Nonwovens

• In collaboration with TNFIA, Taiwan’s nonwoven companies have initiated the production of masks designed to be recyclable, reusable, and minimized. Advocating for recyclable materials and standardized masks produced in Taiwan, dedicated collection bins, marked with the TNFIA-approved logo, will be strategically placed across Taiwan for recycling masks.

A Vibrant Association

TNFIA is a trade association representing nonwoven interests in Taiwan, whose members include manufacturers and converters of nonwovens and suppliers. Founded in 1978. TNFIA has 139 member companies, including 60 Nonwoven makers, 34 Nonwoven Develop factories, 27 nonwoven machinery factories and

Overall, the mission of ANEX 2024 will showcase cutting-edge sustainable technologies and industry trends.

Taiwan Nonwoven Fabrics Industry Association (TNFIA) President Jian Jiajing was interviewed by Japan Nonwoven Reports in November 2023 on ANEX 2024.

The following statistics are the article’s key points:

• Global nonwoven fabric consumption reached nearly 50 million tonnes in 2020 and will reach 90 million by 2030. This underscores the nonwoven industry’s capacity to modify or control materials ranging from 50 to 90 million tonnes.

• In 2022, Taiwan’s nonwoven production totaled 151,000 tonnes (39% meltblown/ spunbond, 32% spunlace, 12% needlepunched, 9% thermal-bonded, 4% chemicalbonded, 3% dry-laid/other, 1% wet-laid), marking a 17% decline from 2021. Of the nonwoven products manufactured in Taiwan, over 60% are designated for export.

• Taiwanese nonwoven companies are proactively adjusting production lines and raw material choices to diminish their carbon footprint, enhancing the recyclability of their products.

18 nonwoven material suppliers; and 1 support member. Membership represents approximately two-thirds of the companies that produce and convert nonwovens in Taiwan. They are strong supporters of other nonwoven associations across the globe.

TNIFA’s goals are to:

• Actively represent the nonwoven interests in Taiwan by offering needed benefits, uniting the membership and attracting new member companies.

• Stimulate the growth of the association and the member companies by gaining substantial support from the government official and other related institutions.

• Help companies gain the competitive edge by establishing strong relationships with government management officials, research institutions and manufacturers of chemicals, fibers, machinery and equipment.

• Enhance contacts with overseas nonwoven institutions through participation in their activities such as exhibitions, conventions and symposia.

TNFIA welcomes the nonwovens industry in Taipei. www.anex2024.com

FILTECH 2024: Call for Papers

The world’s largest filtration event, FILTECH, has issued a call for papers for the conference scheduled for November 12-14, 2024, in Cologne, Germany.

The FILTECH 2024 Conference will feature the latest advances and techniques in liquid/solid and gas/particle separation (dust, gas & air filtration) during three days of in-depth exposure. Technology and know-how transfer is the main target.

Industry professionals are invited to present their latest research at the conference to an international audience and network with filtration experts from all over the world. Deadline for submitting abstract is May 31, 2024. More than 200 presentations are planned for the event. Topics covered are: Solid-Liquid-Separation; Solid-Gas-Separation; Filter Media; Testing; Instrumentation; Control; Simulation and Modeling; Product Related Processes; and, Membrane Processes. www.filtech.de

Shelton Vision Pushes Needle on AI Quality Control

Having successfully demonstrated its WebSpector automated fabric inspection system detecting faults on camouflage fabrics at speeds of up to 100 meters a minute during ITMA 2023, British Textile Machinery Association member Shelton Vision has secured an unprecedented number of new orders in many fields of the textile industry.

positives and provide consistently accurate data for both roll cutting optimization and yield increase, as well as for optimizing fabric utilization in panel cutting processes,” he said. www.sheltonvision.co.uk

Davis-Standard to Acquire Extrusion Technology Group

global infrastructure and packaging endmarkets with a highly engineered suite of extrusion equipment and converting systems supported by world-class aftermarket spare parts, service, and support for its base of industry critical customers.

ETG is a leader in the supply of extrusion equipment and downstream processing equipment, in addition to extensive tooling, dies, spare parts, and service capabilities, for the global pipe, profile, film and sheet markets. ETG’s operations span Europe, the United States, and Asia and includes long-established and storied brands, such as Battenfeld-Cincinnati, Exelliq (formerly Greiner Extrusion), and Simplas.

“We are definitely seeing a ‘sea change’ across the textile industry, with a new generation of management rapidly embracing imaging technology and fully automated fabric inspection,” said Shelton Vision CEO and Managing Director Mark Shelton. “On top of all the throughput and first quality yield improvement benefits our automated fabric inspection can bring, companies throughout the industry, face difficulties in recruiting, training and retaining staff, especially those needed to carry out repetitive manual fabric inspection.”

At best, manual inspection can detect around 65% of faults present in the fabric, while the WebSpector offers automated defect detection of over 98%, he adds.

“Using machine learning, the vision system automatically trains new styles, and our AI platform is continuously updating to achieve high accuracy of real time defect naming and grading to eliminate false

Davis-Standard, LLC, a global leader in the extrusion equipment and services sector, announced that it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire the Extrusion Technology Group (“ETG”) from entities controlled by the Dutch Investor Nimbus. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Davis-Standard has been majority owned by funds affiliated with Gamut Capital Management, L.P. (“Gamut”) since December 2021 and serves the

Giovanni Spitale, CEO of DavisStandard, stated: “The acquisition of ETG will be highly complementary and diversifying to our fast-growing enterprise, and we believe it will allow Davis-Standard to provide a broader and deeper product portfolio to our customers.”

Gerold Schley, CEO of ETG, will join the Davis-Standard senior leadership team and continue to manage the ETG business as a standalone segment after closing of the transaction. www.davis-standard.

ProTact by Haartz™ Line Expands its Offerings

The Haartz Corporation, a global leader in highly engineered and uniquely designed textile materials, announced that its ProTact by Haartz™ material is now available in MultiCam® patterns. MultiCam® is an original combat-proven pattern officially issued for use by the US Army for its Afghanistan operations in 2010 and remains a leading name in concealment pattern solutions.

The different camouflages from MultiCam® incorporate unique high-resolution patterns designed using tests that studied how camouflage works in nature to increase its wearer’s concealment properties. Variants can be applied to printed textile applications across different global environments, elevations and light conditions.

ProTact by Haartz is a multi-layer textile laminated material that provides military, law enforcement, SWAT teams and other first responders with a durable material tested against flex and fatigue, fabric fraying, high-temperature laundering and hightemperature and humidity endurance. The design of ProTact material is adaptable and can conform to a wide range of patterns including each MultiCam® variant and can be scaled to meet growing demand. www.haartz.com

Atlas Copco Names New CEO

Atlas Copco has named Vagner Rego new president and CEO, effective May 1, 2024. He will replace Mats Rahmström who has requested to leave his position after leading the Group since 2017.

Rego, currently senior executive vice president and president of the Compressor Technique business area, joined the Group in 1996 as a trainee engineer in his native country Brazil. A decade later he was appointed Business Line manager for Compressor Technique Service in Brazil and in 2010, he became vice president of Marketing and Sales for the Compressor Technique Service division, based in Belgium. He has also been general manager for Power Technique’s Customer Center in Brazil. Before he took on his current position in 2017, he was president for the Compressor Technique Service division.

Rego has a degree in mechanical engineering from Mackenzie University and an MBA from Ibmec Business School, both located in Brazil. Rego will be based in Stockholm, Sweden. www.atlascopco.com

IDEA®25 Exhibitor Booth Registration Open, Launches Redesigned Look

INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, announced that exhibit space reservations for IDEA®25 are rapidly approaching 70% capacity. IDEA is the largest North American exhibition dedicated to the next generation of nonwovens and engineered materials. Potential exhibitors are encouraged to make space reservations as soon as possible to ensure they receive the best booth location.

IDEA®25 is being held April 29-May 1, 2025 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. The expo attracts global suppliers and manufacturers with a strong desire to connect their technologies and innovations to C-suite leaders, R&D developers, and specifiers, and to demonstrate products to participants from around the world, answer their technical questions, and collaborate on new products.

FiltXPO™, the International Filtration Conference & Exhibition, will again be co-located with IDEA® bringing additional value to all participants. Registrants can attend both shows whether they are attending the expo or the conference and expo.

Participants will notice a new look and feel to the show centered on sustainability. Tony Fragnito, INDA President, said, “Our theme for IDEA ® 25 is ‘Nonwovens for a Healthier Planet’ and will culminate our 2024 focus on Sustainability with pillars on Responsible Sourcing, End-of-life Solutions, and Innovations in Sustainability. We are excited to see the diversity of companies showcasing their commitment to sustainable concepts. This event is where the future of nonwovens will be on display.”

For exhibit questions, contact Joe Tessari, Associate Director of Exhibit Sales at jtessari@inda.org or +1 919 459 3729. Reserve exhibit space online at www.ideashow.org.

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Cover Story: “Making Cuts + Threads & Yarns” Featuring: Coloration Trends in Textiles

SHOW PREVIEWS:

WOW, June 17-20, Minneapolis, MN; Smart Fabrics, May 14-15, Raleigh, NC

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

New Special Section – Nonwovens: Equipment

Finishing, Dyeing & Printing

• Spinning & Winding

• Converting

• Cutting & Crimping Systems

Solution Center: Bio-Based Fiber & Yarns

• Solution Center: Cutting & Crimping Systems