VISIT US AT: TEXTILETECHNOLOGY.NET ISSUE 1 20 23 ENGL ISH D 3 3 3 9 F TECHNICAL FIBERS, TECHNICAL TEXTILES, NONWOVENS IN THIS ISSUE Recycling-News Asahi Kasei Andritz/Renewcell Carbios/Novozymes Lenzing/Renewcell Toray Trevira Fibers & Yarns Recycling of PA 6 Technical Textiles Moss facades PA fiber fabrics for athleisure Textiles for electromagnetic interference shielding Nonwovens Banana fibers and biodegradable PET for nonwovens Can automation be sustainable?
Dr. Heike Illing-Günther Managing Director Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI), Chemnitz/ Germany Energy efficiency at all stages – Coating without drying and without by-products We live in times of dramatically rising energy prices, possible shortage of energy sources and a growing environmental awareness on the part of both entrepreneurs and consumers. Therefore, the trend in the textile industry towards modern, ecological, energy and cost-efficient processes is intensifying at the moment. The proliferation of gas and electricity prices is pushing both companies and citizens to the limit. In companies in the textile industry, the share of energy costs for drying/curing coatings now amounts to far more than 25% in relation to turnover. The pressure towards alternative, energysaving, but also space-saving technologies is correspondingly high. UV curing is a drying technique that is already widely used in the coating, printing and paper industries. The use of UV- curable coatings for application on various materials is an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient alternative to traditional thermal drying or curing processes. The main advantages are the short process time due to fast curing at room temperature (a split second to a few seconds), the low energy and space requirements of the aggregates and the use of water and solvent-free 100% formulations. Energy savings of up to 75% are possible compared to classic thermal curing. However, classic UV mercury medium pressure lamps are still predominantly used as radiation sources in the industries mentioned. In addition to many advantages, this radiation source is also associated with environmental and occupational safety issues, such as the toxicity of the mercury and the ozone forming during operation that affects the climate. UV LED lamps are a modern alternative source of radiation. These emit a narrowband and high-intensity spectrum, exclusively in the UV-A range (315-400 nm). Consequently, neither ozone is formed nor additional IR radiation is emitted, so that work is very gentle on materials. Further advantages are the long service life of the lamps (50,000 h), the infinitely variable dim-ability from 100 to 0% and that the lamps do not require any ramp-up time after switching on. Therefore, fast on-off operations are possible. UV crosslinking is based on photo-initiated radical polymerization. The formulations consist of the active components binder and photo-initiator and optionally reactive diluent and crosslinker. The main properties of the crosslinked product are determined by the basic chemical structure of the binder. Epoxies, polyesters, polyethers, polysiloxanes, polyurethanes and polyacrylates are predominantly used as backbones. At the Saxon Textile Research Institute (STFI), the possible applications of UV crosslinking are being investigated in the areas of textile coating, 3D printing by means of dispensers on textiles and as a matrix material for fiber reinforced composites. In the field of textile coating, various formulations are being developed to create soft, stretchable and flexible layers. Functions such as light fastness, flame retardancy, abrasion resistance, thermal insulation, antimicrobial effect and color/optical effects can be achieved by incorporating special additives. The formulations are applied by knife coating (direct or transfer process), reverse roll coating, spraying or padding. In addition to UV-curable 100% systems, water-based formulations are also used in which drying takes place thermally and crosslinking is UV-induced. The energy savings of the overall process are correspondingly lower, but established, existing technologies and processing lines can be used. Based on the results of full-surface textile coating with UVcrosslinkable formulations, the advantages are combined with those of additive manufacturing (3D printing). In this process, textiles are partially functionalized with dispenser printing and the print is simultaneously crosslinked using UV LED spotlights. The basis is the same formulations as for full-surface coating, but the rheological properties have to be adapted to the printing process. In the production of fiber reinforced composites, the curing of the resin matrix is the most timeconsuming step. This is associated with long process times and low production rates. Usually, the curing process is carried out at temperatures between 70 and 180 °C and is thus additionally energy intensive. When using UV-curable matrices, the curing can be accelerated very much (seconds to a few minutes) and take place at room temperature. In summary, UV crosslinking is an alternative to classic drying and crosslinking technology with a wide range of application fields in the textile industry. However, it is also true that innovations need to mature, as do the decisions of the industry in new plant concepts and technologies. Also, future investments need expectable framework conditions. There is no more time for political discussions; companies need a perspective, including a reliable, predictable and transparent energy market. 3 TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023 LEADER
CONTENTS I S SUE 1 | 2023 | VOLUME 6 6 LEADER 3 Energy efficiency at all stages – Coating without drying and without by-products H. Illing-Günther NEWS 6 – 21 DETAI LS SEE PAGE 6 FIBERS & YARNS 22 – 23 Highly concentrated aerogel fabric for high-performance insulation Outlast Technologies 24 – 26 Process-optimized hybrid yarns for the fiber-spraying process C. Scheffler, V. Austermann et al. 27 Recycling of PA 6 to ε-caprolactam Northwestern University, National Renewable Energy Laboratory TECHNICAL TEXTILES 28 – 29 Moss façades for water storage Bielefeld UAS 30 – 32 Moisture management finish of polyamide fiber fabrics for athleisure N.M. Saraf et al. 32 High-performance bio-based protein fibers AMSilk, Brain Biotech 33 – 35 Electromagnetic interference shielding using textile material M. Baraiya et al. 36 Graphene nanotubes expand textiles’ functionality OCSiAl Page 22 – 23 Page 36 Page 28 – 29 4 TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023 CONTENTS
WWW.TEXTILETECHNOLOGY.NET NONWOVENSTRENDS 38 – 39 Hybrid nonwovens-based composite made of banana fiber and biodegradable polyester M.Sodagar et al. 40 Modeling for novel airlay carbon fiber nonwovens and their isotropic behavior S. Reichel MANAGEMENT 13 Urs Meier 16 Eric Hopman, Yalin Xu 18 Gunnar Meyer, Stefan Flöth 18 Philipp Ebbinghaus, Wolfgang Höflich, Christian H. Sandler, Ulrich Hornfeck, Stephan Hopster 20 Thomas Bernard, Thomas Herrmann, Carsten O’Beirne 32 Sirpa Koskinen, Tommi Björnman, Toni Tamminen 32 Matthias Holzammer, Eelco Spoelder 37 Simon Whitmarsh-Knight 37 Christoph Riemer, Dietmar Clausen, Felix Grimm, Wolfgang Nowak, Martin Haberl INTERVIEW 42 Can automation and robotics be sustainable? M. Fraede Page 9 INFOS 37 Calendar 41 Company index 41 Imprint 5 TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023 CONTENTS
Your trade media in a new look TAKE A LOOK! NEWS COMPANY: Zünd NEWS: New subsidiary New subsidiary in Spain COMPANY: Andritz/Renewcell NEWS: Recycling New fibers from waste textiles COMPANY: Suominen NEWS: Business Sales growth but less profit COMPANY: Schmietex Engineering NEWS:Acquisition Takeover of the stich bonding range from Naplafa COMPANY: Trützschler NEWS: Investment BU Card Clothing expands its production site COMPANY: Brückner NEWS: Production State-of-the-art stenter to Argentina COMPANY: Hammer-IMS NEWS: Investment €2.5 million investment capital raised COMPANY: FET NEWS: Business Record orders for 2023 COMPANY: Trützschler NEWS: Investment Line for technical nonwovens toWPT INSTITUTE: nova-Institute NEWS: Award 6 nominees for Innovation of the Year 2023 Page 6–21 COMPANY: Trevira NEWS: Fibers On the way to a circular economy COMPANY: Fibertex Corp. NEWS: Acquisition Acquisition by Stein Fibers COMPANY: Avgol NEWS: Investment Major new line investment at US facility COMPANY: Lenzing/Renewcell NEWS: Recycling From linear to circular business model COMPANY: Asahi Kasei NEWS: Recycling Closed-loop recycling system for carbon fiber COMPANY: Senbis/FET NEWS: Investment Pilot plant for filament yarns in operation COMPANY: Toray NEWS: Recycling Recycled PA 66 recovered from silicone-coated airbags COMPANY: Gessner NEWS: Business Combination of filtration experts from Neenah and SWM COMPANY: Ventile Fabrics NEWS: Business Ventile Fabrics Sales +12% in 2022 ASSOCIATION: ITMF NEWS: Business Business expected to boom in next 6 months TESTING: Oeko-Tex NEWS: Labeling New regulations 2023 COMPANY: Autoneum NEWS: Acquisition Takeover of automotive business of Borgers COMPANY: Carbios /Novozymes NEWS: Partnership Partnership in bio-recycling of PET MARKET RESEARCH: Fact. MR NEWS: Business Conductive textile market $ 8.2 billion by 2033 COMPANY: Saint-Gobain Adfors NEWS: Production New coated veil line in Poland COMPANY: Monforts NEWS: Anniversary 40th anniversary of Montex Maschinenfabrik Dear Readers, Right now, you are holding our first issue of Technical Textiles in the new layout in your hands. We continue to follow and constantly adapt to the trends and markets in the textile industry – hence the change to a fresher, modern appear- ance now. The established competent reporting from and about the complete textile supply chain from fiber raw materials to fiber production, fibers, yarns, yarn production, fabric production, textile finishing, and the extensive area of technical textiles and nonwovens remains. Our editorial, sales and marketing teams are also unchanged. In order to satisfy all areas/topics and trends, we will also continue to retain the independent specialist titles. However, from now on Chemical Fibers International will become Man-Made Fibers International, so that we can also do justice to the increasing trend towards recycled and bio-based fibers. The trade media Man-Made Fibers International (MMFI), Technical Textiles / Technische Textilien (TT), Melliand International / Melliand Textilberichte (MI/MTB) and NonwovensTrends (NWT) are published under our TextileTechnology umbrella brand. Also, there is the joint online presence TextileTechnology.net with 4 free newsletters /week. We would be very happy for you to send us your opinions, comments, and feedback on our new but also tried and tested media world – simply by e-mail to claudia.vanbonn@dfv.de. Claudia van Bonn Editor-in-Chief, TextileTechnology 6 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
2022 was marked by unprecedented crises. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, disrupted supply chains and the energy predicament triggered by the war in Ukraine has shaped recent global economic conditions. Because of these influences, particularly the rapidly rising energy and raw material costs, the flame retardant Trevira fibers and filament yarns business also came under pressure. Overall, the outlook for polyester manufacturer Trevira GmbH, Bobingen/Germany, in 2023 is slightly optimistic, but the market is only expected to recover in quarters 2-3. The production of flame retardant staple fibers Trevira CS fell slightly short of the targets set for 2022. In the first 9 months this was around 10% higher than a year earlier, but this was put into perspective by a significant drop in demand in the 4th quarter of 2022. Business proved particularly robust in Italy and Turkey, where the company achieved the targets set for 2022. Particularly noteworthy in the past year is the high demand for recycled fibers (pre-consumer) for use in Trevira CS eco textiles. Due to delays in the ramp-up phase, it was not possible to fully meet the requested quantities. Significant growth potential is seen here for 2023. The investment in a newmelt filter for one of the company’s spinning plants and the resulting process optimization will help to better meet the increasing demand. In the area of flame retardant filament yarns, the targets set for 2022 fell slightly short, and in terms of volume performed about 4% below plan. For 2023, Trevira has set a growth target of 5% for this segment. Trevira CS fabrics are also available in recycled variants. They consist of fiber and filament yarns obtained in various recycling processes. Trevira CS eco qualities have a recycled content of at least 50%. Filament yarns are produced using recycled PET bottles, meaning yarns contain 50% post-consumer recycled material. Recycled fibers are made from 100% recycled material (pre-consumer recycling) obtained from production waste via an agglomeration plant and further processing steps. All flame retardant, recycled Trevira products are GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified. There is a take-back and recycling option for Trevira CS fabrics. Used Trevira CS fabrics (post-consumer) or unsold Trevira CS residual materials (pre-consumer) can be recycled as part of the Trevira CS return program. Only Trevira CS qualified fabrics can be returned. The mechanical recycling process and further processing into nonwovens occurs at Altex Gronauer Filz GmbH, Gronau/Germany. A long-term goal is to move into a closed-loop economy. The starting point for the new development is a chemically recycled raw material. Thus, in this Trevira CS product development, fibers and filament yarns are made from raw material that is predominantly chemically recycled, and to a small extent from renewable raw materials. COMPANY: Trevira NEWS: Fibers On the way to a circular economy 7 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
A multi-year supply agreement has been signed between the supplier of sustainably produced specialty fibers Lenzing AG, Lenzing /Austria, and the textile-to-textile recycling pioneer Renewcell AB, Stockholm/Sweden, and will accelerate the transition of the textile industry froma linear to a circular business model. The agreement contains the sale of 80,000 to 100,000 tons of Renewcell’s 100% recycled textile Circulose dissolving pulp to Lenzing over a 5-year period, for use in the production of cellulosic fibers for fashion and other textile applications. By signing the agreement, Lenzing is able to further integrate recycling and accelerate the transition of the textile industry from linear to circular. Canopy Planet Society, Vancouver/Canada, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting forests, species, and climate, welcomes the agreement between Lenzing and Renewcell. With its Refibra and Eco Cycle technologies, Lenzing offers solutions for transforming the textile and nonwovens industries towards a circular economy. Part of its corporate strategy and sustainability targets is to offer its Tencel and Lenzing Ecovero branded specialty textile fibers with up to 50% post-consumer recycled content on a commercial scale by 2025. Circulose originates 100% from textile waste, like old jeans and production scraps, and turns into dissolving pulp. It transforms textile waste and production scrap into new high-quality textile products. COMPANY: Lenzing/Renewcell NEWS: Recycling From linear to circular business model April 18 – 21, 2023 Geneva / Switzerland Info: www.indexnonwovens A significant investment in a new highspeed, high-capacity flexible multiple beam production line has been made by Avgol at its facility in Mocksville, NC/USA. The addition of this new line increases production capacity, offers more sustainable options for the growing North America market and also enables the Mocksville facility to deliver additional meltblown nonwovens. Avgol Ltd., Petah Tikva/Israel, an Indorama Ventures Ltd. company, is a leader in the global hygiene market with a comprehensive range of ultra-lightweight spun-melt nonwovens. This new, 6th line at the company’s facility in Mocksville will see Avgol investing in new Reicofil 5 (RF5) techno- logy from Reifenhäuser Reicofil GmbH, Troisdorf/Germany. The investment will Major new line investment at US facility COMPANY: Avgol NEWS: Investment 6th line in Mocksville SteinFibers LLC,Albany,NY/USA, has acquired the fiber operations of Fibertex Corp., Cranford, NJ/USA. The combination of Fibertex and Stein Fibers will expand the leading fiber product portfolio in North America and allow each company to better serve its customers. Stein Fibers is a supplier and producer of polyester fiberfill and of fibers for nonwovens in North America. Fibertex Corp. was founded in 1952 in Manchester/UK. In 1991 after identifying sales opportunities in the USA, Fibertex Corp. was incorporated, and the development of US sales of polyester staple fiber was started. Acquisition by Stein Fibers COMPANY: Fibertex Corp. NEWS: Acquisition deliver biocomponent and corresponding high-loft capabilities, with the line producing materials for applications that meet the needs of upper tier products for hygiene customers. Another aspect of the investment includes the addition of cutting-edge lamination capabilities, which enables Avgol to offer enhanced performance products into the existing markets the company serves, as well as to explore new opportunities in other markets. 8 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
Recycled Carbon Fiber Fi lament Winding Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Unidirectional Tape Together with its project partners at the National Institute of Technology at Kitakyushu College and the Tokyo University of Science, Asahi Kasei has developed a recycling method that allows carbon fibers to be extracted from carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) or carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) used in automobiles. This results in high-quality, inexpensive continuous carbon fiber that can be recycled perpetually, contributing to circular economy. Unlike carbon fiber that is chopped up during the recycling process, the new method allows carbon fiber to be extracted from a plastic compound seamlessly, resulting in continuous strands of carbon fiber that can be reapplied in exactly the same manner while retaining properties identical to the original substance. The conventional technologies for recycling carbon fibers by chopping and reapplying them results in a product with lower quality and less durability, insufficient for high-performance applications. To address this issue, Asahi Kasei Corp., Tokyo/Japan, has developed an “electrolyzed sulfuric acid solution method” that allows the carbon fiber to retain its original strength and continuous nature while fully decomposing the resin the carbon fiber is embedded in. This allows for its continued use in high-performance applications and presents an inexpensive, circular solution to the end-of-life dilemma of carbon fiber plastic compounds. Thus, these carbon fiber compounds present in vehicles for weight reduction can be easily and inexpensively broken down at end-of-vehicle-life and reapplied to new vehicles in the future. In addition, Asahi Kasei is developing a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic unidirectional tape (CFRTP-UD tape) that utilizes both recycled continuous carbon fiber and the company’s Leona polyamide resin. With a higher strength than metal, this CFRTP-UD tape can be applied to automobile frames and bodies, further enabling the recycling of end-of-vehicle-life parts into different, new automobile parts. Leona COMPANY: Asahi Kasei NEWS: Recycling Closed-loop recycling system for carbon fiber Senbis has invested in a new flexible pilot plant for monofilament and multifilament yarns for its subsidiary SPIC Facilities B.V. (Sustainable Polymer Innovation Cluster), Emmen/Netherlands. This investment will bring new opportunities for Senbis’ 3rd party R&D services and to the development of their own sustainable products. This melt spinning pilot plant has been custom-made for SPIC by Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd. (FET), Leeds/UK. It is equipped with 2 extruders, a height-adjustable spin beam, separate drawing units for multifilament and monofilament extrudates, and different winders. This can be combined with a new Krauss Maffei Twin Screw extruder, which makes the pilot plant very flexible. The investment enables meaningful research trials as well as small productions of mono and multi-filament yarns in either mono or bi-component configurations for different textile and industrial purposes. The new plant is part of a 3-year investment in Pilot plant for filament yarns in operation COMPANY: Senbis/FET NEWS: Investment 3-year FET technology, which started in 2020 and sees Senbis Polymer Innovations B.V., Emmen, investing €5.5 million in a testing facility for the development of sustainable plastics at different scales ranging from laboratory to production. Thanks to this new equipment along with extensive processing and laboratory facilities, Senbis can now look intomore challenging applications such as a biodegradable alternative for synthetic textiles. In addition, the company is able to produce its own sustainable products in house. investment in FET technology 9 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
Achieving the same flowability and mechanical properties as injection molding grades from virgin polyamide 66 (PA 66), Toray has developed recycled PA 66 recovered from silicone-coated airbag fabric scrap cuttings. The company created this product by combining particular additives with resin that Refinverse recycled by stripping silicone from airbag fabric scrap cuttings and thereafter washed. Toray Industries, Inc., Tokyo/Japan, expects the new offering, Ecouse Amilan, will accelerate the expansion of Ecouse, a proprietary integrated brand for ecofriendly recycled materials and products that it rolled out worldwide in 2015. The PA 66 fabric of airbags can be silicone-coated or non-coated. Manufacturers normally recycle the scrap cuttings of non-coated fabrics. Recycling coated airbag fabric scrap cuttings requires removing the silicone. Refinverse Group, Inc., Tokyo/Japan, was the first in Japan to achieve commercial-scale silicone-coated fabric recycling. SustainabletextilemanufacturerVentileFabrics has reported steady growth for 2022 with a 12% increase in its sales. Marking the 2nd consecutive year of growth for the business, it can be seen that consumer interest in sustainable alternatives and increased ecological credentials continue to be of importance, with customers opting for investment pieces that will withstand use. Sales of the Ventile Eco, a range of fabrics from performance textile manufacturer Ventile Fabrics, Stotz & Co. AG, Zurich/Switzerland, that includes recycled, organic, hemp and lyocell fibers, now account for 54% of total sales by meter, up 4% on the same period in 2021. Sales of Ventile L24 fabric dominated orders across both the original and eco collections. For 2022, the brand has seen an increase in orders from globally recognized brands across both fashion, accessories and footwear as well as a re-introduction of professional garments for European forces. Recycled PA 66 recovered from silicone-coated airbags Ventile Fabrics Sales +12% in 2022 COMPANY: Toray NEWS: Recycling COMPANY: Ventile Fabrics NEWS: Business Combination of filtration experts from Neenah and SWM COMPANY: Gessner NEWS: Business Mativ’s newly formed Filtration Business Unit now has a new name, Gessner. Mativ Holdings, Inc., Alpharetta, GA/USA, a merger of equals between Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc. (SWM) and Neenah, Inc., became effective July 6, 2022. As a core member of the Mativ family of brands, Gessner can now provide even more end-to-end filtration solutions to solve complex challenges and meet customers’ needs. The extended portfolio of filtration products now includes synthetic and glass filter media, nonwovens, nettings, tubes, films, and engineered specialty papers. With 12 production sites located all around the world, Neenah Gessner GmbH, Bruckmühl/ Germany, can develop and locally produce a wide range of materials. Recycling through stripping and washing has typically left silicone traces, however, degrading the resin and contaminating molds during injection molding. Another issue has been that the high viscosity of airbag yarn limits applications in thin-wall and other injection molding processes in which high fluidity is vital. Toray accordingly combined particular additives so residual silicone resin would not migrate to the surface of molded products. It also greatly reduced mold adhesion. That is why the flowability and mechanical properties of recycled PA 66 with Toray’s technique are equal to those of virgin PA 66. The company has cultivated recycled plastic products derived primarily from post-industrial scrap materials from in-house production processes, undertaking such efforts as recycling used air conditioner parts into new ones. It aims to extend recycling to used automotive parts and industrial equipment. Toray intends to launch Ecouse Toraycon as a chemically recycled polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin product that has properties equivalent to virgin materials. It will keep assessing material recycling and chemical recycling for its own polymers in driving to expand the Ecouse lineup by bringing out such products as Ecouse Toyolac acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, Ecouse Torelina polyphenylene sulfide. Ami lan, Toraycon, Toyolac, Torel ina 10 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
trans-textil.de 15 – 16 March 2023 Booth P14 Performance Days Bio-based to the max OEKO-TEX 100 PFC free biobased Business expected to boom in next 6 months ASSOCIATION: ITMF NEWS: Business The business situation is at a new low point since the ITMF started the Global Textile Industry Survey (formerly Corona Survey) in 2021. At the same time, business expectations in 6 monthstime have soared and respondents are globally positive about business in June 2023. Respondents to the 18th Global Textile Industry Survey by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), Zurich/ Switzerland, confirm that order intake has continuously decreased since November 2021. In January 2023, the indicator was negative in all regions and segments except for North and Central America and fiber producers. The latter saw orders rise for the first time since last summer. The previously high global order backlogs also steadily decreased. High inflation and rising interest rates are the main current drivers of the global economy, but the core problem of the textile supply chain in 2023 are high inventories at the brand and retail level. With the opening of economies around the world after the Covid crisis, consumers had the opportunity to spend the money they could not during 2020 and in the first half of 2021. Consequently, demand soared, and brands and retailers increased orders to meet this pent-up demand. With inflation rising, especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, demand for consumer goods slowed while inventories remained very high. In the next 6 months, textile manufacturers expect a better situation due to 2 important factors. First, the world is now in 60pp 40pp 20pp - (20pp) Business expectations [World] May 21 Jul 21 Sep 21 Nov 21 Jan 22 Mar 22 May 22 Jul 22 Sep 22 Nov 22 Jan 23 60% 40% 20% 0 % -20% Unchanged (lhs) Balance btw more and less favorable (rhs) a much better energy situation with a relatively mild winter in Europe and energy prices in Europe and Asia (especially for gas) dropping back to levels seen before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Second, the sudden end of the Zero-Covid-policy in China with a swift opening of the borders is promising to strengthen demand in China as well as abroad. FIG. 1 (10 pp) 13 pp 32 pp 11 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
An exclusive long-term global strategic partnership has been announced by Carbios, a leader in the development of biological technologies to reinvent the life cycle of plastics and textiles, and Novozymes, a leader in biological solutions. This major agreement ensures the long-term production and supply of Carbios’ proprietary PET-degrading enzymes at an industrial scale for (according to the company) the world’s first biological PET-recycling plant in Longlaville/France, as well as Carbios’ future licensee customers. On January 6, 2023, Autoneum signed an agree- ment to acquire the automotive business of Borgers SE & Co. KGaA, Bocholt/Germany. The transaction is expected to close in April 2023 following anti-trust clearance. The enterprise value paid amounts to € 117 million. The transaction will initially be financed through a new credit facility. A capital increase in the amount of approx. CHF 100 million is planned for the long-term refinancing of the acquisition. Artemis Beteiligungen AG, Hegiswil/ Switzerland, and PCS Holding AG, Frauenfeld/ Switzerland, the 2 largest shareholders of Autoneum Management AG, Winterthur/ Switzerland, have agreed to participate in the capital increase in proportion to their current shareholdings. Partnership in bio-recycling of PET Takeover of automotive business of Borgers COMPANY: Carbios /Novozymes NEWS: Partnership COMPANY: Autoneum NEWS: Acquisition million € 117 The enterprise value paid Borgers specializes in textile acoustics protection, insulation and trim for automobiles. The product and customer range of Borgers is to an extent complementary to the product and customer portfolio of Autoneum. Borgers’ wheel arch liner and trunk liner product lines as well as their truck business optimally augment the product range of Autoneum. Especially in the field of textile wheel arch liners, Borgers is the market leader in Europe. In addition, Borgers’ product range is distinguished by sustainable and fully recyclable products. In fiscal year 2021, the Borgers Automotive Group generated revenue of €610 million with around 4,700 employees. Thanks to Autoneum’s global presence, the Borgers product portfolio adds to the sales potential for profitable growth in the medium term outside Europe. Autoneum is acquiring Borgers from insolvency and has agreed new pricing and delivery terms with its customers. These will ensure sustained profitability and the further development of product and process technologies in both the short and long term. Next page Trust within the textile and leather industry is based on consistently high quality. The OekoTex Association is again publishing updates to the applicable test criteria, limit values and guidelines for its certifications. Starting April 2023, the new Oeko-Tex Organic Cotton certification will focus on reliable labelling of organic cotton textiles. The aim is not only to check production, but to make the raw materials traceable through the supply chain. Oeko-Tex has issued a general ban on the use of perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS/PFC) in textiles, leather and footwear for the Standard 100, Leather Standard and Eco Passport. Further changes are being planned for Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certification: the self-assessment will become mandatory for all customers' production sites from April 2023. The Oeko-Tex Association, Zurich/Switzerland, is publishing the new test criteria, 2023. All new regulations will finally come into force on April 1, 2023. An important partnership was created with sustainability accelerator GoBlu International Ltd., Hong Kong/China. The BHive app from GoBlu into STeP will enable certified production companies to check sustainability require- ments and chemical management in global supply chains. By integrating with Oeko-Tex STeP, STeP customers reap the benefits of a comprehensive chemical database that ensures long-term reductions in labor, time and costs. The use of intelligent systems also optimizes reliable compliance with recognized industry standards such as the STeP MRSL and the ZDHC MRSL. The new 2023 regulations are available for all Oeko-Tex products at www.oeko-tex.com/news. TESTING: Oeko-Tex NEWS: Labeling New regulations 2023 12 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
Conductive textiles are fabrics that are made using metal strands that are woven with fabric fibers or by coating the fabric fiber with conductivemetals such as carbon, gold, silver, copper, nickel, or titanium. These are gaining much attention due to their electrical, optical, and magnetic properties other than being lightweight, durable, and flexible. They are employed in various industries such as automotive, defense, aerospace, healthcare, and others. The global conductive textile market is estimated to be valued at US$ 2.6 billion in 2023 and it is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 12.0% to reach $8.2 billion by the end of 2033. These figures are based on the report from Fact. MR, Dublin/Ireland, named “Conductive Textile Market to hit US$ 8.2 Billion by 2033”. The global conductive textiles market is driven by the high demand from the military and defense sectors, followed by healthcare products. The expansion of the healthcare industry in developing markets, and growing medical needs of the elderly population, and the demand for advanced treatments and technologies will propel the need for conductive textiles in healthcare. The healthcare industry is set to create substantial opportunities, as there is a significant growth of wearable tech devices in recent years. Rising demand for smart fabrics, and wearable devices, and increasing demand from several end-use industries like the military, healthcare, sports, and fitness will boost the demand for conductive textiles over the forecast period. Manufacturers are inclined towards winning the government tenders regarding the military and defense to increase their revenue. Innovation is a key strategy in the conductive textile market. Players are investing heavily in research and development to develop products that offer better and enhanced properties. Owing to increasing demand from various end-use sectors, market leaders are increasing their manufacturing capacities. The full report is now available. Conductive textile market $ 8.2 billion by 2033 MARKET RESEARCH: Fact.MR NEWS: Business Carbios SA, Clermont-Ferrand/France, and Novozymes A/S, Bagsvaerd/ Denmark, have had a partnership since 2019 to develop enzyme-based solutions and address the sustainability challenge of plastic pollution, both within PET-recycling and PLA-biodegradation. The 2 companies will extend their collaboration to develop, optimize and produce enzymes that will subsequently be supplied by Novozymes to all Urs Meier MANAGEMENT Using carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) in construction was considered revolutionary, if not utopian, a good 40 years ago. Urs Meier, the former director of Empa's Dübendorf campus, who came up with this idea and contributed significantly to its realization through his research and developments, celebrate his 80th birthday on January 8,2023. During his career, Meier acquired several patents and published around 300 scientific and technical papers. He gave hundreds of lectures, courses and keynote speeches around the world to promote the use of composites, especially CFRP in construction. Meier has also received a number of prestigious awards: In 2004, the Canada Research Network thanked him for his years of collaborationwith a scholarship named after him, the Urs Meier Scholarschip. In 2005, the Royal Military College of Canada awarded himan honorary doctorate, honoring himas the "intellectual originator of Canada's successes in the field of carbon fiber-reinforced structures." The following year, the International Society for Fiber-Reinforced Plastics in Construction (IIFC) honored him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. This was followed in 2007 by the Fellowship Award of the International Society for Structural Health Monitoring of Intelligent Infrastructure (ISHMII). In 2008, the Department of Materials at ETH Zurich awarded him the Staudinger-Durrer Medal on the occasion of his retirement for his many years of lecturing at the university. In 2019, he received the Fellow Award of the Society for the Advancement of Materials and ProcessEngineering(SAMPE),whichisrepresented in around 40 countries. And finally, in 2022, at the conclusion of the 18th European Bridge Conference in Edinburgh, Meier was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Even after his (official) retirement in 2008, Meier remained at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Empa, Dübendorf/Switzerland, and worked on various projects. One of the more recent works was an expert opinion on a rail bridge in Stuttgart-Degerloch / Germany. licensees of Carbios’ technology. The new agreement grants both parties exclus vity in the field of the partnership. The strategic partnership supports the large- scale industrial deployment of Carbios’ patented PETrecycling technology starting with its future industrial reference unit in Longlaville. Construction will begin later in 2023. Production at the plant is set to start in 2025 and the processing capacity will be 50,000 tons of waste per year. 13 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
COMPANY: Monforts NEWS: Anniversary New coated veil line in Poland New subsidiary in Spain With the aim to increase capacity and reach more flexibility with larger and wider rolls, Saint-Gobain Adfors has invested in a new, more efficient and more sustainable coated glass mat production line in its plant in Gorlice/Poland. Coated glass mats are high value-added products, where the glass mat is coated with a proprietary mineral paste to bring new properties, such as UV resistance, water repellency, acoustic properties, fire resistance, etc. One of the main current applications is to enhance the performance of gypsum boards by replacing their typical paper cover and making the board more resistant to UV or damp conditions – critical properties to use the board as external sheathing or as tile backer board in humid environments. Demand for these high-added value boards has been growing rapidly worldwide, driven by lighter and more efficient construction methods. Focusedmainly on the sustainable construction, industrial and mobility markets, Saint-Gobain Adfors, the Industrial Fabrics Business Unit of Saint-Gobain S.A., La Défense/France, offers glass fiber materials and a complete range of textiles and coating technologies. Customized innovative technical textiles are developed together with the customers to reinforce or face their final products. Since the beginning of 2023, Sign-Tronic S.A., Barcelona/Spain, has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Zünd and now operates under the name Zund Ibérica. Sign-Tronic was established in 1990 and has been an official sales and service partner of Zünd Systemtechnik AG, Altstätten/ Switzerland, since 1994. Zund Ibérica now serves numerous customers in Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Jordi Lorente is the new CEO of Zund Ibérica. For the time being, he will be actively supported by the previous co-owner and Managing Director Flemming Jensen. Rosa Miralles, also a co-owner, will continue to work in an executive capacity at the company. COMPANY: Zünd NEWS: New subsidiary Zund Ibérica currently employs 15 people. With more than 1,000 cutters installed, it is one of the most experienced distributors of both digital cutting systems and software and workflow solutions on the Iberian market. It has its own showroom, which allows customers and interested parties to experience the many possibilities of Zünd’s digital cutting technology in person. Its staff consists of proven experts in consulting, training, installation, and service. Zünd’s 11 subsidiaries and network of dealers spanning the globe underline its international orientation as systems manufacturer. 40th anniversary of Montex Maschinenfabrik Located in St. Stefan/ Austria, Montex Maschinenfabrik – the key site for the manufacturing of Monforts finishing machines in Austria – was founded by Monforts in 1982. From the outset, Montex has specialized in all aspects of machine production, including high-precision sheet metal working, laser cutting and welding, and the pre-assembly of machines and components, along with a well-organized quality management and spare parts service. The company works very closely with the research and development team of A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH&Co. KG,Mönchengladbach / Germany, to take the latest new ideas through testing and prototyping, in readiness for future series production. Fully exploiting the many new possibilities in the continuous development of design and manufacturing methods, the respective electrical switch cabinets for the machines are delivered justin-time from Monforts in Germany. While there is standardization in series-produced Monforts machines, Montex is also increasingly called upon to construct bespokemachines with unique designs, according to the special needs of customers in technical textile or special textiles. The core Monforts machine range is built at the site, including the industry standard Montex stenters, along with relaxation dryers,Thermex dyeing ranges,Monfortex compressive shrinking ranges and MontexCoat coating units. As well as having long-tome employees, the company also places great emphasis on training apprentices at the same time, to pass on our know-how and ensure high standards. COMPANY: Saint-Gobain Adfors NEWS: Production 14 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
Renewcell has produced the first textile fiber materials from 100% textile waste at its new plant in Sundsvall/ Sweden. The pure dissolving pulp is finally transformed by Renewcell’s customers into new garments for the circular clothing industry. The plant in Sundsvall recently reached its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on October 31, 2022. Andritz installed a complete textile fiber preparation system based on shredding and separation technology. Shredders of the ADuro product line form the technological centerpiece of the system and shred used textiles in only one step, enabling a throughput of up to 60,000 tons of textile waste per year. In the subsequent separation stages, impurities such as buttons and zippers are re- moved from the shredded textiles. Since 2016, Renewcell AB, Stockholm/ Sweden,andtheinternational technology group Andritz AG, Graz/Austria, have been working together on the development of Renewcell’s textile recycling process at its test plant in Kristine- hamn/Sweden, and now also on their first commercial textile recycling plant in Sundsvall. Renewcell was founded in 2012 and specializes in recycling textiles with the vision of making fashion circular. Its recycling technology transforms used cotton and other cellulose fibers into a new raw material called Circulose pulp. The pulp is used to produce high-quality biodegradable viscose or lyocell textile fibers for the fashion industry. COMPANY: Andritz/Renewcell NEWS: Recycling New fibers from waste textiles Sales growth but less profit 2022 was a difficult year for Suominen. The unprecedented raw material inflation which impacted the company significantly already in 2021 persisted, and additionally also energy costs surged in 2022 after the events in Ukraine in February. Suominen’s business in the USA specifically continued to suffer from the high inventory levels in the whole supply chain, where imbalance started to normalize only during the second half (H2) of the year. COMPANY: Suominen NEWS: Business Net sales in 2022 increased by 11.3% to €493.3 million. Comparable EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) decreased clearly from the previous year and was €15.3 million (2021: €47.0 million). The higher sales prices could not fully compensate for the volume loss and for the higher raw material and energy costs. Items affecting comparability were € -4.8 million, consisting of impairment of assets in Italy related to the planned closure of the Mozzate production plant. To improve profitability, Suominen Corp., Helsinki/Finland, took several actions during the year such as implementing energy surcharges in Europe in March and September and a general cost surcharge in North America in August, as well as widening its product portfolio in the USA. In 2022, the gross capital expenditure totaled €9.7 million (2021: €17.8 million) and the largest item was related to the growth investment initiatives in Nakkila/ Finland. Suominen announced in June 2022 that it is strengthening its capabilities in sustainable products by enhancing and upgrading one of its production lines in Nakkila. The total value of the investment is approx. €6 million, and the investment project will be completed in H2/2023. Suominen sold its minority share in Amerplast (Bright Maze Oy) in March 2021. The transaction impacted Suominen’s net financial expenses of the comparison year positively by €3.7 million. Regarding sustainable products, the target is to increase sales by 50% by 2025 and to have over 10 sustainable product launches per year. In 2022, the company launched 12 sustainable products, and the sales of sustainable product sales has increased by 99% compared to the base year of 2019. Tommi Björnman was appointed Suominen’s new President and CEO in November 2022. He currently works as President and CEO of Avgol Nonwovens and will join Suominen in May 2023 at the latest. Looking at the year ahead, several market drivers with a positive impact to Suominen can be seen. The raw material cost inflation finally turned in Q4/2022, the energy markets show signs of price decline and in the USmarket the inventory levels have now receded to their normal levels. However, it remains to be seen how the current high consumer price inflation impacts the end consumer demand of wipes. 11.3% €493.3 million to 15 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
Takeover of the stich bonding range from Naplafa BU Card Clothing expands its production site Effective July 1, 2022, Schmietex Engineering has taken over a large part of the needle and part assortment of the needle and sinker factory Naplafa GmbH, Chemnitz/Germany. Production at the Chemnitz site will be continued. Schmietex Engineering GmbH, Hohenstein-Ernstthal/Germany, thus gains additional know-how and over 70 years of experience in the professional production of knitting parts. At the end of 2021, plans by the previous Naplafa owner Hugo Kern und Liebers GmbH & Co. KG, Schramberg/Germany, to close the Chemnitz site and relocate only certain product ranges became known. Schmietex Managing Director Jörg Bredemeyer and the Schmiedl family of shareholders then entered into initial talks. Schmietex Engineering, as a main customer, had been buying various Naplafa products for many years in order to process them in its casting department and then use them in its own machine production or supply them worldwide to its customers in the stitch-bonding segment. Schmietex focuses on the production of individual stitch bonding machines for the manufacture of a wide variety of composite materials, mainly for technical textiles. Machines of the types Malimo with weft insertion, Maliwatt, Malivlies, Kunit/Multinit and customized variants in working widths from 1,600-6,000 mm are developed and constructed. A comprehensive range of accessories and spare parts for all machine types are part of the service, as are on-site installation and repairs. With a €12 million investment, the supplier for the manufacture of high-performance card clothings for textile yarn processing, Trützschler Card Clothing (TCC), is expanding its production, warehouse and office capacities. The move into the new building is planned for 2024. Trützschler Card Clothing GmbH, Neubulach/Germany, a business unit (BU) of Trützschler Group SE, Mönchengladbach/Germany, will also expand the range of services and the production intensity at the site in Neubulach, while optimizing the process flows. The new building will expand the warehouse and logistics area by 600 m², to make a total area of 2,800 m². In the optimized cube of the new hall, a modern warehouse system will double the storage capacity. Overall, the production area will be expanded from 4,000 to 5,400 m². This will enable the process flows to be optimized. During the construction phase, logistics and shipping will be temporarily outsourced to Pforzheim-Büchenbronn/Germany. In the future, TCC will operate its production facility in Neubulach in a climate-neutral manner. The new production facility will meet the highest requirements for energy efficiency and climate protection. Trützschler intends to recruit the additional employees required within a short timeframe by hiring new staff and offering apprenticeships at the site. TCC employs more than 130 people in Germany, with a further 220 people employed world-wide at locations in Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and the USA. The Trützschler Group is also investing in India to build a new site with over 100,000 m² for the Spinning, Card Clothing and Nonwovens business units. COMPANY: Schmietex Engineering NEWS: Acquisition COMPANY: Trützschler NEWS: Investment Yalin Xu MANAGEMENT Yalin Xu has been appointed Managing Director and President of DyStar Singapore Pte. Ltd., Singapore, by the Board of Directors. He will be directly responsible for the management and operations of the group. Xu first joined DyStar in 2010 and has since been the Executive Board Director. Eric Hopmann MANAGEMENT Eric Hopmann has been re-designated as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), with a focus on sales and marketing of DyStar Group. He will continue to report to Yalin Xu. Hopmann was with DyStar when the company started in 1995 and has been in various leadership positions at DyStar Group, including the most recent CEO role, to which he was appointed in 2014. DyStar’s leadership change is in response to the rapid global market changes, and more importantly, to enable the group to accelerate growth and drive productivity. 16 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
State-of-the-art stenter to Argentina The Argentine textile industry is booming, which means a prosperous period for investment, increased production and therefore the creation of new jobs. With 3 production plants, Texameri SA (Texcom), Buenos Aires / Argentina, manufactures knitted fabrics for a highly demanded market, where sports, technical, fashion and workwear fabrics stand out. With more than 100 circular knitting machines and a wide range of possibilities for rotary printing, sublimation, lamination as well as special finishes such as antibacterial or hydrophilic, the company produces premium sports and leisure wear. This includes the official jersey of the Argentinian national soccer teams, the white and sky-blue striped Albiceleste jersey. Texcom has recently started up 2 new Power-Frame stenters from Brückner Textile Technologies GmbH & Co. KG, Leonberg / Germany, for knitted fabric with 8 compartments and lubrica- tion-free vertical chain and direct gas heating. This is already the 5th line purchased by Texcom from Brückner. High drying capacity and the technically proven split-flow ventilation system, the highly homogeneous air volume and temperature distribution due to countered thermos-zones were decisive. The low specific energy consumption of the direct gas heating and the maintenance-friendly components, such as the completely lubrication-free vertical circulating chain and width adjustment spindles, help to save production costs, especially in economically difficult times. Particularly in the premium sector, the exactly reproducible finishing results due to full automation as well as recipe management of the line are appreciated. COMPANY: Brückner NEWS: Production 2 new Power-Frame stenters €2.5 million investment capital raised New venture capital has been attracted by Hammer-IMS, the manufacturer of cutting-edge measuring technology. The €2.5 million injection accelerates the company’s international expansion, including into the USA, while at the same time strengthening anchoring and employment in Belgium. The additional capital is provided by Invest For Jobs (IFJ), Bonn /Germany, and by its very first investors, LRM, Hasselt/Belgium, and the Gemma Frisius Fund, Leuven/Belgium. Originally, founders Noël Deferm and Tom Redant succeeded in using radar technology to achieve precise quality control for industrial applications. With the M-Ray technology, Hammer-IMS NV, Hasselt / Belgium, had a safe and environmentally friendly alternative for the extensively used measuring systems that work with ionizing radiation (e.g. nuclear, radioactive). In the meantime, the company developed several measuring sensors and machines that it rolled out to manufacturers of industrial textiles and plastics, among others. The management team was recently strengthened with Nele Reynders, who, together with the founders, transformed the measuring technology into fully-fledged measuring machines in the early years of Hammer-IMS. In addition to a financial return, particular importance is given with long-term investment to employment that will root companies more firmly in Belgium. At the same time, by further enhancing its technological innovations, Hammer-IMS can achieve an increased impact in terms of sustainability. COMPANY: Hammer-IMS NEWS: Investment Gunnar Meyer MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT Effective January 1, 2023, Gunnar Meyer is the new Managing Director of A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, in Mönchengladbach / Germany, and succeeds Stefan Flöth. Meyer started his career with Monforts, between 1985 and 2010 he was responsible in various roles related to sales and commercial issues, including as General Sales Director. He returned to the company in 2019 after working for other well-known German textile machine manufacturers in the field of nonwovens. A. Monforts Textilmaschinen was founded in 1884 and today is a leading supplier of textile dyeing and finishing machines as well as coating devices. The company is a market leader for stenters, continuous dyeing ranges, sanforizing ranges and special executions for denim and for the coating of technical textiles and other special applications. Philipp Ebbinghaus As of January 1, 2023, Philipp Ebbinghaus, Chief Officer of both Finance and IT (CFO and CITO) and CFO of the US subsidiary Sandler Nonwoven Corporation, will be a member of the management board of Sandler AG, Schwarzenbach/Germany. On December 31, 2022, his predecessor, board member Wolfgang Höflich retired after 46 years with the company. CEO Dr. ChristianHeinrich Sandler, Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (board member), and Ebbinghaus will continue shaping the company as new management board. Höflich spent almost his entire professional life at Sandler. He started in 1976 as an assistant to the site management and 7 years later rose to the position of site manager with full power of attorney. Since 1995, he has been responsible for the Production Division, initially as head of production, and from 2010, as a member of the management board. Höflich’s responsibility for the Production Division has already been takenover by StephanHopster in July 2022. As of January 1, 2023, Hopster is reporting directly to the CEO. 18 NEWS TECHNICAL TEXTILES 1 | 2023
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