From the Sector

• New high-capacity line enables diversification to meet growing demand

Avgol, a global leader in the manufacture of high performance non-woven fabric solutions, has announced it is investing in a new high-speed, high-capacity flexible multiple beam production line at its facility in Uzlovaya, Russia.

“The addition of this new line enables us to have greater production capacity for growing regional markets and support the release of new Avgol technologies,” said Tommi Bjornman, CEO of Avgol.
“Serving the growing baby diaper, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene markets along with satisfying sustained demand for meltblown filtration and medical materials, this investment enables Avgol to deliver an improved degree of service across the entire area while consolidating and strengthening our existing position,” he said.

Avgol, an Indorama Ventures Limited company, leads the global hygiene market with the most comprehensive range of ultra-lightweight spun-melt nonwoven fabrics. This new line at the company’s Uzlovaya facility, in the Tula Oblast region of Russia, will see Avgol investing in new Reicofil 5 (RF5) technology. The third line for this location will include biocomponent and corresponding high-loft capabilities thus producing materials for applications that meet the needs of upper tier products for Hygiene customers.

As part of the investment, Avgol is including new capacity for meltblown production with a dedicated line, ensuring a continuous supply of this critical material for the region. One other aspect of the investment, and a new inhouse capability for Avgol, includes the addition of cutting-edge lamination capabilities. These capabilities will allow Avgol to offer enhanced performance products into the existing markets the company serves, as well as allowing the company to explore new opportunities in other markets. “The RF5 line, meltblown line and lamination capabilities will provide us a powerful set of platforms as a base from which to provide high-value products for our customers,” said Mr. Bjornman.  “It will enable us to further diversify the Avgol innovation portfolio while remaining true to our roots.”

Mr. Bjornman further commented that the investment will also significantly support further sustainable product development in Avgol, under its innovative FIT™ (Forward Innovative Thinking) strategy. “Avgol is committed to the future of nonwoven fabrics with a particular focus on bringing polyolefins forward as viable resins in single use articles,” he said. “We are excited to bring new assets, new capabilities, and new technologies that will challenge customer expectations of the nonwoven fabric industry.” This investment will move the Russian production facility to the second largest site for Avgol (the largest facility remains the Mocksville site in North Carolina, USA).

• Fraunhofer, SABIC, and Procter & Gamble join forces
• The Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE and its Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT have developed an advanced recycling process for used plastics.
• The pilot project with SABIC and Procter & Gamble serves to demonstrate the feasibility of closed-loop recycling for single-use facemasks.

Due to COVID-19, use of billions of disposable facemasks is raising environmental concerns especially when they are thoughtlessly discarded in public spaces, including - parks, open-air venues and beaches. Apart from the challenge of dealing with such huge volumes of essential personal healthcare items in a sustainable way, simply throwing the used masks away for disposal on landfill sites or in incineration plants represents a loss of valuable feedstock for new material.

“Recognizing the challenge, we set out to explore how used facemasks could potentially be returned into the value chain of new facemask production”, says Dr. Peter Dziezok, Director R&D Open Innovation at P&G. “But creating a true circular solution from both a sustainable and an economically feasible perspective takes partners. Therefore, we teamed up with Fraunhofer CCPE and Fraunhofer UMSICHT’s expert scientists and SABIC’s Technology & Innovation specialists to investigate potential solutions.”

As part of the pilot, P&G collected used facemasks worn by employees or given to visitors at its manufacturing and research sites in Germany. Although those masks are always disposed of responsibly, there was no ideal route in place to recycle them efficiently. To help demonstrate a potential step change in this scenario, special collection bins were set up, and the collected used masks were sent to Fraunhofer for further processing in a dedicated research pyrolysis plant.

“A single-use medical product such as a face mask has high hygiene requirements, both in terms of disposal and production. Mechanical recycling, would have not done the job”, explains Dr. Alexander Hofmann, Head of Department Recycling Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. “In our solution, therefore, the masks were first automatically shredded and then thermochemically converted to pyrolysis oil. Pyrolysis breaks the plastic down into molecular fragments under pressure and heat, which will also destroy any residual pollutants or pathogens, such as the Coronavirus. In this way it is possible to produce feedstock for new plastics in virgin quality that can also meet the requirements for medical products”, adds Hofmann, who is also Head of Research Department “Advanced Recycling” at Fraunhofer CCPE.

The pyrolysis oil was then sent to SABIC to be used as feedstock for the production of new PP resin. The resins were produced using the widely recognized principle of mass balance to combine the alternative feedstock with fossil-based feedstock in the production process. Mass balance is considered a crucial bridge between today’s large scale linear economy and the more sustainable circular economy of the future, which today is operated on a smaller scale but is expected to grow quickly.

“The high-quality circular PP polymer obtained in this pilot clearly demonstrates that closed-loop recycling is achievable through active collaboration of players from across the value chain”, emphasizes Mark Vester, Global Circular Economy Leader at SABIC. “The circular material is part of our TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio, aimed at preventing valuable used plastic from becoming waste and at mitigating the depletion of fossil resources.”

Finally, to close the loop, the PP polymer was supplied to P&G, where it was processed into non-woven fibers material. “This pilot project has helped us to assess if the close loop approach could work for hygienic and medical grade plastics”, says Hansjörg Reick, P&G Senior Director Open Innovation. “Of course, further work is needed but the results so far have been very encouraging.”

The entire closed loop pilot project from facemask collection to production was developed and implemented within seven months. The transferability of advanced recycling to other feedstocks and chemical products is being further researched at Fraunhofer CCPE.

Kornit Digital, specialised in digital textile printing technology, announces Johannesburg, South Africa-based apparel decorator Vic Bay Apparel has implemented two Kornit Storm HD6 systems for sustainable, single-step production on demand. This installation answers increased demand for small orders and high-colour graphic designs, resulting from a dramatic growth in their e-commerce operation.

Vic Bay Apparel has been a manufacturer, supplier, and wholesaler of basic t-shirts and golf shirts for 25 years, supplying blank apparel to decorators and resellers of promotional clothing. They predominantly service resellers in the tourism, workwear, printing, embroidery, and advertising markets.

On the occasion of the VDMA press conference, André Wissenberg, Head of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division, presented the company's concept for ITMA Asia with the claim: Clean Technology. Smart Factory.

Due to the Corona pandemic, Oerlikon has decided to concentrate with their Chinese sales and service teams on guests primarily from China and greater Asia. However, some experts from Germany, who are working in China at our locations anyway, will be live on site at the booth. Other experts from Germany, India and US will be available online for the entire 5 days of the trade fair and will simply be connected by video conference to the discussion with the visitors on site if there is a need for.

At ITMA Asia 2021, Oerlikon will present the next generation of an automatic texturing solution with up to 25 % energy saving and up to 30 % higher production speed, easy maintenance and best yarn quality. The core of this machine, the socalled EvoCooler, will be shown as an exhibit in combination with digital solutions like AIM4DTY. In the field of high-precision flow control solutions components, the two new gear metering pumps developments for the production of aramid and spandex will be presented as well.

Mimaki, a manufacturer of inkjet printers and cutting systems, has today announced that long-standing employee, Mark Sollman, will be appointed to the role of Product Manager, EMEA on the 1st July 2021. Sollman has been with Mimaki for over 15 years and as such, his extensive knowledge of the business and its diverse product portfolio makes him the clear choice for this esteemed management position.

Sollman will be succeeding Bert Benckhuysen. After four years with Mimaki, Benckhuysen has decided to take on a new challenge as Business Development Director at Colourama. A valued Mimaki customer, Colourama is a company Benckhuysen knows well, having also previously been employed as Production Manager at this thriving Polish textile printer.

• ANDRITZ receives an additional order for a high-speed spunlace line from Zhejiang Kingsafe, China

International technology Group ANDRITZ has received an order from Zhejiang Kingsafe Hygiene Materials Technology Co., Ltd. in Hezhou, China, to supply a complete new neXline spunlace line. The line is scheduled for installation and start-up during the second quarter of 2022.

This high-capacity spunlace eXcelle line will process either 100% biodegradable fibers or blends of polyester and viscose. It is dedicated to the production of hygiene and medical fabrics. The final products will have fabric weights ranging from 30 to 100 gsm, and the annual production capacity will be up to 18,000 tons.

ANDRITZ will deliver a complete line, from web forming to drying, also integrating two high-speed TT cards, the well-known JetlaceEssentiel hydroentanglement unit and the neXdry through-air dryer equipped with a neXecodry S1 system for energy saving. This combination is becoming the market benchmark for the production of lightweight spunlace fabrics dedicated to the hygiene market.

“We are proud to operate ANDRITZ nonwoven lines, which are very reliable and efficient. It helps us a lot in producing top-of-the-range, nonwoven roll goods, thus enabling us to be recognized as a key player among nonwovens producers worldwide,” says Kingsafe’s president, Mr. Huarong Yan.

Zhejiang Kingsafe Hygiene Materials Technology Co., Ltd., founded in 1987, is one of the largest companies in China producing spunlace and spunbond nonwoven roll goods, with several spunlace lines already in operation. The final products are exported all over the world and used in many fields, such as the medical sector, health care, high-tech agriculture, and high-quality consumer and household products.

The new line is now the ninth spunlace line supplied by ANDRITZ and the third with high-speed TT cards, thus confirming the successful, long-term partnership between ANDRITZ and Zhejiang Kingsafe. The order also proves that the solution provided by ANDRITZ is recognized as the benchmark for production of premium spunlace roll goods and contains the perfect combination for wipes converting machines.

Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University has changed the format of the 2021 Aachen Reinforced! Symposium to an online only format. The programme was shortened to suit the new format, with presentations taking place on Monday 10th May and Tuesday 11th May.

The conference program for Monday, 10th May:
The programme will begin with exciting presentations on glass chemistry and fibres. A talk by Dr Anne Berthereau (Owens Corning Composites) on the race for always higher modulus glass fibres will be followed by a talk from Dr Hong Li (Nippon Electric Glass) on the potential of new high-strength and high-modulus glass fibres.
After two further presentations on high modulus and bioactive glass fibres from Muawia Dafir and Julia Eichhorn (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), we will learn about furnace efficiency as well as process monitoring and digitalisation in glass fibre production from René Meulemann (CelSian), Hans Gedon (Gedonsoft) and Julius Golovatchev (Incotelogy) respectively.
A presentation by Felix Quintero Martínez (Universidade de Vigo) will explore a novel method to produce ultra-flexible glass nanofibers.
The afternoon will continue with two presentations by Dr Christina Scheffler (Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (IPF)) and Professor James Thomason (University of Strathclyde) in the field of glass fibre sizings and fibre-matrix interfaces. Finally, a closing presentation by Steve Bassetti (Michelman) will conclude the first day of the Symposium.

The entire conference programme is available on the website https://aachen-fibres.com/aachen-reinforced/general-information.
To register for the Symposium, use the following link: https://aachen-fibres.com/aachen-reinforced/registration

Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC), part of Barry-Wehmiller, has announced the installation of a new Fusion C printing press at flexible packaging supplier Yellowstone Plastics (affiliated with Volm Companies), located in South Idaho Falls, Idaho. The 42-inch, 10-color Fusion C began production in February.

Since the installation, Yellowstone Plastics has increased the quality and quantity of its product offerings, thanks to innovative Fusion C features including Flextreme drying, 100 percent web inspection, the Intelliprint auto-impression setting and SteadyPrint.

“We are very excited about the results we are getting out of this press,” said Lou Figueria, Director of Printing and Graphics Operations, Yellowstone Plastics. “We are running a mixture of short runs and long runs, at 1,000 to 1,200 feet per minute, and the press adjusts very nicely between the two. It is very easy to operate, and its features—such as SteadyPrint and the touchscreen HMI—have been beneficial to our printing and our operators.”

International technology Group ANDRITZ has always been at the forefront in providing innovative and sustainable solutions for the global nonwovens industry. Optimization of resource management, especially reducing the consumption of raw materials and other substances used and also keeping resources in use for as long as possible, are decisive factors in enabling nonwovens producers to offer competitive and sustainable products.

As a world market leader for nonwovens production equipment and services, ANDRITZ offers a full range of products to meet these challenging demands.

Maximizing the evenness of the product across the entire production line is one of the key success factors. The weight profiling product range of ANDRITZ – consisting of ProDynTM and ProWidTM – has been extended by ProWinTM. This new development is the combination of the two existing systems ProDynTM and ProWidTM. It allows nonwovens producers to achieve optimum weight profiling at the crosslapper delivery and increase their process speed by up to 15% at the same time. ProWin combines the long-term process experience and in-depth knowledge ANDRITZ has on needlepunch lines with innovative software to synchronize action across the line. Guillaume Julien, Head of Needlepunch Sales at ANDRITZ Nonwoven, explains,

“We have developed a self-regulating, advanced technology to reduce fiber deposits at the edges of the web and eliminate the “smile” effect across its width. ProWin enables producers to optimize the CV ratio autonomously and precisely while also generating significant fiber savings of up to 10% and increasing production speed. Thus, it also provides a faster ROI.“

When it comes to the spunlace process, a better product quality can be obtained by ensuring that the different equipment units in the production line are consistent with one another. The TT card, the Jetlace hydroentanglement unit, and the neXdry through-air dryer are the perfect combination to obtain premium visual quality and characteristics in the web. For an equivalent amount of fibers, this set-up is designed to produce an even web with significant bulkiness and an excellent MD:CD ratio without impacting the production capacity.

Maximizing performance by minimizing the raw material input and the amount of waste produced is a real driver of cost optimization. This is why ANDRITZ has created and integrated a solution that allows nonwovens producers to retrieve the wasted edges of their spunlace fabric and re-use it as recycled fibers. As a result, roll-good producers can even obtain the same web characteristics as when using virgin fibers, and most importantly, the exact same quality.

ANDRITZ also offers – under the brand Metris – ANDRITZ digital solutions – a variety of several service apps for optimum customer benefit. The Metris Cost Management app is used to track raw material consumption. It is an advanced system aimed at monitoring fiber consumption and allowing in-depth diagnoses to investigate raw material losses and savings grouped by different process areas. Thanks to this Metris application, ANDRITZ customers are able to optimize their system’s consumption of raw materials.

All these innovations are available in ANDRITZ’s technical centers, where ANDRITZ process experts will be glad to welcome customers in order to discuss and define their product expectations.

Oerlikon signs agreement to acquire INglass, a global leader in high precision polymer flow control equipment, to accelerate expansion strategy in polymer processing market

• INglass and its HRSflow Division is a market leader spezialized in hot runner sytems
• Technology is highly complementary to Oerlikon’s existing capabilities in polymer flow control and will expand Oerlikon’s market access
• Acquisition accelerates Oerlikon’s strategy in diversifying its manmade fibers business to expand into the high-growth polymer processing solution market
• Oerlikon renames ‘Manmade Fibers’ Division to ‘Polymer Processing Solutions’
• Acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021

Oerlikon, a leading provider of surface engineering, polymer processing and additive manufacturing, announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Italy-headquartered INglass S.p.A. and its innovative hot runner systems technology operating under its market-leading HRSflow business.

The strategic acquisition is a significant step in expanding Oerlikon’s current manmade fibers business into the larger polymer processing market. The acquisition accelerates and enhances existing organic initiatives to diversify and strengthen the company’s core high-precision polymer flow control capabilities, products and services. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected by the second quarter of 2021.

To reflect Oerlikon’s expansion into a larger high-growth market, the Manmade Fibers Division will be renamed as Polymer Processing Solutions Division. This division will have two business units: Flow Control Solutions and Manmade Fibers Solutions. The busines unit Flow Control Solutions will combine the expertise of Oerlikon Barmag’s existing gear metering pumps business line and INglass’ HRSflow operations. The business unit Manmade Fibers Solutions will continue to focus on growing the existing chemical fiber machinery and plant engineering business, offering plant solutions for the production of polyester, polypropylene and polyamide.

“Our new Polymer Processing Solutions Division and the acquisition of INglass S.p.A. and its HRSflow business are critical components of Oerlikon Group’s growth strategy. We are accelerating our efforts to drive sustainable organic and inorganic growth in all of our businesses. The acquisition enables new synergy opportunities between both Oerlikon divisions in specific end markets such as automotive. With INglass and its HRSflow operations, we acquire leading suppliers in their markets with proven success of their technologies and services,” said Dr. Roland Fischer, CEO Oerlikon Group.

“We firmly believe that within the Oerlikon Group we can further exploit the potential of our hot runner systems technology and, when combined with the capabilities of Oerlikon Barmag gear metering pumps and their melt distribution engineering competence, will position our business as one of the leading precision flow control specialists for multiple applications in a global growth market”, said Antonio Bortuzzo, CEO of INglass S.p.A.

New business unit offers great growth potential

The Oerlikon Barmag competence brand already offers high precision flow control related components, including a large selection of gear metering pumps for textile and non-textile markets. These highly efficient pumps are used in silicone casting, dynamic mixing and oil spraying for the chemical, paint, polymer processing and automotive industries. This double-digit million CHF business, which has grown in recent years, will be merged with INglass’ HRSflow hot runner technologies under the new business unit Flow Control Solutions. HRSflow’s excellent market access to many OEMs in and outside the automotive industry brings significant growth opportunities.

INglass is a leader in automotive and expanding in other sectors

INglass S.p.A. is an internationally operating successful company established in 1987. Its product portfolio includes hot runners as well as engineering and consultancy services for the advanced development of polymer processing products. INglass’ HRSflow hot runner systems are applied in multiple industries from automotive, consumer goods and household appliances to packaging, waste management, construction and transportation.

INglass is headquartered in San Polo di Piave, Italy, near Venice. 2020 revenues of INglass were approximately CHF 135 million and the acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to Oerlikon’s margins and cash flows. INglass has more than 1 000 employees and 55 sites worldwide, including production plants in Italy, China and the US. Among these sites are INglass’ newly renovated headquarters and production at its primary location in San Polo di Piave near Venice, Italy. The investment modernized the facilities with automated production, underlining the company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment. The other two modern production sites are in Zhejiang (Hangzhou Province) in China and Michigan (Grand Rapids) in the USA.

Following the integration with Oerlikon Barmag’s gear metering pumps business of about 200 employees in Remscheid, Germany, the new Flow Control Solutions business unit will have round about 1 200 employees.

"We see great potential for growth in our new Flow Control Solutions business unit,” said Georg Stausberg, Polymer Processing Solutions Division CEO and Member of the Executive Committee of the Oerlikon Group. “The businesses form the two core growth pillars and benefit from each other in global market development, in modern and digitized production, and in customer services. We also see potential synergies in R&D by combining existing know-how in the field of polymer processing. New technological solutions between hot runner systems and gear metering pumps are conceivable. We also anticipate collaborating more closely with the Oerlikon Surface Solutions Division, particularly in future mobility applications and functional polymer component solutions for the automotive industry. All in all, we will offer our customers innovative and attractive solutions in the field of polymer processing and high precision flow control components.”

Next steps for further diversification of the division product portfolio are already ongoing

Combining the divisions plant engineering and process know how with expertise on high precision flow control components technologies has a significant impact on product quality in nearly all applications, which opens up a platform for further organic and inorganic growth. "We are closely observing the megatrends in the markets and developing new business models to match. In the area of sustainability, covering topics such as circular economy, the recycling of materials using mechanical and chemical recycling solutions, as well as the handling of new, more environmentally friendly and biodegradable materials, we are on the verge of a breakthrough. We are ready to actively participate in these growth areas,” added Georg Stausberg.

“In realigning the Polymer Processing Solutions Division, Oerlikon will continue to apply our successful recipe of a lean organizational structure to efficiently manage the business. This means clear processes, short decision-making paths and competent teams in a diverse and multicultural organization in which everyone can contribute innovatively to create customer value,” said Georg Stausberg.