Packaging

The two global nonwovens associations, EDANA and INDA are joining efforts to promote the free and fair trade of Nonwovens globally starting with an active role in the upcoming US-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement negotiations. EDANA will volunteer Nonwovens for ‘fast track’ elimination of the current 4.3% tariff on nonwoven imports into the EU from the US. There currently are no tariffs on EU Nonwovens coming into the US.

Autefa Solutions will introduce a new concept fibre recycling line for nonwovens at this year’s Techtextil in Frankfurt, the core components of which, will be high performance balers and a compact tearing machine.

The latest developments in nonwoven applications for Ingeo biopolymer, a low-carbon-footprint polymer made from renewable plant material, will be on display at IDEA13 in Miami, Florida this week. NatureWorks says it will show new grades of Ingeo along with a range of final products which will demonstrate the commercial reality of the biopolymer.

The overall response from the exhibitors and visitors at the latest edition of Techtextil North America was confirmation that they were pleased with the show and venue, organisers say. The tenth edition of Techtextil North America took place from 19-21 March at the Hilton Anaheim in Anaheim, California.

Whether it’s for wind power systems, aerospace technology, stadium roofs made from high-tech membranes, geogrids made from polyester used in landscaping or nonwovens for insulating and roofing, technical textiles cover a very wide range of applications.

Clarion Events North America, Inc. announced today that a collaboration agreement has been signed with the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) regarding Clarion’s annual ExpoProducción event in Mexico City. The collaboration will include an IFAI Pavilion and Conference to be held within the annual ExpoProducción trade show in Mexico City beginning with the February 2014 edition.

Perspectives by Bill Smith - a new regular column for Innovation in Textiles. When I began my consulting practice in 1986, I discovered a book called “Innovation – The Attackers Advantage” (Summit Books) by Richard Foster, then a Director of the major consulting firm McKinsey & Co. His message: ” . . . companies must return to the attack . . . the annals of business is filled with . . . companies that seemed profitable yet were in the midst of bankruptcy because they did not anticipate when their present products would become unprofitable and underestimated the strengths of their competitor’s attacks.”

The Dornbirn-Man-Made Fibers Congress (MFC), the leading conference for the man-made fibres industry, will take place for the 52nd time in Dornbirn, Austria from 11-13 September 2013, where over 100 papers will address key industry issues under the banner - ‘Communicating the Future of Man-Made Fibers’.

Teijin is to establish a specialized department to accelerate materials business incubation through technology acquisitions and alliances with immediate effect. The new Technology Alliance Development Department, established under Teijin’s New Business Development Group, will strategically grow materials related businesses by identifying promising partners and mergers and acquisitions opportunities. Alliances are envisioned for undertakings ranging from R&D to business model creation.

Statistics reveal that spinning line capacities are becoming increasingly large The majority of recent installations for polyester have been spinning lines directly connected to a common reactor. Lines of this kind are economically prudent, although flexibility is very limited compared to extruder spinning lines. Here, additive injection and mixing systems can help regain this lost flexibility.