Features

A wealth of experience of the global markets, access to a broad and growing base of technology, and the whole-hearted support of management are the key ingredients for Freudenberg Nonwovens’ strategy to grow in the medical sector, says Nick Butler.

Sider Arc, a family-owned Italian company is pioneering the development of monofilaments that succeed in combining the exacting demands of technical textiles with a concern for the environment, reports Nick Butler.

Advanced finishing, expertise in wool and family-owned engineering companies have all played a role in shaping the unique and specialized nature of the modern Italian technical textiles and nonwovens industry, according to Adrian Wilson.

US Correspondent, John McCurry reviews the state of the coating and laminating industry, finding it to be dynamic, innovative and reaching into every aspect of technical textiles, as well as the lives of all that make use of these materials.

Huge investments in infrastructure and a booming automotive industry are just two of the opportunities in China that are increasingly attracting the attention of textiles and nonwovens manufacturers, according to Editor Nick Butler.

From three-dimensional scaffolds for culturing cells to high-quality filters that can effectively remove blood group-specific antibodies, nonwovens and technical textiles are important materials in modern medicine, writes Adrian Wilson.

The rapid development of technology for producing nanofibres is creating opportunities for nonwovens in a variety of high-performance applications, particularly filtration. Adrian Wilson reviews the current state-of-the-art.

Wherever their sustainable advantages and low cost can be combined with the required performance, there is a compelling case for the use of natural fibres in composites, according to Adrian Wilson.

Lasers, water jets and combinations of these are offering manufacturers new alternatives when it comes to cutting technical textiles and composites quickly and precisely, according to Niki Tait.

A cradle-to-cradle philosophy, contributions to clean indoor air and some innovative technology are among the positives that can be claimed by carpet manufacturers in their bid to regain lost shares in the floorcoverings market, reports Adrian Wilson.