#Associations

2015-06-04

Swissmem: Swiss Textile Machinery Group elects Ernesto Maurer as new President

The board of the Swiss textile machinery group (from left): Robert Reimann, Ernesto Maurer, Norbert Klapper, Urban Germann, Ralph von Arx (c) 2015 Swissmem

The Swiss textile machinery group within Swissmem elected a new president during their meeting held end of May. After the resignation of Peter Gnägi, who has been member of the board since 2002 and president since 2013, the members of the group elected Ernesto Maurer as his successor.

The connoisseur of the international textile machinery industry has held various management positions in leading companies over the last years. Today, he is CEO of SSM Schaerer Schweiter Mettler AG in Horgen. The new board consists of Ernesto Maurer, vice president Urban Germann (Stäubli Sargans AG) and the new board members Norbert Klapper (Rieter AG), Robert Reimann (Jakob Müller AG) and Ralph von Arx (Retech AG). This year, the Swiss textile machinery group will celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Since 1940 the group supports its member companies–over the years many of them gained international market leadership. The planned activities for this year include participation in ITMA show in Milan. In addition workshops on “Innovation” and “Additive Manufacturing” will be organized.

Waste2Fashion: FTTH Committed to advancing Circular Fashion in the Mediterranean

As an official partner of the Waste2Fashion project, the Tunisian Federation of Textile and Apparel (FTTH) participated in the Kick-off Meeting held on 10–11 December in Spain. The event brought together project partners from across the Mediterranean, including Spain, Italy, Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, to align on a shared vision and initiate the first implementation steps.

AATCC announces 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition winners

The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) recognized the winners of the 2025 Herman & Myrtle Goldstein Graduate Student Paper Competition. Founded in 1982 to give student members the chance to conduct and present original research, the competition was renamed in 1994 in honor of Herman and Myrtle Goldstein, following their US$60,000 endowment. Their gift is a lasting remembrance of their dedication to young people in the textile industry.

SIMTA joins ITMF as Corporate Member

In the past two decades SIMTA has established itself as producer of specialized machinery for the textile industry. In short period of time, SIMTA became an important supplier of precise rollers for top OEMs. Afterwards SIMTA started manufacturing overhead cleaners, bobbin transport systems, and other textile ancillaries. In the meantime, SIMTA is a leader in this space in collaboration with the German automation technology partner Jacobi.

Innovation center for textile circular economy inaugurated

Just over eight months after the foundation stone was laid, the new Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy was officially inaugurated today at TITK Rudolstadt. Thuringia's Minister President Mario Voigt, TITK Director Benjamin Redlingshöfer, and other guests of honor cut the ribbon to the modern building complex and viewed the premises, which are now ready for occupancy. The “DICE – Demonstration and Innovation Center for Textile Circular Economy” is TITK's largest single investment to date. The Free State of Thuringia supported the total cost of €11.5 million with €8 million in GRW and FTI funding.

Sustainable design of Geosynthetics and roof underlayments made from recyclates

Is it possible to recover plastic recyclates from previously unused waste streams in order to produce high-quality fibers and films? How can bio-based polymer fibers be manufactured so as to allow adjustable biodegradability? These are the questions being addressed by researchers from the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE in the Zirk-Tex project.

Yanpai expands nonwovens capacity with two new ANDRITZ needlepunch lines

Zhejiang Yanpai Filter Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Yanpai”) has placed an order with international technology group ANDRITZ for two high-performance needlepunch lines. The equipment will be installed at Yanpai’s headquarters facility in Tiantai County, China. Commissioning is scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.