#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2019-11-14

Hybrid-Acoustics PET sets new standards for sustainable noise protection

Lighter, quieter and more environmentally-friendly vehicles ? this is what Hybrid-Acoustics PET from Autoneum stands for. The product innovation for the engine bay is not only characterized by its lightweight construction and noise protection optimized for electric vehicles, it also convinces through sustainability: Components made of Hybrid-Acoustics PET consist entirely of PET, which is largely obtained from recycled fibers, and thus meet customer demand for environmentally-friendly mobility solutions.

With Hybrid-Acoustics PET, Autoneum has adapted its textile interior technology Hybrid-Acoustics for use in the engine compartment. The patented innovation is based on a unique fiber material that acts as an insulator and absorber at the same time. Among others, Hybrid-Acoustics PET is used to encapsulate electric motors, thereby reducing noise directly at the source and particularly attenuating high-frequency sounds of the electric drive unit. This key technology accordingly ensures optimum noise protection in the passenger cabin and greater driving comfort.

At the same time, components made of Hybrid-Acoustics PET convince with their low weight. Compared to conventional insulators, they are up to 40 percent lighter and thereby contributing to a greater driving range. They are also flameproof and find application as powertrain-mounted insulators for combustion engines thanks to their temperature resistance of up to 180°C. The parts, which consist to a large extent of recycled PET fibers, are produced waste-free and are completely recyclable – an outstanding life cycle assessment compared to equivalent components in the engine bay. Hybrid-Acoustics PET therefore exemplifies Autoneum’s commitment as part of its Advance Sustainability Strategy 2025 to continuously improve the environmental performance of its product portfolio and thus contribute to a resource-efficient mobility.

Starting in spring 2020, e-motor encapsulations made of Hybrid-Acoustics PET are being produced for various new electric models of a Swedish car manufacturer at the Company’s Taicang plant in China (Jiangsu province). In addition, Autoneum will supply engine-mounted parts to various French and Japanese vehicle models with combustion engines from its site in Valldoreix, Spain.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.

Commission clarifies rules on plastic bottles recycling

The European Commission today adopted new rules on recycling of single-use plastic beverage bottles made primarily of polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles). These rules establish, for the first time, a methodology to calculate, verify and report chemically recycled content. This is part of the Commission’s December 2025 plastics package.