Ciba Specialty Chemicals makes its ITMA debut

hemicalsIntegrated solutions covering all process steps ensure smooth transitions throughout the textile chain]With a wide variety of integrated solutions for textile processing, Ciba Specialty Chemicals will be present with its own stand at the first Asia ITMA (International Textile Machinery Association) trade fair, in Singapore, from October 15-19, 2001. Experts at the Ciba stand, no. 5C-92 in Hall 5, will be pleased to provide more information on all products, processes and services.

"Asia is a very important market for us and growing more so all the time," says Adrian Knott, Head of Marketing & Sales in Ciba's recently formed Textile Effects Segment. "Our presence at the first Asia ITMA underlines our commitment to Asia and our intention to maintain and further strengthen our presence there. Ciba Specialty Chemicals is a leading supplier and partner to the textile industry in Asia, with its own production and formulation plants, laboratories and customer technical support teams in the region."

Customer-focused organizationChristoph Biedermann, Head of the new Textile Effects Segment, says: "The new, simplified structure introduced by Ciba Specialty Chemicals on March 1 makes it easier for our customers to do business with us. A single partner can now offer customers integrated solutions for all their textile requirements - supplying dyes and textile chemicals as well as providing know-how and technical support. The Ciba stand at ITMA will reflect the benefits of the synergies created by the new structure." Adrian Knott comments: "At ITMA, we shall be demonstrating how Ciba dyes and chemicals add value throughout the textile chain, from fiber production, through weaving, pretreatment and fluorescent whitening, dyeing and printing right to finishing. Information will be provided on Ciba's activities in retail and end-use marketing, showing how we are able to build bridges between different groups of customers all over the world. Ciba is a global company with local organizations that can provide on-the-spot know-how and meet local demands."

HighlightsDetails of the products, processes and services that Ciba will be presenting at ITMA are given in the following news release.

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NEWS RELEASE

ITMA Asia 2001: Ciba Specialty Chemicals focuses on integrated solutions for color, comfort and performanceSmooth transitions throughout the textile chainProduct and process highlightsEnvironmental acceptability - a prime focus for CibaServices - mybusiness@cibascAt the first ITMA (International Textile Machinery Association) trade fair in Asia, from October 15-19, 2001, Ciba will be presenting recent developments in products, processes and services designed to provide textile customers with integrated solutions that give high value throughout the textile chain, while meeting the most stringent environmental regulations. Experts at the Ciba stand, no. 5C-92 in Hall 5, will be pleased to provide more information on all products, processes and services.

Product highlights

New pigments for soft pastels - the chemistry is all in the colorCiba® IRGAPHOR® SPD 100-800 soft pigment colors for pad dyeing are all-in compounds ready for immediate use without the need for any additions. Designed for pad dyeing of all textiles, especially cotton and its blends with polyester, the 12 colors cover a very wide shade spectrum. A simple, one-stage process ensures easy application and high cost effectiveness. The original soft handle of the fabric is preserved, another unique feature of this range. IRGAPHOR SPD eliminates one of the major drawbacks of conventional pigment pad dyeing - two sidedness. Penetration and leveling are excellent, even with critical substrates such as linen.

Novel washfast disperse dyes for today?s popular polyesterCiba® TERASIL® W disperse dyes are washfast at 60°C and more on polyester fibers. TERASIL W dyes are suitable for exhaust and continuous dyeing of polyester and its blends. The high wet fastness properties of the range include very good wash fastness on polyester, polyester microfibers and polyester blends. Other advantages of the dyes are excellent dispersion properties and reservation of cellulose, high color strength, very good build up and high exhaustion.

New textile chemicals for special effectsNowadays, consumers not only want to have their textile products preserved and protected from degradation, they also demand novel "effects" and additional benefits. One such effect is "durable freshness", for example in sports and leisure wear, underwear, shoes and socks. Ciba® TINOSAN® CEL has a durable antimicrobial action on cellulosic fibers. An innovative encapsulation technology is used to fix antimicrobial-containing nano capsules onto the cotton fiber. The controlled antimicrobial delivery system ensures a slow yet sustainable release of the antimicrobial onto the entire substrate, resulting in exceptionally high wash durability.Other novel textile chemicals include a new generation of low-viscosity liquid printing thickeners with optimized rheological behavior and high stability to electrolytes, allowing rapid, controlled thickening: Ciba® ALCOPRINT® RT-BC is designed for use with reactive dyes, ALCOPRINT PT-RV for pigments and ALCOPRINT DT-CS for disperse dyes.Ciba® ULTRATEX® UM new is a completely novel, highly durable fabric softener that imparts an extremely soft, smooth handle to all fiber types, at the same time improving fabric resilience.Ciba® OLEOPHOBOL® ZSR is designed for Teflon® SR stain release finishes for uniforms, workwear and home textiles of all fibers and blends in all shades, including pastels and white. OLEOPHOBOL 7713 is a fluorochemical fabric protector for home furniture, which affords high stain protection even after abrasion.Ciba® UVITEX® EDR is a new shaded fluorescent whitening agent (FWA) with excellent fastness to dry heat for polyester fibers and their blends at all stages of processing.Ciba® INVATEX® MD is a versatile new-generation cracking agent for pretreatment.Ciba® TINOCLARITETM COM is a highly effective combined processor and surfactant for batchwise peroxide bleaching of cellulosic fibers and their blends. With its extremely good rewetting and emulsifying properties, it is especially recommended for goods to be dyed.

Process highlights

"Smile green" - the integrated solution for bright, fashionable shades on cotton and cellulosic fibersThe Ciba Specialty Chemicals Smile Green process involves the use of CIBACRON® H dyes for hot exhaust application and specific textile chemicals to achieve today's fashionable brilliant green and turquoise shades. The concept is designed to be flexible and thus suitable for numerous cellulosic fibers and various dyeing machines. The dyeing process is simple and dispensing equipment is not essential. The dyes can be used in conjunction with an auxiliary system comprising Ciba® IRGASOL® CO new or CIBACEL® DBC dispersants and protective colloids, CIBAFLUID® C and CIBAFLUID U lubricants, and CIBAFLOW® JET penetration accelerant, which promotes fiber and surface levelness and ensures outstanding reproducibility.

LS Superfast - a breakthrough in one-bath dyeing of polyester/cellulose blendsThis novel method overcomes problems previously encountered in one-bath blend dyeing: there is no need for pH control, high or fluctuating liquor ratios do not impair results, reservation of cotton and polyester is excellent and dispersion stability of disperse dyes improved. The LS Superfast procedure is designed for application of CIBACRON LS reactive and TERASIL disperse dyes. The CIBACRON LS low-salt reactive range for cellulose has proved highly robust at all shade depths. In particular, it shows unusually low sensitivity to variations in liquor ratio, a great advantage when dyeing polyester/cellulose blends. Textile chemicals suitable for use in the LS Superfast system are Ciba® UNIVADINE® TOP, which prevents staining and ensures good levelness, CIBATEX® AR anti-reduction agent, which protects disperse dyes from yield loss during exhaust dyeing of blends with cellulose, and Ciba® MEGASOFT® JET, a finishing agent that ensures a smooth, full handle and supple drape.
Ink jet printingThe ink jet printing segment is rapidly expanding and the next generation of printers, with speeds of up to 30 m2/hour, are being introduced and will shortly be available. For most of this upcoming generation of industrial printers, Ciba offers suitable inks, including CIBACRON MI reactive inks for cellulosic fibers and silk, TERASIL DI disperse inks for direct printing on polyester fibers, TERASIL TI disperse inks for transfer and direct printing on polyester, and Ciba® LANASET® SI acid inks for wool, silk and polyamide. ALCOPRINT products are recommended for fabric pretreatment. The latest innovative ink jet textile printing range to be launched, Ciba® IRGAPHOR® TBI HC pigmented inks, can be printed on any substrate. These novel inks provide customers with a full, integrated package, because they contain both pigment and binder, thus no fabric pre-treatment is needed, and printing is a one-step process. IRGAPHOR TBI HC can be used to overprint grounds dyed with IRGAPHOR SPD soft pigments.

Environmental acceptability - a prime focus for CibaProviding customers with integrated solutions involves more than products and processes. Ciba is committed to sustainable development and to helping customers meet environmental regulations all over the world. Some of the company?s latest processes designed for environmental compatibility are described below.

Chrome-free wool dyeing with Ciba® LANASOL® CE dyesDark shades on wool have for almost the last 100 years mainly been produced with afterchrome dyes, which have very good fastness properties and high levelness. Today, however, as concern for the environment grows, legislation tightens and consumers demand "ecological" textiles, dyers are looking for alternatives. Active in research and development in this area, Ciba Specialty Chemicals developed a new range of metal-free reactive dyes for wool: Ciba® LANASOL® CE. The dyes can be used in conjunction with Ciba® ALBEGAL® B for high fiber levelness and to accelerate exhaustion of the dye and diffusion into the fiber interior. This optimizes the entire dyeing process, including fixation.

High-fixing reactive dyes for cellulose, washfast disperse dyes for polyesterThe new, patented, polyreactive CIBACRON FN, C, H and LS ranges, with their outstanding fixation properties, all reduce colored effluent pollution. CIBACRON LS dyes, which consume only a fraction of the salt needed by conventional reactive dyes, lessen river salination. With their unique ease of washing off, CIBACRON C and FN dyes cut down water consumption. The good washing performance of TERASIL W dyes, particularly on polyester blends with elastomers or cotton, results in lower human exposure to loose dye and thus reduced health concerns.

Services

E is for e-asy, e-conomical and e-fficient: mybusiness@cibascOne of the first specialty chemicals companies to use the internet for communications with customers, suppliers, employees and the public, Ciba recently expanded its site from an information platform to an interactive business channel. Whether customers choose to do business via the internet or not, mybusiness@cibasc, accessible via http://www.cibasc.com, offers them a unique set of services - a onestop shop that meets all their needs. More than just an easy way of ordering products, mybusiness@cibasc is a kind of private meeting room for a new type of dialog with Ciba's partners, allowing them to benefit from the company's expertise and know-how 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Wherever they are, customers can obtain the information they want quickly, punctuality and precision being two of Ciba's top priorities. Customers who buy textile dyes and chemicals from Ciba Specialty Chemicals can access technical product information online, including product properties, application options and even country-specific rules and regulations.

Expert advice available online includes Ciba's color matching service, COLPOCA®, which stands for COlor POsition CAlculation. COLPOCA helps decision making in dyehouses and facilitates recipe selection, helping dyers and printers to achieve rightfirst- time results.

A further service that provides customers with integrated solutions is Fashion Trends, information from Ciba that includes recipes for the latest shades and fabric samples.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals (SWX:CIBN, NYSE: CSB) is a leading company dedicated to producing high-value effects for its customers' products. Our specialty chemicals, added in small quantities, enhance the performance, look and feel of the final product. Business success is driven by our long-term strategy of innovation and continuous operational improvements. Ciba brings new and creative thought to the processes and products of our customers in more than 120 countries. Ciba?s continuing operations generated sales of CHF 7.9 billion in 2000 and CHF 293 million was spent on R&D to foster innovation across the Company.

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For further information please contact:
Thomas Gerlach
Tel: + 41 61 636 44 44
Fax: +41 61 636 30 19