From the Sector

Claudia Güntert has been appointed Head of Corporate Communications at Autoneum as of November 1, 2021. She succeeds the Corporate Communications Head, Dr. Anahid Rickmann, who will be leaving the company per end of August 2021.

Claudia Güntert studied Jurisprudence at the University of Basel, Switzerland, as well as German and Eastern European Literature at the Universities of Basel and Zurich, Switzerland.

From 2008 to 2013, she was Marketing & Product Communications Manager at Von Roll Management AG in Wädenswil, Switzerland. She thereby gained broad experience in marketing and customer communications in the industry and a deep understanding of the industrial relations between suppliers and their customers. From 2013 until 2021, she was Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations at Von Roll Holding AG in Wädenswil and Breitenbach, Switzerland. In this leading position, she expanded her expertise in internal and external communication with a focus on company vision and strategy, branding, global change management, and social media presence. Claudia Güntert will report to Matthias Holzammer, CEO.

Dr. Anahid Rickmann leaves Autoneum at the end of August at her own request. After almost nine years of service, she has decided to take on a new professional challenge. Anahid Rickmann strategically realigned the Company's communications after it became independent in 2011 and significantly shaped Autoneum's external perception and reputation. Her particular achievements include the measurable success of external communications, brand positioning and the launch of Autoneum's corporate responsibility strategy. CEO Matthias Holzammer and the Board of Directors would like to thank Anahid Rickmann sincerely for her successful, always dedicated and loyal service to Autoneum and wish her the best for her personal and professional future.

For September and October 2021, Luzia Schoeck, Communications Manager, will act as interim Head of Corporate Communications.

Swiss dairy company Emmi is partnering with Borealis and Greiner Packaging to produce iced coffed drinking cups using chemically recycled polypropylene.

The cups are produced by Greiner Packaging and the chemically recycled material comes from Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions based in Vienna, Austria.

Emmi, Switzerland’s largest milk processor is committed to climate protection and the circular economy. The dairy company has the stated goal to make all of its packaging 100% recyclable and is committed to various measures to promote circularity such as packaging that contains at least 30% recyclate by 2027.

From September 2021 Emmi will use at least 100 tonnes of plastic based on the recycled material each year. Chemical recycling renews plastic back to plastic creating recycled materials with a level of purity equivalent to fossil-fuel based PP and hence, fit for protective, food-safe and other demanding applications. In this way, Emmi is utilizing difficult to recycle feedstock preventing plastic waste that would be likely landfilled or incinerated. In the future, depending on the availability of suitable material, the amount of recycled plastic in packaging is to be further increased.

The new technology to recover the polypropylene is currently still in its infancy, where Greiner Packaging and Borealis are leading the way. Only limited quantities of chemically recycled polypropylene are currently available, and Emmi is one of only a few food manufacturers to have secured a share of the chemically recycled polypropylene plastic through its early commitment and long-standing collaboration with the development companies.

The chemically recycled material used for the cups consists entirely and solely of ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) material, on a mass balance basis. Mass balance is a methodology that makes it possible to track the amount and sustainability characteristics of circular and/or bio-based content in the value chain and through each step of the process. This provides transparency ultimately also to the consumers, enabling them to know that the product they are buying is based on this renewable material.

• Call for Papers and Posters

More than 200 leading international experts in Carbon Capture and Carbon Utilisation (Power-to-X) together with 20 exhibitors are expected to attend the hybrid event on 23–24 March 2022, in Cologne, Germany

Main topics of the conference are strategy & policy in CCU, renewable energy and green hydrogen production, carbon capture technologies, CO₂-based fuels for transport and aviation, CO₂-based building blocks, bulk and fine chemicals as well as advanced CCU technologies.

Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is one essential pillar for the supply of renewable carbon besides biomass utilisation and recycling. The transition to the direct use of CO₂ as one alternative carbon source is needed as a key element to substitute fossil sources, to fight climate change and to shift towards sustainable and climate-friendly production and consumption. For providing the full benefits of CCU technologies the use of renewable energy is indispensable.

Especially the supply of green hydrogen is crucial for the production of CO2-based fuels for transportation and aviation as well as for bulk and fine chemicals.

The “Conference on CO₂-based Fuels and Chemicals 2022”, 23–24 March 2022, Cologne, Germany. As a hybrid conference it combines a “live” in-person event with a “virtual” online component, www.co2-chemistry.eu.

Jason Kent has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the BTMA Group, which also includes subsidiaries nw texnet and The Textile Recorder (Machinery & Accessories) Exhibitions Ltd (TREX), effective from Monday 23rd August 2021.

Jason has been a non-executive member of the BTMA board for over eight years and brings a wealth of experience with him, having spent 35 years working in the carpet tufting machinery industry.

As a time-served mechanical technician engineer, he ascended through a series of positions of greater responsibility with Cobble Blackburn until its acquisition in 2013 by the Vandewiele Group, where he undertook the role of Managing Director for the tufting machinery business.

He also studied part-time for his MBA back in 2011 and is also a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

“I am very privileged to be joining the BTMA,” said Jason Kent. “I believe there are many generational changes ahead that our members must face and the BTMA needs to be ready and capable of supporting such challenges.”

 “As I see it, we have three initial goals in providing better business outcomes for our members through active engagement in addressing industry skills deficits, ensuring we are at the forefront of the industrial digitalisation revolution, and leveraging opportunities brought about through innovation and the associated global focus on sustainability.”
Founded in 1940, the British Textile Machinery Association actively promotes British textile machinery manufacturers and their products to the world. The non-profit organisation acts as a bridge between its members and the increasingly diverse industries within the textile manufacturing sector.

• Circular economy at Kelheim Fibres: Examples of innovation from raw material, product design and all the way to “end of life”

Kelheim Fibres, the world's first viscose fibre manufacturer with an EMAS-certified environmental management system, is continuously working on optimising its special fibres. These can be functionalised as needed - in many cases to save further processing steps (such as dyeing or coating) and thus energy, water and chemicals - and are completely biodegradable at the end of their product life in a short time (according to OECD Test 301 B).

Currently, the specialists in Kelheim are working on the development of alternative raw materials for the production of viscose fibres, such as recycled cellulose as well as other cellulose-containing starting materials. One approach to closing the product cycle in the textile sector is the use of pulp produced from recycled post-consumer waste materials.

In production, Kelheim Fibres focuses on resource conservation by minimising emissions and waste through closed-loop recovery systems, as well as through highly efficient energy generation and the corresponding operation of the plants.

Dr. Roland Scholz, Project Manager Fibre and Application Development at Kelheim Fibres, will present details of this on Wednesday, 15 September, at 5.50 p.m., in Hall B of the 60th Dornbirn GFC WEBINAR WEEK.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Originally conceived as a low-cost, high-volume alternative to knitting and weaving, nonwovens was already expanding its market boundaries by the 1970s with new applications in ‘disposables’ such as diapers, hygiene and teabags.

In the past five decades, the nonwovens business has exploded in all directions, reaching a global market worth USD 40.5 billion in 2020, projected to grow to USD 53.5 billion by 2025. This annual growth rate of 5.7% (MarketsandMarkets, Nonwoven Fabric Market Report) is based on countless new applications and expansion into durable, as well as additional disposable, products.

Major growth drivers include the hygiene sector, and filtration media for power plants and air conditioning systems. Especially during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021, demand in the hygiene sector multiplied. Worldwide capacities for both meltblown and spunlace production rocketed compared to a normal business year. Swiss Autefa Solutions, for example, significantly benefited from this trend, notably with the launch of a fully-automatic machine for producing face masks.

The automotive industry is the second big growth area, with many new applications being pioneered. The trend to electric and hybrid vehicles has helped this, as nonwovens reinforced with carbon fibres are widely used as battery housings.

Swiss nonwovens competence
Innovative applications across all sectors have driven the rapid evolution of sophisticated nonwovens machinery. Today’s trends demand higher productivity, sustainability and Industry 4.0 compatibility – demonstrated by the full equipment portfolio of Swiss Textile Machinery member Autefa Solutions. With V-Jet Futura, the company recently sealed the link in its product range between web forming and drying technology. This latest Hydroentanglement Machine, together with the SQ-V Square Drum Dryer, embodies advanced technology combined with significant reductions in energy consumption compared to other process solutions.

A vital contribution to nonwovens production is offered by Rieter subsidiary Graf, a leading supplier of clothing and combs for carding and combing processes in spinning and nonwovens. Graf's Hipro card clothings – suitable for any man-made fibres in the nonwovens sector – are focussing on higher productivity. Their superior performance delivers up to 10% higher throughput and greater carding efficiency compared to conventional clothings. These reliable card clothing elements also ensure a consistently reproducible high web quality, as well as 20% fewer failures in the web, thanks to the precise fibre transfer to and from the cylinder.

Another constant trend in nonwovens today is the drive for better quality. Manufacturers want to take charge of contamination levels in their processes, as well as eradicating defects which may arise during production. Uster Technologies, a leading provider of quality management solutions from fibre to fabric, offers a combined solution to achieve both these required quality standards. At the fibre preparation stage, Uster Jossi Vision Shield N ensures the best possible initial inspection and removal of contamination. Then, at the end of the production sequence, Uster EVS Fabriq Vision N handles automated detection and marking of all the main defects caused during production. This combined solution avoids material waste and takes full advantage of the potential for process optimization.

Materials science innovation pioneer Hologenix, LLC, whose CELLIANT® infrared technology is an ingredient in brands across many categories, has another important partner, bedding specialist Centa-Star. Based in Stuttgart, Germany and available throughout Europe, Centa-Star has introduced a new line of “Regeneration” duvets and pillows infused with CELLIANT mineralized fibers.  

Regeneration products, thanks to CELLIANT, are thermo-regulating with maximum breathability, promoting stronger performance, faster recovery and better sleep.

CELLIANT thermo-reactive minerals absorb the body heat and convert it into infrared energy, which is reflected back to the body.  The resulting temporary increase in blood flow and local circulation helps regulate body temperature and increases tissue oxygen. This leads to a more restful, restorative sleep as well as faster recovery and stronger performance.

Centa-Star Regeneration products are available online throughout Europe in selected department stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, including KaDeWe Berlin, Betten Rid in Munich, Karstadt or Kaufhof stores, in well-sorted furniture shops, in upscale specialist shops.

As part of Suominen Corporation’s Half-Year Financial Report for January 1 – June 30, 2021 the company shared their insights and actions defined in their sustainability agenda.
A new Code of Conduct was launched in the beginning of 2021 and a mandatory training program about the Code will be start in the third quarter of this year.

Suominen is committed to continuously improving their production efficiency and the efficient utilization of natural resources. What active measures towards reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and waste to landfill are concerned, the commitment is to diminish them by 20% per ton of product by 2025 compared to the base year of 2019.
Offering a comprehensive portfolio of sustainable nonwovens and continuously developing new and innovative solutions with a reduced environmental impact, the target is a 50% increase in sales of sustainable nonwovens by 2025 compared to 2019, and to have at least 10 sustainable product launches per year. During the first half of the year, nine sustainable product launches were made.

OUTLOOK FOR 2021
As announced on August 12, 2021 Suominen expects that its comparable EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) in 2021 will decrease from 2020 due to the slowdown in the demand for nonwovens in the second half of 2021 as well as some continuing volatility in the raw material and transportation markets. In 2020, Suominen’s comparable EBITDA was EUR 60.9 million.

To ensure product protection and prevent brand piracy, GRAFE has developed a simple and elegant solution that also offers a high level of security. The basis is special markers. "The highly complex pigments with special physical properties designed for this purpose are used in minute quantities within the plastic matrix. With an appropriately calibrated detector, products equipped with them can thus be read and authenticated," explains Business Development Manager Florian Ludwig. At the same time no changes in properties can usually be observed. The detectors can use an LED display to check within seconds whether the unique marker is contained in the product and whether this item is the original product.

In general, there are two options: x ray and light fluorescence, i.e. fluorescent X-rays or light. With the first option, the base color has no influence (not even black) and the customer benefits from low addition dosage and batch price, but this method requires higher investment. "With light fluorescence, on the other hand, detection is done by a measuring device, which is preconfigured by our partner or by us directly. Different types are available, from handy hand-held measuring devices to stationary office solutions to inline spectrometers, in order to have a control take place directly during production," Ludwig explains. With this method, the masterbatch dosage is based on the base color, among otherv things. The method of operation is fast and simple, and the necessary investment is also manageable.

From injection molding and extrusion to transparent and fiber applications, almost all areas of plastics processing come into question.

Montalvo, an international specialists in web tension control, will be attending the upcoming ICE Trade Show in Orlando, Florida, on October 19-21, where Montalvo presents its latest products and web control solutions.

Visitors can get hands-on experience with a fully equipped and running machine featuring Montalvo’s industry-leading Load Cells, Controllers, Brakes, and more. At the show, visitors will also have the opportunity to see a full live demo line featuring Montalvo U4 Controller, M4 Tension Indicators, US4 Ultrasonic Sensor, and a V-Brake.