TheTextileMagazine 01 08 2020 05082020145132

Editorial
Scope to improve
textile sector
The Indian textile sector has strong and diverse raw-material
base, strong presence in the entire textile value chain from raw
material to finished goods. It has globally competitive spinning
industry. Average cotton spinning cost is lower than all countries
including China. Textile sector contributes - 2% of GDP (at factor
cost), 14% industrial production, 8% excise and customs revenue
collections, 12% of total manufacturing exports and employs about
35 million people.
To improve the prospects of Indian textile industry, the
following are the major areas of focus.
The weakness of industry are technological backwardness
especially in weaving, processing and garmenting segments. India Industry. Even if we compare output per person that
has only 3% shuttle-less looms as against the world average of is also not comparable with other countries specially
16%. The quality of fabric produced in India is much lower than like Bangladesh in case of garment sector.
international standards. This is much due to poor quality of dying The industry needs to switch over e-supply chain
and processing of fibre, yarn and fabric. This affects our export so manufactures may reach to consumer directly
competitiveness of fabrics and apparels products both in terms of cutting marketing expenses.
quality and price.
Another untapped area is technical textile. It is new innovative
sector where we can perform well in term of profit margin and
growth. If we look into the basic RM for final technical textile,
lot of Indian companies are there but real cream is taken by the
companies outside India where the processing & finishing takes R. NATARAJAN
place. We need to focus on establishing good processing and Managing Editor & Publisher
finishing facilities. There is huge deficit of skilled workforce in textile M: 9381062161 | E: motorindiamagazine@gmail.com
Publishers N. Balasubramanian Chief Designer COIMBATORE

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Editorial
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6 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

THE
TEXTILE MAGAZINE This edition presented by
Contents
16 26 38
RIETER BLUESIGN, PRONEEM launches the
looking forward to a making the world a first French anti-Covid-19
stronger second half better place to live textile treatment
APPOINTMENT
14 Rahul Tikoo joins Huntsman as MD for Indian
Subcontinent and Polyurethanes Division in India
HOME TEXTILES
20 Nandan Terry introduces anti-viral and
anti-bacterial towel collections
MILESTONE
22 The Swiss Textile Machinery Association
has been crisis-proof for 80 years
ANTI-MICROBIAL FINISHES
48 Lenzing joins forces with Ruby Mills to fight Covid-19
54 Murata and Teijin Frontier jointly develop fabric
with antimicrobial performance
30
60 Nahar Group focusing on customer connect ELGi Equipments
initiatives to emerge stronger from the Covid -19 We are focusing on innovation
70 Loyal Textile launches reusable PPE with centred on energy efficiency, oil free
Triple Viral Shield Technology and quality to be the best in the world
For Editorial and Advertising in

P R I N T | O N L I N E | D I G I TA L E D I T I O N
+91 9840897542 / 9790926388 | textile.magazine@gmail.com

THE
TEXTILE MAGAZINE This edition presented by
Contents
42 50 56
KUSUMGAR D’DECOR teams up with VIRALOFF,
Pioneers of technical HeiQ to launch antiviral 99% reduction in virus
textiles range in just 2 hours
SPINNING
68 Why the tenth birthday of the USTER® QUANTUM
3 yarn clearer is worth celebrating
TECHNICAL TEXTILES
78 WeftMaster FALCON-i New projects in China
62
and Taiwan HEIQ – Antimicrobial fabric
KNITTING treatments will be a big part
of our future”
46 KARL MAYER - STOLL merger complete
SUSTAINABILITY & TRACEABILITY
80 Survey: More than half of sustainability leaders
believe that consumer demand for environmental
action has grown during COVID-19...
TECHNOLOGY
74
82 B&R presents new ACOPOSinverter series for
three-phase synchronous and induction motors
ACQUISITIONS
Revolutionary fabric washing
84 Pinter Group acquires Amsler’s Technology
technology experts –
PLUVIA partners THE GAURS
This edition presented by
APPOINTMENT
Rahul Tikoo joins Huntsman as

Managing Director for Indian Subcontinent
and Polyurethanes Division in India
Huntsman Corporation has appointed Rahul Tikoo as man- In his dual role, Rahul is
responsible for driving corporate
aging director of both the corporation’s business in the growth strategy and accelerating
Polyurethanes division business
Indian Subcontinent and its Polyurethanes division in India, in India. He reports to Rohit Ag-
garwal, president of Huntsman’s
effective July 1. Textile Effects division, for the
Huntsman India corporate busi-
ness and to Steen Weien Hansen,
vice president of Huntsman’s
Polyurethanes – Europe, Africa,
Middle East and India, for the
Polyurethanes business.
Huntsman’s presence in the
Indian Subcontinent encompass-
es the Textile Effects, Advanced
Materials and Polyurethanes
divisions, 2 manufacturing sites,
corporate shared services and a
major research and development
facility serving the region.
Rohit Aggarwal said: “We are
pleased to welcome Rahul to
Huntsman and are confident that
his business acumen and diverse
industry experience will lead
Huntsman to our next phase of
growth.”
Steen Weien Hansen added:
“The Indian Subcontinent is a
very important emerging market
for our Polyurethanes business.
Our customers respect innova-
tion. Under Rahul’s leadership,
we will strengthen our innovation
and customer-centric approach.”
Rahul joins Huntsman from
BYK, where he was managing
director of its South Asia region.
Prior to BYK, he held various
roles with Agfa and AkzoNobel.
Rahul earned an engineering de-
gree from the University of Pune
and a master’s degree in busi-
ness management from JBIMS,
Mumbai. w

SPINNING
RIETER looking forward to a

stronger second half
As reported on May 28, 2020, COVID-19 had a major impact on Rieter’s business in the first half of 2020. The
COVID-19 pandemic led to a market situation where demand for the goods and services of all three business
groups decreased significantly. The Business Group Machines & Systems is affected by the deferral by customers
of investments and scheduled deliveries. At the same time, the demand for wear & tear and spare parts declined
sharply, due to the suspension of production in many spinning mills around the world. This is reflected in the low
order intake and sales of the Business Groups Components and After Sales. Hence, this exceptional market situa-
tion gave rise to losses in all three business groups in the first half of 2020.
The Rieter Group posted an order intake

of CHF 250.7 million. This corresponds to a
reduction of 34% (first half year 2019: CHF
378.3 million). Order intake in the Business
Group Machines & Systems declined by 34%, it
also fell by 34% in the Business Group Compo-
nents and by 32% in the Business Group After
Sales. The order backlog as of June 30, 2020,
was around CHF 490 million (June 30, 2019:
CHF 295 million). Cancellations were less than
5%.
Sales amounted to CHF 254.9 million (first
half year 2019: CHF 416.1 million), which
represents a decline of 39% compared to the
previous year period. At Machines & Systems,
sales decreased by 46%. This was due to the
low order intake in the first three quarters of the
previous year and deferred deliveries. Sales fell
by 29% at Components and by 34% at After
Sales.
EBIT, net profit, free cash flow and net Bernhard Jucker, President, Rieter
liquidity
credit lines in the mid three-digit million range.
The cost cutting measures already implemented contrib-
With the exception of Turkey, sales in all regions were
uted among other things to a reduction in Selling, Gen-
marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. In India, sales
eral and Administrative (SG&A) expenses of around CHF
declined to CHF 17.7 million due to the lockdown, a fall
10 million. Nevertheless, due to the lower volume, Rieter
of 73% compared to the first half of 2019. In the Asian
recorded a loss of CHF -55.0 million (before restructuring
countries, China and North and South America, sales
charges: CHF -46.9 million) at the EBIT level and a loss of
decreased by between 44% and 49% compared to the first
CHF 54.4 million at the net profit level. Due to the buildup
half of 2019. In Africa, sales declined by 20%. Europe was
of inventories for deliveries in the second half of the year
slightly above the prior year level. With sales of CHF 51.1
and the loss already mentioned, free cash flow was CHF
million in the first half of 2020, Turkey showed a significant
-95.4 million.
improvement on the previous year’s very low level (first half
As of June 30, 2020, Rieter had net liquidity of CHF 36.0
year 2019: CHF 24.5 million). This upswing was also as-
million, liquid funds of CHF 253.5 million and undrawn
sociated with the innovations that Rieter presented at ITMA

SPINNING
in Barcelona in June 2019.

Business Groups
Due to the exceptional
market situation, Machines &
Systems posted an order intake
of CHF 129.2 million (first
half year 2019: CHF 196.2
million). The sales declined to
CHF 119.9 million (first half
year 2019: CHF 220.8 mil-
lion). At the EBIT level before
restructuring charges, Ma-
chines & Systems recorded a
loss of CHF 39.9 million (first
half year 2019: CHF -22.7
million), due to the low volume
combined with the ongoing
innovation program.
At Components, order intake
amounted to CHF 76.7 mil-
lion (first half year 2019: CHF
115.8 million). The sales fell to
CHF 87.7 million (first half year
2019: CHF 123.3 million). As
a consequence, Components
posted a loss before restructuring charges of CHF 1.6 mil- million, an improved cost base and the signs of market re-
lion (first half year 2019: CHF +6.5 million). covery mentioned above, Rieter expects a stronger second
After Sales recorded an order intake of CHF 44.8 million half of 2020 compared to the first half of the year in terms
(first half year 2019: CHF 66.3 million). The sales declined of sales and profitability.
to CHF 47.3 million (first half year 2019: CHF 72.0 mil- Rieter refrains from providing specific information for the
lion). This resulted in a loss before restructuring charges of full year 2020 due to the ongoing uncertainty and the still
CHF 5.2 million (first half year 2019: CHF +12.4 million). low level of visibility.
Implementation of COVID Crisis Management and Continuous implementation of the strategy
Restructuring According to Plan Rieter has implemented In recent years, Rieter has consistently implemented the
comprehensive COVID crisis management. Priority is being strategy based on the cornerstones of innovation leader-
given to protecting employees, fulfilling customer commit- ship, strengthening the components, spare parts and
ments and ensuring liquidity. services businesses, and adjusting cost structures. The
The necessary measures to protect employees have been company will forge ahead with the strategy in the coming
implemented worldwide and the order backlog is being months, with a view to strengthening its market position for
processed largely as planned. In January 2020, Rieter the time after the COVID-19 pandemic.
reported on structural changes in Switzerland, Germany, Rieter received the building permit for the CAMPUS
the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, which are being project in June 2020. The company plans to build a new
implemented as planned. Customer and Technology Center and an administra-
Rieter has introduced 40% short-time working in Switzer- tion building on an area of 30 000 m2 at the current site
land and Germany for the third quarter of 2020. Similar in Winterthur − the Rieter CAMPUS. The project is a key
measures will be implemented worldwide within the scope element of Rieter’s innovation strategy. Depending on the
of the available legal options. market situation, construction work will begin in the first
The decision regarding whether to apply for an extension half year of 2021.
of short-time working for the fourth quarter of 2020 will be Change in the Group Executive Committee
made in September 2020. Carsten Liske, Head of the Business Group Machines &
Stronger second half of 2020 expected Systems and member of the Group Executive Committee
Rieter noted signs of a market recovery in June 2020. since 2015, is to leave the Group Executive Committee
Rieter monitors capacity utilization at more than 600 in July 2021 to pursue a career opportunity outside the
spinning mills around the world. At the beginning of April Rieter Group. The Board of Directors wishes to express its
2020, the proportion of producing spinning mills was gratitude to Carsten Liske in advance for his many years of
around 40%. By the end of June 2020, this proportion had valuable service and his major contribution to the further
improved to around 80%. development of Rieter. Details about succession arrange-
Based on the order backlog of approximately CHF 490 ments shall be provided in due course. w

HOME TEXTILES
Nandan Terry introduces anti-viral

and anti-bacterial towel collections
Nandan Terry Private Limited has introduced a new range of protective Terry Towels that are
tested to be anti-bacterial and anti-virus, thereby, preventing growth of microbes onto the
towel surface.
In the Post-Covid world,
people are expected to
turn to personal hygiene.
Aimed at preventing growth
of bacteria and negating
virus effects on towels, the
development of anti-bac-
terial Towels is more than
business opportunity. The
development is aimed at
greater well-being of our
customers.
People have become
more conscious about
cleanliness, hygiene and
keeping themselves and
their environment germ-
free. Hand hygiene has
become critical to protect
against the deadly virus.
Keeping this mind set in
view, we have developed
a range of towels as part
of our Wellness Collection
having anti-bacterial, anti-
viral finishes, the cotton is
blended with other fibres to
keep properties intact bath
after bath.
The demand for personal
hygiene and homecare in every possible manner. bacteria development. The the importance of hygiene
products is expected to rise We have developed range organic extracts from Aloe will grow in consumer mind
further in the coming days of towels with infusions and Vera and Cannabis infu- space. The pandemic has
due to the growing aware- chemical finishes to aug- sions enhance properties of made the consumers more
ness among consumers in ment ‘Wellness’ segment. towel collections. aware of the need to main-
the wake of the Covid-19 The collection has been “In our quest to serve our tain hygiene at personal
pandemic. The anti-viral named as ‘Shield’. The valuable customers Nan- level to reduce any chances
finish prevents any possible goodness of pure cotton dan Terry is innovating new of infection. Many of
growth or accumulation of is blended with fibres that products to make people these lifestyle changes will
viruses on the towels. The inhibit antibacterial prop- feel more protected in this become habits in the long
focus is to develop products erties; towels are finished ‘new normal life’.” says run.” he further said.
that can save us from bacte- with antibacterial chemicals Ronak Chiripal, CEO of
rial and pathogen ailments, that prevent bad odour and Nandan Terry. “Post-Covid, w

MILESTONE
UNITY IS STRENGTH
The Swiss Textile Machinery Association
has been crisis-proof for 80 years
When an organization reaches its 80th anniversary, there is a strong chance that it has sur-
vived several crises over those years. In the case of Swiss Textile Machinery, the association
was actually born out of a crisis situation. Looking back over its history today inspires op-
timism that current and future challenges will be met with equal success. Past experience
provides hope for the future...
1940: Steelworks bending department in the year of the association’s foundation
In 1940, a year after the start of World War II, Solidarity grown out of a need for steel
events far away from the battlefields began to impact Leaders of the textile machinery industry were increasing-
on the local machinery industry in Switzerland. One ly concerned about their operations, especially the need for
problem was a lack of skilled workers – through mili- non-ferrous metals and high-quality steel. The situation be-
tary service call-ups – and another was a shortage of came serious and some companies in the industry wanted
raw material, much of which was diverted to weapons to request the Swiss Government to secure the required raw
production. material needed to maintain production. The established

MILESTONE
principle of ‘united we are

strong’ led representatives
from 22 companies to join
forces in forming the first
textile machinery group.
This was the origin of what
today has grown into the
Swiss Textile Machinery
Association.
The members of the
new Swiss Association
of Textile Machinery
Manufacturers – including
well-known brands such
as Rüti, Sulzer, Rieter and
Saurer – were not actually
manufacturing machines
from the start – but that
was just another crisis to
be overcome.
Machinery manufac-
turing as a self-help 1945: Hardening processes at steel plant in the early days of the association
solution
Making textiles was good business for many companies Emerging stronger from another crisis
in Switzerland, including the ones mentioned, before 1806. Who would have guessed that the year of the Swiss Tex-
That was the year when the continental blockade imposed tile Machinery Association’s 80th anniversary would see a
by Napoleon created major problems. Machines from pandemic crisis resulting in the biggest challenge of recent
Great Britain – the highly industrialized home of machinery industrial history? “This crisis has hit the textile industry
development pioneers – were in high demand by Swiss hard, and in my opinion the full impact will only become
textile manufacturing companies. But suddenly they were apparent towards the end of this year,” says Ernesto Mau-
no longer available – and nor were the vital spare parts. rer, President of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association.
Many Swiss textile companies responded by starting to The required skills for the present situation are the
produce the urgently needed machines and components same as previously: adaptability and flexibility. Experience
for themselves. And soon it became apparent that the pro- through history provides grounds for some optimism for
duction and export of machines was far more lucrative than Swiss producers today. “On one hand, I rely on innovative
their previous textile manufacturing activities. The Swiss solutions and the confidence that Swiss Textile Machinery
textile machinery industry was born. members will emerge from the crisis stronger than ever.
Over the years, there were numerous periods of great On the other hand, I am convinced that we will also pass
difficulty for the industry: world wars, global economic this crisis in a Darwinian manner – just as we did when our
slumps and other crises of varying degrees of serious- association was founded,” says Maurer.
ness followed one after another. The profile of the world “Some of our members might choose to relocate abroad,
textile industry also changed. Mass production has long while others could join larger groups. Maybe some compa-
since migrated to the East and South-East. Despite this, or nies or activities will not stay in the market. Still, I am sure
perhaps precisely because of this, Swiss textile machinery that Swiss Textile Machinery will be successful and maintain
today holds a leading position in the high-quality segment its leading position in post-corona times, demonstrating
of special machines and top-quality materials. that ‘united we are strong’ applies as truly today as ever.” w

SUSTAINABILITY
BLUESIGN, making the world

a better place to live
Concerns of sustainable textile supply chain has long been known in the outdoor industry.
Their close connection to nature has made impact reduction a key part of the outdoor indus-
tries value. While the transition for sustainable and responsible manufacturing into the fash-
ion, and especially the luxury markets, has been sluggish, we are seeing the point in which
every link of the textile and garment manufacturing chain are feeling the pressure to change
and change now.
As the outdoor apparel
industry took steps for sus-
tainable apparel manufac-
turing, Bluesign was able to
provide holistic solutions,
with 20 years of experience
that consider the entirety of
the supply chain.
As the fashion industry is
forced to take a hard look
in the mirror, there are com-
panies who are actively pro-
gressing their sustainability
aims. Companies such as
TAL Apparel and ISKO are
pioneering the way. TAL Ap-
parel, as a highly special-
ized and respected name
in the manufacturing and
finishing of high-end dress
shirts, and ISKO who create
an essential found in every-
one’s wardrobe around the
world, are leading the way
for fashion. As TAL Apparel
takes strides to increase
transparency, equally ISKO
aims to reach bluesign®
APPROVED verification for
its denim.
The message is clear;
Jill Dumain, CEO, Bluesign Technologies who will follow-suit and

SUSTAINABILITY
who will be left behind? production. This not only synergies and collabora- internationally recognized
Bluesign technologies ensures that the final textile tion for chemical manage- for its high-quality finishing
ag was founded in 2000. product meets very stringent ment throughout the supply processes. The partner-
Since then, the bluesign® consumer safety require- chain. ship between TAL Apparel
SYSTEM has been adopted ments worldwide, but also First established in 1947 and Bluesign demonstrates
by worldwide leading textile gives consumers confidence in Hong Kong, TAL Ap- the level of trust that has
and accessory manufactur- in purchasing a sustainable parel is one of the larg- grown between the two or-
ers. Various significant key product. est garment operations ganizations and its leaders
players in the chemical Partnership with TAL in the world, driven by a working towards a greater
and machine industry rely Apparel simple formula of combin- mission.
on the bluesign® SYSTEM. Apparel brands recognize ing quality garments, on Dr. Delman Lee, President
Well-known brands in the the value of verifying safe time delivery and product and CTO of TAL Apparel,
outdoor, sportswear and components and inputs of innovation. Today, TAL Ap- while speaking on the de-
fashion industry rely on the their production processes parel is best known as the velopment said: “We strive
extensive knowledge that with a high integrity system supplier of one out of every to be a leading sustainable
bluesign technologies ag like the bluesign® SYSTEM. six men’s dress shirts sold in manufacturer. We work
provides worldwide. TAL Apparel, a leading the U.S. market, producing diligently on the details and
The bluesign® SYSTEM is garment manufacturer and technologically advanced celebrate achieving real and
the key to sustainable textile one of the largest in the garments that combine credible impacts. We are
production. It eliminates world, today embarked on superior styles, comfort, and proud to partner with Blue-
harmful substances right a partnership with Bluesign. functionality. sign because they are truly
from the beginning of the As brands and retailers are An estimated 1 of every committed to a sustainable
manufacturing process, recognizing the value of 6 dress shirts sold in the supply chain. This has been
and it sets and monitors transparency in every tier US made is by TAL, one of a long time coming, and
standards for environ- of their supply chain, the the most respected names we look forward to continu-
mentally friendly and safe partnership will build trust, in the apparel industry and ing our work together with
THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 27

SUSTAINABILITY
Bluesign and other supply rather than simply react-

chain partners in creating a ing to legal or stakeholder
sustainable future.” requirements, pursuing an
The safety and security approach that has a huge
afforded throughout the potential and includes
Bluesign assessment and several actions for further
verification process is made improvements.
possible by a closed circle Through this partnership,
of highly trained specialists. ISKO is part of SANKO Marketing, and the CSR ISKO and Bluesign continue
This ensures the integrity of TEKSTIL, the textile divi- Sustainability Teams – all the movement of the textile
intellectual property while sion of the SANKO Group. working to create a com- and fashion industry into
establishing the desired As the premium denim plete network of excellence, a future that pays more
transparency for brands ingredient brand behind creativity and innovation. attention to people and the
and consumers, who have people’s most favorite Denim is a timeless staple environment, because only
the highest expectations for jeans, it has a strong global in wardrobes around the when both are considered
responsibly made and safe presence in 35 countries world. ISKO, the leading can the industry truly make
products without compro- with 60 international loca- denim ingredient brand, a positive long-lasting
mising on quality or design. tions. and Bluesign, the archi- impact.
Most notably, this part- By virtue of its Responsi- tects of a sustainable and “ISKO, as the soul of
nership is a reflection of the ble Innovation™ approach, responsible textile supply jeans, has a vision for den-
trend of premium brands founded on creativity, chain, are joining forces in im that is creative in design
to incorporate transparency competence and citizen- a partnership. Alliances like and innovative in the use of
into their business strategy. ship, ISKO works to make this are the source of effec- technologies. These distinct
“I appreciate the time the world a better place tive improvements. qualities in combination
and care that TAL has taken bringing awareness to ISKO has a long-standing with a determined com-
in making the decision to environmental as well as commitment to ensure the mitment to a sustainable
partner with Bluesign. This social aspects. As a result of integrity of its ingredients supply chain makes ISKO
allows our partnership to be its R-TWO™ program made and the traceability of the a true leader in the textile
founded on strong mutual with certified reused and fibers and materials used industry. We look forward
trust and respect for each recycled fibers, the compa- in its denim apparel. By to the next impactful steps
other’s business practices ny’s denim offer is pushing releasing the Sustainability we will take together,” Jill
and greater mission. This sustainable materials and Report, ISKO again dem- Dumain, stated about the
care and dedication are re- innovating. onstrates its commitment partnership.
flected in their professional- Committed to an ap- to creating and designing “As the leader of this
ism. We are proud to enter proach of continuous denim apparel that has a industry, we feel it is our
into a partnership with such improvement, ISKO relies positive connection with responsibility to be and
an influential organization,” on external stakeholder the planet. In this report, a act as a force for good.
said Jill Dumain, CEO of engagement, striving for primary target of ISKO is We have always prioritized
Bluesign Technologies. third-party certifications to achieve bluesign® AP- transparency and account-
Joins hands with ISKO and partnerships. This has PROVED accreditation for ability, highly valuing every
Bluesign recently an- led to many achievements, its denim textiles, attaining improvement that can be
nounced another major including becoming a blue- the strictest industry stand- achieved by sharing values
partnership with ISKO for sign® SYSTEM PARTNER, ard for consumers and and goals through part-
the creation of a cleaner, STeP by OEKO-TEX®, Textile environment alike. nerships. This one makes
safer, and transparent Exchange, SAC, ZDHC, and With the goal of complet- us particularly proud, as
world of denim. ISKO EU Ecolabel. ing this process by the end it raises the bar of our ef-
just released its landmark The ISKO world is a full- of 2020, the company has forts and challenges us to
Sustainability Report, set- power denim force from the already performed blue- maintain our improvement
ting the target of achiev- ground up. It includes R&D, sign® COMPANY ASSESS- efforts,” Ebru Ozkucuk
ing bluesign® APPROVED Creative Room, Iskoteca, MENT at an above-average Guler, Senior Sustainability
accreditation by the end of ISKO Creative Room level. This shows how & CSR Executive at ISKO
2020. Services, Visionary Minds, ISKO anticipates changes mentioned. w

COVER STORY
In conversation with
Dr. Jairam Varadaraj, MD, ELGi Equipments Ltd.
“We are focusing on innovation
centred on energy efficiency, oil free
and quality to be the best in the world”
The virus pandemic has certainly shifted gears for the global industrial scenario. ELGi Equipments continues
to remain buoyant in its bid to be No. 2 in the air compressor industry. Meanwhile, winning the coveted
Deming prize has been an important milestone in the company’s TQM journey. In this exclusive interview,
Dr. Jairam Varadaraj, Managing Director, ELGi Equipments Limited, elaborates about the company’s future
strategies and the new products and technologies that will give it an extra edge.
ELGi Equipments recently
received the Deming prize for
excellence in TQM. Can you
look back on the company’s
quality journey?
ELGi Equipments has an ambi-
tious aspiration; and to achieve
this, we recognised that the
company needed to adopt a man-
agement philosophy that builds
vertical excellence in each operat-
ing function and customer-centric
horizontal excellence across the
business, operations and support
functions. We strongly believe
in endeavouring to accomplish
ordinary tasks in an extraordinary
manner, and turning extraordinary
ambitions into ordinary tasks.
TQM has significantly enabled this
vision. Our TQM journey began in
2008 and gained momentum in
2014 with the implementation of
ELGi’s TQM system.
The EBS (ELGi Business System)
is a means to achieve ELGi’s
goal of becoming the world’s
second-largest air compressor
manufacturer by 2027. It also
helped establish a strong em-
phasis on customer-centricity and
human resource development
initiatives. Today, we are proud
to be the first global, industrial Dr. Jairam Varadaraj, Managing Director, ELGi Equipments Ltd.

COVER STORY
air compressor manufacturer to win the

prestigious Deming award in over
60 years. And while the Deming
prize is a milestone in our journey,
I commend our employees for their
continual support and focus on
building excellence in TQM, across
the organisation.
How important is this Deming
prize and what difference has it
made to the company and the
employees?
Winning the coveted Deming
prize is an important milestone in
our TQM journey. While the prize
is testament to our focus on quality
and building excellence in TQM,
it has reinforced our commitment
to customer-centricity. Every ELGi
product bears testament to our
hallmarks of reliability and perfor-
mance, while meeting or exceeding
industry-specific demands such as
energy efficiency, cost-efficiency,
ruggedness, zero oil tolerance or
air delivery precision. And yes, it’s
certainly been an exciting journey for all
our employees and a challenging one as well.
Taking a step back, the key foundations of the ELGi Busi- ties that suitably use problem-solving activities by cross-
ness System are business processes, measurement-based functional teams (CFTs). In addition, ELGi has structured
management and alignment of individual goals with a robust employee training system investing 400 hours of
company goals. training per person for every shop floor employee, employ-
The objective of our business processes is to bring reli- ing both in-house and external classroom quality education
able, repeatable, effective and efficient outcomes, while and the establishment of an in-house vocational training
measurement-based management ensures that the perfor- school.
mance of each individual in the organisation is defined in ELGi’s TQM focus also extended to the standardisation
the form of objectives and control points, which are then of all sales activities (the GTM go-to-market process) for
measured and reviewed. The third dimension of EBS is to sales expansion as well as the creation and promotion of
help the alignment of individual goals with the company’s various mechanisms using ICT. ELGi values continuous
goals and aspirations. This helps every individual employee improvement as a never-ending journey towards achieving
to understand the importance of their roles and respon- excellence and an important pillar of our quality system.
sibilities in addressing the customers’ requirements and Continuous improvement strategies of ‘plan-do-check-act’
other stakeholders’ expectations. are embedded in all our business processes, being moni-
Can you highlight some important milestones in tored by our senior management.
ELGi’s quality journey? Could you comment on the impact of the pandemic-
ELGi’s TQM system, the EBS (ELGi Business System), has driven lockdown on your business globally and in
been implemented as a means to achieve ELGi’s goal of India? Are you facing supply chain issues from global
becoming the world’s second-largest air compressor man- suppliers? How is ELGi combating this crisis?
ufacturer by 2027 and it comprises diverse improvement ELGi’s supply chain is fairly complex in that we rely on
activities and human resource development initiatives. The more than 350 suppliers across 15 countries for more than
objective of EBS is to satisfy the customers’ implicit and 13,000 components. The complexity extends beyond our
explicit requirements through continuous improvements in immediate suppliers, who in turn engage sub-contractors.
the performance of the company across all functions, on As with most companies, our operations team’s goal is to
QCDSM and growth parameters, by adopting systematic strike a balance between maintaining sufficient inventory of
work practices. The illustration below details the EBS jour- finished products in key markets to serve customers, while
ney at ELGi Equipments. minimising the level of raw material and work-in-process
Some of the indigenous improvements include the devel- inventory to maintain healthy working capital models.
opment of Gemba prowess and staff improvement activi- However, none of our planning would account for the dis-

COVER STORY
ruption brought on by the crisis.

ELGi relies on suppliers in China for critical
components such as coolers and motors for its
air compressors. Luckily, ELGi avoided the initial
pandemic-driven disruption in late December
and early January, as in anticipation of the supply
slowdown from Chinese New Year in late January
ELGi had padded its inventory of products from
China. This strategic purchase gave us security
until mid-April, at which point Chinese suppliers
were back online and ramping up supplies.
However, relative to the industry, ELGi has verti-
cally integrated production processes for quality
control. In light of the pandemic, we are expand-
ing our list of critical components and revisiting
make versus buy decisions with more emphasis on
accounting for unforeseen supply chain disrup-
tions. For buy category parts, we plan to pur-
sue multiple sources across regions to mitigate
regional risks. For our workforce, we will invest in
multi-skilling to ensure production during reduced
manpower situations. Finally, we are revising our
freight contracts to ensure we are price and service
protected under all conditions along with having
multiple ports of access.
We have just completed the financial year
Dr. Jairam Varadaraj receiving the prestigious Deming Prize
2019-20 which has been a difficult year for
many. How has it been for ELGi?
Over the last financial year we have laid a strong foun- a continuation to our strategy to invest in select, inorganic
dation to build our presence in the US and European mar- opportunities to gain presence in the North American
kets. These will remain as key contributors in our Conquer market. With our robust product portfolio and Michigan
K2 (CK2) journey. Our acquisition of Michigan Air Solu- Air Solution’s customer-centricity, we have built a strong
tions in December 2019, a company that serves customers foundation for market growth in the mid west.
in the Lower Peninsula with air compressors, dryers, filtra- We have also taken over the master distribution of
tion, piping, vacuum pumps and blowers, among others, is Rotair range of portable air compressors in North America
Assembly line

COVER STORY
An overview of state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the outskirts of Coimbatore
through our subsidiary ELGi North America, Charlotte, NC. build our business globally. Today, we do business in more
Since 2012, ELGi North America has established reliable than 120 countries with direct presence in 28 countries. We
distribution and brand recognition with its industrial range have our own manufacturing facilities in India, Italy and
of air compressors and accessories. This entry into the the US with subsidiaries in Australia, Brazil, the UAE and
portable compressor market space will further strengthen Indonesia. At this moment, more than 2 million ELGi air
our presence in the compressed air industry. To strengthen compressors are driving critical applications across various
our ‘go to’ market strategy in Europe, we have established industries verticals, supported by a strongly knit sales and
our European headquarters in Belgium. This will enable us service network of 2,000+ people and 200+ distributors,
to intensify our talent acquisition and build our sales and worldwide.
service network in the region. Currently, out of your total turnover, what percent-
(Note: ELGi acquired the Rotair brand of portable air age contribution is from Indian domestic market
compressors in 2012. Based in Caraglio, Italy, Rotair SPA and what would be the contribution from exports or
manufactures portable air compressors ranging from 75 overseas?
cfm through 900 cfm, available in trailer and skid mount We are looking at a 53% percentage contribution from
versions.) the Indian domestic market and 47% from exports or
In recent years ELGi has made some important overseas.
global acquisitions. Can you elaborate on the com- Talking about new products and technologies, can
pany’s expansion strategy globally and how is it you list down some of the important launches and in-
contributing to your business? Currently what is the novation by ELGi in recent times?
company’s global footprint in terms of manufacturing, At ELGi, our definition of ‘always better’ is closely
sales and service network? coupled with us always being the customer’s choice.
Conquer K-2 (CK2) – our aspiration to be the No. 2 in And across the world, customers incur significant owner-
the global air compressor market by 2027 – draws inspira- ship costs, considerable maintenance requirements and
tion from Mount K2, the second-highest peak in the world relatively poor reliability. At ELGi we have questioned this,
and arguably, the toughest peak to ascend among those connected the dots and developed technology specifically
peaks in the range of 8,000 metres. Currently, ELGi is applied to solving an existing need in a new way.
at the No. 7 position and to accomplish our aspirational And our 400+ product range bears testament to this;
targets, our market-facing dimension of strategy (where for example, the lubricated screw – ELGi Global (EG)
to play?) includes, in addition to organic growth, business series and Encapsulated (EN) Series – and oil-free screw
acquisitions across the world with specific focus on India, air compressors are highly reliable, energy-efficient and
Europe, USA, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. operate at low energy costs. Our oil-free (OF) series and
On the value proposition dimension of strategy (how to ‘always better’ (AB) series of oil-free screw compressors
win?), we are focusing on innovation centred on energy are class zero certified by TUV in accordance with the ISO
efficiency, oil-free and quality to be the best in the world. 8573 standards and the (HRS) heat recovery systems help
We believe that delivering strongly and reliably on these companies recover approximately 96% of the waste heat
value propositions will set us apart from competitors and generated during the compression process which can then

COVER STORY
be re-utilised for heating of air and water.

We have also innovated to address the com-
pressed air needs of companies who have histori-
cally suffered the constraints of high cost, poor
reliability and low efficiency in order to have oil-
free air. The ELGi AB series, a disruption in oil-free
compressed air technology, offers every customer
across the globe a no-compromise, oil-free solu-
tion at lower ownership costs when compared with
prevailing oil-free technology. Finally, our com-
pressed air experts across the world offer special-
ised services to help customers identify potential
areas of energy savings and provide them with
solutions guaranteeing the optimum use of com-
pressed air.
Specifically for the textile industry, has ELGi
launched any new product or technology in
recent times which can result in improving
quality and productivity of yarn and fabric?
Compressed air is one of the key utilities in the
textile industry with air pressure requirement rang-
are the important initiatives taken by the company in

the last few years and plans for the foreseeable future
which will help achieve this ambition?
As I mentioned earlier, we are at the No. 7 position as
per current market estimates and our aspiration is to be the
No. 2 in the global air compressor business. To accom-
plish our aspirational targets, we have been focusing on
business acquisitions across the world with specific focus
on India, Europe, USA, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand,
which we consider as key markets that are going to con-
tribute significantly in our CK2 journey. In addition to our
ELGi vocational training school earlier acquisitions of Rotair in Italy, Pattons Inc. in USA,
Pulford and Advanced Air in Australia, our recent acquisi-
ing from 5 to 8 bar to power varieties of applications. Be tion of Michigan Air Solutions in USA has helped us to build
it weaving or yarning or knitting, compressed air plays a strong foundation for market growth in the the Midwest.
a vital role by coming into direct contact with the fabric Our master distribution of Rotair range of portable air
during processing. Hence, it is highly critical to have an compressors in North America will further strengthen our
uninterrupted supply of oil-free air at the desired pressure. presence in USA. Our newly opened European headquar-
Contact with oil from the air compressors can leave grease ters in Belgium will enable us to build our talent pool and
stains on the fabric, causing it to darken. strengthen our sales and service network in the region. All
Using oil-free compressors not only reduces the chances these strategic initiatives will help ELGi to march forward
of rejection but also optimises production with less idle time towards its mission.
and extended intervals between servicing the compressor Finally, with the global economy heading for a
and its downstream accessories. Over the years, ELGi has recession, what are your thoughts at this moment? Do
sharpened its focus on providing sustainable and energy- you see more challenges or opportunities? How are
efficient solutions to the textile industry. It has partnered you preparing your organisation to combat this crisis?
with textile customers to improve and enhance their We are anticipating challenges in demand, supply,
compressed air applications. With its complimentary air employee safety and general business continuity. Our
audit program, ELGi has helped to identify energy saving teams are engaged with predicting and planning for the
opportunities for its textile customers that has resulted in consequences of the pandemic. As we gain more comfort
the savings of over USD 9 million. around this new normal, we will refocus our attention on
A couple of years back you had announced ambi- our strategic markets and initiatives towards CK2, our
tious plans of becoming the No. 2 compressor manu- ambition to be the second-largest compressed air manu-
facturer globally. How is this shaping up and what facturer in the world. w

PRONEEM launches the first French

anti-Covid-19 textile treatment –
proven on SARS-CoV-2
Nathalie Hagege, Founder and President, Proneem
M
Founded in 2003 by Nathalie Hagege, who holds a
arseilles-based biotechnol- doctorate in molecular biology and immunology, Proneem
ogy company, Proneem, with is specialized in microencapsulation of natural active ingre-
dients to functionalize textiles. The company offers a wide
support from France Chimie range of effective natural treatments (anti-dust mite, anti-
bacterial, anti-insect, anti-odour, anti-perspiration, moistur-
and Novachim, has manufactured a izing, relaxing, heating, slimming, perfuming, refreshing,
toning, etc.) suitable for all surfaces, in sectors as varied as
textile treatment with high antiviral bedding, sport and clothing.
activity that neutralizes the infectivity The company’s manufacturing processes based on
microencapsulation and its major R&D investment currently
of SARS-CoV-2 on textile surfaces. make it the only international company to hold a Marketing
Authorization (EC number: 283-644-7, FR-2018-0028) for

Nathalie Hagege and Fabio Puga-de-Freitas
a biocidal treatment to functionalize textile articles intended the new coronavirus appears to survive from several hours
for domestic use that come into contact with the skin. to several days on textile surfaces.
At a time when the entire world is grappling with the Going into the details regarding the breakthrough
Covid-19 pandemic, Proneem’s experts, supported by innovation, Nathalie Hagege, explained:” Proneem’s col-
France Chimie and Novachim, have applied their expertise laboration with Chimie France and Novachim is enabling
to combatting Covid-19 by developing the only French innovation to progress faster and puts French R&D at the
textile treatment with high antiviral activity, with proven forefront. Indeed, for the first time in France, it has been
efficacy on SARS-CoV-2. Tested by an independent French possible to conduct tests on the SARS-CoV-2 strain, proving
laboratory*, the technology forms a lasting and permanent the performance of a treated textile. With an effective active
barrier that neutralizes the infectivity ingredient and documented textile im-
of SARS-CoV-2 on textile surfaces. This pregnation systems, we have proved
innovative treatment, VIRALSTOP™,
“VIRAL STOP is EPA that it is possible to create textiles able
combines the antiviral properties of registered and complies to destroy the virus.”
zinc pyrithione and zinc oxide (ZnO) The researcher, who was a member
with other active ingredients, by pre- with EU BPR regulations” of the expert committee that drew up
venting many viruses such as corona- the AFNOR document on sanitary
viruses replicating and by damaging masks, is now working to optimize
the viral envelope. Tested on samples of different types of all textile and non-textile materials (including non-woven
textiles, it is currently the only French treatment tested on fabrics) to combat all coronaviruses, including Covid-19,
the SARS-CoV-2 strain shown to be effective in neutralizing actively. The idea: to enable the manufacture of French
the virus. Its virucidal action reduces the viral population by anti-Covid-19 textile and non-textile equipment that is easy
more than 99.99%**, increases the textile’s protection level to use, reusable, competitively priced and accessible to all,
and limits transmission of the virus. A major innovation. It which would provide maximum protection for the whole
should be remembered that infected surfaces represent a population while also overcoming the risks from shortages
major vector for contamination and transmission, and that of certain materials.

breakfasts, holiday rentals, campsites), anti-

viral textile cleaners for industrial laundries,
hospital laundries, dry cleaners, etc.
Wearing clothes with anti-Covid-19 prop-
erties would considerably enhance social
distancing measures and issues for tourism
and the events sector, currently cancelled or
postponed. Beyond the current health crisis,
by means of this breakthrough innovation,
proneem wishes to accelerate the develop-
ment of functional textiles, reindustrialize
the country and restore the opportunity for
France to be a major player on the interna-
tional scene.
* VIBIOSPHEN, French medical biotech-
nology laboratory specialized in infectious
diseases.
Nathalie Hagege working with VIRALS STOP gloves ** Results of tests carried out on different
synthetic and natural textile samples.
“Today, as we begin to exit
lockdown, with activity resum-
ing in various business sec-
tors, it is essential to optimize
the performance of sanitary
and surgical masks with
impregnation systems to pro-
vide maximum safety. I am
thinking of all the industries,
such as tourism or the events
sector, that have to be organ-
ized differently and relaunch
their activities with preventive
measures and safety. And I’m
also thinking about all the
mothers who aren’t sending
their children to school out of
fear they will catch or pass on
Covid-19. With this innova-
Fabio Puga-de-Freitas controling VIRAL STOP microcapsules
tion, my overriding aim is
to provide a solution to an
unprecedented problem that is bringing the global econo- - Anti-viral effect on the SARS-CoV-2 strain: after 2
my to a standstill. Wearing clothing able to neutralize the hours’ contact on treated textiles, in accordance with the
virus would go a long way towards overcoming the social ISO 18184 anti-viral standard, VIRAL STOP™ neutral-
distancing problem”, added Nathalie Hagege. izes the SARS-CoV-2 strain responsible for Covid19 with
Functionalized textiles with anti-Covid-19 properties 99.99% efficiency.
will be used to make gloves, masks and clothing able to - Antibacterial effect: after contact with treated textiles, in
neutralize the virus, which can therefore be used for long accordance with the ISO 20743 standard against Gram +
periods without fear of the infectivity of many viruses, and Gram - bacteria responsible for pathogenic devel-
including SARS-CoV-2. opments linked to nosocomial infections, VIRAL STOP™
It will also be possible to use VIRALSTOP™ technology in neutralizes these bacteria with 99.99% effectiveness.
many applications: textile sprays with antiviral properties For more information : https://www.proneem.com/en/
for the general public and the hotel sector (hotels, bed and w

TECHNICAL TEXTILES
Kusumgar: Pioneers of
technical textiles
With innovation and technology being the key factors in its operational strategy, Kusumgar
Corporate Private Limited has emerged as an icon in the field of technical textiles and has been
awarded premium contracts for making specialised parachutes for the Indian defence forces
Siddharth Kusumgar, Managing Director and Ankur Kothari, CEO, Kusumgar Corporate Private Limited
Back in 1970, the technical textile sector was still in its Managing Director Siddharth Kusumgar and CEO Ankur
infancy, undergoing a revolutionary phase. And it was Kothari who are now leading KCPL into its next generation
around this time that entrepreneur Y K Kusumgar rightly of activities. The structure of its business is set up across
recognised the potential that lay therein, which is what three different verticals of defence, industrial and consumer.
prompted him to set up Kusumgar Corporate Private Lim- Customisation is Key
ited (KCPL). Kusumgar was a visionary of his time, under- These divisions specialise in customising the products as
standing fully well that the demand for textiles is dynamic in per the needs of the consumers, thereby giving KCPL an
nature and that the subsequent years would see an upsurge edge over its competitors. For instance, the unit that focuses
in the requirement for this unique fabric. Starting small, he on the requirements of the defence sector provides fabrics
worked hard, experimented, and laid the foundations for a for military clothing. These are made with specific proper-
successful company. ties such as ultra-light in weight, quick to dry, anti-bacterial
Today, KCPL is almost 50 years old and is regarded a and UV-resistant. The company also supplies such spe-
pioneer in the entire industry, synonymous with the produc- cialised fabrics to the aeronautical sector. KCPL also went
tion of technical textiles. The vision with which the company through a significant upgrade in its product line in 2019
was started was ‘to transform the lives of people through when the company, which was mainly into manufacturing
innovation in textile’ and the company has certainly lived of fabrics, was offered a transfer of technology (ToT) by the
up to that philosophy. At the helm of its operations are Ministry of Defence of the Government of India for manu-

TECHNICAL TEXTILES
P7 heavy cargo takes

flight powered by fabric
from KUSUMGAR
Kusumgar Corporates, has proudly developed a spe-
cial fabric for P7 heavy cargo parachutes. The heavy
drop system is used for para dropping, which is capa-
ble of paradropping military stores up to 7-ton weight
class from IL-76 Aircraft. In light of the requirements of
the armed forces, especially in difficult to reach border
areas without motorable roads, these systems would fill
the gap for logistics and supplies.
The entire system was developed by DRDO’s ADRDE
lab based in Agra and manufactured by OPF Kan-
pur. Kusumgar successfully developed the fabric with
special coating formulation with the support of ADRDE
team, which resulted in improved abrasion resistance
apart from water and oil repellent. This is another
feather in the cap for Kusumgar in tune with vision of
our Prime Minister’s Made in India project.
Kusumgar is a pioneer in technical textiles in India. It
has supported the indigenization of several products for
the armed forces and has also been the selected indus-
try partner in developing various products with DRDO.
facturing parachutes for the Indian Army. with a few family-managed businesses which are based in
These parachutes are made under the aegis of the Ga- Europe or the US. Special skills of like-minded companies
ganyaan Human Space Programme, which is all set to be such as technology, certifications standard and qualifica-
launched in the year 2022. The role of the company in this tions will be acquired or partnered with under this initia-
venture would be to make parachutes which will be used tive,” Kusumgar informs. KCPL’s previous joint ventures
while landing in order to prevent the space capsule from such as Saati Kusumgar (P) Ltd. and Toray Kusumgar
crashing. Further, the transfer of technology agreement also Advance Textiles with leading companies across the globe
includes the manufacturing of combat free-fall parachutes have proved to be very successful. They have added ca-
which will be used to jump from a height of 10,000 feet. pabilities to their portfolio and significantly increased the
One of the special products will be the drop parachute quality of services.
which will have the capacity of carrying up to 20 tons to be Elaborating about the company’s operational strate-
used for carrying and ensuring safe landing of heavy cargo gies, Ankur Kothari says, “The company strongly believes
and large vehicles such as jeeps and tanks. in the fact that we as an industry need to work together
Highlighting the importance of this venture, Siddharth as partners so as to provide the manufacturer with profits
Kusumgar states: “We are humbled by the trust that the while giving the best quality products to the consumers.
government has shown in us and our products. At present, This exercise of acquisitions and joint ventures is funda-
we are assisting them in completing the 70 tests that will mental for innovation to occur in the industry.” Given
be done before launching of the said program, which is this approach, KCPL has been consistently upgrading its
scheduled to take place in 2022. We will play our part with production processes and investing heavily in technology.
complete dedication till the very end of this initiative.” Such For instance, it has recently invested in hot melt lamination
a valuable partnership has no doubt been the result of the technology and has started working on new applications
long-standing consistent performance that KCPL has been like inflatable technology with relation to its application in
delivering since its inception. the medical sector.
Partnerships of Value Leading from the Front
Overall, it has been a very exciting year for the brand KCPL has been a market leader for years now and has
with the opportunity to explore new avenues and also con- been setting examples for others. “For any product manu-
template about expanding their product base, especially facturing company, it is necessary to understand that raw
in the US market. “The company is looking at partnering material forms the basic yet the most important component

TECHNICAL TEXTILES
in the process of manufacturing. However, time and again

a lot of companies have complained about the shortage of
raw material or that their demands are not being met as a
result of which the turnover is affected. In such a scenario,
we have a very interesting approach of treating our raw
material suppliers as our business partners rather than just
suppliers,” Kothari says.
“We work very closely and cohesively with the raw mate-
rial suppliers because the company understands their value
to the business. However, one thing that the company has
noticed is that procuring raw materials when there happens
to be a sudden need for it does prove to be a very difficult
task. This is something that we together as an industry need
to think about and come up with a solution for,” he adds.
The company has three integrated facilities set up in Guja-
rat which begin with yarn modification and are followed by
other processes such as weaving, dyeing, coating, finishing,
bleaching, scouring, calendaring and lamination. Currently
the facilities are operating at 80-85% capacity and the
company has made elaborate plans to achieve much more
than this in the subsequent financial year.
The production facilities are equipped with advanced
conventional shuttle looms, Dornier rapier looms, water
jet looms, and Sulzer flexible rapier looms and weaving
machines. Being a pioneer in its field, KCPL happens to
be the only technical textile manufacturing company to
have bagged the National Award for Indigenization from

the Government of India for performing stupendously and
providing strong, sturdy, and great quality nuclear biologi-
cal warfare clothing and zero porosity fabrics for parachute
applications. The other accolades that the company has
received over the years include the Gold Vendor Award by
GarwareBestretch, Supplier Excellence Award by Parker
Hannifin and Quality Promise to Zero Defect Award by
Johnson and Johnson.
“The company has persistently worked towards expand-
ing its applications so that they can make a difference to
the lives of more and more people. We have the perfect
combination of an innovative approach to solve problems,
a dedicated team of employees and workers, and expe-
rienced and visionary leadership which makes it a dream
team to achieve various levels of success. Even after 50
years of operation, the company has not lost its zeal and
courage to expand and try out new ventures,” Kusumgar
says. KCPL’s ambition is to achieve a turnover of Rs 1,000
crore in the next few years. “We are definitely moving
towards achieving this target,” Kusumgar states.
w

KNITTING
KARL MAYER - STOLL

merger complete
With the so-called closing, the merger of the two world market leaders, KARL MAYER and
STOLL, was officially completed on 1st July 2020. The relevant agreements were signed on
26th February 2020, thus, setting the course for the formation of a trans-technology global
player, who changes the world of its customers and of the textile sector.
KARL MAYER is now the leading provider of solutions for technical textiles, KARL MAYER is innovative market leader
the two most important stitch-forming processes, flat knit- with more than 2,300 employees worldwide. STOLL, the
ting and warp knitting. The company’s entire expertise in international sector leader with roughly 1,000 employees,
the fields of warp knitting, flat knitting as well as technical stands for progressive tools and services for tomorrow’s
textiles, warp preparation for weaving and digital solutions knitting.
is now housed under one roof. STOLL will continue its activities within the KARL MAYER
When it comes to the manufacture of products for warp Group as autonomous business unit. The brand will be
knitting, warp preparation for weaving and the areas of carried on independently, and represents KARL MAYER‘s

KNITTING
technological principles but also optimiza-

tions of details, for example concerning
the operation. For the development of new
textiles, the customers can rely on broad,
cross-sector expertise. They can benefit
from the Group’s entire textile-technological
know-how in the fields of warp knitting and
flat knitting with an even increased applica-
tion-oriented focus. The customers‘ contact
persons will remain the same.
One of the main aims in production is to
increase the added value for more know-
how protection, flexibility and rapid delivery.
Components from own production will be
used groupwide, if possible, and the manu-
facture of the STOLL machines in China will
be integrated into KARL MAYER’s location in
Changzhou. With a surface area of 90,000
m² and modern factory halls, the Chinese
plant offers the perfect conditions for con-
tinuing STOLL‘s high-quality production. The
integration project runs smoothly, despite
highest complexity and corona pandemic.
„The teams from STOLL and KARL MAYER
are full on schedule. They cooperate closely
and extremely dedicated, they complement
each other’s strengths, and successfully live
the merger“, explains Andreas Schellham-
mer.
Moreover, via their familiar contact part-
ners, the Chinese customers can rely on the
resources and organization of KARL MAYER
(CHINA) in the fields of service and spare
parts. The spare parts are manufactured
in-house, they are stored in larger quanti-
Andreas Schellhammer and Arno Gärtner ties, and dispatched directly from China to
China. This ensures shortest delivery times.
expertise in the field of flat knitting technology. KARL MAYER also relies on In terms of digitalisation, the know-how
STOLL‘s proven management. The previous CEO, Andreas Schellhammer, merger raises expectations for innovation
will become President of the STOLL business unit within the KARL MAYER leaps with advantages for the customers
Group. and effects on the entire textile industry.
“With STOLL‘s excellent know-how and committed staff, we can build on KARL MAYER‘s KM.ON is a highly agile
a good basis for further joint developments. STOLL and KARL MAYER com- software start-up, that uses the potential of
plement each other perfectly in terms of technology, they consistently rely cloud-based concepts and of artificial intel-
on the proximity to their markets, and they are the innovation leaders in ligence for completely new digital solutions.
their sectors. The merger offers the basis for new machine-based solutions, STOLL offers many years of experience in
textile products and digital offerings, which will make a major contribution the software section. Together it will be pos-
to strengthening our customers in their business environment“, says Arno sible to accelerate digital product develop-
Gärtner. ments enormously.
In the area of machine development, it is possible to use completely new w

LENZING joins forces with

Ruby Mills to fight Covid-19
Lenzing India and Ruby Mills Ltd have come
together to present H+ Technology™ – for an
antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal fabric.
This breakthrough comes at a crucial time
when India is facing an increasing number of
cases. H+ technology’s efficacy has been tested
and the findings successfully indicate that
viruses and microbes won’t survive on the sur-
face of the fabric that’s been treated with it,
thus helping to arrest the spread of the virus.
Over the past few weeks, Lenzing and Ruby Mills have
invested considerable time to put together a range of
sustainable fabrics that has anti-viral and anti-microbial
properties and doesn’t compromise on hand-feel, breatha-
bility & finish – which makes H+ technology fabrics unique. Rishabh Shah, President, The Ruby Mills Ltd.
H+ Technology™ also works across a wide range of pure
as well as blended fabrics. H+ Technology™ with LENZ- finishes have significant limitations – they become ineffec-
ING™ ECOVERO™ and TENCEL™ means performance to tive after multiple washes, and they hamper the fabric’s
finish on sustainable fibers. comfort and hand-feel. In our continuous pursuit for per-
At the very core of this technology is the active ingredient fection and quality, we developed H+ Technology™ fabrics,
that kills over 99% of the H1N1 Influenza virus (the family by extending our processing expertise and know-how to
of Novel Coronavirus) on contact and provides lasting ensure that the protection lasts wash after wash and the
protection for up to 30 washes, thus ensuring effective hand-feel, breathability and colour are not compromised.
protection against transmission of virus. We believe our H+ Technology™ fabrics have a wide range
Speaking on the development, Avinash Mane, Com- of applications across sectors and is significantly superior
mercial Head – South Asia, Lenzing said: “Through this and most relevant in the times that call for heightened
partnership with Ruby Mills, we aim to provide our citizens protection in everyday life.”
with the best possible protection through high-quality and Creators of H+ Technology™, The Ruby Mills Limited has
sustainable products. We are working towards breaking the been one of the most respected vertically integrated textile
barrier that fabrics and textiles are carriers of diseases and mills known for fabric quality, consistency and innovation
viruses. At Lenzing, we believe in innovation and investment since 1917. Headquartered in Mumbai, listed on both the
in technology to offer products that are high in perfor- BSE and the NSE, Ruby Mills, aimed at enabling customers
mance and yet at the same time are part of the circular with H+ Technology™ and is working on bringing this to
economy. Consumers can be rest assured that apparels the consumers in collaboration with the Lenzing Group, an
with the tag of TENCEL™, LENZING™ ECOVERO™ and innovation leader, that stands for the ecologically responsi-
H+ technology™ will be safe to wear”. ble production of specialty fibers made from the renewable
Rishabh Shah, President, The Ruby Mills Limited com- raw material wood, TENCEL™ and ECOVERO™.
menting on the development, stated: “Most anti-microbial w

HOME TEXTILES
D’Decor teams up with HeiQ

to launch antiviral range and air
purifying range of furnishing fabrics
D’Decor Home Fabrics is proud to partner with Swiss textile innovator HeiQ to help their cus-
tomers live safe and live beautiful.
The D’Decor antiviral and air purifying range

of products live up to the philosophy of safe and
beautiful home spaces. Textiles provide a large
hosting surface for bacteria and viruses that allow
them to remain active from days to months, in the
current pandemic time, people look for hygienic
home solutions more than ever. D’Decor Home
Fabrics wanted to find a solution to this problem
and render their textiles antiviral and antibacte-
rial. They entered into an exclusive partnership
with HeiQ to launch ViroGuard by D’Decor and
AeroFresh by D’Decor.
ViroGuard by D’Decor, powered by HeiQ-
Viroblock is an antiviral range of home textile
products. Fabrics treated with HeiQViroblock have
been previously tested effectively against coronavi-
rus, influenza, avian flu, swine flu and respiratory
syncytial virus and achieves 99.99% reduction of
the virus. ViroGuard aims to destroy viruses and
bacteria within a short time and last long on the
fabric. D’Decor Home Fabrics will offer uphol-
stery fabrics, curtain fabrics and bedding with this
technology.
AeroFresh by D’Decor, powered by HeiQ Fresh,
is an air purifying function that uses UV light to
improve indoor air quality. Indoor air hygiene has
been a major growing concern with increasing risk
of human health hazard, and indoor air contains
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are re-
leased from household furnishing, carpets, glues,
cleaning sprays, aerosols, flooring, etc. D’Decor
Home Fabrics has adopted HeiQ Fresh, HeiQ’s Ajay Arora, Managing Director, D’Decor Home Fabrics
breakthrough air purifying textile technology on
their custom-made curtains to help users improve indoor in the air and then decomposing them using light. It works
air quality. It works by turning any textile surface into an quickly (within 24 hours) and lasts up to 20 washes.
air purifying surface by immobilizing the VOC molecules D’Decor Home Fabrics is the world’s largest maker of

HOME TEXTILES
woven upholstery and curtain fabrics. Founded in 1999, “D’Decor has always been about beauty and variety.
they are proud to be ‘globally local’, understanding the But we feel, that given today’s scenario and the fact that
aesthetic sensibilities of every country their products are our products form such an integral part of the home, we
used in. As the partners for premier furniture makers and want to ensure that our products go beyond beauty and
retailers for upholstery and curtain fabrics around the actually provide a level of safety and hygiene to our con-
world, D’Decor has evolved to making bedding products sumers. In HeiQ we’ve found a perfect partner that can
as well. augment our creativity and quality with the bleeding edge
Based in Mumbai, India, D’Decor Home Fabrics owns of technology, with solutions like Viroblock and Fresh.”
five state-of-the-art production plants with cutting edge Home Furnishing is the most touched surface at home
equipment and the country’s first robotic warehouse. The right from the time you draw your curtains, to rest on
award-winning company is led by a core team of visionar- your couch, cuddle with your cushions or sleep on your
ies, innovators and leaders to create a strong company bed. With ViroGuard and AeroFresh by D’Decor we are
that has been in business for over two decades. offering our valued customers a promise to help them Live
HeiQ is a three-in-one company: scientific research, Safe and thereby Live Beautiful,” Ajay Arora, Managing
specialty materials manufacturing and consumer ingredi- Director – D’Decor Home Fabrics.
ent brand, all working together to improve the lives of “HeiQ is excited to collaborate with D’Decor Home Fab-
billions of people by perfecting the everyday product of rics to treat their products with both HeiQViroblock and
textile. They continue to differentiate and innovate with HeiQ Fresh to protect and improve the lives of consumers
their partners to create some of the most effective, durable in their home surroundings,” says Hoi Kwan Lam, HeiQ
and high-performance textile technologies in the market Group CMO.
today. w

Murata and Teijin Frontier jointly develop

fabric with antimicrobial performance
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and Teijin Frontier Co., Ltd. have jointly developed the world’s
first piezoelectric fabric “PIECLEX” that generates electrical energy and exhibits antimicrobial
performance when a motion is applied.
Also, Murata and Teijin Frontier jointly established PIE-

CLEX Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture,
President and Representative Director: Daiji Tamakura)
as a joint venture company for the purpose of research,
development, manufacturing and sales of this fabric.
Teijin Frontier’s President Chief Executive Officer Shinji
Nikko said about the joint venture: “The piezoelectric fabric
developed by PIECLEX Co., Ltd. realizes antimicrobial
performance without using chemical agents, etc. It also
contributes to environmental load reduction as it applies
plant-derived raw materials. PIECLEX integrates Murata
and Teijin Frontier’s cutting-edge technologies, and I be-
lieve this innovative fabric will be essential for sustainable
future lifestyle. By providing fabric that have never existed
before, we will contribute to realize bountiful lifestyles and
beautiful environment.”
Murata’s Chairman of the Board and President Tsuneo
Murata had the following to say about the joint venture:
“The fabric developed by the newly established PIECLEX
Co., Ltd. makes use of Murata’s piezoelectric technology

and knowledge cultivated through products such as SAW
filters, resonators, and sensors. To the present, Murata has
contributed mainly in the field of electronic equipment, and
I am very happy that this combination with Teijin Frontier’s
fabric technology will let us challenge the creation of new
value in the field of fabrics. This joint venture will make the
most of both companies’ strengths and contribute to the
creation of prosperous lifestyles through electrical fabrics.”
PIECLEX fabric realizes antimicrobial performance by
converting motions such as human movement into electri-

Utilizes piezoelectric technology to achieve

antimicrobial and deodorant(*) functions
without using of chemical agents
PIECLEX fabric generates electricity by
using the expansion and contraction of
the fabric produced by human movement
or other motions. This enables antimi-
crobial and deodorant functions without
using chemical agents or organic solvents,
helping to reduce the environmental load.
(*) Antibacterial function which prevents
odor generated by bacteria that decomposes
sweat and sebum
Future development
(1) Going forward, PIECLEX Co., Ltd. will
develop a wide range of applications of PIE-
CLEX, from clothing products such as sports-
wear and innerwear to industrial products
including filters and sanitary materials.
(2) Production and sales will start from fiscal
2020, with the goal of 10 billion yen in sales
cal energy by combining Murata’s piezoelectric technology by fiscal 2025.
cultivated through development and manufacture of elec- w
tronic components with Teijin Frontier’s fabric technology,
which spans from yarns and materials to product manu-
facturing. PIECLEX also contribute to protecting the global
environment as it uses plant-derived polylactic acid (PLA) as
its raw material and does not apply chemical agents and
organic solvents.
PIECLEX is a carbon-neutral, earth-friendly fabric
PIECLEX uses PLA, which is produced by fermented
starch extracted from plants to produce lactic acid then
bonded. Since plants absorb carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and synthesize starch, PIECLEX does not
increase the total amount of carbon dioxide that causes
global warming.

VIRALOFF, 99% reduction

in virus in just 2 hours
Polygiene’s innovation to Combat COVID
A lot of research is being
carried out globally on im-
proving the functional charac-
teristics of fabrics. One area
that has caught the attention
in recent times has been that
of odor control technologies.
Sweden-based Polygiene, with
its Stays Fresh technologies
has emerged as a front run-
ner in this field.
We caught up with Ulrika Björk, CEO

of the company to find out more about
its breakthrough innovations, its new
launch- ViralOff® , its presence in In-
dia, partnership with Royal Enfield , and
the future for specially treated fabrics
in the post Covid -19 scenario, among
others.
Here are the edited excerpts.
Beginning the interaction with a brief
introduction of the company, Ulrika
mentioned: “Back in 2004, the SARS
epidemic was raging. Demand for an-
tiviral and antibacterial treatments was
soaring. As smart scientists and techni-
cians at the Swedish chemical company
Ulrika Björk, CEO, Polygiene Perstorp came up with new solutions. A
new company was spun off – Polygiene.

developed the Odor Crunch, which consists of silica, the main ingre-
dient in sand, and water. Once the odor molecules have stuck to the
modified silica particles in Odor Crunch, they will be crunched and
cracked to smaller odorless molecules and the odor is permanently
eliminated. This technology has won the Scandinavian Outdoor
Group (SOG) Sustainability Award 2019.
3. Combination of the Stays Fresh technologies. In most cases, combin-
ing these two technologies – stopping the growth of odor-causing
bacteria and cracking environmental odors to stop the offensive odor
– will be the most efficient solution and truly keep the stays fresh-
promise. Products and garments will feel fresh and clean despite
sweaty conditions and smelly environments.”
The company has a global presence. “We are working in almost all
regions of the world right now. Especially with our work with ViralOff®,
as there is a major need for these sorts of technologies right now. Both
for the people working on the front lines but also for all of us that are
now looking to try and begin living our “new normal” lives,” Ulrika
stated.
Latest launch
Given the fact that the entire world is grappling with the Covid-19
pandemic, it was but natural that the conversation veered towards
antimicrobial solutions. Ulrika pointed out that the company launched
ViralOff® technology in April 2020 to specifically address the current
pandemic and provide a technology that can be applied as a finish to
textiles to minimize the spread of transmittable diseases and has an
antiviral effect.
But memory of SARS waned, and we focused

instead on consumer products and the envi-
ronmental benefit of washing less and making
garments more sustainable. Now Corona has
changed the world. So, we have rapidly gone
back to our roots in the healthcare sector and
our knowhow and learnings on combating
viruses, and today we announce the launch
of a new product – ViralOff®, a Polygiene
technology.”
Going into details regarding the types of so-
lutions offered by the company she said: “We “ViralOff has a 99% reduction of viruses, in a textile or material, over
offer 3 types of solutions. Let us take a look at two hours, according to a standard ISO18184:2019 test. When we
them one by one. developed ViralOff, we had two criteria we wanted to fulfill: First, we
1. Polygiene Stays Fresh Biostatic technology – should be able to show a real antiviral effect that could be tested by a
Odor control based on a silver salt solution. standard test. In that way, our partners can make actual and profes-
You put on a t-shirt and bacteria soon start sional claims. Secondly, this treatment should be applied on products
thriving and multiplying which makes the where it is relevant to have an antiviral effect. Today that encompasses
t-shirt smelly. Any attempt to hide, delay or both products in the care segments, as well as products for the public
absorb odor will fail unless you deal with in environments where we need additional protection,” she elaborated.
the basic problem: bacterial growth. This Throwing light on the company’s presence in the Indian market
odor-control technology inhibits the growth Ulrika said:” We have an office with commercial and technical opera-
of odor-causing bacteria and stops the odor tions in India. We have been growing our business in India and South
at the source, permanently. Asia a lot past year and we will continue doing so, looking ahead.
2. Polygiene Stays Fresh Odor Crunch technol- The expertise, quality and opportunity in this market is great and we
ogy – Odor control based on a sand and look forward to growing our partnerships and opportunities in these
water solution. Environmental odors such as regions. We have also built a close association with Ezma, Carbonado,
cooking fumes and cigarette smoke tend to JCT, Nahar, Tyka Sports and other corporate mills sectors to further our
stick to your garments. To stop this, we have presence and ease of working with Polygiene in India.

well as increase their sales

too.”
Giving an overview of the
company’s manufacturing
and R&D infrastructure she
said:” Our R&D department
is run by our CTO Daniel
Röme in Malmo, Sweden
who is continuously work-
ing on different formulations
and products towards our
sustainability goals. We have
strategic partnerships with
manufacturers in the UK and
Sweden for our suppliers”
On a parting note we
asked Ulrika about the
emerging consumer trends,
post Covid – 19 pandemic, in
terms of increasing prefer-
ence for specially treated
fabrics.
“We see a continued value
placed on antiviral and an-
Environment friendly solutions
The company has always been known for its strong sustainability focus,
which is evident from the solutions it offers to the textile industry. Elaborat-
ing further on the topic Ulrika said:” We provide a branded stays fresh
solution to our partners and the end consumer. By doing so, we provide
a real sustainability story to our partners and the gear and apparel they
make. By simply skipping a wash load with your Polygiene treated gear,
you are extending the lifetime of your garment as the article won’t incur the
wear and tear that comes from a washer and drying machine. Hence, pro-
viding a real environmental benefit. Additional benefits include the water
savings you provide by washing less, minimized microfiber shedding, less
detergents being washed down the drain, plus the time gained by doing
less laundry – major wins for the earth and the consumer!”
Polygiene had been in news recently for its partnership with the iconic
Royal Enfield brand. What is the partnership all about? Replying to this she
revealed:” We are very proud to start a joint partnership with Royal Enfield.
Our aim is to create an added value for every customer and in terms of
this iconic brand we hope to add a real advantage for the end-users, the
riders. When on the road they now will stay fresh, can travel light, and
wash less. We are looking forward to adding unique advantages with our
technology to the entire product range of Royal Enfield apparel going for-
ward”, says Ulrika Björk, CEO at Polygiene, before adding: “We are very
happy to help spread the important message of #REGearUp, together with
Royal Enfield.”
Given the fact that there are many organizations offering similar solu- timicrobial performance for gear, apparel,
tions globally, why should a customer consider partnering with Polygiene? PPE and accessories but tied into a more
Responding to this question, Ulrika said:” We are a brand rather than a sustainability approach. Meaning that we
technology company. We want to be recognized, understood and valued can look more focused on items that we use
by the ones using the treated product. And, therefore, we supply hangtags in our daily lives that can use this type of
and labels, as well as deeper sustainability and branding messages so the technology but also on a higher-level ap-
wearer understands why this product stays fresh and can be washed less. proach regarding the quality of production
As our brand is understood and valued by more users, we can change and design of product,” she said signing
washing and disposal habits, and really reduce the environmental impact off.
of a product. As a result, this will raise the brand value of our partners, as w

NAHAR GROUP focusing on

customer connect initiatives to emerge
stronger from the Covid -19 crisis
Nahar Industrial Enterprises Limited (NIEL), a vertically integrated textile manufacturer,
involved in spinning, weaving and processing, has been one of the leading names in the Indian
textile industry for a long time now. Part of the diversified USD 1.5 billion Nahar Group with
interests in sugar manufacturing, BOPP film, investments, lending, financial advisory, solar
power generation, wind mills and non-conventional co-generation power plants, etc., the com-
pany has been moving from strength to strength in recent times.
In an exclusive chat, Mr.Abhinav Oswal, CEO of the com-

pany spoke in detail about NIEL’s strategies to deal with
the situation arising out of the Corona virus pandemic, its
production capacity, and the company’s future plans.
Here are the edited excerpts.
Almost every industry has been hit hard by the Corona
virus pandemic, with the textile industry being no exception.
However, entrepreneurs have been putting their thinking
caps on and are trying out different strategies to deal with
the supply chain and manufacturing disruptions. When
asked about the impact of the pandemic on the Nahar
group, Mr. Abhinav Oswal mentioned:” Major markets for
Mr.Abhinav Oswal, CEO, NIEL
Nahar is in US and Europe. As stores in these continents

and all major brands in India are closed, customers have
asked us to hold production. It has also impacted the order
Inflow position for our organization also.”
To tide over the crisis the group has been pursuing in-
novative strategies to connect with its clients. Going into
details about the same, Mr. Abhinav Oswal highlighted the
fact that the whole team of Nahar has tried to use the en-
tire period of lockdown at in a positive manner, guided by
the senior management, and have stayed connected with
each other over Phone and ZOOM calls.
“We have undertaken training sessions for our produc-
tion teams to increase the technicians technical know -how
and increase plant efficiencies. Also sessions were con-
ducted for the marketing team on how to work effectively
in this changing world environment, where travel shall be

Post the lockdown while the group’s spinning Units have started
production from 15th April, the fabric units have started production
from 1st May 2020.
Listing down the details regarding OWM Nahar Group’s total
production capacity Mr. Abhinav Oswal said:” The total production
capacity of Nahar group in terms of fabric production is 108 mil-
lion mtrs per annum. Of this 60 million mtrs/ annum is dedicated to
woven fabrics in poplins, twill, dobbies, sateen in 100% cotton, cotton
stretch, cotton polyester blends. We do PFD, piece dyed, prints and
yarn dyed fabrics. All our units are Oeko Tex, GOTS, GRS certified.”
“We produce 48 million mtrs/ annum of denims from 3.5 Oz to
14.5 Oz. We do power stretch denims. Our denims comes in various
shade of Indigos, SBIT, GBIT etc. Denim range include 100% cotton,
cotton stretch & cotton modal blended fabrics. As a group we have
approximately 1 million spindles running pan- India in Punjab and
Madhya Pradesh. Our biggest production facility is based out of Lalru,
Punjab.
How has been the impact of the pandemic on the group’s custom-
ers? When queried as to whether they are facing any cancellation
of orders, domestic and exports, Mr.Abhinav Oswal replied:” As
mentioned earlier, the impact of Pandemic on the customers is huge
as globally all stores are closed since March 2020. This has impacted
our orders inflow too. Customers have not gone for cancelations, but
asked us to hold the inventory and create the liability so that they can
lift the stocks as the stores opens globally.”
Optimistic outlook
According to the industry grapevine doing the rounds many global
brands and retailers are said to be moving away from China and
looking to increasing their sourcing from India. In such a scenario,
does Mr. Abhinav Oswal see any initial trends of customers talking to
the company for increase in sourcing? Sharing his views on the topic
he said:” At present as all retailers sourcing teams are working from
home they are in process of collecting data on capacities available
and counter costing of products they have been traditionally doing in
China. We also observe some development coming to India related to
buyers due CSR issues related to Uighurs Muslims in Xinjiang Province
China. However presently as retailers are sitting on huge inventories,
any initial trends of shifting of orders from China is yet to start.”
less and online communication will grow with The group has charted out a clear cut roadmap to emerge from the
our buyers. We have gone for procurement of ongoing crisis and stabilize its business in the future. According to Mr.
software packages using which we can show Abhinav Oswal, the group is presently focusing on strengthening of its
the fall and drape of the fabric as it’s converted basics and come out stronger as and when the business stabilizes in
to garments, online to our buyers sitting in their future.
offices. This shall help our buyers to have bet- “We are in continuous contact with our customers on a personal
ter view of our product range when distances and professional basis. As a group we share a very practical and
divides us in this changed environment.” optimistic view for the future. Also we have gone for development of
“We are also in constant touch with our buy- new products which shall help our customers in these pandemic times.
ers both in their local sourcing offices in India/ We have successfully developed anti-viral finish fabrics partnering with
Hong Kong and also buyers head offices at US European companies, Polygene and HeiQ. These anti-viral finishes
and Europe, through online portals like ZOOM help in keeping deadly viruses like Covid-19 and SARS away from
and WEBEX, to discuss ways to go forward in mankind,” he said rounding off the interaction.
future,” he explained. w

In conversation with HeiQ founders,

Carlo Centonze and Dr. Murray Height
“Antimicrobial fabric treatments will
be a big part of our future”
Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH),
HeiQ is a leader in textile innovation, creating some of the most effective, durable and high-
performance textile technologies in the market.
Carlo Centonze and Dr. Murray Height
HeiQ – pronounced [’ haɪkju] – stands for the “hike” on more than 500 million garments worldwide, by world-
on which Carlo Centonze and Dr. Murray Height, the two renowned brands like Patagonia, Burton, Hanes, New
company founders, came up with the HeiQ idea. “HeiQ” Balance, Odlo and Mammut.
also stands for High Quality Materials and for IQ – intel- HeiQ is driven by the spirit of innovation and over years
ligent materials. The two founders met at ETH and became continued to develop new products and textile technologies.
friends. On a hike in the Swiss mountains, after five days HeiQ’s goal is to improve the lives of billions of people by
their companions started keeping their distance because of perfecting an everyday product: Textiles. Combining three
the two friends’ smelly outdoor clothes. This was the inspi- areas of expertise – scientific research, specialty materials
rational kick the two entrepreneurs needed for developing manufacturing and consumer ingredient branding – HeiQ
a new textile odor control technology, HeiQ Fresh, and helps partners brands to innovate and create differentiating
founding the company HeiQ. Today, HeiQ Fresh is used and sustainable textile products.

HeiQ’s headquarters are

in Switzerland and subsidiar-
ies in USA, Australia, China,
Portugal, and Taiwan. With
an annual manufacturing
capacity of 35,000 tons at
sites in the USA, Switzerland,
and Australia, HeiQ serves its
specialty chemical technolo-
gies to over 1,000 textile mills
in over 60 countries world-
wide. The company works
with a local sales force and
distribution partners around
the world to be able to talk to
local customers at eye level in
their own language.
In an exclusive chat, the
founders spoke on a host of
topics, including the com-
pany’s products, key global
markets, its antimicrobial
solutions, and presence in HeiQ CEO and daughter
India, among others.
We began by asking the founders about the range of systems partner of the earliest hour, a holistic system that
products and solutions that HeiQ offers, to which Carlo stands for sustainable textile processing and manufactur-
Centonze replied: ”HeiQ has become synonymous with in- ing. HeiQ is motivated to achieve greener, more sustain-
novation in textiles. HeiQ has a range of key textile technol- able chemistry and new processes that help textile mills use
ogies that enhance the fabric materials of our clients with less water and energy, while also saving time and cost, and
comfort and safety enhancing functionalities, e.g. adding increased output to provide them with the economic benefit
antiviral and antimicrobial protection, activated cooling, to improve community wellbeing outside of the textile
odor control, air cleaning functionality, eco-friendly water world.
repellency or UV protection, to describe just a few. HeiQ Going into details regarding the key global markets
technologies focus on making textiles more functional, such that HeiQ caters to, Carlo Centonze mentioned:” HeiQ
as our latest innovation HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 which adds maintains close relationships with apparel and home textile
an antiviral function to textiles, more comfortable and more brands situated mostly in Europe, North America and Ja-
sustainable.” pan. HeiQ advises brand partners on value-adding textile
“HeiQ’s activated cooling technology HeiQ Smart Temp functions and fosters innovation partnerships to develop
is very popular in the sportswear industry, especially for new textile technologies tailored to the brand. Many HeiQ
next-to-skin items. Today, HeiQ Smart Temp provides 900 innovation stem from the dialogue with brand partners,
million garments per year with the ability to effectively where we develop concepts together. On the textile manu-
respond to temperature conditions and achieve optimal facturing side, HeiQ maintains close relationships with mills
cooling and comfort. This year, HeiQ Smart Temp has mostly situated in South East Asia, South Asia, especially
gained additional popularity as treatment for the inside India, and China, as well as Europe and America. “
layer of face masks. While HeiQ Viroblock makes the Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, are there specif-
mask fabrics resistant to viruses and bacteria, HeiQ Smart ic antimicrobial solutions offered by HeiQ? Responding to
Temp provides wearers with cooling and comfort. Feeling this question, Carlo Centonze stated:” Yes. Early in 2020,
hot while wearing a face mask is one of the main reasons when the Corona pandemic swept the world and dealt the
that people wear their masks incorrectly, e.g. just covering global textile industry a heavy blow, our team reacted very
the mouth, not the nose. PFC-free HeiQ Eco Dry, an eco- quickly. It was fortunate that a few years earlier HeiQ had
friendly water repellent widely used in Patagonia, Burton undertaken research into an antiviral function with another
and The North Face outdoor jackets, is now also used in Swiss start-up. Dr. Thierry Pelet, one of the eight members
the outer layer of facemasks,” he added. of the HeiQ Scientific Board, is the virologist whose exper-
Before launching a new product into a market, HeiQ tise contributed a lot towards accelerating the development
makes sure it complies with all applicable regulations. of this technology. Within a frantic two-month period we
HeiQ is ZDHC and Oeko-Tex conform and a bluesign launched our antiviral textile technology HeiQ Viroblock

strain. The result indicated a SARS-CoV-2

virus reduction of 99.99% relative to the
inoculum control.
“The confirmation of antiviral activity of
HeiQ Viroblock against SARS-CoV-2 was an
important milestone. This data forms part of
our ongoing efforts to help provide textiles
with greater levels of protection against virus-
es and contribute to efforts towards mitigation
of the global pandemic,” Dr. Murray Height
remarked.
Carlo Centonze observed how the current
COVID-19 pandemic is a huge problem
for the textile industry because of the global
downturn in consumption due to lock-down
measures and people’s fear of the virus.
HeiQ Viroblock on face mask “The textile industry has been hard hit by this
slump and HeiQ worked day and night to
NPJ03 – just two hours after Switzerland
declared a state of emergency and mobilized
the army. The HeiQ team worked late nights
and through weekends to make this happen.
A more usual time span to launch a textile
treatment is nine to twelve months.”
HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 is a combination of
HeiQ’s vesicle and silver technologies. The
HeiQ vesicle technology targets enveloped
viruses, such as the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)
virus strain, providing rapid virus destruction,
while the HeiQ silver technology inhibits the
replication of both bacteria and deactivates
viruses. The two mechanisms of attack result
in a speed in locking down and destroying
the virus that is unparalleled in the industry.
HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 is 72% bio-based
and made with cosmetic-grade ingredients
that can all be found on the INCI (Interna-
tional Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient) list, making provide mill partners with an antiviral technology to meet
it a leading choice for safety among antiviral treatments the shift in demand.”
on the market. HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 has been certified “Products that protect people from the virus are in high
hypoallergenic, skin-safe and non-cytotoxic. Dynamic air demand. HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 provides textile manu-
flow tests performed on treated masks over a period of facturers with a tool to produce antiviral fabrics that help
eight hours showed that no components of the treatment keep people safe and in turn also help keep HeiQ clients in
were released into the airstream exiting the mask. People business. We see it as our moral obligation to support our
wearing a treated mask can have complete confidence in mill partners in India and Asia with all our strength,” Carlo
the technology. Centonze explained.
According to the company, HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 is Growing presence in India
among the first textile technologies in the world to be HeiQ has already made a mark for itself in the Indian
proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in the market. According to Carlo Centonze, HeiQ continues to
laboratory. While coronaviruses resemble each other and see significant growth in the Indian market and is proud
HeiQ Viroblock NPJ03 had been successfully tested against of the long-term partnership with Intexso Biochem Private
legacy coronavirus strains, tests against the latest novel Limited (Intexso).
coronavirus took time. At the beginning of June, tests con- HeiQ and Intexso began their partnership more than
ducted at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immu- seven years ago and it has been very successful. Based in
nity in Melbourne, Australia, established that treated fabric Mumbai, Intexso is the sole distributor for HeiQ products
demonstrated antiviral action against the SARS-CoV-2 virus in India and offers technical guidance for product appli-

cations in the region. India has

become a global innovation hub
for apparel and home textiles, and
team Intexso is at the forefront
with more than three decades of
experience.
Intexso has grown HeiQ’s
presence in India with HeiQ’s
full product range, including the
latest product HeiQ Viroblock
NPJ03. Some examples of Intexso/
HeiQ customers include Vardha-
man Fabrics, Birla Century, Shahi
Exports, Donear Industries, Nahar
Fabrics and RSWM, to mention
only a few.
“HeiQ is appreciative of having
a long-term trusted partner in In-
texso Biochem in India. As India is
HeiQ Laboratory evaporation test
an innovation hub for textiles, this
Birla Century, Shahi Exports, Nahar Fabrics, and
RSWM, all names that resonate with their com-
mitment to innovation and quality.“
He continued: “Indian textile manufacturers
look for high-level cooperation in their textile
innovation partners. We are satisfied that our
Indian clients take product quality validation very
seriously and are stringent about verifying claims.
Indian clients also appreciate collaboration on
the marketing side, where HeiQ’s dedicated mar-
keting team adds value by providing hangtags,
legally backed claims and graphic design mate-
rial, with years of experience in making technical
concepts understandable to end-consumers.”
Given the fact that there are other organiza-
tions offering similar solutions globally, why
Virus deconstructed by silver ions should a customer consider partnering with
HeiQ? Listing the key reasons Carlo Centonze
partnership lines up with our DNA and values to differenti- elaborated: ”HeiQ is a versatile partner that offers a
ate, innovate and improve the lives of billions of people broad range of textile treatment technologies that can be
by perfecting the everyday product of textiles”, pointed out combined. HeiQ’s textile innovations have won major
Carlo Centonze. awards such as the Swiss Technology Award and the Swiss
Echoing similar sentiments Avinash Orpe, Founder-Direc- Environmental Award. With a dedicated innovation team
tor of Intexso stated that Intexso is honored to be the sole and depth of technical capability, HeiQ has one of the
HeiQ partner and distributor in India. He added that the most creative forces for innovative products in the market.
company’s mission – to work with a spirit of innovation and HeiQ’s latest innovation, the antiviral textile treatment
vision of supplying our customers with innovative, quality HeiQ Viroblock, has quickly gained world-wide recognition
products – aligns with that of HeiQ’s mission perfectly and this year, not only inside the industry but also outside it at
makes the partnership seamless. an end-consumer level. HeiQ clients benefit greatly from
In 2019, HeiQ opened new offices in Shanghai, China, HeiQ’s ingredient brand power which affords a premium to
and in Taiwan to serve customers in the region more closely any treated products.”
and offer support. “Since the company was founded in 2005, it has never
Throwing light on HeiQ’s recent partnerships with rested on its laurels, but always pushed functional textile
some of the top names in the Indian textile industry, Carlo development further. HeiQ is recognized as an innovator in
Centonze said: ”HeiQ brand and mill partners in India textiles. Clients benefit from this innovation drive by being
include Donear Industries, Indocount, Vardhaman Fabrics, the first to launch new treated products to the market. HeiQ

places great value on product innovation, ideally in coop- terms of increasing preference for specially treated fabrics
eration with a major brand partner,” he said. with antimicrobial treatment, Carlo Centonze explained:”
Dr. Murray Height explained that a robust manufactur- With shops closed for months and people forbidden to
ing and R&D infrastructure is one of the key strengths of leave their homes, everybody will have money saved up to
the company. “HeiQ has a dedicated internal product spend. HeiQ predicts that antimicrobial and antiviral fab-
development team of 12 chemists and achieves its research rics will be sought after. End-consumers will be more than
objectives primarily through a wide research network with willing to invest in functional textiles, and especially look to
engaged partnership with researchers at universities and invest in home textiles. After months in lock-down, people
institutes around the world.” have realized the importance of having a cozy home to re-
Aligned with emerging market trends lax in. Relaxation also depends on a feeling of safety, which
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the dynamics of antimicrobial fabrics can provide.”
the textile market globally. Speaking about the emerging “Textiles are part of everyday life; they always surround
consumer trends that they see post COVID pandemic in us. The global pandemic showed the need for hygiene as
well as clean, sanitized surround-
ings. Most of us probably washed
our hands more in the first half
of this year than during our
whole life before that! COVID-19
opened a whole new chapter for
the development of antimicro-
bial surfaces and textiles. Face
masks have become a necessary
new product line even for sports
brands. In this new era, it makes
sense for the fashion industry to
offer inherently protective gar-
ments. As does offering antiviral
textiles and surfaces make sense
for the décor and home textiles
industries. PPE apparel, smart
textiles, wearables, and protective
clothing for the fashion, sports-
wear, interiors, and hospitality
industries as a matter of course
are part of our future. It has all
the hallmarks of becoming a big
business.“
Drawing attention to the fact
that people emerging from
global lock-down will be used to
the “new normal” where seem-
ingly no surface is safe, and
look for safe spaces outside their
homes as well, Carlo Centonze
further added:” They will expect
employers and public transport
to provide that. E.g. office chairs
and bus seats will have to be an-
tivirally treated for people to feel
comfortable and safe. COVID-19
will likely not be the last patho-
genic emergency to sweep across
the world. It is good to be pre-
pared. Yes, antimicrobial fabric
treatments will be a big part of
our future.”
w

SPINNING
Non-stop innovation in
quality management
Why the tenth birthday of the USTER® QUANTUM 3
yarn clearer is worth celebrating
Ten years ago, it seemed like a ground-breaking innova- “USTER® QUANTUM 3 featuring Smart Clearing Tech-
tion in yarn clearing technology. But that was only the start, nology” was the headline in 2010 when USTER launched
and USTER’s ambitions for its world-leading QUANTUM its third generation of yarn clearers. “It was an exciting time
3 series have never stopped growing. Spinners have been for me, introducing the first yarn clearer with automatic
presented with a whole series of impressive developments clearing limit proposals based on the Yarn Body concept,”
– each one a big step in expanding the possibilities, from says Sivakumar Narayanan, at that time the USTER product
quality control at winding to ‘smart’ clearing, contamina- manager for yarn clearing.
tion control, mill optimization and even preventing faults Powerful processing electronics made it possible for the
from occurring at source. system to display the full yarn body – an outline of the

SPINNING
‘normal’ yarn with its expected

and tolerable natural variations.
Since then, the term Yarn Body
has become a well-recognized
and easily understood descriptor
in the industry. Today, spinning
professionals readily envisage the
familiar green arrowhead symbol
within a varying dark green frame
as an essential element of the
classification matrix.
Continuous development
This year, it’s worth celebrat-
ing the 10th anniversary of
USTER® QUANTUM 3 – but not
only as the ground-breaking
third generation of a best-selling
clearer system. What’s even more
notable is its continuous further
development during the past
decade. Trailblazing progress
in quality assurance technology
now allows textile manufacturers to optimize production opment at USTER.
efficiency and reduce costs continuously, taking advantage Extending the partnering of systems still further, the yarn
of several beneficial extras with USTER® QUANTUM 3. The clearers connect with data from USTER® SENTINEL to
development of Smart Clearing Technology, for example create the Ring Spinning Optimization Value Module. This
has been a massive leap, providing an indispensable tool offers optimization potential at the most costly stage in yarn
for quality-oriented spinning plants. manufacturing. For the first time, mills can intelligently cor-
The new yarn clearer was a game-changer in many relate ring quality data and winding quality data in a single
ways: it ‘learns’ everything needed about the running yarn system. Smart alerts report deviations in ring spinning ma-
in just two minutes, then – using built-in USTER know-how chines or changes in essential conditions such as relative
– it proposes suitable clearing limits to achieve the required humidity and temperature.
quality level. That means the same reliable quality level is Smart, smarter…preventive
achieved with contamination control for vegetable matter Still not satisfied, USTER product developers wanted
or polypropylene. Each issue is solved with a depend- to transform ‘smart’ yarn clearing into ‘preventive’ yarn
able clearing solution – even for severe problems such as clearing. The combination of USTER® QUANTUM 3 and
periodic faults. USTER® SENTINEL creates a quality security tool, which
Once these highly sophisticated ‘basics’ were in place, stops off-standard quality yarn being produced at source,
USTER® QUANTUM 3 development focused on challenges when the ring spinning optimization system is equipped
with trend-related quality control, introducing two unique with the Roving Stop feature. USTER® ROVING STOP ef-
features in 2015. Irregularities in shade could now be fectively becomes a function of the ring spinning machine,
detected and cleared in mélange and colored yarns, for just as the yarn clearer does in winding.
better fabric quality. And the Core Yarn Clearing feature The appropriately-named USTER® RSO 3D adds a fur-
effectively eliminated the risk of fabric rejects through ther third dimension – by providing individual cop quality
defective sections of these yarns – where the inner elastane data for each spindle position. Quality mapping along the
component was either missing or off-center. ring spinning frame maximizes the optimization potential,
A ‘grown-up’ partner while preventive measurements are in place at spinning
As grown-up technology, USTER® QUANTUM 3 was and winding. Waste of raw material and costly clearer
ready to play a major part in all-round production optimiz- cuts can both be managed preventively and automatically,
ing. Yarn clearer data enables quality and cost to be bal- thanks to a bi-directional exchange and analysis of data
anced for best-possible profitability – and this is combined between USTER® QUANTUM 3 and USTER® SENTINEL.
with data from USTER® JOSSI VISION SHIELD to achieve This benefit is enabled using USTER® QUANTUM EXPERT
Total Contamination Control, with precisely-controlled and Muratec QPRO EX/FPRO EX with Spin Inspector. Thus,
contamination levels. “Our customers value the integrated the USTER® RSO 3D system achieves the ultimate goals of
solution to manage remaining contaminants in yarns at process optimization and traceability.
minimum possible cost,” says Sivakumar Narayanan – in An impressive history over its first decade, but even
the meantime also himself ‘grown-up’ into the position of more can be expected from the USTER® yarn clearer and
Executive Vice-President for Marketing and Business Devel- ’friends’ in future... w

Loyal Textile launches reusable PPE

with Triple Viral Shield Technology
Developed in partnership with Reliance Industries and HeiQ
Loyal Textile Mills Limited has launched Viral Shield a Line of COVID-19 Anti-Viral, Reusable Personal Protec-
tive Equipment (PPE), Masks and Protective Fashion Wear Range. The series has been launched in collaboration
with Reliance Industries India and HeiQ from Switzerland. This PPE emerges as the World’s first Reusable PPE
that has passed the Viral Penetration Test, Synthetic Blood penetration test and the SBPR test.
Loyal has strived hard to innovate a range of products that
would meet the current demand for reliable and reusable protec-
tive gears during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Loyal Textile Mills collaboration with Reliance Industries Ltd for
using R| Elan FeelFresh fibres are inherently anti-microbial and
inhibits bacterial and Viral growth in all our anti-Viral products
like Masks, PPEs and Garments & our use of HeiQ Viroblock
which have very good efficacy of 99.9% against most virus.
Triple shield protection
R|Elan™ FeelFresh fabric which is inherently anti-microbi-
al inhibiting bacterial and viral* growth
HeiQ Viroblock anti-viral treatment on the fabric
Viral barrier PU film lamination for the first time in the
world.
Loyal Textile Mills Limited has engineered the fabric with a Viral
Barrier PU film lamination from Taiwan that adds up as another
powerful protective later.
Launching the triple viral shield products from Loyal’s signature
brand Supera Shield, Mrs. Valli M Ramaswami, Chairperson of
Loyal Textile Mills Ltd., said, “Loyal Textile Mills Ltd. has a herit-
age of 125 years of continuous existence in Indian Textile Indus-
try. Our R&D Centre recognised by the Government of India and
Technical teams have 27 years of experience in Technical Textiles.
During Feb/March 2020, Loyal Management team felt the need
to join the war against COVID-19 Pandemic and designed
Reusable Masks and PPE Kits and has now reached a stage of
and add several more firsts to our credit, as in the
offering a range of PPE clothing, masks and a range of fashion
past,” she added.
wear and casual wear, which have a triple protection technology
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Dhamodaraswamy
from viruses and bacteria. This is first of its kind in the world.
Devadas, Chief Technology and Business Develop-
Guided by the philosophy of our late Chairman Sri Manikam
ment Officer of Loyal Textiles Mills Limited said, “This
Ramaswami, we will continue to keep abreast of the technology
reusable PPE products can be washed ten times and
sterilized 10 times for reuse. Heat Sealing PU tapes
have been used to seal the seams. All the three com-
ponents of the PPE have been tested and passed for
Viral Penetration test ASTM F 1671 – 2013, Synthetic
Blood penetration test ASTM F 1670/F and the seams
have passed SBPR test ASTM 1670-08 (2014). This
is the World’s first Reusable PPE that has passed the
Viral Penetration Test.”

Gown set Prof. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice

Chancellor of World University of
Design said, “The design features
include – Easy donning and quick
doffing without any assistance
and without any danger of
touching the inner garments
or skin; a full head cover
offering full protection
for head, face and neck
region; and Shoe covers
up to the knee. Special
ergonomic features
have been incorpo-
rated to assist opera-
tions like Thumb loops,
Side knots and longer
Mr. Dhamodaraswamy Devadas, also added, “SS 95 length of the gown. A
medical respiratory type Mask launched is a Reusable unique aspect of the
N95 type of mask with the same level of protection of design is that they have
95% Particulate Filtration Efficiency and 99.9% Bacte- been sized as per Indian
rial Filtration Efficiency. These masks are treated with body shapes and so do
HeiQ Viroblock and have the inner layers powered by not face any problem of
R|Elan™ FeelFresh woven fabric that are inherently an- bulk & overflowing as is faced
timicrobial. Loyal is also launching an antiviral fashion in imported PPEs.”
wear range with an emphasis on safety and style for Mr. Valerio Cagnoli, Director
domestic and export markets.” of Gruppo P&P Loyal S.p.A.,
Talking about the collaboration to reach out to the Italy, a joint venture company
Indian consumers, Mr. Gunjan Sharma, CMO, Reli- of Loyal Textile said, “We oper-
ance Polyester said, “We are pleased to join hands ate mainly in Italy with a focus
with Loyal Textile Mills Ltd, a pioneering player in to European markets. With
Indian Technical Textile industry to support them launch the help of Loyal Textile we
Masks and PPE kits powered by R|Elan™ FeelFresh developed many technical
fabric. This collaboration underlines the performance fabrics which allowed us to
that R|Elan™ FeelFresh fabric provides the consumer get very important clients.
in improving wellness and hygiene through its inherent Some of our fabrics are
antimicrobial attribute.” cutting-edge innovations in the fire protection
Mr. Carlo Centonze, CEO and Co-founder of HeiQ field. We succeed in this field mostly thanks to the wish and will
Viroblock, highlighted the special features of HeiQ of the former chairman of Loyal Textile Mr. Manikam Ramas-
Viroblock “HeiQ Viroblock was recently tested at one wami. Still today I personally follow his philosophy not to be
of the world’s leading virology institutes and showed second to anyone in the safety of human workers. We need to
99.99% reduction of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in 30 highlight the HeiQ Viroblock and the R|Elan FeelFresh perfor-
minutes. Its synergistic dual mode of action leaves mance along with the opportunity of 10 times washes of the
viruses no chance and can enhance the protection products. We congratulate Loyal’s R&D team for their success
factor of a mask by a factor 100. Tested repeatedly in coming out with the Virus penetration Resistant PPE by using
by industry standards such as the ISO 18184 and ISO a Special Virus PU Barrier film.”
20743, it is effective against all enveloped viruses, A ramp walk by the staff and workers of Loyal showcasing
bacteria and fungi. This novel Swiss technology uses the antiviral products made by them & a Dance titled ‘Kirumi
100% skin proved hypoallergenic cosmetic ingredients Nashini’ were the other highlights of the launch event.
and features a 72% bio-based renewable content. Loyal Textiles, one of the largest manufacturers of yarn,
HeiQ Viroblock respirator masks have recently been fabrics, garments, home textiles and organic products in In-
approved by the US FDA under EUA. The technology is dia. ISO 9002:2008 certified, with an annual turnover to the
registered by the US EPA (FIFRA), EU BPR (REACH) and tune of Rs.1,400 Cr (US$ 200 Million), with exports to almost
JP MITI and is homologized with ZDHC, Oekotex and every continent, and many firsts in the textile domain to its
Bluesign.” credit, Loyal Textiles is today widely recognized as a leader in
Explaining the salient features of the Reusable PPE its league. w

PROCESSING
Revolutionary fabric washing

technology experts –
Pluvia partners THE GAURS
Turkey-based Pluvia, one of the prominent players in the field of continuous washing machines
globally has joined hands with The Gaurs for the Indian and Sri Lankan market. The Gaurs, as
anyone familiar with the Indian textile industry would know is already representing several
leading and technically superior global textile machinery manufacturers for India and other
South Asian markets.
In an exclusive chat, Mr.
Zafer Serttas, CEO of Pluvia
spoke in detail about a
variety of topics including,
Pluvia’s history and growth
over the years, its products
& solutions, the partner-
ship with THE GAURS and
plans for the Indian market,
among others.
Here are the edited
excerpts.
The establishment of
Pluvia makes for interest-
ing reading. It all started
in 2004, when a team of 4
engineer colleagues came
together with a common
mission to serve the textile
industry with energy ef-
ficiency studies and energy
recovery systems. As it is Mr. Zafer Serttas, CEO, Pluvia
well documented, energy
and water consumption in
textile mills is the biggest efficiency, this team has spread worldwide, by being means ‘waterfall’ was es-
cost issue, besides being a taken on the mission that it in directly in production tablished in 2013. Accord-
global problem which have should have social and en- processes, by designing and ing to Mr. Zafer Serttas, they
the most negative impact on vironmental targets beyond producing efficient machin- initially started as an R&D
the environment. the objective of reducing ery which are consuming company for textile finishing
“Acting on the principle the costs of the sector. We less energy and water,” Mr. machinery and were suc-
of contributing to sustain- thought that, this goal could Zafer Serttas explained. cessful in producing textile
able growth through energy be easily implemented and The Pluvia brand, which finishing machines with

PROCESSING
the least water and energy

consumption values.
Going global
Adding further he said:”
In addition to 20 years of
experience focusing on
energy efficiency, with the
support of an expert techni-
cal marketing, production,
service and after-sales sup-
port teams, we continued to
serve the market with the vi-
sion of “Having place in the
memories as a world brand,
producing the world’s least
energy and water consum-
ing machinery”. Together
with the intensive efforts that
started in 2013, Pluvia has
contributed to a sustainable
environment by producing
CE certified, ‘simple, ‘smart’
and ‘efficient machines. Plu-
via carries out her activities “With Pluvia CircumDye the drum washing ma- quality of its products. Also,
in Turkey with a modern- Machines, all washing steps chine capable of washing water is an important issue
ized factory in Çorlu and a of classical reactive dyed almost all types of fabrics in India for dyehouses. One
sales and marketing office fabrics are carried out in and yarns like silk, cotton, of the biggest reasons for
located in Istanbul.” continuous lines, increas- viscose, modal, tencel, poly- our machines to attract at-
By 2016, Pluvia had ing the efficiency of dyeing ester and blends without tention in India is their very
acquired an important machines, while saving crease marks, less peeling, efficient water consumption
place in the global market water and energy. This is high washing effect and of values. Today, water is more
by investing in her interna- a new process technology course with highest possible important for dyehouses.
tional sales and marketing we offer to the market and fastness values. Unlike con- Our customers who want
activities and has estab- met with great interest. ventional drum machines, to use their water efficiently
lished its distributorships in Especially dyehouses which Pluvia design ensures that are interested in our ma-
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, have problems with their jet water passes through the chines and technologies.”
Uzbekistan, Iran, Morocco, dyeing capacity by install- fabric over and over again, Given that there are other
Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, ing Circum Dye they can thus providing quality of similar technologies avail-
Vietnam, China and South have 40% increase in their washing, “Mr. Zafer Serttas able, what makes Pluvia’s
and North America regions. production. Thanks to its remarked. machines stand out from
Pluvia, aims to continue to efficiency, not less than 50% India-a key market the crowd? Listing down
maintain her presence by water and steam saving is Pluvia expands every year the key reasons Mr. Zafer
designing and producing a plus compared to final and continues its operations Serttas explained:” Firstly,
smart machines for textile washing in conventional in India, Pakistan, Bang- Pluvia can be called as
industry, together with valu- machines.” ladesh, Uzbekistan, Iran, an engineering company,
able global partners. Continuing further Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, rather than a textile machin-
Innovative machinery he added:” With Pluvia Egypt, Vietnam, China and ery manufacturer. The Pluvia
Elaborating about the CircumPrint machines, it South and North America team focuses to add value
products and solutions of- is possible to perform an regions. to the costumers with their
fered by the company, Mr effective washing that can Pointing about the impor- efficiency-oriented products.
Zafer Serttas mentioned: meet the highest fastness tance of the Indian market The design and working
“Today, Pluvia designs and values while ensuring the for the company, Mr. Zafer principle of Pluvia machines
manufactures innovative need for dwell time after Serttas said:” India is very was not affected by other
machines for all needs in printing. Circum Print is very important to us. In addi- long-standing manufactur-
continuous washing ma- similar to Circum Dye but tion to being one of the ers in the industry. Thus,
chines. All these machinery added J-Box chambers to countries with the biggest Pluvia managed to establish
types are unique in design obtain enough dwell time. “ capacity in terms of textile a new standard, completely
and technology. “ “Pluvia MaximeDrum is production, India values different, knowing the short-

PROCESSING
comings of the existing ones. “

“The washing systems that are being used for
many years, prefer to develop their technology with
little touches. However, the end consumer, global
clothing brands and dyehouses want technological
advancements at a much faster pace. At this point,
Pluvia has launched machines that are completely
self-designed with a revolutionary approach. With
the real production and consumption values we
get from the machines running on the field, we
can clearly see that this approach has made a
difference. For this reason, we can confidently say
that we produce the most efficient and innovative
continuous washing machines in the world,” he
observed.
“For example, in the Circum Dye machine, wash-
ing steps of reactive dyed fabrics can be com-
pleted with 7-10 l/kg of water. Accordingly, steam
consumption decreases to 0.25 to 0.35 kg/kg, as
it is directly related with water consumption. These
consumption values, and the increase in efficiency
in conventional dyeing machines, dramatically
shorten the return of investment. Likewise, Cir-
cum Print machine consumes 20-30 l/kg of water
and 1.5-2.5 kg/kg of steam, while it provides a
noticeable increase in fastness values compared to
other printed fabric washing systems. In addition,
since Pluvia machinery are completely compact
and modular, they are always suitable for capacity
increase. If a customer wants to increase the capac-
ity, this demand can be met by adding additional
chambers to the existing line quickly,” Mr. Zafer
Serttas pointed out.
Partnering with THE GAURS M S Gaur and Anubhav Gaur, The Gaurs
Pluvia started selling its products in India in
2018. “However, we en-

countered an interest more
than we expected. 2019 has
been a year of recognition
in the Indian market for us.
Although 2020 is a difficult
year, it is a year that we
have serious expectations.
We think that the difficulties
in the world increase the
importance of efficiency and
this strengthens the Pluvia
brand,” Mr. Zafer Serttas
said.
The company has already
started making significant
inroads into the Indian
market. Shri Sai, Victus
Dyeing, White House are
some of the companies they
have already installed their
machines and running suc-

PROCESSING
cessfully. The company is also in the process

of installing a few more machines with key
clients at present.
Sounding excited at the prospect of work-
ing with THE GAURS, Mr. Zafer Serttas said:
“GAURS is a company that has done well
in India for a long time and only works with
quality brands. In addition, GAURS provides
serious technical support to companies with
its fast service and strong technical knowl-
edge. We believe that our recognition will
increase rapidly and we will be successful in
producing suitable solutions for our potential
customers, thanks to the cooperation with
GAURS in the Indian market, which we at-
tach great importance.”
Efficient & eco- friendly solutions
Going into details regarding the factors
to offer solutions accordingly. The companies

we work with also prefer our products due to
their cost advantages and environmentalism,
and we believe that this preference will con-
tinue to increase as our recognition increases.”
How does Pluvia take care of after sales,
service and spares for its customers in India?
Is remote troubleshooting possible in the
case of their machines? Responding to this
question Mr. Zafer Serttas said:” Pluvia has
a team that provides its own service. We are
talking about a large and experienced staff
that strikes service in machine installations
and after installation. We also care about the
distributors we work with to be able to serve in
their own regions. For this, we ensure that our
business partners have service teams and also
these teams are fully trained by us.”
“Our machines can be installed easily and
that he foresees driving forward the demand for the com- quickly. Since we installed our machines on their own
pany’s products and solutions, Mr. Zafer Serttas stated that installation platforms, it does not require much preparation
today, productivity and efficiency has become a life and in the mill where it is installed. Due to its modular structure,
death issue for companies. Productivity is important both in it can be modified quickly if capacity increase is desired.
terms of production speed and cost control. With the con- Thanks to our state-of-the-art software, all data related to
tinuous washing machines Pluvia produces, it provides the the machine can be followed on the screen. In addition,
speed that dyehouses need and it does this with the lowest we can make a diagnosis of the problem and help with the
possible operating cost. solution by connecting to the machine software from the
“Especially in wet processes, the biggest cost item is center online whenever necessary, “he revealed.
naturally water and steam consumption. We save money An optimistic Mr. Zafer Serttas foresees a vibrant future
on these consumption items with our washing machines, for the company. Speaking about its future plans he said:”
which create considerable differences compared to their It is very important for us to do our job well. We aim for
equivalents. Of course, while doing this, we ensure that the machines we produce to be the best in the world and
our customers achieve the highest quality desired in their to continue in this way by constantly improving. For this
product.” reason, we will never have an idea to turn to other fields
Continuing further he said: “Nowadays, where water is other than continuous wet processing machines. This month
gaining more and more importance, it is not only a cost we are completing the installation of our first continuous
issue but also our duty against the earth. We think that the bleaching machinery in Turkey. We are very excited to add
production methods, where water consumption is mini- this machine to our product range, which contains very
mized, will become more important day by day and we try serious know- how. “ w

TECHNICAL TEXTILES
WeftMaster FALCON-i
New projects in China and Taiwan
Loepfe increases its backing of the electronics industry. The latest projects in China and Taiwan under-
line the importance of reliable quality control of demanding technical fabrics. Loepfe’s unique Weft-
Master FALCON-i will be integrated into two of the world’s largest manufacturing lines of PCB boards.
Printed circuit boards, or
PCBs, are used to mechani-
cally support and electrically
connect electronic com-
ponents using conductive
pathways, tracks or signal
traces etched from copper
sheets laminated onto a
non-conductive substrate.
Used in quantities of mil-
lions, in 2018 the Global
Single Sided Printed Circuit
Board Market Analysis Re-
port estimated that the PCB
market would reach USD
79 billion by 2024.
PCBs are generally made
of various layers of ma-
terials, which are bonded
together by heat, pressure
and other methods. Its ba-
sis, the so-called substrate,
is commonly made of glass WeftMaster FALCON-i
epoxy, also known as fiber
reinforced plastic. In order sionally experienced tiniest FALCON-i offers extensive quality control of any run-
to ensure and achieve an unevenness on the surface sensitivity levels, allowing ning yarn throughout the
efficient and smooth PCB of its PCB boards. Particu- customers to fine-tune the manufacturing process of
manufacturing process, a lar defects originated from ratio of machine stoppages fabrics is simple and easy.
top quality and flawlessly exactly that woven glass caused by necessary quality FALCON-i’s unique flex-
woven glass fabric is the fabric, eventually caused control stops. Any manufac- ibility to select the level of
key to minimized rejection by minute filamentation of turer of demanding techni- quality control enables tech-
costs and ultimate quality the yarn and slightest fluff cal fabrics and composite nical fabrics manufactur-
assurance. accumulation during the textiles used in applications ers to respond quickly and
A fully integrated PCB weaving process. By using such as PCB manufacturing, flexibly to market trends,
manufacturer can control FALCON-i optical sensors automotive, architecture, demand and developments.
the entire manufactur- to monitor the weft insertion filtration, aeronautics, medi- Are you confronted with
ing process. One of the during the weaving process, cal and carbon industry can similar problems? Get in
world’s largest manufac- such tiny yet costly defects highly benefit from this type touch with us -Whatever
turer of such boards and could easily and reliably be of versatile quality monitor- your challenge, we’re wait-
other technical glass fabrics, eliminated. ing sensor. The implementa- ing, ready to accept it!
operating several plants in In order to detect even tion of FALCON-i optical
China and Taiwan, occa- the tiniest yarn irregularities yarn defect sensors in the w

Survey: More than half of sustainability leaders believe

that consumer demand for environmental action has
grown during COVID-19, and many think they may lose
customers if they don’t meet commitments
Efforts shift to traceability within the supply chain, as brands in North America work
to keep sustainability initiatives afloat during pandemic
A recent global survey shows 54 percent of sustainabil- demands. Almost half of all respondents seemed to
ity leaders at apparel and textile brands say they’ve seen believe that their customers are more likely to hold them
their customers’ demands for environmentally sustainable accountable at the register for those actions – almost half
practices and products increase since the beginning of (48%) said they believed customers would switch brands
the COVID-19 pandemic, but 59 percent said they be- if their company didn’t meet its sustainability commit-
lieve customers will still continue to prioritize price when ments.
making purchases. Continued focus on sustainability in the supply
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol conducted this survey to chain
find how sustainability programs at brands and retailers While some (9%) report pausing most or all sustainabil-
had changed in a post-COVID world. ity initiatives due to COVID-19, most companies continue
The survey found that 43% of respondents believe to focus their sustainability efforts on manufacturing
COVID-19 has had a positive impact on investments in (25%), sourcing of raw materials (25%) or traceability
sustainability efforts during this period, while 40% believe (11%).
it has had a negative impact. Likewise, they believe their European brands continue to invest in sustain-
customers are facing the same struggle between their ability efforts, despite COVID-19
pocketbooks and the environmental concerns -- when COVID-19’s impact on companies’ investments in sus-
asked to rank how they believe customers will prioritize tainability initiatives differs drastically by market – North
their purchases in the next year, respondents ranked the American respondents are least likely to invest, where
top two priorities as “Getting the best possible deal” and only 26% of respondents believe COVID-19 has had
“Brand or retailer alignment with their personal values.” a positive impact on sustainability investments at their
“It’s clear that COVID-19 has caused economic chal- company. While in Europe, six out of 10 (63%) respond-
lenges up and down the supply chain, but this survey ents said the pandemic has had a positive impact on
shows that companies and their customers remain fo- their company’s sustainability efforts, and in Asia, 46% of
cused on sustainability,” said Dr. Gary Adams, president respondents said they believe there have been increases
of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. in proactive investments in sustainability initiatives. With
“As we enter recovery in many countries, systems like Asian European sustainability initiatives benefiting from
the Trust Protocol will be more important than ever so the impacts of COVID-19, market-specific conditions
brands can have the data they need to show they are may play a larger role in the future of sustainability than
meeting their science-based targets,” said Dr. Adams. global factors.
Vocal customer demand for sustainability Many companies are looking for ways to buoy their
Fifty-four percent of respondents said that their cus- sustainability programs through the pandemic – focused
tomers’ demands for more environmentally sustainable on holding the course with increased help of outside
practices and products has “significantly” or “somewhat” partnerships (62%) until they can afford to reinvest in
increased since the beginning of the pandemic, and 42% big new innovations. Meanwhile, they are increasingly
said that those customers are also more vocal in those focused on improving the transparency in environmen-

tal reporting (59%); improving sustainability in sourcing markets.

(63%); and aligning with external sustainability standards Respondents were recruited using a combination of
or protocols for their existing programs (59%). Sourcing Journal and an industry-leading panel partner.
Methodology Respondents from North America, Europe and Asia are
U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol sponsored the online survey, strongly represented in this research. Results reflect expe-
issued from June 21-July 5, 2020, among 138 senior riences across a diverse range of textile-based industries:
executives involved in or fully in charge of sustainabil- Home goods, footwear, accessories, fabrics and apparel.
ity decision-making at their company from eight global w

TECHNOLOGY
Frequency inverters for broad range of applications

B&R presents new ACOPOSinverter series for
three-phase synchronous and induction motors
The ACOPOSinverter P86 is a series of frequency inverters for three-phase synchronous and
induction motors, with or without encoders. It covers a wide power spectrum from 0.75 to 75
kW and is particularly well-suited for packaging, conveyor system, material processing and
hoisting gear applications.
B&R’s P86-series inverters already

comply with the IE efficiency factors
standardized in EN 61800-9-2. The
future-proof inverters are easy to config-
ure and exceptionally flexible. The new
ACOPOSinverter series is also equipped
with the dual-channel safety function
Safe Torque Off (STO) in accordance
with SIL3 / PLe.
Powerful dynamics and scalability
The frequency inverters are particularly
well suited for dynamic applications.
They can deliver up to 220% of the
nominal output torque for two seconds.
They can be used for open-loop or
closed-loop control of induction motors
(IE2, IE3), synchronous motors and re-
luctance motors. An integrated POWER-
LINK interface, numerous I/O channels,
and embedded encoder and optional
interface cards offer maximum flexibility
in plant design.
Rugged design for years of duty
The ACOPOSinverter P86 series has
an exceptionally rugged design, and is
built to perform under harsh conditions.
They easily cope with vibrations, shock,
dust and temperatures up to 60°C while
maintaining consistent performance.
Extensive portfolio
The new P86 series further expands
B&R’s ACOPOSinverter portfolio. To-
gether with the P66, P76 and P96 series, scalable functionality and full integration into the B&R automation land-
they cover a range of drive technology scape, the ACOPOSinverter family is suited for a wide range of applications,
profiles for three-phase induction motors from small machine modules to complex plants.
and synchronous motors with a voltage The ACOPOSinverter P86 is a series of frequency inverters for three-phase
supply from 200 to 600 V and a power synchronous and induction motors, with or without encoders.
rating from 0.18 to 200 kW. With easily w

ACQUISITIONS
Pinter Group acquires Amsler’s Technology

T he world and the value-added-yarn-machinery mar-
ket are going through extraordinary times. This in-
dustry is known to be cyclical, and Amsler and Pinter
Group are used to such developments. Now Covid-19
pronounced these developments even more.
In this environment Amsler Tex and Pinter Group have
reached an agreement with the aim to maintain the supply
of high-level products and services to all Amsler- and Pinter
Group-customers. Based on this agreement Pinter Group
has acquired Amsler’s value-added-machinery business,
entailing all the technology.
The Amsler organization will cease its activities , and Pint-
er Group will handle from now on all new Amsler-inquiries
for new machines and spare parts, as well as the technical
support and warranties of the installed Amsler-devices. Of
course, the current pending orders will be delivered and
installed by the Amsler organization in the coming weeks Adria Serra, Chief Executive Officer, Pinter Group
and months.
Pinter Group is proud to serve now also the esteemed motivated to do its best to comply with the high expecta-
Amsler-technology-users with its products and services in tions of all these parties. Additionally, the management of
the field of value-added yarns machinery. All customers can Pinter Group thanks Amsler Tex for their confidence in this
be assured that every member of the Pinter Group is highly extraordinary transition. w
Published by R. Natarajan from and on behalf of Gopali & Co., Quanta Zen Apartments, No.38/2, Thomas Road, 2nd Street, T.Nagar, Chennai-600017
and Printed by B. Ashok Kumar at Rathna Offset Printers, 40, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai-600014. Editor: R. Natarajan

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Editorial

Publishers N. Balasubramanian Chief Designer COIMBATORE

6 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

TEXTILE MAGAZINE This edition presented by

For Editorial and Advertising in

8 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

TEXTILE MAGAZINE This edition presented by

Rahul Tikoo joins Huntsman as

14 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

RIETER looking forward to a

The Rieter Group posted an order intake

16 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

in Barcelona in June 2019.

18 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

Nandan Terry introduces anti-viral

20 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

1940: Steelworks bending department in the year of the association’s foundation

22 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

principle of ‘united we are

24 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

BLUESIGN, making the world

26 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 27

Bluesign and other supply rather than simply react-

28 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

30 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

air compressor manufacturer to win the

THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 31

ruption brought on by the crisis.

32 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

An overview of state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the outskirts of Coimbatore

34 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

be re-utilised for heating of air and water.

are the important initiatives taken by the company in

36 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

PRONEEM launches the first French

Nathalie Hagege, Founder and President, Proneem

38 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

Nathalie Hagege and Fabio Puga-de-Freitas

THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 39

breakfasts, holiday rentals, campsites), anti-

40 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

42 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

P7 heavy cargo takes

THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 43

in the process of manufacturing. However, time and again

have bagged the National Award for Indigenization from

44 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

KARL MAYER - STOLL

46 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

technological principles but also optimiza-

THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020 l 47

LENZING joins forces with

48 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

D’Decor teams up with HeiQ

The D’Decor antiviral and air purifying range

50 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

52 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

Murata and Teijin Frontier jointly develop

Also, Murata and Teijin Frontier jointly established PIE-

Co., Ltd. makes use of Murata’s piezoelectric technology

54 l THE TEXTILE MAGAZINE l AUGUST 2020

Utilizes piezoelectric technology to achieve