Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Consumers Digest recognizes FASHION MATE 7256



Singer, the world leader in the sewing machine industry, announced that its SINGER brand FASHION MATE 7256 sewing machine has been named a Consumers Digest “Best Buy” in the non-computerized sewing machine category, a magazine which has been helping consumers identify great values for nearly 50 years.

“For more than 150 years, SINGER has been one of the most trusted and best loved sewing machine brands in the world,” said Jeff Feinberg, CEO of SVP Worldwide, one of the world’s largest sewing machine companies, owner of SINGER, PFAFF and HUSQVARNA VIKING sewing machine collections. “SINGER machines make sewing simple, accessible and affordable, and we are delighted to be recognized by Consumers Digest for the value that the FASHION MATE 7256 sewing machine delivers to buyers.”

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Rieter Textile Systems: market revival in H2 of 2009



The impact of the economic and financial crisis was a dominant feature of the 2009 financial year for the Rieter Group. The unfavorable market conditions had an adverse influence on the trend of business at both divisions, and resulted in a substantial net loss. Despite a drastic slump in sales in the past two financial years totaling 1 973.8 million CHF – equivalent to some 50% – Rieter successfully ­defended its strong market position in the textile machinery and automotive supply businesses.

The difficult overall conditions subjected the group as a whole to a severe test. Rieter faced it successfully thanks to the strenuous efforts of management and personnel as well as thanks to the confidence of the shareholders. By focusing at an early stage on bolstering equity capital and managing liquidity, Rieter had a strong balance sheet with a sound equity ratio and positive net liquidity at year-end.

New orders received and sales by the group fell steeply in the year under review, but a slight recovery in the markets became apparent in the second half of the year. Rieter believes that activity in both sectors in which the group operates bottomed out before mid-2009. In the year under review Rieter made progress with the sustained improvement of its cost structure through restructuring and also took advantage of numerous opportunities for short-term cost economies. These measures in conjunction with improved capacity utilization due to higher volumes enabled the Rieter Group in the second semester to significantly reduce losses at operating and group level in the second half of 2009 compared to the first six months.

Investments in innovations and market development were reviewed against the backdrop of customers’ restraint and prioritized to enable the projects of greatest strategic importance to be implemented nevertheless. With a strong market position and attractive products Rieter is thus well placed to benefit from the next upswing.

Due to the unfavorable market environment, which affected the first half in particular, orders received by the Rieter Group in the 2009 financial year as a whole were 24% lower at 1 935.1 million CHF. Order intake in the second six months was 9% higher than in the same period of the previous year and 30% higher than in the first half of 2009. This positive trend was attributable to a significant increase in orders received by both divisions. Over the year as a whole group sales fell more steeply than orders received. They were 38% lower (35% lower in local currencies) at 1 956.3 million CHF. In the second half of 2009 this figure was 21% lower than in the same period of the previous year and 17% higher than in the first half of 2009.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Rieter presents G 32 ring spinning machine at ITMA ASIA + CITME



On their Stand B 03 in Hall W 2 at the ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010 in Shanghai, Rieter will present the new G 32 ring spinning machine alongside the E 66 combing machine which is already successfully established on the market. In addition to these two main attractions, samples and end products from ring yarn, the Com4 compact yarn, ComfoRo rotor yarn and ComforJet air-jet yarn will be displayed on the Rieter stand.

With the presentation of the G 32 ring spinning machine at the ITMA Asia, Rieter is responding to the requirements of the new markets. The new machine typifies Rieter’s response to customers’ needs.

G 32 ring spinning machine
This machine is a new development. With up to 1 440 spindles and an excellent price/performance ratio, it has been specifically targeted to fulfil the needs of the new markets. The familiar production quality and efficiency of Rieter ring spinning machines is reflected in the G 32 and is achieved due to the well-established functions such as the automatic cop change ROBOdoff or doffing without unwinding with the SERVOgrip.The G 32 ring spinning machine is ideal for customers who want to modernize with long doffer ring spinning machines.

E 66 combing machine
72 kg/h combed sliver – that is the real performance of the E 66 semi-automatic combing machine. This was developed on the basis of the wide experience gained over recent years with the more than 7 800 combing machines sold. Together with the Computer-Aided-Process-Development – C•A•P•D500 – the combing process is optimized with regard to movement, applied load, air and power consumption. The high performance of 72 kg/h is achieved with 500 nips/min, 80 g/m lap sheet fineness, ideal running behaviour and highest quality.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

ITMA 2011 sharpens focus on garment making



With the textile and garment making industry undergoing tremendous change in the light of globalisation and current economic challenges, CEMATEX is making a concerted effort to support manufacturers with a solutions platform that will help the industry stay focused and competitive.

In line with this value proposition, the expanded product index of ITMA 2011 includes a dedicated chapter on garment making technologies and machinery. Embroidery and braiding equipment will also have their own separate chapters.

CEMATEX Secretary General Ms Maria Avery, said: “The ITMA brand was established in 1951, and is very well known and respected in the classical textile machinery sector. Although we have always showcased garment making machinery, we have greatly enhanced its profile for the 2011 show, adding many new categories to our Index of Products and featuring the sector in our Forum which will take place during the show. “With the industry keen on exploring end-to-end solutions, our ITMA show provides a one-stop business platform for buyers and sellers to meet and discuss exciting opportunities.”

“In the past, sewing machinery and accessories were grouped together under the making-up sector. With this re-classification, we are now ramping our efforts to engage major garment industry players from around the world,”explained Ms Sylvia Phua, Chief Executive Officer, MP International which is organising ITMA 2011.

Lauding this move, Mr. Rahul Mehta, President of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), stated: “In the midst of a more challenging global business landscape, CMAI is very concerned about building the competitive advantage of our sector. Investing in more advanced technology and more efficient solutions is the best way to boost our members’ productivity and competitiveness.

“Hence, an important objective of our association is to help Indian garment manufacturers keep abreast of the latest technological developments in garment-making. Established industry platforms like ITMA are very important and we are delighted to know that ITMA 2011 will focus its attention on garment and textile processing machinery. We hope to encourage a large contingency of our members to attend the show to source the latest machinery, and to meet and interact with thought leaders.”

CMAI has been the leading pioneer and most representative association of the Indian apparel industry for over four decades. It represents over 20,000 companies, including readymade garment manufacturers, exporters, retailers and ancillary industry.


Friday, March 12, 2010

Indo-German technical textile business poised for huge growth



Indo-German Technical Textile business poised for huge growth Mumbai, 11 March, 2010. "Indian innovation combined with German Technical Textile technology leadership can boost bilateral trade, economic cooperation and take Indian technical textile industry to highest levels of growth", assured Mr. Walter Stechel, Consul General of Germany in Mumbai, at a Conference on "German Technology for Indian Technical Textiles" held in the city.

He also suggested that India and Germany, should explore 3rd world markets in South Asia, Central Asia and Africa, countries where German companies might have cost disadvantage and where the combination of German technology and Indian innovative production skills could have market penetration.

Mr. Boris Abadjief, leader of VDMA (German Engineering Federation Textile Machinery Association), said, "Technical textiles which has a great potential for growth in India, offers great opportunities in terms of innovation and value addition. India could effectively tap the German market valued at US$8 billion (Rs.2000 Crores)". He appealed to the Indian technical textile industry to take full advantage of Germany's strength in manufacturing high-class machinery for increasing their share of the world market for technical textile products.

Inaugurating the Conference, Mr. A. B. Joshi, Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles Government of India, predicted that Indian technical textile industry will grow at the rate of 11% year on year to reach a market size of Rs.70,151 crore by the year 2012-13 which is higher than the growth rate of 3-4% prevailing in the international market. The Indian technical textile market size for the year was Rs.41,756 crores out of which Rs.38,855 crore was domestic consumption and exports accounted for Rs.2901 crore, he noted.

He informed that the Government would shortly be launching the Technology Mission on Technical Textiles which was announced by Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, in September 2007. Mr. Joshi declared that the Government was planning to implement the Technology Mission on Technical Textiles for five years starting from 2010-11 with a proposed outlay of Rs. 500crores. Referring to the four centers of excellence viz. BTRA for Geotech, SASMIRA for Agrotech, NITRA for Protech and SITRA for Meditech, Mr. Joshi said that the Ministry of Textiles has already released an amount of Rs.41,701 crore till date to these COEs against sanctioned amount of Rs.43.31 crore.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

China Textile Round Table Forum gets a complete success!



The “China Textile Round Table Forum 2010”, hosted by China Textile Economy Research Centre and “China Textile” Magazine, sponsored by Oerlikon Textile, and supervised by China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC), was hold on 27 January 2010 in the International Conference Centre of KunLun Hotel in Beijing, with the theme of “Structural Adjustment, Innovation & Development”.

In 2009, under the guidance of “to maintain growth, expand domestic demand and adjust the structure” policy by the central government and “The Restructuring and Revitalization Planning of the Textile Industry”, through the hard work of every people in the whole industry, China’s textile industry has overcome many adverse factors such as the uncertainty of the world economic situation, dramatic changes in raw material prices, etc., gradually stepped out of the bottom and achieved a sustained and stable growth. In 2010, China’s economy will continue to face the complicated and changing international and domestic situation, inflation, trade protectionism, raw material prices, labor costs, exchange rate fluctuations and other factors. Textile Industry must firmly focus on adjustment and innovation in a new round of showdowns to strive for a good development trend. Though it is difficult to change the external environmental factors of the industry, the self-development route can be controlled and selected.

Focusing on theme of Structural Adjustment, Innovation & Development, China Textile Round Table Forum 2010 is a platform to pass the information that the economy is bettering to the whole industry, to enhance the industry’s determination and confidence to develop, and to offer enterprises a route map with clear sense of direction. Therefore, relevant leaders, experts and scholars from the National Bureau of Statistics, the National Development and Reform Commission, the State Council Development Research Center, China Textile Industry Association and various professional associations, and notable entrepreneurs from home and abroad were invited to the forum, made high-end communications and discussions on the conference theme, and carried a in-depth study on China textile industry development trends and the measures to confront in 2010. On the Forum, Mr. Yao Jingyuan, Chief Economist of National Bureau of Statistics made a speech entitled "2010 China's Macroeconomic Trends and Policy Measures".

He stated that facing the financial crisis, the Chinese government made a scientific assessment of the international and domestic situations and decisively introduced a package of policies including the implementation of the proactive fiscal policy and moderate loose monetary policy to maintain growth, expand domestic demand, readjust the structure, and benefit the people's livelihood, which enabled China to become the first in the world to stop the downturn of the economy, stabilize it and make it rise up, and achieve a hard-won success. He predicted that in 2010, China's economy would be a continuous process during which economic structure would be optimized; the development methods would be transformed; service industry, especially the modern service industry, would develop better and faster; consumption would have a bigger pulling power of the economy; and innovation capacity and technological progress would contribute more to the economy.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

SHIMA SEIKI knitting machines in action at RMIT Gallery



Three SHIMA SEIKI computerised knitting machines have turned RMIT Gallery into a temporary “mini lab”, as part of The Endless Garment exhibition.

The machines, on loan from Ramsay McDonald, will be working until 21 March. They will enable gallery visitors to watch technology in action, producing highly original and experimental fashion design.

Staged during the 2010 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, The Endless Garment celebrates the fusion of the mass-produced and machine-made, together with the unique vision and the creative energies of the designer.

According to The Endless Garment co-curator Ricarda Bigolin, it is a rare privilege for people outside industry to be able to see the SHIMA SEIKI machines up close in action.

“The show is about machine knitting and in putting it together we felt it was essential to have the SHIMA SEIKI machines in action in order to show the capabilities of HOLEGARMENT technology, which is 3D seamless knitting technology,” Ms Bigolin said.

“It is extremely difficult for designers to have access to these machines, as they have a commercial application in industry. We are very grateful to Ramsay McDonald for not only loaning us the machines for the exhibition, but for supplying a technician to stay at the Gallery and answer questions while the machines produce experimental garments.”

The SHIMA SEIKI machines use digitally programmed data, which ensures consistency and production on demand with minimal wastage of materials.

According to Stephen Long, from Ramsay McDonald, there has been considerable interest from industry seeing the new SHIMA SEIKI machines in action at RMIT Gallery. “People will be able to see the Mach2-X model, which is the only true gauge WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine available on the worldwide manufacturing market,” Mr Long said.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Ludhiana sewing machine sector seeks govt assistance.



Chinese machines having seized a huge chunk of the local sewing machine market in the industrial sector, leaving the Ludhiana sewing machine industry to cater to just the house-hold domestic sewing machine market.

An expert said that the industry in Ludhiana was greatly affected on account of instability in the prices of raw material.

Ludhiana contributes 80 to 90 percent to the total production of domestic sewing machine industry of an industry which is worth around Rs. 15 billion.

Kapoor stated that previously, when prices of the raw material were steady, sewing machines were even being exported by the manufacturers in Ludhiana. However, over past three years, marginal contributions have flowed from exports.

Owing to the unsteadiness prevailing over prices of raw materials, several manufacturers were in view of importing Chinese components for domestic machines, he added.

In time availability of the raw material is also a core concern for the industry, said another expert. He also added that considering the instability in prices of inputs, the components were being imported by the assemblers and manufacturers.

He stated that lack of government support, in recent previous years and no significant innovations or R&D, could propound a challenge for the industry.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Atlas unveils latest technology in textile testing



Atlas Material Testing Technology — a global leader in weathering testing and equipment is excited to introduce the latest technology for accelerated exposure testing of textiles, the Xenotest 220+.

Since the introduction of the first Xenotest 150 in 1954, Atlas has worked with the global textile industry as a competent and reliable partner. The Xenotest 220+ is a product of that cooperation, developed from years of experience and feedback.

The instrument uses an air-cooled xenon light source with a rotating rack. It is equipped with an intuitive, user-optimized control system featuring European and Asian languages. Also available are newly designed easy-insertion sample holders. Ideal for lightfastness testing under standard conditions and for applications such as ISO 105 B02 and AATCC TM16, the Xenotest 220+ addresses the basic needs of the textile industry.

Available in March 2010, users may select from a basic model Xenotest 220 or an enhanced model Xenotest 220+ featuring Atlas XenoTouch software with remote control, E-Mail Service and Online Monitoring add-ons.