January 2010

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Joe Belli drives business by making the most of relationships. By Sigrid Tornquist “Relationship selling is absolutely where it’s at,” says Joe Belli, design and estimating department manager and part owner of Eide Industries Inc. in Cerritos, Calif. “Sometimes people think it’s the lowest price or the best design that’s going to get the job; [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Finding efficiencies in equipment and processes to improve productivity, quality and delivery. By Janice Kleinschmidt In the early 20th century, mass production created not only jobs for assembly-line workers, but also for people to increase productivity. They were called ‘efficiency experts.’ These days, the phrase is ‘lean manufacturing.’ “It’s about much more than production,” says [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Is the best way to do business still all under your own roof? By Marc Hequet Outsource your website? Probably. Your bookkeeping? Maybe. Printing of logos on your fabric? Hmmm. It’s possible. But should you outsource the stuff you do best? Never say never. These are interesting times. Manufacturers who have long tried to keep [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    At the University of Borâs, Sweden, Ph.D. students devised a method to produce 500 grams of ethanol from a kilogram of denim waste. This is one example of the possibilities explored at a recent sustainability forum in Swinburne, Australia, sponsored by the Technical Textiles Nonwovens Association. Conference speakers examined ways that textile waste can sustainably [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Aurora Specialty Textile Group Inc. has promoted Mike Richardson to the position of director of sales and marketing for the company’s print media collection of fabrics, with direct revenue responsibility for the Northern Lights Printable Textiles™ line. Richardson joined Aurora in November 2008 as the director of marketing, and will now be focusing his efforts [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    India’s Union Minister for Textiles, Dayanidhi Maran, has announced that he will seek a temporary ban on cotton export to ensure raw materials for domestic spinning mills. In a speech at the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA) in November, Maran acknowledged that the current 1.5 million ton global shortage of cotton has adversely affected cotton [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Pakistan’s textile industry accounts for two-thirds of the country’s exports, and increasing terror attacks, power outages and limited market access is reportedly scaring away new business. Textile exports fell 11 percent to $2.44 billion in the first three months of 2009. Pakistan is seeking trade concessions from the European Union and the U.S. in order [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    In a further move to increase its presence in the large-volume European market for nonwovens used in hygiene products, Polymer Group Inc. (PGI), Charlotte, N.C., acquired the only manufacturer of spunbond polypropylene nonwovens in Spain from Grupo Corinpa S.L., an investment firm. Tesalca-Texnovo, Barcelona, Spain, has a strong customer base in Europe and Northern Africa, [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    Pai Lung Machinery Mill Company Ltd., Ruei Fang Town, Taiwan, manufactures circular knitting machines, and recently acquired Vanguard Supreme Machine Company, Monroe, N.C., another textile machine manufacturing business. The new joint partnership, Vanguard Pai Lung LLC, will offer a wider product range, next-generation technology and service for new and rebuilt circular and flat knitting equipment. [...]

  • Published On: January 1, 2010

    R&D Magazine honors research and development breakthroughs with the annual R&D 100 Awards, and has recognized FlexOlé™ thermoplastic olefin polymer, an environmentally sustainable alternative to flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Dynamic Modifiers LLC, Atlanta, Ga., makes the nontoxic, flame-retardant polymer, which can be used to replace PVC in window treatments, floor and wall coverings, bedding, toys, [...]