From the Sector

Dedicated marketing channel to better serve the US market

Huntsman Textile Effects and Xenon arc today announced the formation of NaviColor, a dedicated marketing channel to service the unique needs of select customers in the United States textiles and apparel industry.  

NaviColor is a business specifically designed to meet the needs of select Huntsman Textile Effects customers and to further expand the growing customer base. NaviColor features a dedicated team of professionals in a highly advanced technological environment to support customers utilizing Huntsman’s Textile Effects innovative chemicals, dyes and digital inks in the United States.  

NaviColor is the latest deployment of Xenon arc’s innovative xa-Direct model that helps the world’s preeminent manufacturing companies reach, grow and more effectively service the needs of their customer bases. Leveraging its domain expertise of the marketplace, combined with extensive voice of the customer research and leading-edge technology platform, the xa-Direct model delivers enhanced customer intimacy, valuable insights and improved customer service levels.

“We are excited to partner with Huntsman Textile Effects,” commented Mica Zuniga, Vice President of Strategic Growth for Xenon arc.

NaviColor will exclusively represent Huntsman Textile Effects product portfolio including:

•  Dyes
•  Chemical Auxiliaries
•  Digital Inks

• Borealis’ EverMinds™ ambition moves industry one step closer to plastics circularity thanks to new recycling technology and improved recyclate
• Borealis also announces significant material improvements to existing Purpolen® recyclate materials

Borealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers, announces the introduction of a new plastics recycling technology, Borcycle™. This evolving technology will be used to produce high-quality compounds made of recycled polyolefins (rPO) such as the newly-launched Borcycle™ MF1981SY, an rPO with over 80% recycled content intended for use in visible appliance parts. Borealis also announces a series of significant material improvements to existing recyclates in the established Purpolen™ brand portfolio. These market launches and product improvements are important technology advancements and thus accelerate the transformation to a circular economy of plastics. Borealis and its wholly-owned subsidiary, mtm plastics, will showcase the new Borcycle technology and recyclate innovations at the K 2019 in October.

Borealis is leading the industry by applying its Visioneering Philosophy™ to the development and implementation of novel polyolefins-based solutions that enable plastics reuse, recycling, and recovery, and by designing for circularity. These wide-ranging activities are gathered under the symbolic roof of EverMinds™, the Borealis platform dedicated to promoting a more circular mind-set in the industry. By capitalising on its profound expertise in virgin polyolefins and collaborating with value chain partners, Borealis keeps discovering new opportunities for business growth within the circular economy.

Advancing technology to bring about polyolefin circularity

The new technology, Borcycle, transforms polyolefin-based waste streams into recyclate material such as pellets. As a transformative technology, it complements the existing Borealis virgin polyolefins portfolio with a range of pioneering, circular solutions. It unites state-of-the-art technology with the profound Borealis polymer expertise gained over decades.

As a scalable and modular technology, Borcycle has been developed to meet growing market demand for high-quality recyclate. Leading appliance brand owners, for one, have pledged to increase the amount of recycled plastics in their goods. Yet until recently, producers have not been able to rely on a consistent supply of high-quality recyclate. The Borcycle technology will help address this challenge. Compounds made using the Borcycle technology deliver high performance, add value and offer versatility. Producers and brand owners in a range of industries will profit from the availability of high-quality recyclate that helps them meet environmental and regulatory challenges.

“Advancing technology is crucial if our aim is to implement value-creating solutions in the circular sphere,” claims Maurits van Tol, Borealis Senior Vice President, Innovation, Technology & Circular Economy Solutions. “‘Building tomorrow together’ means innovating, collaborating, focussing on the customer, and above all – taking action. The launch of our new recycling technology Borcycle is tangible proof of our commitment to achieving plastics circularity.”

New and improved recyclate for high-end applications

Borcycle™ MF1981SY is the first of several upcoming launches of rPO solutions made under the umbrella of the Borcycle technology. Borcycle™ MF1981SY will be available to Borealis customers in Europe. The compound is an exciting addition to the rPO portfolio because it is a 10% talc-filled compound that contains over 80% recycled material. It offers an ideal balance between stiffness and impact. The compound is especially suited for use in visible black parts, for example in small appliances.

Like its relatives in the mtm plastics family of recyclate materials, Borcycle™ MF1981SY is a truly sustainable offering. Recyclates from mtm save approximately 30% of CO2 emissions compared to virgin materials.

A number of significant improvements have been made to existing recyclate grades in the Purpolen portfolio.

“Mechanical recycling is presently a most eco-efficient method to implement the principles of the circular economy,” explains Guenter Stephan, Head of Mechanical Recycling, Borealis Circular Economy Solutions. “Borealis and mtm plastics are leveraging their respective areas of expertise to make significant progress in achieving polyolefin circularity by upscaling recycling output and ensuring the reliable supply of high-quality plastics recyclate for European producers, in particular.”

The annual meeting for the Asia-Pacific professionals of the composites industry, organized for the second time in a row in Seoul, has met its high expectations attracting +12% participants and acting as a major showcase for the composites industry in the region.

KEY FIGURES

• +230 companies
• 45 speakers
• +7,000 professional visits
• 49 countries represented
• 12 JEC Innovation Awards
• +450 Business meetings
• 3 Composites Tours
• Top 3 visitors’ countries: Korea - China - Japan

Gauging from the attendance of more than 7,000 professional visits from 49 countries, Eric PIERREJEAN, CEO of JEC Group, has already announced during the opening ceremony that JEC Asia 2019 will return next year on November 13, 14, 15, 2019. This ceremony was attended by industrialists, academics and officials, reflecting the huge interest that composite materials generates. Thus, at this ceremony we could notice the participation of Mr. BANG Yun Hyuk, President of KCTECH, Mr. Song, Ha Jin Jeonbuk Provincial Governor, Mr. HAN Byung Do, Senior secretary to the South Korean President for political affairs, Mr. CHOI Jin Hyuk, Director at MOTIE, Mr. KIM Yang Won, Vice Mayor of Jeonju, demonstrating the whole support of the Korean community; and Mr. Fabien PENONE, French Ambassador, was also present to underline the strong links and industrial interactions between Korea and France.

Hosting, this year again, the International Carbon Festival organized by KCTECH and the Jeonju region, JEC Asia also provided a comprehensive program dedicated to the Automotive professionals with a leadership circle attended by top stakeholders of the industry worldwide, top-notch conferences on automotive automated processes and composite applications for structural parts with speakers from Hyundai Motor Group, e-Xstream Engineering, L&L Products, Cobra International, Hanwha Advanced Materials, Daimler, Hankuk Carbon, Arkema, Cetim, Saertex & Co. KG to name a few.

“Aeronautics: 53% and beyond” conferences took place and attracted many attendees to discover new composites solutions and their wider use in this sector with Stratasys,IS Group, Cevotec… JEC Asia also offered its participants a chance to find out new business opportunities, highlighting the most relevant for the region and various application sectors.
All in all, the show floor was filled with innovations as JEC Asia 2018 showcased innovative parts and awarded 12 composites International champions among which 3 were about automotive, at the JEC Innovation Awards ceremony.

Also, to be noted at JEC Asia was the focus on networking with pre-arranged Business meetings that generated +450 qualified one-to-ones over the 3 days. Likewise, 3 composites tours opened exclusive doors to attendees when they visited Hanyang University, the composite architecture of the House of Dior, LG Hausys & Kolon and a day trip in Jeonju region and the Carbon Valley of the KCTECH.
For the first time, JEC Asia teamed up with MAI Carbon to offer a brand-new Student Program that keeps abreast of composite-industry needs to hire young, committed well-trained engineers. The two-part program included workshops with a focus on theoretical foundations and a guided tour through the JEC Asia trade show and the innovation planet.

• 16-18 October 2018, Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center, Dallas, TX

A skateboard, architectural panels and a rigid roof for boats – all three products rely on CHOMARAT composite reinforcements. The three designs will be on display at CAMX Expo in the demonstration area of COMPOSITES ONE, partner of CHOMARAT and leader in composites distribution in North America. CHOMARAT’s reinforcements enable to give unique properties to these three applications.

Proof positive: reinforcements offer design flexibility & improved mechanical performance

These three applications give CHOMARAT the opportunity to demonstrate the performance of its uniquely designed reinforcements in real time. “The skateboard combines Rovicore™, the multi-function closed-mold reinforcement developed by CHOMARAT, with C-Weave™, its woven carbon fabric that offers both structural performance and aesthetics to the design. Rovicore™ provides the permeability, while C-Weave™ provides the carbon aspect,” explains Brian Laufenberg, president, CHOMARAT North America.

During the live demos, architectural panels using Rovicore™ and a rigid boat roof in RTM will also be made. “With 60 years of expertise in designing composite reinforcements, CHOMARAT demonstrates that its reinforcements offer excellent mechanical performance and design for a large number of projects in sectors as diverse as sport and leisure, marine and building,” adds Travis IRVIN, Sales Manager and Closed Mould Process Expert at CHOMARAT.

Meet CHOMARAT teams at BOOTH V39 and see Live demos in the COMPOSITES ONE demonstration area at CAMX 2018 EXPO

The Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) has awarded two prizes to graduates of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University - the dissertation prize and the creativity prize of the Walter Reiners Foundation of German Textile Machinery 2018. ITA alumnus Dr Benjamin Weise was awarded the dissertation prize for the development of novel fibres for textile charge storage devices. For their work on a guide to 4D product design, Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal (both ITA students) were honoured with the creativity prize. The dissertation prize is endowed with €5,000 whilst the creativity prize contains a one-year scholarship of €250 per month. Peter D. Dornier, President of the Walter Reiners Foundation and Chairman of the Management Board of Lindauer DORNIER, presented the awards on the 18 September 2018 at the 18th Textile Machinery Forum in the Digital Capability Center in Aachen, Germany.

Graphene revolutionizes all-in-one - supercaps, reduction of terahertz radiation and antistatics

In his dissertation "Development of graphene-modified multifilament yarns for the production of textile charge storage devices", laureate Dr Benjamin Weise developed novel fibres made of polyamide and graphene and further processed them into textile surfaces. The newly developed polyamide graphene fibres are featuring a multitude of advantages:

• Due to their high performance in the charge storage area, they are predestined for use in double-layer capacitors, so-called super capacitors, or supercaps in short. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, supercaps offer significantly higher power density and a longer lifetime as no chemical reactions are taking place. towing to the graphene platelets in the filaments, it is now possible for the first time to integrate a charge storage device directly into a textile without having to sew in a rechargeable battery. This new fibre is therefore suitable for prospective use in smart textiles, for instance in a textile defibrillator.
• The new graphene-modified polyamide fibres can attenuate inident terahertz radiation up to 25 % of their original intensity. Terahertz radiation, for example, offers transmission rates of 100 Mbit/sec and is therefore of high interest for high-performance wireless communication. However, the radiation could damage sensible electronics as in aircrafts if this technology will be used widespread. Consequently, the shielding of the radiation is of high importance, e.g. in the form of fibre composite components in the aircraft, which protect the on-board electronics.
• As the fibres are showcasing a dissipative electrical conductivity, personal protective equipment is another prospective field of application.  

The development of a pilot process for graphene-modified fibres and the production of textile demonstrators are novel and disruptive attainments of Dr Weise’s PhD thesis and the reason for the award ceremony to him. Due to its outstanding properties, the European Union is funding research on graphene within the frame of the "Graphene Flagship" with an overall budget of one billion Euro (source: http://graphene-flagship.eu/project/Pages/About-Graphene-Flagship.aspx).

Modular product design of 4D products is now possible in simplified form

How can three-dimensional products change their shape over time and thus become "four-dimensional"? The students Jan Merlin Abram and Aalon Tal provide answers to this question in their project work "Leitfaden zur Auslegung hybrider morphender Textilien am Beispiel eines Scharniers" (Guidelines for the Design of Hybrid Morphing Textiles Using the Example of a Hinge), for which they were awarded the creativity prize. In their work, the students offer a guideline for the development of a four-dimensional textile from the idea to the demonstrator. Four-dimensional textiles, for example, consist of a hybrid material of elastic textile on which three-dimensional structures are printed. The fourth dimension describes the change in shape and/or a property over a defined period of time (= morphing).  This change is caused by external influences such as light and heat.

Every year, the Foundation of the German Textile Machinery awards prizes for the best dissertation, diploma or master's thesis and the creativity prize for the smartest student research project. Further prizes were awarded to Eric Otto, ITM Dresden, and Susanne Fischer, Reutlingen University.

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

Ventura Uniform Services of Kenner, Louisiana has had their certification renewed for Hygienically Clean Healthcare, reflecting their commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Koch Membrane Systems, Inc. (KMS), a global leader in membrane filtration technologies, launched the newly revamped kochmembrane.com.
 
The website offers quick and easy access to essential product information and features, and provides a comprehensive overview of the markets served and the solutions provided by KMS. As the market for membranes is growing into new industries, and more users rely on membrane technology in their everyday operations, the new website provides robust information for customers and partners to better understand KMS’s best-in-class technology.  
 
“The website features a clean design and greater focus on our mission to provide customer-specific membrane solutions and create value through continued technological innovation, consistent high-quality products and unsurpassed customer support,” said Manny Singh, KMS president.
 
The website will be updated regularly with news, product launches, business activity and new membrane solutions for different industries.

• In its aim to promote composites materials, JEC Group will highlight the latest technologies that enable the automotive industry to innovate in product design, emission reductions and production.

Paris - In its mission to address composites end-use industries specifically, JEC Group, the world leading organization for the promotion of composite materials, moves up a gear to target the automotive industry. Introduced many decades ago in car manufacturing, and not only for high-end performance models, composites are now offering many alternatives to steel and aluminum, thanks to their specific features, which go far beyond their lightweight properties.

“Today, nearly 2.9 cars are produced and sold worldwide every second. Yet growth potential is still enormous. In value, the automotive industry makes up 20% of the total composites market with promising opportunities for lighter, stronger and more efficient materials in the years to come. They offer new design opportunities, enable a reduction in tooling investment and allow several functions to be integrated in one, on top of their corrosion and impact resistance. Furthermore, composite materials contribute to the development of a new generation of cars, offering innovative battery integration solutions for electric vehicles, as well as a new generation of fuel storage tanks for hydrogen-powered vehicles. JEC Group is moving forward in its strategy to democratize and promote the use of composites materials among end-user segments that, in this case, are OEMs and car manufacturers,” said Ms Frédérique MUTEL, JEC Group President & CEO.

The BMW i3 the largest-volume production car ever to extensively use composites for emission-free mobility

With this in mind, JEC Group will invest in a significant number of composites pavilions at key automotive events in Europe, America and Asia. The first of these will be at Mondial.Tech Paris, part of Paris Motor Show, held on October 2-6, 2018 in Paris. The composites pavilion will include an innovation showcase, expert presentations and networking activities.

The second composites pavilion will be at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 14-18, 2019 and will focus on the same goals of sharing knowledge and developing networking.

Additional events, particularly in Asia, are being planned to cover the global automotive market.

Although the composites pavilions are organized by JEC Group, they will be supported by major composites manufacturers. These combined efforts will enable stands to showcase several solutions provided by composites for the automotive industry, driving innovation in this sector.

Exhibitors from eight countries have already confirmed to participate in the fair’s European Zone. They join an expected 500-plus total exhibitors from around the world. The 2018 edition of this biennial fair takes place from 4 – 6 September in halls N1 – N3 of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

While China retains its edge in terms of technical textiles and nonwovens production capabilities, in the eyes of Chinese buyers, European suppliers are still the leaders when it comes to technology and innovation. This was widely reported by European exhibitors at the previous edition in 2016 of Asia’s leading biennial trade event for the industry: Cinte Techtextil China.

“In the Chinese market, buyers want good quality products, so overseas companies, and products with recognised quality certifications, have a lot of potential,” Ms Ping Chen, General Manager of IBENA Shanghai Technical Textiles commented. “As a leading German company in the industry, our products are welcomed by many buyers at this fair. It is also important to be in the German Pavilion as this signals to buyers that we have quality products, and it attracts more attention.” Swiss firm Sanitized AG had the same experience. “As a Swiss company in the European Zone I believe it’s an advantage, as some local buyers have more confidence towards imported products,” Mr Steven Liu, Sales Manager said.

Other exhibitors commented on the long-term trends in the Chinese market. “There’s a definite shift to more high-quality machinery in China that isn’t affected by what’s happening in the overall economy. Moreover, there are opportunities for overseas suppliers as there is still a gap between us and what Chinese companies produce,” Dr Joachim Binnig, Vice President, Head of Development & Technology, Autefa Solutions Germany GmbH explained.

Mr Roger Zhang, Sales Manager for German firm J.H. Ziegler Nonwovens and New Materials commented: “Our products are mainly for high-end Chinese customers, such as BMW and Audi. The Chinese market has gradually matured, but the production capability for high-performance products which are energy efficient and eco-friendly is still developing, so there is a lot of space for overseas brands to develop here.”

European Zone highlights
This year’s European Zone will feature around 30 exhibitors from eight countries, including Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, while further exhibitors can be found in national pavilions from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. Some of the exhibitor highlights in the European Zone include:

• Arkema (France): with brands including PMMA Altuglas, Rilsan, Pebax, Kynar PVDF and Bostik, they will present polymer resin for fibres and yarns, which apply to a wide range of applications, at the fair.
• Dakota Coating (Belgium): specialists in thermoplastic and thermosetting adhesives, their polymer products, based on polyethylene, polyolefin or mixtures, ethylene vinyl acetates, co-polyamides, polyurethanes and co-polyesters, are suitable for automotive, building, heat transfer and sound insulation uses.
• Lenzing Plastics (Austria): a new exhibitor at the fair, they are a leading manufacturer of polyolefin and fluoropolymer products, such as Thermoplast and PTFE products. One of their core competencies lies in the monoaxial stretching of films and filaments, and they offer special solutions in the fields of construction & insulation, medicine & hygiene, packaging and cables, as well as automotive and technical textiles. They will highlight their PROFILEN® PTFE product at the fair, and with its extreme durability and very smooth surface, it is highly valued in many niche applications in the technical and medical sectors.
• Protechnic (France): leading manufacturers of hot-melt adhesives and plastic printed films, they will showcase hot melt thermo-adhesive nets, webs and films at the fair.
• Trelleborg Coated Systems (Italy): another new exhibitor this edition, they produce high-performance, engineered coated fabrics. They offer a wide variety of substrates – from Kevlar® to silk – with a choice of weaving methods.

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