From the Sector

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced three recipients for the INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. David Powling, Paul Latten, and Arnold Wilkie are being recognized for their key contributions to the advancement of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

David Powling and Paul Latten will receive their awards at the World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, June 18th beginning at 4:30 pm
Arnold Wilkie will receive his award at the RISE® Conference, October 1st at 4:30 pm.

The Award recipients are:

David Powling
David Powling has worked for Kimberly-Clark Corporation for nearly 25 years and has been a contributor to the Wipes Task Force and Technical Committees at INDA and EDANA for over 15 years. Powling served as Chairman of the INDA Wipes Task Force from 2009-2013. His work on these committees include developing the first and second edition of the Flushability Guidance Document (GD) and he was later instrumental in the roll out of the third and fourth edition GDs. Throughout this time, Powling coordinated activities with Kimberly-Clark Corporation to provide critical supporting data, as these flushability test protocols were developed.

Powling has been actively involved in collection studies where he was key in framing the work packages of those studies, collating and analyzing the data, and drafting reports. These collection studies include: Moraga, CA (advisor); Maine – Part #1 and Part #2 (hands-on); Jacksonville (hands-on); and the Northern and Southern California studies in 2023, which combined, was the largest study to date. Powling led the charge in the California study and was personally involved in identifying 1,745 samples.

Powling has been a key technical contributor to the INDA Government Relation efforts that has resulted in labelling regulations in multiple U.S. states. He has also been an active participant in efforts to develop an ISO standard for flushable products.  In this effort, he was a test method sub-team leader during the preparation of the proposed ISO standard responsible for organizing appendices of existing flushability methodologies. Additionally, Powling has been awarded, or has pending, 25+ U.S. patents, including many covering the development of dispersible wet wipes.

Paul Latten
Paul Latten has been an active member of the nonwoven and fiber industries for over 35 years. Most recently he has led innovation at Southeast Nonwovens, commercializing more than 75 new nonwoven products per year. Prior to joining Southeast Nonwovens, Latten held senior leadership positions with Basofil, Consolidated Fibers, Invista, and KoSa (and Trevira and Hoechst Celanese precursors to KoSa.)

Latten has a successful career of reinvigorating company R&D efforts by instilling a focus on customer-centric innovation. He is an inventor of record for a number of patents and pending applications. Latten has given numerous presentations on innovative nonwoven materials, at events such as INDA’s World of Wipes® (WOW) International Conference, RISE® (Research, Innovation & Science for Engineered Fabrics), the VISION International Conference, and the Converting and Bonding (CAB) Conference.

His recent innovations have been diverse in scope and include nonwovens for use in hydrogen fuel cells, moisture detection media, proprietary wipe designs, and natural fiber-based packaging. Aside from new fiber and nonwoven products, Latten has championed process innovation that has resulted in tangible output gains that broadened the market opportunity for his current and prior companies.

Latten’s portfolio of innovations has spanned across the nonwoven markets, often involving wetlaid and drylaid nonwovens. These include materials for moisture detection, synthetic papers, fuel cell cathodes, protective covers for treats, melamine nonwovens for surface treatment, and the development of binder fibers. His work also touched upon disposable hygiene applications entailing dry-laid web containing hollow synthetic fibers to improve absorbent core fluid uptake.

Latten has been a board member of INDA for multiple terms and served as Chairman in 2008-2010. Additionally, he has contributed to many INDA conference planning committees, helping drive the success of these events.

Arnold Wilkie
Arnold Wilkie has a distinguished career in advancing yarn, fiber, and nonwoven technologies since 1970. Since 1988, he has been President and Owner of Hills, Inc. where he has sustained their innovative culture. Wilkie has over 40 patents and applications covering yarns, bicomponent fibers, ultra-fine fibers, nanofibers, dissolvable filaments, meltblown nonwovens, and polymer processing innovations. He established Hills as a leading innovator in bicomponent fiber nonwovens and in the equipment to produce these materials. During Wilkie’s time leading Hills, their pilot capabilities have become well-known and highly regarded for enabling material innovations.

Many of his patents pertain to the development of equipment solutions that enable the production of complex bi- and multi-component fiber structures. These solutions include the method of forming a continuous filament spun-laid web, the method and apparatus for producing polymer fibers and fabrics including multiple polymer components, the method and apparatus for controlling airflow in a fiber extrusion system, and controlling the dissolution of dissolvable polymer components in plural component fibers.

Arnold Wilkie, President, Hills, Inc., earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from the University of West Florida. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in Florida, and has been engaged in the synthetic fibers industry since 1970. The first 17 years were with the Monsanto Company, where he held positions in Fiber Process Engineering, Fiber Product R&D, and Product Management. Since 1988, he has been a majority Owner and President of Hills, Inc., a 52-year-old company located in West Melbourne, Florida, specializing in the development, manufacture, and supply of advanced custom fiber extrusion equipment. Wilkie has been involved with and supported The Nonwovens Institute, since its founding in 1991 as the Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC), with Hills joining as a Member in 2001

NDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced four recipients for the Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Awards. Jan O’Regan, Seshadri Ramkumar, Jim Robinson, and Ed Thomas are being recognized for their key contributions to the growth of the nonwovens industry and INDA.

Jan O’Regan: INDA Lifetime Service Award
Jan O’Regan was the Director, Strategic Initiatives and Nonwovens Marketing, for Cotton Incorporated and retired in 2022. In this capacity, she uncovered new opportunities for cotton to bring value into the nonwovens industry. Her work included leading efforts in strategic planning, technical and market project management, and sharing new ideas and results with the global supply chain.
O’Regan spent over four decades in the nonwovens industry in various roles, including sales, marketing, strategic planning and business management. Market responsibilities included consumer and industrial markets on regional, national, and global teams. Over the most recent years, she applied these broad experiences to new markets for cotton in nontraditional applications.
Serving and volunteering with INDA for decades, O’Regan most recently chaired the World of Wipes® committee, which she efficiently organized to produce innovative conferences for the wipes industry.  She was a frequent speaker at INDA, INSIGHT, EDANA, and other events, and for nearly two decades was a go to source of information for cotton fibers in nonwovens and hygiene. O’Regan earned a BS in Textiles and Business, summa cum laude, from Penn State University and an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

Seshadri Ramkumar: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Seshadri Ramkumar has over twenty-five years of experience within the technical nonwovens space, conducting industry leading research and educating nonwovens professionals at Texas Tech University (TTU).  At TTU, he established the Nonwovens Laboratory. Many of Ramkumar’s students have gone on to become technical leaders within their organizations and the nonwovens industry.
Ramkumar has numerous patent and invention disclosures, including Fibertect® toxic chemical decontamination wipes which have been recognized by the American Chemical Society as a notable success of federally supported innovation, endorsed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and adopted by multiple branches of the military.
In addition to many peer-reviewed publications, articles, and columns collectively over 500, including one on nanofibers that has been cited over 2,100 times, Ramkumar has contributed his expertise on the editorial boards of multiple fiber, nonwoven, and textile journals. Ramkumar has also organized conferences for nonwovens and textiles and actively promoted INDA and its technical training offerings for over 20 years.
He is a longtime member of the INDA Technical Advisory Board, been recognized by TAPPI, Society of Dyers and Colorists (UK), the Textile Institute (UK), and the Textile Association (INDIA), and received numerous awards from TTU.
Ramkumar holds a Bachelors of Technology (Textiles), Graduated with Distinction, and a Masters of Technology (Textiles), University First Rank in the Discipline, Anna University, and a Ph.D. (Textile Materials) from the University of Leeds, UK.

Jim Robinson: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Jim Robinson has 33 years in the absorbent hygiene industry, including 28 years as a Technical Service Manager at BASF. He led technical teams that focused on the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in hygiene products. Robinson has extensive knowledge of SAP applications, absorbent core formation, and hygiene article design, performance and testing. While with BASF, Robinson led efforts with multiple external companies to provide co-supplier solutions to hygiene converters.
Robinson’s extensive understanding of test methods and test method development led to his coordinating the establishment of fitness for use standards of adult incontinent products with the National Association for Continence and involvement in development and review of absorbent product test methods with INDA/EDANA. He is also an active contributor to INDA’s Technical Advisory Board and Hygienix organizing committee and was a contributing developer in establishing the INDA Absorbent Hygiene Training Course. Robinson has provided numerous presentations at INSIGHT, Hygienix, and RISE on performance and interactions of absorbent system components.
Recently, Robinson has been consulting and contributing to the success of multiple start-ups including those having been nominated for INDA product awards. Robinson has a BS in Chemistry from Hampden-Sydney College and an MS in Chemistry from Duke University.

Ed Thomas: INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award
Ed Thomas retired after 39 years, with 32 years in the nonwovens industry, and has remained active teaching the Intermediate Nonwovens Training Course for INDA and The Nonwovens Institute at North Carolina State University, as well as providing consulting services to the industry.
Thomas’ experience includes Process Engineering Manager and Plant Management, DuPont; Technical Director, Reemay; VP of Research and Operations, VP of Operations and Technology, and Global VP of Research and Development for Fiberweb/BBA Nonwovens; and Head of Research and Product Development, First Quality Nonwovens.
Thomas holds 10 U.S. nonwoven patents and he and his teams have been awarded more than 250 patents for numerous and diverse innovations that have played significant roles in the success of the nonwovens industry. These include applications for the global hygiene market, industrial nonwovens, and filtration media.
During his career, Thomas has presented several keynote addresses and papers to industry conferences, participated in North Carolina State University’s Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center (NCRC) prior to it becoming The Nonwovens Institute (NWI), INDA’s Technical Advisory Board, INDA’s Sustainability Committee, and was Vice Chair of NWI’s Industrial Advisory Board prior to retirement and remains an Emeritus member.
Thomas received his mechanical engineering degree from SUNY Buffalo.

• Experienced nonwovens professional with extensive hygiene, food, medical, and packaging background will strengthen INDA’s key member service areas

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced the appointment of Matt O’Sickey, Ph.D., as its new Director of Education & Technical Affairs. An accomplished market development, technology and product management executive, O’Sickey has more than 20 years of experience with Tredegar Film Products in the absorbent hygiene, food, and medical sectors.

Most recently, he held Director positions at RKW-North America in the areas of research and development, product design, application engineering, site operations, quality, and technology with a focus on breathable, and lamination films for controlled atmosphere packaging.

At INDA, O’Sickey will direct and expand workforce development programs for all industry members, manage the international harmonized standards activities, and play a leadership role in INDA’s product stewardship working groups and conference content development committees.  

O’Sickey has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Engineering Administration, both from Virginia Tech as well as a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University. He holds three U.S. patents. He will operate out of INDA’s offices in Cary, NC.

O’Sickey succeeds Chris Plotz who left INDA to pursue other interests. 

• Diplome und Preise für Design-, Film- und Kunst-Absolventinnen

Am 3. Juli 2021 erhielten 203 Absolventinnen und Absolventen ihre Bachelor- oder Masterdiplome in den Bereichen Design, Film und Kunst. Elf Abschlussarbeiten wurden prämiert: von experimentellen Bauanleitungen für Kassettengeräte über künstlerisch verarbeitete Geschichten von Frauen, denen das Schwimmenlernen verwehrt wurde, bis zu surrealistischen Comics über desillusionierte Gurus.

In diesem Jahr haben 170 Absolventinnen und Absolventen ein Bachelordiplom erhalten in den Bereichen Animation, Video, Camera Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration (Fiction und Nonfiction), Objektdesign, Textildesign, Kunst & Vermittlung, XS Schmuck, Design Management, Inter-national sowie Digital Ideation (gemeinsames Angebot mit dem Departement Informatik). 33 Studierende schlossen ein Masterstudium in Design, Film oder Kunst ab. Die Diplomfeier fand im Rahmen der Werkschau Design & Kunst 2021 statt. Dabei wurden Förderpreise für elf herausragende Abschlussarbeiten vergeben:

Der Förderpreis Master of Arts in Design ging an Alexandra Gurtner aus Rotkreuz ZG für ihre Arbeit «(in)visible mind – Psychische Gesundheit an der Hochschule». Gurtner kreierte ein Arbeitstool, das Hochschulen helfen soll, die psychische Gesundheit von Studierenden ganzheitlich und effektiv zu adressieren. Basis dafür war eine Untersuchung der Angebote und Maßnahmen an der Hochschule Luzern und Feedbacks von betroffenen Studierenden. Der Förderpreis ist mit 5’000 Franken dotiert. Er wird gemeinsam von den beiden Vereinen «Luzern Design» und «Swiss Design Transfer» sowie der Hochschule Luzern vergeben.

Der ebenfalls mit 5’000 Franken dotierte Preis der Max von Moos-Stiftung geht an Sebastian Haas, Absolvent des Master Kunst aus Köniz BE, für seine Werkserie «Das sich bildende Dritte».
Die von Haas mit der Technik der Hinterglasmalerei bemalten und durch Hitze verformten Glasscheiben spiegeln so stark, dass sich die Betrachterinnen und Betrachter selbst als amorphe Figur darin erkennen können. Ändert man den Blickwinkel, entstehen stets neue situative und virtuelle Bilder, die das rätselhafte Dritte darstellen.

Die zeugindesign-Stiftung zur Förderung der visuellen Gestaltung verlieh fünf mit je 4’000 Franken dotierte Förderpreise an:

• Petra Baumann, Absolventin Bachelor Illustration Nonfiction aus St. Gallen. Sie kreierte für ihre Diplomarbeit «Von Bryum bis Sphagnum» eine Website über die wundersame und vielfältige Welt der Moose im Botanischen Garten St. Gallen.
• -Sandro Ramseier, Absolvent Bachelor Illustration Fiction aus Interlaken BE. Sein surrealistisches Comicprojekt «Shantiland» handelt von den Sehnsüchten eines desillusionierten Nachwuchsgurus in einer Welt zwischen Yogamatten, Räucherstäbchen, Nihilismus, Transzendenz und Ausverkauf.
• Jonathan Müller, Absolvent Master Film aus Rehetobel AR. In seinem Abschlussfilm «Eduardo Spelterini» erforscht er das Leben des Schweizer Luftfahrtpioniers, Opernsängersund Lebemanns, der mit einem Ballon die Alpen überquerte. Müller kombinierte für seinen Film Bewegtbild-Sequenzen mit Archivfotos.
• Dan Wenger, Absolvent Bachelor Animation aus Basel. Der Film «Screen Time» beginnt harmlos: Ein Daumen berührt den Bildschirm eines Smartphones. Was als unschuldiger Zeitvertreib beginnt, entwickelt sich zu einem Dauerkonsum, angetrieben von unaufhörlichen Wisch-und-weg-Bewegungen…-Yvee Nogara, Absolventin Bachelor Textildesign aus Zürich. Sie wirft in ihrer Abschlussarbeit «TYvee Shopping» einen satirischen Blick auf den Konsumwahn. Ihre aus gebrauchten Stoffen und Restmaterialien hergestellten textilen Objekte bietet Nogara in einer medialen Inszenierung an, die mit ihrer übertriebenen Ästhetik an die Teleshopping-Sendungen der 90er-Jahre erinnert.

Der mit 3’000 Franken dotierte Preis der Stiftung Alan C. Harris und Else Harris geb. Treumann wird an eine Absolventin oder einen Absolventen des Master Kunst verliehen. Er geht heuer an Anđela Rončević. Die gebürtige Kroatin hat im leeren Schwimmbecken des Kulturlokals Neubad Luzern die audiovisuelle Installation «I Will Swim» eingerichtet. Besucherinnen und Besucher hören darin die mit Wassergeräuschen unterlegten Geschichten von 20 Frauen aus verschiedenen Ländern, die nicht schwimmen können. Rončević untersucht mit ihrem Werk, wieso das Recht, schwimmen zu lernen, weltweit immer noch zahlreichen Frauen vorenthalten wird.

Der Förderpreis Design & Kunst/Alumni Hochschule Luzern in Höhe von 2’021 Franken – die Preissumme ergibt sich aus der aktuellen Jahreszahl – geht an Jost Zeindler aus Bern für seine Abschlussarbeit «Tape Tech» im Bachelor Illustration Nonfiction. Zeindler untersuchte darin, was es braucht, um eine gute Bedienungs- oder Bauanleitung zu gestalten. Er goss die so gewonnenen Erkenntnisse in ein Magazin für experimentelle Audio-Elektronik, in dem er diverse Anleitungen für Kassettengeräte visualisierte.

Der Preis der Swiss Design Association (SDA) honoriert hervorragende Diplomandinnen und Diplomanden der SDA-Partnerhochschulen. Die Preissumme beträgt 500 Franken sowie eine dreijährige Jungmitgliedschaft bei der SDA. Der Award geht an Martina Häusermann aus St. Gallen. Die Absolventin des Bachelor Objektdesign entwickelte für ihre Abschlussarbeit «Pressed Motion» bewegliche Aufsätze in der maschinellen Keramikextrusion, also der Produktion kontinuierlicher Keramikstränge. Diese eröffnen dank dynamischen Strukturen, Formübergängen und Durchdringungen neue Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten im Kunsthandwerk oder in der Architektur.

Die Auszeichnung Chapeau! Preis für Theorie BA-/MA-Arbeit ist mit je 500 Franken für herausragende theoretische Bachelor-, respektive Masterarbeiten dotiert:
-Den Preis für die beste Masterarbeit erhielt Sebastian Haas für seine Untersuchung zu spiegelnden Erscheinungen im Bildraum. Haas ist auch Träger des Max von Moos-Preises (siehe oben).
-Sophie Germanier aus Zürich erhielt den Preis für die beste Bachelorarbeit für «Welcome tomy MUD-dy World». Der Audioguide der Absolventin des Bachelor Kunst & Vermittlung führt in eine schlammige, von fressenden und defäkierenden Würmern bewohnte Welt. Der Guide und weitere Abschlussarbeiten des Bachelor Kunst & Vermittlung Luzern werden in der Ausstellung «Connection Requested» (18.–29. Juli 2021) im Kunstpavillon Luzern gezeigt.

Alle Arbeiten sind auf der Plattform wwwerkschau zu sehen.

With the pollen season starting, new independent test results by the German external laboratory BMA-Labor have shown Purissimo’s™ effectiveness against pollen, making it an all-in-one solution for reducing allergens.

Devan’s allergen control technology, known as Purissimo™, has been found effective against allergens from pollen. The technology had already been proven to significantly reduce the amount of allergens from house dust mites and pets (cats & dogs).

“Allergens are small protein molecules, which can cause allergic reactions and asthma. All allergy sufferers are different when it comes to their sensitivity to allergens”, says Sofie Depluverez, PhD researcher at Devan. “However, few people are only allergic to a single allergen – and the effects of multiple allergens can add up. The key to reducing and even eliminating symptoms is to reduce your exposure to the allergens themselves.”

Allergy threshold
When people move into a house or bring in a new dog, the number of allergens starts to rise. In the beginning there are little to none, so the allergy threshold causing symptoms is far from being reached. Nobody is suffering any reaction at this stage.

“As time goes by, the various allergens start to build up inside the house, certainly when ventilation is limited”, Depluverez continues. “As the allergen concentration increases (especially in combination with seasonal allergens such as pollen), the allergy threshold may be reached if no allergen reduction measures are in place.”

Purissimo™
Purissimo™ is a natural allergen control technology that significantly reduces allergens from pet dander, dust mites and pollen in textiles throughout the home. The technology is based on encapsulated probiotics, which are naturally occurring microorganisms similar in kind to those you can find in probiotic yogurt, tempeh, kombucha.

Inactive probiotics (spores) are encapsulated and integrated onto the textiles. Friction opens the microcapsules and releases the spores. The spores absorb humidity and self-activate. They are transformed into probiotic bacteria that start to consume the allergens.

“As the probiotics consume the allergens, exposure is gradually reduced to below threshold levels”, Depluverez adds. “Therefore, individuals with respiratory allergies will be exposed to fewer ‘attacks’ and perceive a better well-being.”

• Schleswig-Holstein Minister President visits Neumünster, Germany

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for protective masks and apparel has resulted in a record number of new orders in the high double-digit millions of euros at the Oerlikon Nonwoven business unit of the Swiss Oerlikon Group. From the manufacturing site in Neumünster, Germany, the high-tech meltblown systems – with their patented ecuTE+ nonwovens electro-charging technology – are meanwhile be exported all over the world. For the very first time, a contract has now been signed with a business in Australia. Today, Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther was won over on site by the technology of a ‘global player’. Rainer Straub, Head of Oerlikon Nonwoven, was thrilled, stating: “The machines and systems for manufacturing manmade fiber and nonwovens solutions from Neumünster enjoy an outstanding reputation throughout the world. It is especially in this crisis that the technology from Schleswig-Holstein has proven itself to be absolutely world-class.”

In addition to a tour of the meltblown system and its assembly and production facilities, the visit by Minister President Daniel Günther had one purpose above all: the dialog between politicians and business. Rainer Straub, Head of Oerlikon Nonwoven, and Matthias Pilz, Head of Oerlikon Neumag, jointly expressed their thanks for the support that Oerlikon has repeatedly had the fortune to experience over the past months and years in Schleswig-Holstein and looked to the future full of hope. “As a result of our additional investment at the site here in Neumünster – be this in our new technology center that will be completed by the end of this year or in our new logistics center that is already operating – we, as one of the region’s largest employers, are continuing to move forward, supported by a State Government that is also focusing on both promoting industry and business and on advancing an efficient training and educational system, as innovation is only possible with outstanding engineers”, stated Matthias Pilz. And Rainer Straub directed his appeal specifically at the Minister President: “Treat education and training as a priority. Ultimately, they will secure the future of Schleswig-Holstein as a center of excellence and manufacturing!”

Five-million-euro digitalization program

Daniel Günther, the incumbent Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein since 2017, immediately responded, making reference to one of the Federal State’s current training initiatives: “The State Government is supporting higher education institutions and students in the present coronavirus crisis. With a five-million-euro digitalization program, we are investing on the long-term digitalization of our higher education institutions. With this, we are overall creating a future for young people, particularly also for those who could very well go on to invent the next generation of manmade fiber systems.” And the Minister President was just as impressed by the willingness and readiness with which Oerlikon has been providing high-level support since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to master the present challenges as he was with the company’s meltblown technology itself. Rainer Straub explained: “When, at the beginning of the pandemic in February, demand for protective face masks increased rapidly, we at Oerlikon Nonwoven responded immediately. We ramped up all the available production capacities here in Neumünster in order to quickly manufacture nonwovens for producing face masks using our laboratory systems. As a result, we have been able to make a small, regional contribution to covering demand. In parallel, we have pulled out all the stops in order to systematically further expand our skills as machine and system builders so as to cater to the initially expected, and now also continuing, global demand for meltblown systems as quickly as possible.”

Leading meltblown technology

The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown technology – with which nonwovens for protective masks can also be manufactured, among other things – is recognized by the market as being the technically most efficient method for producing highly-separating filter media made from plastic fibers. The capacities for respiratory masks available in Europe to date are predominantly manufactured on Oerlikon Nonwoven systems. “Ever more manufacturers in the most diverse countries are hoping to become independent of imports. Therefore, what we are experiencing in Germany is also happening in both industrialized and emerging countries throughout the world”, commented Rainer Straub. In addition to China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Austria and numerous countries in both North and South America, Australia and not least Germany will for the first time also be among the countries to which Oerlikon Nonwoven will be delivering machines and equipment before the end of 2021.