From the Sector

Archroma, a global leader in color and specialty chemicals, will be presenting its innovative and sustainable denim solutions for manufacturers and brands at DenimsandJeans Vietnam 2018, on June 27 and 28.
From fiber to finish, Archroma offers a scope of possibilities for effects and colors, from the authentic roots of indigo to the most innovative and eco-advanced solutions. Archroma is a recognized leader in integrated solutions, offering best-in-class auxiliaries for bespoke process packages.
Visitors will be able to discover solutions designed to make denim in a more sustainable and responsible way, in particular:
DENISOL®, BRINGING INDIGO BACK TO ITS ROOTS - NOW ANILINE-FREE*
Archroma’s Denisol® range is a newly developed pre-reduced liquid indigo solution that is manufactured in Archroma’s award winning ‘zero liquid discharge’ manufacturing plant in Pakistan.

• Denisol® Indigo 30 liq is compliant with major official eco-standards and requirements from retailers, brands and fashion leading companies and helps to produce fabrics suitable for current eco-labeling such as bluesign® and GOTS.
• Responding to demands for a non-toxic alternative to the dyes that are used for the iconic and traditional indigo blue that consumers associate with denim and jeans, Archroma just announced the upcoming new Denisol® Pure Indigo 30.

ADVANCED DENIM, TOWARDS WATERLESS DENIM DYEING
Consider this: The water needed to produce one pair of jeans is said to be ~ 11'000 liters(1). With approximately 167 million pairs of jeans produced monthly(2), that is 1,837,000,000,000 liters of water consumed every month in the process! Based on the Denim-Ox and Pad/Sizing-Ox dyeing processes, Archroma’s multi-awarded ADVANCED DENIM, dyeing technology allows savings of up to 92% in water, 87% in cotton waste and 30% in energy, compared to a conventional denim dyeing process.
The technology has been adopted by brands like Patagonia and received the prestigious 2012 ICIS Innovation Award and Innovation with Best Environmental Benefit Award.

• Optisul® C, “soft colors” made easy
  Colors other than blue have been tricky to achieve in the past. With Optisul® C dyes, denim manufacturers can expand their color horizons with this range of six dyes especially designed to produce soft denim colors in continuous dyeing processes, as well as on coating and printing. Optisul® C affinity-free, sulfide-free dyes can easily be combined with each other to create garments suitable for wash-down treatments in a wide array of easily achievable and reproducible soft colors. They are suitable for GOTS and bluesign® approval.
• Diresul® RDT Ocean Blues, ocean-themed bright sulfur blue dyes
  Archroma’s Diresul® RDT Ocean Blues are a collection of vibrant, ocean-themed bright sulfur blue dyes. These best-in-class dyes and their auxiliaries bring out the best of indigo, improve workability, dyeing consistency and process safety.
  They can be combined with Denisol® Indigo 30 liq in bottoming/topping manufacturing routes for avant-garde blue styles. At the booth, Archroma will display an “illustration collection” of exciting indigo casts.
• Diresul® blacks & greys, a universe of greys and deep black and navies.
  Archroma’s dye portfolio of conventional and black Diresul® specialties allow to create a universe of greys and deep black and navies. From superficial to solid blacks for both extreme wash-down and stay black effects.

EARTHCOLORS, TRACEABLE FROM NATURE TO FASHION
As consumers increasingly aspire to functional, beautiful and meaningful clothing, brands and manufacturers are increasingly interested in the environmental impact of the denim industry. Archroma has placed sustainability at the heart of its innovation process to create products and processes that improve the industry’s sustainability.
The EarthColors patented range of “biosynthetic” dyes for cotton and cellulose-based fabrics, which are made from waste left over by the agricultural and herbal industry after extraction, such as almond shells, saw palmetto, or rosemary leaves. The latest NFC technology used on the end-product hangtags enables transparency and traceability through the supply chain to consumers.
The EarthColors allow to produce the earth tones that are coming strong: red, brown and green colors. They have been adopted by brands such as Patagonia, Kathmandu and G-Star, and won an OutDoor Industry Award 2017.

SOLUTION PACKAGES FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Brand owners and retailers around the world are taking action to evaluate the environmental impact of textile treatment, dyeing and finishing processes in response to consumer concerns.

Archroma recently introduced the ONE WAY Process Simulator, the last update of a calculation tool that supports its ONE WAY Sustainability Service introduced back in 2012. The new, online software can be used to mimic and compare products and processes, and thus calculate the ecological and economical profile of the final end-product.
Archroma’s portfolio of ZDHC MRSL-compliant chemicals and dyes is integrated into the ONE WAY calculation tool since 2013.
“Innovation and sustainability go hand in hand,” says Paul O’Prey, Head of Sales, Brand & Performance Textile Specialties, Archroma, Vietnam. “While developing new products and services, we always consider the environmental impact so they are as sustainable as possible. This can be seen in our innovative and eco-advance products, such as the water-saving ADVANCED DENIM and the aniline-free* Denisol® Pure Indigo.”

For Schoeller Summer 2020 everything flows smoothly. The fabrics move with a fluid lightness in a closed ecological cycle. Upcycled products with ECONYL® yarn and the PFC-free ecorepel® Bio technology based on renewable raw materials are two ecological highlights of the 2020 Summer Collection, which is being developed and produced in the heart of the Swiss mountains. Color effects turn the functional textiles into exciting multicolors with contrasting reverses and fresh, modern plain colors that can easily be combined.

REGENERATED ECONYL® YARN
The textiles manufactured by Schoeller using ECONYL® yarn made from regenerated material are genuine upcycled products. The ECONYL® Reclaiming Program of Aquafil S.P.A. reduces global waste by collecting recyclable materials from landfill sites and the world’s oceans and returning them into the production cycle. The resulting yarn is no different from conventional textiles in terms of quality and appearance. The Schoeller fabric family with ECONYL® yarn encompasses a complete package with diverse exciting qualities such as ultra-light, bi-elastic schoeller®-dynamic (e.g. for windbreaker blousons), very soft, fine schoeller®-dryskin (e.g. for high-tech shorts) and lightweight schoeller®-WB-400.

ECO-CREATED
New, supersoft soft-shells with ECONYL® yarn are available with different backings and weights depending on the situation. The lightest schoeller®-WB-400 radiates a sense of summer in fresh tones such as melon, oxygen blue or khaki with a smooth jersey reverse in contrasting colors, also made from ECONYL® yarn. A slightly heavier quality surprises in classic black with an elegant, navy blue reverse, while the Bordeaux nuance of the soft-shell with its brushed reverse in stone grey feels warm, soft and cozy. The fluorocarbon-free ecorepel® bio-technology, based on renewable raw materials, offers sustainable water repellence.

WHITE MATTER
The dominant features of summer 2020, alongside sustainable textiles and technologies made from natural materials, are inspired multicolors. The comfortable, multicolored schoeller®-WB-400 qualities produce completely new color effects and create a cheerful look – both for outdoor activities and in urban sportswear. The combination of melon, ocean green and stone grey with white changes the mood of the original colors and lends the textiles an unexpectedly chalky, summery look. Another striking feature is the lightweight, white jersey backing, which is only revealed at second glance.

AUGMENTED ORIGINALS
The presentation of the authentic schoeller®-dynamic qualities is no less lively, ranging from mossy green tones and blue nuances through to the brown variations of tree bark. The multicolors combine perfectly with plain fabrics and are impressively functional thanks to the PFC-free ecorepel® bio-technology, which also provides reliable water repellence. The basic qualities of the lightweight schoeller®-dryskin trousers and jackets are given a touch of elegance in the form of a discreet sheen and fashionable colors. In soft blues and greens, these supple all-rounders are highly wear resistant and offer ideal moisture management through the microfibers on the inside. They also feature ecorepel® bio-technology for water repellence.

California Linen Services of Pasadena, Calif. has been recertified Clean Green, reflecting the company’s dedication to standards for operational efficiency and sustainability. The certification quantifies linen, uniform and facility services’ environmentally friendly performance by confirming an operation launders within TRSA-designated water and energy use thresholds; and verifies use of best management practices (BMPs) in line with the ASTM International environmental laundering standard.
 
California Linen Service’s customers can be assured their reusable healthcare textiles are washed, dried and finished with processes that maximize sustainability and reduce greenhouse emissions. Clean Green certified operations demonstrate significant commitment to conservation and green operations through these BMPs:

• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from the process of warming water
• Recapturing drained water from rinses for reuse
• Using environmentally friendly detergents
• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater
• Solar energy and energy-efficient lighting
• Recycling programs
• Re-routing trucks to save vehicle fuel
• Spill prevention plans

California Linen Service earned the Clean Green certification initially in 2015. The designation is valid for three years at a time. TRSA inspects laundry facilities seeking certification and approves documentation of their water and energy use and BMP deployment through production reports they submit to auditors during the inspections. TRSA’s certification management protocol includes auditor training by the association’s inspection program administrator.
Clean Green aligns with the ASTM International standard, Guide for Sustainable Laundry Practices, which recognizes key criteria for the certification as universal indicators of maximum sustainability in commercial laundry work. ASTM’s review of TRSA BMPs verified these as the most effective and practical techniques for a laundry to achieve green objectives.
TRSA members prompted development of the standard, which was vetted in the sustainability subcommittee of the ASTM Committee on Textiles. Top technical experts, scientists and environmental professionals from outside the linen, uniform and facility services industry reviewed the BMPs. ASTM is the global leader in developing and delivering voluntary consensus standards unparalleled in building consumer confidence in product and service quality.
 
“I applaud California Linen Services for their ongoing sustainability efforts and maintaining the highest standards in their production and delivery operations,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “Meeting all the criteria for certification is not easy, but the company is committed to industry-leading processes and technologies.”

Business networking event on the future of leather interiors

Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, welcomed guests from all areas of the automotive leather supply chain at its International Advanced Technology Center (IATC) in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, for two action-packed days of demonstrations, workshops and talks by industry experts during the fourth annual “Go Digital” automotive leather event.
Building on the previous editions’ themes of digitalization of manufacturing processes and the adoption of Industry 4.0 principles, this year’s presentations focused on the value creation enabled by leveraging manufacturing data. A showcase for the innovative applications Lectra is developing based on Industry 4.0 principles, the company’s trade gathering demonstrated how disruptive new technologies are enhancing the onboard experience while reorganizing the automotive interiors supply chain.

Several guest speakers provided insight into the ways industry megatrends are impacting the automotive cockpit of the future. As motorized vehicles become increasingly autonomous, connected and electrified, cementing their place in the shared mobility landscape, suppliers must now devise new strategies to achieve profitable growth. Traditional business models are losing ground to cross-functional collaboration partnerships, making it even more challenging to compete in the fast-moving connected, shared economy.
“It is disruptive for the entire automotive supply chain,” remarks Nathalie Saint Martin, Vice President, Group Purchasing, Faurecia. “We are all learning to evolve together and enhance the added value to our end-customers. The level of collaboration we are now seeing among suppliers is unprecedented.”

Other keynote speeches included market research consultancy Frost & Sullivan’s analysis of automotive trends in the data-driven economy, Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) specialist Bureau Veritas’ vision of data protection for automotive and a presentation of industry insights firm WardsAuto’s selection of top 10 best vehicle interiors of 2018.
The event enables a diverse array of supply chain players in automotive interiors to gather with their peers. "Events like this one are a great opportunity to talk face-to-face with other suppliers about industry-wide challenges,” notes Claus Lattner, Director Engineering, Process Management, CoC Cut Sew Wrap Global, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors. “It is not often we find ourselves in the same room to talk about consumer perception and the sustainability of leather, for instance."

“The event provided a great opportunity to interact with suppliers who have a direct impact on innovation in interior design and manufacturing,” said John Sousanis, Managing Director of Wards Intelligence.
For Javier Garcia, Senior Vice-President, Automotive Sales, Lectra, bringing together the automotive leather community is especially important as it rises to new business challenges stemming from continually changing consumer habits and the digitalization of manufacturing processes. “Connectivity and occupant comfort are increasing the amount of high-tech content in automotive interiors, but the up-market appeal of leather makes it a constant,” states Javier Garcia. “By fostering exchange, Lectra is doing its part to help the automotive leather ecosystem evolve to meet new consumer expectations.”

• Market success above expectations
• Product and market development accelerated
• Investment up to EUR 30 mn

Lenzing – The Lenzing Group is setting another milestone as a specialist for extremely high-quality products made of the renewable raw material wood. Capacities will be significantly expanded due to strong demand for Lenzing’s TENCELTM Luxe filament yarn which was first launched on the market just a few months ago. Lenzing will invest up to EUR 30 mn in a further pilot line at the Lenzing site. Basic engineering for construction of the new facility has already been initiated.

“Thanks to TENCELTM Luxe, Lenzing is currently positioning itself in the premium luxury market and is embedding the issue of sustainability there in combination with superior aesthetics”, says Robert van de Kerkhof, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lenzing Group. “The fine filament yarn is comparable to natural silk due to its airy feeling on the skin and the matte finish. It is perfectly suited for very fine fabrics made exclusively from this yarn and as a blending partner with silk, cashmere and wool”, he adds.

“On the occasion of the launch of TENCELTM Luxe filaments, the luxury brands already realized what opportunities they would have by using this yarn made of the renewable raw material wood. For this reason, demand is already so high that we have decided to take an intermediate step to expand capacities before building a large commercial production plant. The decision to construct a new line will serve as the basis for generating a three-fold increase in capacity compared to the previous volume. The additional capacity will be available to customers at the end of next year”, states Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board of the Lenzing Group. “The Lenzing site was selected because research and technological know-how in plant construction are connected in a special way, which will in turn enable us to further develop this special product”, Doboczky adds.

The new capacities will enable Lenzing to more effectively fulfil the needs of customers for TENCELTM Luxe filament yarn than in the past. At the same time, Lenzing will press ahead with technical planning for a large-scale commercial line at the Lenzing site.

This strong level of demand is further evidence of the Lenzing Group’s innovative strength. The yarn is opening up new markets for the company in the eco-couture segment, thus contributing to the successful implementation of the sCore TEN strategy.

• “Fashion Goes Digital” takes the Lead in Fashion Technology
• Customers get Industry 4.0-ready as Lectra unveiled latest product offerings and shared insights at annual fashion VIP event

Lectra, the technological partner for companies using fabrics and leather, put theory into practice at its recent fashion event by unveiling their latest 4.0 Cutting Room to more than 100 privileged industry professionals.

“Fashion Goes Digital” drew industry stakeholders and market experts from 20 countries, who gathered at Lectra’s International Advanced Technology Center (IATC) in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, to examine the real-life application of digitalization in fashion.

While the topic of digitalization served as a backdrop for the event, there was a recurring theme at the forefront: fashion companies need Industry 4.0 technology and support in order to be more precise in meeting the evolving needs of their digitally savvy consumers.
Nick Chiarelli, Client Partner of Foresight Factory, shed light on new business opportunities for fashion, Nora Kühner, founder of Nora Kühner Fashion Design Consulting, used her designer perspective to decode the digital future of product development, and Fabrizio Fantini, founder of Evo Pricing, showed participants how machine learning could help fashion companies predict consumer demand and avoid waste.

“While speaking about the future challenges and trends in fashion and luxury, the trend now is to use analytics to drive the entire production process,” highlighted Stephen Taylor, Principal Director of Kurt Salmon.

Waruna Tennakoon, General Manager of Group Cutting, Brandix, and Ajith Perera General Manager of Mathliya Plant, MAS Kreeda, also shared their Lectra customer experience. Based in Sri Lanka, both companies have established themselves as the country’s largest apparel exporters, with Brandix specializing in producing intimate and activewear, and MAS Kreeda in sportswear.

“Thanks to the digital revolution, consumers are now more specific in their demands. This will cause a shift in mass manufacturing where there will be smaller-volume orders coming in at a faster rate. As a result, manufacturing models have to be more agile in the immediate future,” explained Ajith Perera, “I am happy to see that Lectra is already spearheading this change by providing us with the necessary technology to help us meet market demand.”

There was no better time to put digitalization into context than during “Fashion Goes Digital”.
VIP guests got a sneak preview of the brand new, fully automated cutting room solution for fashion and apparel. Lectra’s Cutting Room 4.0 is an embodiment of Lectra’s commitment to empowering its customers with the best solutions to thrive in this new digital era. This avant-garde technology leverages industry 4.0 principles to provide greater agility, throughput, cost efficiency and in particular scalability in order to respond seamlessly to small batches orders and shorter lead times.

Jean-Yves Collet, CEO of Treize Roches Couture, a high-end French womenswear manufacturer, provided a testimonial on why his company chose to be one of the first to adopt this new solution. He explained how Lectra’s latest technology would help Treize Roches speed up their artisanal production process to bring products faster to market.

“When we discussed the possibility of a made-to-order production project, we could really foresee the benefits both in terms of quality and productivity. Industry 4.0 solutions do not yet exist in garment manufacturing. This is why we have decided to develop an Industry 4.0 cutting room. This will allow us, in the preparatory stages to automate the processes as much as possible and improve quality, productivity and training time.”

“We have unveiled our strategy last year where we have identified Industry 4.0 and digitalization as our key drivers. Our goal for this event is to show that we are, indeed, living and breathing Industry 4.0 and we do have what it takes to help our customers succeed in this era. Our latest cutting room 4.0 shows that we are not just talking about the future of fashion anymore, we are living in it right now as we speak,” concluded Céline Choussy Bedouet, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Lectra.

CHOMARAT, the composite reinforcement specialist, has developed a new unidirectional woven tape for its C-TAPETM line of products. Designed to meet the standards of industrial production, the new C-TAPE™ is reinforcing the foils of the “Figaro Beneteau 3”. These appendages improve the monohull’s stability and performance.

“For the series production of the foils, the Beneteau Group chose MULTIPLAST, the well-known builder of racing boats, which engaged the CHOMARAT Group to provide project support and achieve the best cost/performance balance,” explains Vincent CHOLVY, CHOMARAT’s Manager for the boating market.

C-TAPE™, a high-performance carbon reinforcement with great design flexibility
C-TAPETM offers a lot of flexibility in terms of weight, width and construction. It has been optimized to facilitate series production, yet provide the foils with maximum performance.
The weft yarn developed by CHOMARAT makes the tape easy to handle and to work with. It is produced in 50-cm widths in order to adapt better to the mould, thus reducing both scrap and production cost.

“The project was an ambitious one,” says MULTIPLAST General Manager Yann PENFORNIS. “We had to reach a lower target cost, achieve a perfect foil shape, guarantee identical weight for all parts, and produce a set of foils per week over a period of one year.”

A reinforcement that facilitates flow in multi-ply carbon structures
Fifty plies of tape are used to make the foil so that it can resist high levels of stress and achieve optimal performance.
The specific structure of C-TAPETM facilitates resin flow throughout the thickness. The reinforcement provides the desired mechanical performance and also cuts down on production time.
The result is an ultra-innovative foil, both for its geometry and for the fabrication process (infu-jection) used.

“This new C-TAPE™ is the fruit of close co-operation between the MULTIPLAST and CHOMARAT development teams, and it rounds out our broad range of tapes. We are working on different fibres and adapting the widths to our customers’ processes in order to reduce costs,” concludes Vincent CHOLVY.

By the end of summer 2018, some one hundred foils will have been produced for assembly on the first 50 “Figaro Beneteau 3” monohulls.

At Kingpins Amsterdam, RUDOLF GROUP launches a selection of chemical auxiliaries for fashion and function as well their new HUB 1922.
The RUDOLF GROUP, not completely new to garment and denim finishing, decides to take the first steps of what will be a long and exciting journey in the field. In order to shorten the distance with both manufacturers and apparel brands and retailers it deploys two synergic initiatives:

• A refined selection of chemicals auxiliaries targeting garment finishing and delivering, in addition to current aesthetics, sophisticated functionalities that take denim to the next level in terms of both performance and enhanced quality.
• The launch of a new project that, combining German engineering and Italian style, provides solutions at the crossroad of fashion and utilitarian functionality. The project, called HUB 1922, introduces elements of unorthodox diversity and fosters collaborative environments that can be truly disruptive.

The word HUB is evocative of the main part of something where there is most activity, whereas the number, 1922, is the year of foundation of the RUDOLF GROUP and therefore symbol of heritage, tradition and significant experience. Ultimately, HUB 1922 wants to be the unmatched one-stop shopping for fashion and function, innovation and creativity in garment processing. A hub that enables continuous, synergetic, and powerful collaboration with brands and retailers to deliver disruptive innovations in the global markets.

It introduces functional chemistry in an universe that is almost entirely driven by aesthetics and the extension to other materials and product categories (such as outdoor apparel and performance wear), of knowledge and techniques developed for denim over the past 50 years. Very aware of its status of rookie and yet very determined, the project HUB 1922 begins exploring through concepts and values rooted in deep scientific knowledge, true responsibility, technical innovation and fresh creativity.
At Kingpins Amsterdam, HUB 1922 will present 3 concepts rooted in RUDOLF’s sophisticated and conscious chemistry:

• ODYSSEY: a voyage through textures and innovation, softness, comfort and signature handfeels.
• SHELTER: performance inspired by natural models for urban protection and for much reduced domestic washing.
• MEMOFLEX: A modern-day miracle preventing denim from sagging and bagging. A truly denim Botox that shows improved quality on many stretch fabrics.

Since when it was founded, almost 100 years ago, RUDOLF GROUP’s secret of success is being big enough to matter, small enough to care. Captured in this definition are an obvious desire to play a meaningful role in the textile industry and an equally palpable vocation to customer service.

Alberto de Conti, Head of Rudolf Fashion Division: “Every generation has their time to make a mark on the world. Considering the environmental emergencies in garment production and the lack of real innovation on the retail shelves, for the current generation of companies active in garment finishing that time is now.”

RUDOLF GROUP acknowledges therefore that there is an additional opportunity to responsibly further redefine the future and turns their sizeable R&D power towards refining their approach to what is fashion quintessential staple: garment and denim finishing. Through a renewed, highly responsible involvement in garment finishing and with the introduction of HUB 1922, the RUDOLF GROUP wants to send out a message of true optimism. It is about showing the entire industry that there is a blank canvas ahead and tangible difference can be made.

Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) is pleased to announce that the Patent Re-examination Board of the State Intellectual Property Office, China (PRB) upheld Huntsman’s Chinese Patents Nos. ZL00106403.7 and ZL200480003051.4.  These patents were contested by Shaoxing Bangyi Chemical Co., Ltd. and Taixing Jinyun Dyestuff Co., Ltd. By its ruling, the PRB rejected the positions of the petitioners and confirmed that Huntsman’s patented technology, which is used in Huntsman’s NOVACRON® Super Black G and NOVACRON® Super Black R dyes, is Huntsman’s valuable innovation for producing deep black shades.

Huntsman sued Jiangsu Jinji Industrial Co., Ltd. and Taixing Jinyun Dyestuff Co., Ltd. for infringing the above mentioned Chinese Patents at the Beijing Intellectual Property Court by using Huntsman’s patented technology in six black dyestuff products. Huntsman is seeking substantial damages and an injunction against further infringement.  Huntsman is also seeking substantial damages and an injunction against further infringement in a separate lawsuit against Zhejiang Longsheng Group Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Keyong Chemical Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Colva Dyestuff Industry Co., Ltd. This matter is currently being heard before the High People's Court, Shanghai.  In earlier decisions, both the Shanghai Intermediate People’s Court and the Shanghai High People’s Court ruled that Shanghai Colva Dyestuff Industry Co., Ltd. had infringed Huntsman’s Chinese Patent No. ZL00106403.7 by manufacturing and selling Colvazol Super Black LC-G and Colvazol Super Black LC-R dyes.

Rohit Aggarwal, President of Huntsman Textile Effects said: “We are very pleased with the PRB’s decision which demonstrates the State Intellectual Property Office’s commitment to steadfastly uphold intellectual property rights in China which protect valuable and advanced technology. This encourages companies like Huntsman to continue to invest in research and development in our aim to bring cutting-edge innovation to the textile industry. Huntsman will vigorously pursue those who are infringing our intellectual property rights to stop the unlawful infringement and pursue full compensation for our losses”.

Idéal Fibres & Fabrics Comines received the Textile Industry Award during the award ceremony of the “Trophées de l’Industrie des Hauts-de-France” (Trophies of the Industries of Hauts-de-France) which is hosted each year by the Société Industrielle du Nord. These trophies reward companies who are selected by trade and pooling associations based on their exemplary performance, innovations and achievements in an area of specialty which is different each year.

Idéal Fibres & Fabrics Comines (IFFC), a subsidiary of the Belgian Beaulieu International Group of companies, announced today that it was awarded the Textile Industry Award, which is one of the Trophies of the Industries of Hauts-de-France. The award ceremony took place on the 29th of March of this year at the Cité des Échanges of Marcq en Baroeul, France. Michiel Leys, Manufacturing Manager for Europe and General Manager of the production site, and Loïc Derôme, Operations Manager at IFCC, attended the ceremony and received the prize in person.

As part of the Industry Week, the ceremony is each year a time of exchange, optimism and encouragement to flagship companies of the industrial trades.
Idéal Fibres & Fabrics Comines’ production site has been based in the North since 1993 and manufactures high quality polypropylene and polyamid based textured yarns for applications in the automotive, and commercial and residential building sectors. “We regularly invest in technology on the one hand, and in safety, security and working conditions on the other”, says Loïc Derôme, Operations Manager at IFCC. “For the past two years, we have invested around for million euros and, this year, we are in the on-going process of further developing our manufacturing resources to meet the technical needs of the market and to increase the safety of our site.”

“We have selected IFCC because of its significant surface, but also because it is a French company belonging to a Belgian group, who decided to build on France as a country”, adds Eric Mezin, Délégué Général UIT Nord. Such attributes as open-mindedness, strong focus on sustainable development and effective communication efforts in view of attracting new talents, including among older, more experienced people, are but a few of the multiple aspects that accounts for the election of IFFC as an award-winner.