Features

The second edition of Texprocess, an exhibition dedicated to presenting the latest developments in the processing of textiles and flexible materials, is to be held in Frankfurt, Germany, on 10–13 June 2013, concurrently with Techtextil. Niki Tait helps readers navigate the show floor with a round-up of her selections from the new technology that will be on display.

Techtextil in Frankfurt, Germany, offers the whole industry an opportunity to share knowledge and information across a wide range of markets. Beginning Technical Textiles International’s comprehensive preview of this year’s event, Editor Nick Butler presents some of the highlights of European research that will be presented.

Within the US$50-billion filtration market, Donaldson’s products – all of which are based on advanced filter media, including nonwovens and technical textiles – find applications in a diverse range of industries, according to Adrian Wilson.

Careful control and monitoring of all the parameters in a modern nonwovens plant is helping to reduce energy consumption and the use of raw materials each to a bare minimum, according to Adrian Wilson.

Editor Nick Butler attended the inauguration of a pilot plant in Montbonnot, France, dedicated to hydroentangled nonwovens to learn more about the latest machinery and processes behind a sector of the industry enjoying robust growth.

Warmth, moisture and a food source, such as dead skin cells, prompt microbes on clothing to proliferate and generate unwanted odours. Karel Williams of Dow Microbial Control explains how the company’s latest antimicrobial treatment can offer a durable, responsive way to combat the problem.

Several drivers are shaping developments of a range of fabric-based solutions designed to offer protection against chemical and biological threats. Ian Hutcheson from Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics describes what these drivers are and urges users to take care when selecting from the array of solutions now available to them.

At Techtextil in Frankfurt, Germany (11–13 June 2013) Groz-Beckert of Albstadt, Germany, will tell visitors that its needles, and weaving and knitting accessories are being used increasingly to make smart fabrics.

The humble needle has been in use for at least 20 000 years and anthropologists believe its invention was crucial for our species: by allowing Homo sapiens to create clothing that fitted better than mere animal skins, the needle, and associated sewing technology, gave us a distinct advantage over our rivals, such as the Neanderthals, during the period of the last Ice  Age. In short, needle and thread contributed to our eventual domination of the planet. 

Before investing in new machinery and plants, spinners should consider the alternative of modernization and conversion. Hans-Joachim Schaupp and Rudolf Opitzer of Mainsite Technologies argue that lower investment costs, the retention of established process