India, from November 25 to 27, 2021. A special focus will lie on its technologies for air-through bonding, needlepunch, textile recycling, and processes for biodegradable wipes, like spunlace and WetlaceTM.

Air-through Bonding
Air-through-bonding lines are the preferred choice for producing nonwovens with the best quality of softness and bulk for acquisition distribution layers, top sheets, and back-sheet products. With ANDRITZ carding machines and the new flat belt oven, customers benefit from high-performance fabrics from 16 to 80 gsm, produced with bicomponent fibers. Several Chinese customers have already invested in ANDRITZ aXcess carding machines, which provide perfect web uniformity. In addition, the CETI (European Center for Innovative Textiles) in Lille, France, has installed an air-through-bonding oven from ANDRITZ.

Textil-recycling Technologies
Recently, ANDRITZ acquired Laroche SAS, a leading supplier of fiber processing technologies such as opening, blending, dosing, airlay web forming, textile waste recycling, and decortication of bast fibers. The product portfolio further complements and increases the ANDRITZ Nonwoven product range. One focus of this product range lies on complete recycling lines for post-consumer and industrial textile waste to produce fibers for re-spinning and/or nonwoven end uses.

Needlepunch Technologies
Driven by the dynamic market for durable nonwovens, ANDRITZ has developed an elliptical pre-cylinder tacker – the PA3000. With this modern machine, ANDRITZ is responding to customer demands for higher capacities and lighter products. The PA3000 is an optimized cylinder pre-needleloom, which offers greater speeds and widths and has been specially developed for lighter webs. There is no friction between the web and the rolls, and there are no issues with the visual appearance.

ANDRITZ is also focusing on its latest needling technology for producing veloured felts, mainly for applications in the automotive industry.

In addition, ANDRITZ will be presenting the next generation of its batt-forming technology, the ProWin system. ProWin is a further development of ProDynTM and ProWidTM, which have achieved a high level of acceptance on the market with around 200 systems installed. This technology improves the current weight-profiling options and increases the actual production capacity.

Production of Bio-Wipes
For many years now, ANDRITZ has offered different nonwoven processes, such as spunlace and Wetlace, with one goal in mind: reduction and elimination of plastic raw materials while maintaining the high quality of the desired product properties. The latest development in this field is the ANDRITZ neXline wetlace CP line. This is a fully engineered production line, combining the benefits of wetlaid and drylaid technologies to produce a new generation of biodegradable wipes. This process achieves high performance entirely with plastic-free raw materials. The added benefit of using a blend of fibers, like wood pulp, short-cut cellulosic fibers, viscose, cotton, hemp, bamboo, or linen, without chemical additives, results in a 100% sustainable fabric.

India’s leading trade fair in technical textiles, nonwovens and composites, Techtextil India, is ready to make a comeback through its hybrid edition launch from 25 – 27 November 2021. With a series of live product demonstrations, insightful knowledge sessions and B2B networking opportunities, the multimodal trade fair will provide a strong avenue for technical textile professionals to reimagine their business potential.
 
After a successful grand edition in 2019, Techtexil India is all set to return for the very first time since the pandemic. The three-day exhibition will be hosted in a hybrid format from 25 – 27 November 2021, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon which will unite technical textile players from across its varied application areas. Top technical textile brands including JB Ecotex, PARK Nonwoven, Loyal Textiles Lenzing, Mehala, Meera Industries, amongst many others will showcase their latest products at the hybrid fair. Moreover, leading German brands exhibiting at Techtextil India 2021 will be hosted under the German pavilion.

The conjunction between the physical exhibition and the online business matchmaking platform will make way to a wider range of networking. Local and international visitors who are unable to attend the venue will be able to witness the exhibition virtually through the ‘MFI virtual app’ which will host live knowledge sessions and product demonstrations for visitors. The two-day multimodal trade fair allows the visitors to search for specific products like fibers, yarns, nonwovens, machinery, coated textiles with easy-to-use filters further to which they can share their query or connect directly with the respective exhibitors.

At the same time, visitors attending the venue will be welcomed under a well-organised physical exhibition following the government-authorised safety protocols of ‘MFI SafeConnect’. These protocols will enable visitors to engage in secure face-to-face interactions with exhibitors and witness the latest technical textile technologies and innovations in-person.

Alliance with the Government of Tamil Nadu
In a bid to strengthen indigenous production through the state and attract investors, the nodal agency for investment promotion and facilitation for the Government of Tamil Nadu – Guidance has signed up for Techtextil India 2021. Furthermore, technical textile players from Tamil Nadu such as Cyber Textiles India Pvt Ltd, Jayashree Spun Bond, Lenzing Ag India, Liester Technologies, Loyal Textile Mills Ltd, Milltex Engineers Pvt Ltd, Superfil Products Pvt Ltd, Uster Technologies (India) Pvt Ltd have also confirmed their participation for the exhibition.
Announcing a close co-operation with Messe Frankfurt India for the 2021 edition, Ms Pooja Kulkarni, IAS MD & CEO, Guidance Tamil Nadu, stated: “While there are several inherent advantages for the growth of technical textiles in Tamil Nadu specifically, many raw materials used in the production of sanitary products, artificial ligaments, seat belt webbings, airbags are still heavily imported. In this context, the alliance with Techtextil India Forum can help us reduce import dependency and bring investments in R&D, manufacturing, innovation by partnering with global technical textiles companies.”

With 50% of India’s textile mills in Tamil Nadu and complementary clusters of knitting, weaving and medical devices manufacturing in Coimbatore, and Tiruppur, the region provides immense opportunities for Meditech investments. Two petrochemical and refinery units – One in Cuddalore and another in Nagapattinam by CPCL is in the process of being established in Tamil Nadu. These units will enable availability of MMF raw material for the textile industry across the state. Hence, manufacturing in Tamil Nadu can be a win-win arrangement for investors as India provides access to the burgeoning market as well.

International expertise with German pavilion
Techtexil India 2021 edition will feature an exclusive German Pavilion showcasing products and technologies from top German manufacturers, including Autefa Solution Germany GmbH, DILO Systems GmbH, Emtec Electronic GmbH, Georg Sahm GmbH & Co, Karl Mayer Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Merz Maschinenfabrik GmbH and Oerlikon Barmag Zweigniederlassung der Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co.

From 26/10/2021 til 29/10/2021 PFAFF INDUSTRIAL has participated at thw A + A fair in Düsseldorf/Germany - one of the few IN-PERSON-EVENTS in 2021. The A + A event is the leading International trade fair for safety, security and health at work. 1,204 exhibitors from 56 nations and more than 25,000 trade visitors travelled to Düsseldorf, Germany to attend the sector’s most relevant trade fair. PFAFF INDUSTRIAL showcased several industrial sewing- and welding solutions on a common booth with Duerkopp Adler.

PFAFF 1591:
Electronic postbed shoe machine with new programmable thread tension device. The machine is stepping motor driven - no tolerance of the stitch lengths at different speeds. Top-quality for all assembly and decorative seams are ensured.

PFAFF 3590:
CNC Large-area sewing unit (500 x 400 mm sewing area) for full-automatic topstitching of work shoe uppers. The machine guarantees accurate seam quality due to the intermittent feed (feed stop when needle enters material); shifting of the material in the work clamp is avoided and wear on the hook is reduced. The vertical hook system ensures excellent multi-directional sewing properties.

PFAFF 8303i:
Hot-air taping machine for welding continuous seams on water-resistant, waterproof and breathable materials. The fair machine has been shown with post from back which is predestinated for the show production.

PFAFF 8323:
Hot-air welding machine for welding of reflective strips on work, sports, protective and saftey wear with up to 70% time savings compared to conventional processing

PFAFF 8311 (005 001):
Ultrasonic welding machine with sonotrode (steel) and automatic welding force control.

PFAFF 8311 (105 001):
Ultrasonic welding machine as C&S DUAL version – Cutting and welding a second seam in ONE operation. New and key feature of this version - the cutting wheel can be switched on and off via the touch control panel.

DyStar, a specialty chemical company with a heritage of more than a century in product development and innovation is exhibiting at the 21st China Interdye 2021 from 17 to 19 November at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

China Interdye is the largest global exhibition for the dye-chem industry. The trade event will consist of technical seminars, conferences and events organised by exhibitors and relevant industry associations respectively.

DyStar’s managers will discuss various sustainable solutions which they offer to the textile supply chain. They will also be showcasing our latest product innovations for visitors from Brands and Retailers, manufacturers, and production houses to enhance their manufacturing process and improve end-product quality.

Customers can expect to find the following highlighted products and concepts at the event:

• Full collection of 11 Cadira® modules
• Evo® Soft Range
• Dianix® XF2 Range
• Jettex® Ink Ranges
• Remazol® SAM Series
• WOPAPAN Items
• Color Library from Color Solutions International (CSI)