From the Sector

With PicConnect, a new fully digital platform, Picanol is offering a wide range of features, from industrial IoT to service-related applications. PicConnect is a web-based application that can be accessed through a web browser on any device and it functions as the gateway to all Picanol’s digital services. The platform is cloud-based and it allows connecting the Picanol weaving machines to the platform in order to leverage its full extent of possibilities.

“PicConnect enables weavers to quickly react to changes in the weaving room, and it will have an immediate impact on the performance of the weaving machines. It will not only change how weavers interact with their machines but also the way they interact with Picanol. For this reason, Picanol can boldly state that PicConnect is bringing weavers into the era of intuitive weaving,” comments Johan Verstraete, Vice President Weaving Machines.

The first four applications that will be launched as part of PicConnect are: production monitoring, energy monitoring, style administration, and PartsLine, which is Picanol’s new online webshop.

Recycling is the key factor in achieving the EU climate targets. This is shown by the results of the "resources SAVED by recycling" study published today, which Fraunhofer UMSICHT prepared on behalf of the ALBA Group, one of the ten leading recycling companies worldwide. According to the study, 3.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 28.8 million tons of primary resources could be saved in 2020 alone. Further potential could be raised, for example, through minimum quotas for the use of recycled raw materials.

“Fit for 55” thanks to the circular economy: the recycling of raw materials leads to a systematic reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions of our civilisation – and can therefore make a key contribution to achieving the EU climate goals. This is the outcome of the “resources SAVED by recycling” study presented today, which the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT prepared on behalf of the ALBA Group. Thanks to the closed-loop circulation of 4.8 million tonnes of recyclable materials, the ALBA Group succeeded in preventing some 3.5 million tonnes of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions in the year 2020 alone. This amount is equivalent to the emissions from some five million return flights between Frankfurt am Main and Mallorca. At the same time, recycling also secures valuable raw materials for the industry: in 2020, in comparison with primary production, recycling saved 28.8 million tonnes of resources, such as crude oil and iron ore.

“The circular economy is one of the strongest pace-setters on the journey to achieving climate neutrality,” highlights Dr. Axel Schweitzer, CEO of the ALBA Group. “We will only achieve the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent throughout Europe by 2030 if we make consistent use of recycled raw materials.” This includes the area of plastics, for example: compared with primary plastics made from crude oil, the use of high-quality recycled plastics achieves a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of more than 50 per cent. “It is now necessary to lever this potential,” explains Schweitzer. “We are expecting the new Federal Government in Germany to act decisively and push ahead directly with the transition to a circular economy. The environmental benefits of recycling due to its clearly superior CO2 balance should also find reflection in prices. As immediate climate protection measures, clear industry standards for recyclates combined with minimum quotas on the use of recycled raw materials in products and packaging are also urgently necessary. Last but not least, the state sector is also called upon to prioritise resource protection in the area of procurement. Sustainable procurement can ultimately provide a significant boost to the circular economy”.

Plastics, metals, waste electrical (and electronic) equipment, wood, paper, cardboard, cartons or glass: the Fraunhofer UMSICHT has now been researching the specific benefits of recycling for 14 years. Detailed comparisons have also been made of the primary processes and recycling processes for the various material flows. “This means we can precisely quantify the extent to which the recycling activities of the ALBA Group can contribute to reducing the burden on the environment,” explains Dr.-Ing. Markus Hiebel, Director of the Department for Sustainability and Participation at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. Hiebel believes that the greatest savings can be achieved if the entire value chain is aligned consistently with the circular principle: “The transformation towards a genuine circular economy requires completely new thinking. Products should be designed and managed to ensure that they contain recycled raw materials right from the start – which enables them to be recycled appropriately.”

• HIGHER, FASTER, FURTHER ! During the first physical Frankfurt Fashion Week in January 2022, PREMIUM GROUP will show more novelties than ever.

The anticipation is rising! With the actual move to Frankfurt in January 2022, Anita Tillmann, Jörg Arntz and the teams will not only present further developed versions of the PREMIUM and SEEK fashion fairs, but will also celebrate a major B2C festival for the first time with THE GROUND.

More than ever, the Berliners‘ passion for people and fashion, but also for business and trading, is at the heart of all their events. And where better to combine all this than in the power metropolis of Frankfurt am Main.

„No city in Germany - no city in Europe - stands for business relevance and trading power as much as Frankfurt am Main,“ explains Tillmann. „We now have a unique opportunity to actively shape the future together. PREMIUM GROUP provides the industry with the platform, the brands with the creative content. In addition, we do what we do best, introduce the right players to each other and connect them. We bring together the movers and shakers who have the same drive as we do. With this new mix of location, entertainment, creative industry and trading focus, we are creating a unique momentum after the pandemic - January is when the big deals are made and the c ourse is set for the future.“

To achieve this goal, the PREMIUM GROUP teams have also given the proven successful formats PREMIUM and SEEK a new coat of paint. More space, new areas and shorter distances provide visitors with a completely new trade event experience. Trends, brands and events can be discovered together with new and well-known partners - for the first time all in one place!

And PREMIUM, which is already entering its 19th year in January, is also showing a new side in Frankfurt. Instead of being spread out like in Station-Berlin, in Frankfurt all brands show their collections in one big hall. „We are so excited to finally unite all exhibitors in one hall. This way we create a universe with many different worlds - colorful and exciting,“ says Wiebus. „We are in close exchange with all the protagonists throughout the year and continue to develop the concepts together. The entire industry is positive about coming together in Frankfurt. Everyone is keen to experience and create something completely new! We offer the framework for this - that is our strength.“

And the Berliners have another surprise in store for the Frankfurt debut: With THE GROUND, they are organizing a large fashion festival for young end consumers for the first time. Responsible for the event concept, in addition to Tillmann, Arntz and the PREMIUM GROUP- team, is B2C expert Kai Zollhöfer, who already made the Bread & Butter by Zalando a crowd puller. “THE GROUND is a B2C festival aimed at a young, purpose-driven generation. This new generation has a strong stance on current social and environmental challenges and expects brands to reflect them. The overriding themes at THE GROUND are therefore sustainability, diversity and equality”, said Zollhöfer.

The 3-day event offers brands the opportunity to interactively exhibit purpose-driven stories and products. In addition to the thematic focus on fashion, brands from the fields of wellbeing, beauty, mobility and technology will also present innovative products and solutions.

MS Plastic Welders, LLC, a leader in ultrasonic technology, announced today that it has changed its name to MS Ultrasonic Technology, LLC. This aligns the name with the sister companies worldwide as well as with the brand name MS Ultrasonic Technology Group.  

The name change reflects the growth of the company as well as its vision for the future.

COO, Peter Wall said “The new name really speaks to who we are as a company. Considering our current relocation to Howell, MI, it was the perfect opportunity to implement the name change at the same time.”

“We’re very excited about the name change as it fits perfectly with our slogan- We Are Ultrasonics.,” said MS Ultrasonic Technology, LLC CFO, Rouven Muell. “It makes it easier for customers, partners, and candidates to consistently recognize our company within the MS Ultrasonic Technology Group and clearly addresses our focus in Ultrasonics.”

Archroma celebrates 8 years of leading the way to a sustainable world, with innovations and solutions aimed at creating added value sustainable for its partners, consumers and the planet.

Archroma came to life on 1st October 2013 from textile, paper and emulsions businesses acquired from Clariant by SK Capital Partners.
Building on decades of commitment to developing safer eco-friendlier chemistry, Archroma has become in the past 8 years a prominent name for more sustainable colors and performance, collaborating with leading brands such as Primark, G-Star, Patagonia, Esprit and more.

Archroma has introduced innovations, such as the EarthColors® made from non-edible plant waste from the food and herbal industry, Denisol® Pure, an indigo for aniline-free* denim, aniline being a category 2 carcinogen substance, and Smartrepel®, a PFC-free* water repellent solution. The company is also about to launch a new plant-based softener.

The company started to develop holistic solutions designed to bring innovation and performance, whilst reducing the impacts on water, energy and other natural resources. The savings generated by these 70+ system solutions are demonstrated by Archroma's proprietary ONE WAY Impact Calculator, a tool launched in 2012 and continuously upgraded to simulate and optimize the footprint of application processes.

Archroma also recently launched CASUAL X SMART, a sulfur dyeing system for trendy wash-down effects to make clothes that look smart at home and at work. The colors won't fade in the washing cycle, and the application process allows resource savings of up to 33% water, 21% energy and 35% chemical usage compared to a benchmark reactive & pigment garment dyeing.

With ONE WAY, a brand can calculate how much impact their current production and the Archroma Way collection will have on water, energy, chemical, raw material or CO2 footprint.

nova-Institute and YNCORIS together with CO₂ Value Europe are looking forward to applications for the innovation award “Best CO₂ Utilisation 2022”. The award will be granted at the well-established “Conference on CO₂-based Fuels and Chemicals”, 23–24 March 2022 in Cologne.

With the innovation award “Best CO₂ Utilisation 2022” together with YNCORIS and CO₂ Value Europe, the nova-Institute offers innovators in the CCU field the unique opportunity to present and market their carbon capture or carbon utilisation (Power-to-X) technology, CO₂-based fuel or chemical at one of the leading conferences on CO₂ as a raw material. The only requirement for participation in the competition is that the product is already on the market or about to be launched in near future.

• 10–12 May 2022, Cologne, Germany (hybrid)
• The unique concept of presenting all renewable material solutions at one event hits the mark: bio-based, CO2-based and recycled are the only alternatives to fossil-based chemicals and materials

Ready-to-use fossil-free sustainable material solutions with a low carbon footprint are in fast-growing demand. Innovative brand owners are keeping an eye out for such solutions, in particular those that will soon reach the mainstream.

For the second time, nova-Institute presents numerous market highlights from bio- and CO2-based chemicals and materials as well as from chemical recycling: All material solutions based on renewable carbon. Together, there is sufficient potential to completely replace petrochemicals by 2050. To tackle climate change at its roots, all additional fossil carbon from the ground must be substituted with renewable alternatives. Over the course of three days, participants will get a comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the renewable material sector, with a focus on industry-ready solutions from a wide spectrum of sustainable raw materials and technologies.

In 2021, the new concept of the Renewable Materials Conference generated an outstanding response, which exceeded all expectations: 420 online participants witnessed a firework of innovations of non-fossil material. 60 speakers, 11 panel discussions, 500 public posts and 1,500 networking activities were proof of the lively exchange during the three conference days.

In 2022, nova-Institute plans to host the conference physically in the heart of Germany's fourth largest city, Cologne, just a few hours away from France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Expected are 400 participants on-site and many more online. On-site, the conference will be accompanied by a large exhibition where companies and institutes can showcase their recent developments. The supporting program, networking activities and many secluded spots at the location offers excellent opportunities to make new business contacts and refresh old ones.

The focus of the conference: All material solutions based on renewable carbon – avoiding the use of additional fossil carbon. The entire spectrum of renewable materials is covered: bio-based, CO2- based and recycled.

The program includes a diverse range of bio-based materials such as bio-based polymers, plastics and biocomposites (first and second generation, biowaste), CO2-based materials (from fossil and biogenic point sources, atmosphere) as well as mechanically and chemically recycled materials.

The rescheduled Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, now taking place from 9 – 11 October, will once again provide the industry with insight into the future through its fringe programme’s four categories: Design Inspiration, Business O2O, Textiles & Technologies and Industry Empowerment. And with the Online Business Matching sourcing platform returning this edition, buyers worldwide can still participate in the fair.

Each of the fringe programme’s four categories – Design Inspiration, Business O2O (online to offline), Textiles & Technologies and Industry Empowerment – features a mix of conferences, seminars and presentations that reflect the future of the home textile industry. Highlights of each category are included below, while further details can be found on the fair’s website: https://intertextile-shanghai-hometextiles-autumn.hk.messefrankfurt.com/shanghai/en/programme-events.html.

Since 2019, Messe Frankfurt has been working with the Conscious Fashion Campaign and United Nations Office for Partnerships as part of the Texpertise Network and supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The goals will be presented gradually at global textile events in order to highlight the most pressing challenges facing the textile and fashion industry worldwide.

Industry Empowerment: antimicrobial technologies and licensing in the home textile sector

Growing awareness of health and hygiene has increased the demand for antimicrobial and other functional textiles. Seminars hosted by the Chinese Industry Association for Antimicrobial Materials & Products will further discuss the increasing prominence of these textiles, as well as how the adoption of new antimicrobial textile technologies is expected to evolve in the future. In addition, experts will share the new trends of licensing and IP with case studies for the furniture companies and fabric brands.

2022 China Home Textile Trends

The China Home Textiles Trend Area will feature the research of the China Home Textile Association, The Department of Home Textile Trend Research and Promotion and Concept & Style Fashion Project Group Italy who shared their knowledge, inspirations and exchanged their visions of trend evolutions considering consumer demand, retail expertise, the contract market and new technologies.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition 2021 will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition, Yarn Expo Autumn, PH Value and CHIC at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles – Autumn Edition is organised by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd; the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT; and the China Home Textile Association (CHTA).

Hexcel has collaborated with HP Composites S.p.A (HP Composites), a world leader in the production of carbon fiber components for automotive and motorsports, to develop carbon fiber Class A body panels. Hexcel HexPly® XF surfacing technology is being extensively used by the Italian component producer to manufacture external body panels and other components for supercars such as Alfa Romeo’s stunning new supersport sedans, the Giulia GTA, and GTAm.

With five production plants in Italy, HP Composites has built an impressive track record of high-performance composite successes on both road and racetrack. HP has combined this processing expertise with Hexcel HexPly® XF3 surfacing material, HexPly® M47, and HexPly® M49 prepregs, working to the highest standards set by the most prestigious supercar OEMs and leading motorsport teams.

Hexcel’s automotive composites portfolio is the result of decades of industry experience and the creation of strategic partnerships to develop and optimize leading-edge technologies. HexPly XF3 is an epoxy prepreg surface material, developed with processing input from the HP Composites team to address the challenges of producing high-quality Class A automotive body panel surfaces with excellent resistance to aging tests.

Applied as the first ply in the mold and after curing at 120-180˚C in an autoclave, HexPly XF3 produces a smooth part surface with no porosity, that requires minimal preparation for painting.

HexPly XF3 is supplied in an easy-to-handle roll format with good tack and drapability. After curing, it can be easily prepared for painting with a rapid sanding process. HP Composites has incorporated automated robotic sanding techniques for this finishing stage with the paint-ready HexPly XF3 surface providing excellent paint adhesion according to EN ISO 2409.

HP Composites typically uses autoclave processing for HexPly XF3 parts, maximizing weight savings and structural performance of the final components. In addition, HP has also developed its own proprietary press and compression molding processes, including Air Press Moulding® technology, compatible with HexPly XF3 and other HexPly prepregs for higher volume production series that require increased production rates.

“Our long-term experience has given us a detailed understanding of the critical features that influence how prepregs and surfacing technologies interact with different production processes,” said Abramo Levato, General Manager, HP Composites S.p.A. “The relationship we have with Hexcel is both highly technical and highly supportive. As a result we have a complete material package for high-quality Class A body panels that are formulated specifically with our requirements in mind.”

“Combining the expertise of HP with a strong technical interaction and collaborative dialogue, Hexcel and HP were together able to develop the optimum HexPly XF surfacing technology,” said Claude Despierres, VP Sales and Marketing, Hexcel. “With HexPly XF3 we satisfy the toughest industry standards.”

Global energy consumption reached a record high in 2019, following a 40-year trend for rapidly increasing energy demand that was only halted by the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s estimated that more than 80 % of this energy is still generated from fossil fuels that produce CO2 emissions and contribute to climate change. Renewable energy offers a solution to this problem, but saving energy whenever possible is an even more effective approach. That are the motives for Trützschler to develop the intelligent card TC 19i, which sets a new benchmark for energy-efficient carding.

The intelligent Trützschler card TC 19i features the unique T-GO gap optimizer, which continuously and automatically monitors and adjusts the carding gap to an ideal position during production. Innovative drive- and air technology further reduce energy consumption of the TC 19i.

The most energy-intensive elements in a carding machine are the drive, the dust suction process and the compressed air system. Permanent suction is needed to remove dust and cotton waste in key places. Smart optimization of these areas has made the intelligent card TC 19i a benchmark for energy efficiency in carding because it uses less electricity, lower suction pressure and less compressed air than other machines, while providing the highest production rates currently available on the market.

In a head-to-head comparison between the TC 19i and a high-performance card from a competitor, the TC 19i consumed at least 10 % less energy per kilogram of material produced when manufacturing rotor yarn from a cotton and cotton waste mix. The compared energy values included electric power consumption and energy required for suction and compressed air and were measured in both cards at the same production of 180 kg/h. A 10 % reduction in energy per kilogram of sliver produced, as proven here by TC 19i, can have a significant impact on a spinning mill’s profitability; annual savings worth a five-digit sum are frequently possible, depending on factors such as the output of the mill. The customer trial also showed TC 19i’s excellent reliability at the customer’s usual production rate of 180 kg/h, and even demonstrated stable performance at 300 kg/h in the same application. Because the TC 19i with T-GO gap optimizer realizes maximum production rates at no compromise in quality, manufacturers can reduce their energy demand and investment costs drastically: Less machines are needed to achieve the desired output, and energy consumption per production is reduced.

This improvement was made possible by a long and sometimes challenging innovation process involving mathematical models of air flows, as well as flow simulations and prototypes. By combining the final flowoptimized parts in the TC 19i, Trützschler’s experts have developed a card that operates with suction pressure of just -740 Pa and with an air requirement of only 4200 m³/h. This translates into 40 % less energy demand for air technology compared to the latest high-performance competitor model.