#Textile chemistry

2013-03-18

BASF to focus its Leather and Textile Chemicals business on growth markets

Lab work at the BASF innovation campus in Shanghai (c) 2013 BASF

BASF will re-shape its Leather and Textile Chemicals business with increased focus on the growing Asia Pacific region and high value-adding applications such as applications for the leather automotive industry and premium textile articles. The global R&D activities for both businesses will be established in Shanghai, China.

“BASF strives to remain the preferred partner of the leather and textile industries for reliable and innovative chemical solutions,” said Fran ç ois Desné, Senior Vice President, Global Business Unit Leather and Textile Chemicals in BASF. “We are re-shaping our business setup to strengthen our long-term ability to compete in a rapidly changing market environment.” Focus on growth areas and high value-adding applications BASF will implement specific measures to focus the geographic presence and innovation efforts in order to grow in profitable and high value-adding applications. Leather Chemicals will concentrate on core technologies for the automotive and premium leather segment. Textile Chemicals will sharpen its focus on value adding steps such as printing and finishing while providing solutions for the manufacturing of premium textile articles.

Global innovation center to be established in China Asia, in particular China, is the key growth market for the business, thus BASF is establishing a global innovation center for Leather and Textile Chemicals in Shanghai. Located within the BASF Innovation Campus in Shanghai, the center will be part of the R&D Innovation Verbund which serves as a platform of excellence for integrated R&D resources and applications to produce the best solutions for the market. Adaption of organizational setup to market needs In order to support the growth regions and to increase its efficiency towards the market, the business will adapt its organizational setup. The planned measures will lead to a reduction of about 65 positions globally, including 29 in Ludwigshafen. In order to support the expected growth, for example in China, India and Turkey, the organization will build up about 23 positions. BASF expects to complete the planned measures by end of 2014.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Uster’s new Recycling Opening Index guides spinners to the perfect blend

Uster AFIS 6 now offers the key data for better decisions when blending recycled fibers. Process control is decisive in determining the quality and economic outcome. The new R Recycling Module of AFIS 6 introduces the Recycling Opening Index (ROI), so spinners can optimize their circularity credentials. It was officially launched at ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.

The heart of the technical textiles and nonwovens world will beat in Istanbul

Only 1 day remains until HIGHTEX 2026 International Technical Textiles and Nonwovens Exhibition opens its doors. Bringing together manufacturers, technology developers, investors, and industry professionals from around the world, HIGHTEX 2026 is preparing to showcase the innovations shaping the future of the industry. As the countdown to this major event continues, Istanbul is once again getting ready to become the meeting point of the global technical textiles industry.

Grasim Industries announces fresh investment of ₹3094 Crore to expand Lyocell capacity

Grasim Industries Limited, the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group and a global leader in cellulosic fibres, today announced an investment of ₹3,094 crore, for Phase II Lyocell capacity of 110K TPA at Harihar, Karnataka. This expansion will consist of 2 lines of 55K TPA (150 Tons per day) each. The first line is expected to be commissioned by 2028, and the second line is expected to be commissioned by 2030.