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

The Italian textile machinery industry is gearing up for a key event on the international trade fair calendar: Techtextil 2026, taking place from April 21–24 in Frankfurt, Germany. A prestigious representation of Italian companies will participate in the German exhibition—a global benchmark for technical and innovative textiles—to present cutting-edge technologies dedicated to an ever-expanding market.

In response to growing demand for its full textile and finished product line automation services, ACG Kinna – a member of TMAS, the Swedish textile machinery association – has inaugurated a 1,000-square-metre expansion at its headquarters in Skene, Sweden.

As global demand accelerates for lighter, stronger and more sustainable technical textiles, the machinery and testing technologies behind their manufacture are evolving at pace. At the Techtextil and Texprocess exhibitions in Frankfurt this April, eight members of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) will demonstrate how advanced engineering continues to shape the performance, precision and resource efficiency of advanced fibre and fabric production.
INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, has announced the four distinguished recipients of the 2026 INDA Lifetime Service Award and Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. Tom Daugherty, Pricie Hanna, Carey Hobbs, and CK Wong are being recognized for their exceptional leadership, innovation, and enduring contributions to advancing the nonwovens industry and strengthening the global community it serves.

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt (April 21–24, Hall 12, Booth C79), AUTEFA Solutions will present its LineONE concepts for cost-efficient nonwoven production. As a full-line supplier for nonwoven production lines, AUTEFA Solutions covers the entire process chain – from fibre opening through to web bonding. With its LineONE line concepts, the company combines proven technologies into well-balanced, cost-efficient turnkey solutions. These concepts are designed for capacity expansions, modernisation projects and new production lines, offering robust design and high flexibility for applications such as filtration, geotextiles and automotive.

The EU and Australia have today announced the adoption of a groundbreaking Security and Defence Partnership. They have also concluded negotiations for an ambitious and balanced free trade agreement (FTA) and agreed to launch formal negotiations for the association of Australia to Horizon Europe, the world's largest funding programme for research and innovation. With these steps, the EU and Australia are delivering mutually beneficial outcomes and further reinforcing their already close relations in a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

DuPont (NYSE:DD) announced the launch of the Tyvek® APX™ 400 protective coverall, the first in a new generation of extremely breathable disposable chemical protection garments. Manufactured using DuPont™ Tyvek® APX™ groundbreaking fabric, the new garment combines 360° protection and durability with extreme breathability, taking worker comfort and safety to a whole new level.

Graf successfully participated in EXINTEX, one of the leading textile exhibitions in Latin America, together with its local agent Eurotecnica. The exhibition provided an excellent platform to engage with customers, partners and industry experts across the region.