From the Sector

INDA, the Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry, announces the publication of a new study, North American Nonwoven Materials Annual Study 2022.

Based on actual surveys and interviews with producers, enhancing the accuracy and relevance, this study tracks machine additions, closures, and productivity improvements. This study is the industry benchmark for capacity and production information for North America and the only publication that provides an estimate of operating rates, based on nameplate machine capacity, through the year 2022. The 72-page study contains 43 figures and 11 tables.

“An element of INDA’s mission is to provide credible statistics to the nonwovens and engineered materials industry,” said Tony Fragnito, INDA President. “Our objective is to continually improve the quality of data and industry information. We feel the industry will greatly benefit from this in-depth resource for strategic planning and investment purposes,” Fragnito added.

The complete study is provided to producers who supplied key metrics. The Executive Summary, an overview of the findings and implications, will be offered to current INDA members on a complimentary basis.

The detailed study is available for purchase, with members receiving a discount.

Findings from this year’s study include:

• North American capacity continues to increase with investments being made across all the processes and for a variety of end-uses. The industry’s nameplate capacity utilization has increased year-over-year, for the fifth consecutive year.
• In 2022, capacity of nonwovens in North America reached 5.565 million tonnes, an increase from the previous year of 2.4% (net growth of 128,700 tonnes) and an improvement over the previous year’s growth rate of 1.8%.
• North American imports, in tonnage, decreased 24.3% in 2022 and exports decreased 16.3% due to market stabilization after COVID. Nonwoven production tends to stay within the region, so the net trade balance (imports less exports) accounted for less than 5.5% of the region’s capacity.

“2022 was a period of economic adjustment and stabilization,” said Mark Snider, Chief Market & Industry Analyst. “We’re seeing a controlled and consistent transition back to pre-pandemic levels of nonwoven growth.”

The shareholders of SGL Carbon SE approved all agenda items at the Annual General Meeting on May 9, 2023. The Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually, was attended by up to 114 electronically connected shareholders who, together with the postal votes submitted, represented 64.64% of the share capital.

CEO Dr. Torsten Derr began his speech with a review of SGL Carbon's two-year transformation phase. "In two years, we have been able to increase our sales by 23.5% and adjusted EBITDA by as much as 86.2%. In parallel, we reduced our debt by 40.4%," Dr. Derr elaborated. He also reported on the past financial year and the expectations for the future economic development of the company. In doing so, he also addressed SGL Carbon's growth markets in detail. "Over the past two years, we have made SGL fit for the future. With our products, we serve industries that significantly reflect the trends for the future: climate-friendly mobility, renewable energies and digitalization," he explained.

After 14 years on the Supervisory Board of SGL Carbon, this was Dr. h.c. Susanne Klatten's last Annual General Meeting as Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board. She had already informed the Company on February 14, 2023, that she would be leaving the Board at the end of this Annual General Meeting. As the largest shareholder, Dr. h.c. Klatten will remain associated with SGL Carbon through SKion GmbH.

As proposed, the Annual General Meeting elected Prof. Dr. Frank Richter as a shareholder representative on the Supervisory Board to succeed Dr. h.c. Susanne Klatten. Following the Annual General Meeting, the constituent meeting of the Supervisory Board elected Prof. Dr. Richter as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Prof. Dr. Richter is Managing Director of SKion GmbH, Bad Homburg, which holds a stake of approximately 28.55% in SGL Carbon SE. Furthermore, Ingeborg Neumann, Managing Partner of Peppermint Holding GmbH, Berlin, was elected to the Supervisory Board of SGL Carbon SE for a further term of office.

The thermal insulation in the product series comfortemp® soft HO 80x from Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg) has achieved Gold status in the Material Health category of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard Version 3.1.

The soft thermal insulation of the HO 80x soft series (HO 803, HO 804, HO 805, HO 806) is made from polyamide 6 wadding and is multiple recyclable in terms of a sustainable circular economy. The wadding is also characterized by high wearing comfort, making it suitable for sustainable applications in the luxury, sportswear and outdoor sectors. Thanks to its construction as roll goods, the wadding does not clump and can endure multiple wash cycles at 40°C.

Certifications by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute are based on testing for hazardous materials in products and processes. Plus, the impact of chemical substances is assessed on the three product life cycle phases: final manufacture, use and end of use. Freudenberg will continue optimizing its products to ensure material safety and quality for future use and cycling.

2^nd Denim Innovation Night presented by Pacific Jeans was held during the 14^th Bangladesh Denim Expo to showcase the innovation in the country’s denim industry.

The show displayed the very latest in sustainably produced and innovative denim products from Pacific Jeans to apparel brands and retailers, embassy representatives, development partners and to the representatives of the industry supply chain.

About 500 invited guests got the opportunity to witness the denim research, design and production innovation provided by the Bangladeshi denim Group highlighting the breadth and depth of denim innovation available in the country – from fibre, through to fabrics, design, manufacture and finishing.

Pacific Jeans Limited manufactures premium jeans in Bangladesh and exports to over 50 countries. With a continuous focus on quality improvement and value addition, adoption of updated denim processing technology, commitment towards safe and sustainable industry, the group has become one of the preferred suppliers to leading global fashion retailers.

The program was inaugurated by Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP; while the Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Bangladesh H.E. Charles Whiteley was the Guest of Honor; President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faruque Hassan and Country Representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Bangladesh Yuji Ando were special guests at the program.

The 1st Denim Innovation Night was presented by Pacific Jeans during the 7th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo in November 2017.

International technology group ANDRITZ has successfully delivered, installed, and commissioned a converting line for manufacturing baby diapers at Naturopera’s new plant in Bully Les Mines, France.

The eXcelle converting line from ANDRITZ Diatec features special technology to produce both traditional and bio-based baby diapers, supporting Naturopera in its efforts to become a leading producer of a new generation of sustainable diapers.

While most diapers available on the market consist of 70% fossil-based plastic, Naturopera is preparing to produce diapers made of 90% bio-based raw materials. This groundbreaking diaper concept was developed in a close collaboration between Naturopera and ANDRITZ. It replaces the traditional spunbond and meltblown nonwoven layers with spunlace nonwovens mostly made of natural fibers. A prototype of the 90% bio-based diaper was recently produced at Bully Les Mines.

The ANDRITZ converting machine operating at Naturopera is highly flexible, taking just a few settings to switch to the production of bio-based diapers. It is designed for a multiple-size process, features an operator-friendly interface, and guarantees a production speed of 800 ppm.

Naturopera is a French company producing baby care, femcare and household products with a strong focus on local production and sustainability.

HeiQ announces that its HeiQ Allergen* Tech has powered the award-winning product, Purotex+ from BekaertDeslee. The innovative solution for mattress ticking won the Interzum Award in the category "High Product Quality", being one of the six prizes given to BekaertDeslee.

Purotex+ powered by HeiQ Allergen* Tech is a solution for reducing exposure to allergens in bedding. The technology uses active probiotics to reduce exposure to allergens, including house dust mite matter, and pet allergens. HeiQ Allergen* Tech has received the Seal of Approval by Allergy UK, and independent testing has shown that it reduces exposure to inanimate allergens by up to 96.6%, making it a highly effective solution for allergy sufferers.

The Interzum Award recognizes exceptional design and innovation in the furniture production industry. Purotex+ was selected for the award from a field of 280 submissions from 25 countries. The jury praised the product's design, innovative features, and its contribution to improving the quality of life for people with allergies.

*Inanimate allergens such as house dust mite matter & pet allergens.

Adient, a leading supplier of automotive seating systems, has achieved full ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) of its foam plants in Lučenec (Slovakia) and Mandling (Austria) for increasing the sustainability of foams produced for its automotive seating systems. The stringent global sustainability certification system of ISCC allows for proven enhanced traceability of circular polyurethane (PU) foams throughout the supply chain.
 
The environmental impact of the newly developed PU formulations and processes of molded foams is improved by the re-integration of waste materials from industrial & natural origins replacing crude oil into the PU raw materials. This reduces the use of fossil-based materials in favor of recycled materials, to foster the development of a circular economy. As a result, the plants can offer foams with up to 20% less CO2 impact while fulfilling the same quality requirements as their conventional equivalents. To date, Adient is the first European ISCC PLUS certified PU foam manufacturer in this field.

Based on a mass balance approach, the certification highlights the need to envi-ronmentally balance every single stage of automotive value creation, including the entire supply chain.

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical producer, was upgraded to "A" from "BBB" in MSCI’s ESG rating, reaffirming the company’s effective management of sustainability related risks and opportunities.

MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International), an independent provider of research-based indices and analytics, ranked Indorama Ventures among the top 14% of 65 companies worldwide in the commodity chemicals industry. The rating has placed it in the top quartile for opportunities in clean tech, water stress, corporate governance, and corporate behavior.

Indorama Ventures is committed to reducing water intensity by 10% by 2025 and 20% by 2030. It developed a Water Risk Assessment Report on its contributions to achieving sustainable management of water targets and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). For improved corporate governance, the company provides whistleblowers with protection from retaliation, and has policies on business ethics and anti-corruption. Relating to opportunities in clean tech, Indorama Ventures’ is investing in recycling technology and biomass feedstock under its Vision 2030, and is also investing in operational efficiencies, carbon capture technology, renewable energy, and phasing out coal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

MSCI ESG Ratings aim to measure a company’s resilience to long-term ESG risks. Companies are scored on an industry-relative AAA-CCC scale across the most relevant key issues based on a company’s business model. Investors, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, and asset managers, commonly consider the ratings to assess financial risks in the investment process.

A total of 20 European fashion and design schools took part in the 2nd “Fashioning Sustainability” competition organized by Freudenberg Performance Materials together with Macpi and Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, two co-branding partners in the textile industry.

Freudenberg invited talented young designers to create and submit their ideas for sustainable clothing. The initiative aims to show that sustainability is a key factor in the fashion industry.

Two of the most innovative outfits from each school were selected for the final round and presented to an international jury at the “Bagni Misteriosi” event location in Milan in May. Fashion design experts and opinion leaders as well as journalists were invited to select the most sustainable designs in the categories of “Technology” and “Design”.

The winners
First place in the “Technology” category went to Judith Marquant while the second to Jagoda Sokolowska, both students of the fashion school Esmod in Paris. Ilaria De Martino, from the fashion institute Modartech, Italy, and Xiaodan Liao from Polimoda, Italy, were awarded first and second place in the “Design” category. The first-place winners received €2,000, while the second places won €1,000.

All participants benefited from the platform to network with leading players in the garment industry and learn more about concrete steps for embracing sustainability. Creating true sustainability in the fashion industry means reducing the material flow of clothing, addressing both sustainable production and consumption.

Members of the Jury:
Cristiano Zanetti, Sales Director Italy, Freudenberg Performance Materials
Maurizio Cazzin, Male Modeller, Maison Giorgio Armani
Riccardo Bullio, Apparel Industrial Division Director, Dolce & Gabbana
Caterina Cuoghi, Industrial Director, Area NYC
Simone Bigi, Style and Product Office Manager FAY line, Gruppo TOD’S
Roberto Cibin, Model and Pattern Development Manager, Caruso
Bruno Landi, Sales Director, Vitale Barberis Canonico
Luisella Allegretti, Pattern Designer Boss MW Business Specialist, Hugo Boss
Eugenio Balordi, Product Manager, Maison Margiela
Ettore Pellegrini, Sales and Marketing Manager, Asahi Kasei Fibers Italia

With regard to current and imminent requirements to strengthen and promote the recycling of garment waste in order to safe valuable textile fibre in the European but also worldwide textile economy DiloGroup announces the start of a close cooperation between Dilo, Germany and the Italian companies Dell’Orco & Villani and TechnoPlants. This cooperation forms a group of expertise to supply complete projects in the area of textile recycling.

Dell’Orco & Villani is a long term highly experienced and innovative specialist in the field of tearing equipment to recycle textile garment clippings. This technology maintains as much as possible the staple length of reopened fibre from yarn in knitted and woven textiles. This special tearing process avoids the downgrading and shortening of the staple.

TechnoPlants is a highly experienced specialist in the field of aerodynamic web forming and through air technology with particular emphasis on reclaimed fibre for various applications as for example in acoustic and thermal insulation, car parts, upholstery and bedding.

DiloGroup with DiloSystems GmbH is a general contractor who is specialized in the area of fibre preparation, carding, cross-lapping and needling who will act as a turnkey general provider of complete projects including Dell’Orco & Villani components to reclaim wasted fibre as well as TechnoPlants components when aerodynamic web forming is included or when carding, cross-lapping is selected together with through-air ovens and end-of-line equipment including packaging from TechnoPlants.

The expertise of the three companies together is a source for the complete know-how in this large area of applications to reuse fibre from textile waste in new nonwoven material.

With the beginning of upcoming ITMA 23, more details of the organizational structure of this cooperation among the three companies will be released and project engineering will be started.