#Yarn & Fiber

2021-01-07

SABIC’s Nusaned™ projected contribution to GDP rises to SAR 8.8 billion

The Nusaned™ Council celebrated at the SABIC Plastic Applications Development Center (SPADC) in Riyadh the graduation of 43 new investors, bringing the total number of graduates since the launch of the initiative to 106 investors qualified to start projects that will create 6610 jobs and contribute more than SAR 8.8 billion.

Several strategic partnership agreements and memoranda of understanding were also signed to qualify and empower SMEs and create advanced commercial products. The MoUs and partnerships will also help strengthen cooperation with the Saudi business community and universities in the areas of sustainability and innovation and develop training and manufacturing programs to contribute to localizing technologies and industries in the Kingdom.

Through these agreements, Nusaned™, in collaboration with "Monshaat", aims to bring SMEs closer to purchasing opportunities in the public and private sectors.

BASF, a German multinational chemical company, will showcase its advanced technologies, products and training programs to the business and education sectors in the Home of Innovation™ platform. Emerson, an American multinational corporation, will present its solutions to localize many manufacturing technologies, control systems, valve assembly, pressure and temperature transducers.

Nusaned™ initiative was launched by SABIC in early 2018 as part of its commitment to stimulate local industry and enable Vision 2030 through several pillars: increasing the private sector’s participation in GDP, reducing unemployment, and increasing the contribution of non-oil exports.

The agreements and projects are expected to serve several sectors, including construction, equipment and tools, medical supplies, metals, plastics, renewable energy, and specialty chemicals. Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, stressed that the progress of the NusanedTM initiative is a qualitative leap that confirms its success in attracting and creating more opportunities by reaching a large number of partners locally and globally.

“The outcome of these agreements and partnerships will contribute to creating jobs and raising the level of knowledge and professional qualification for local competencies and entrepreneurs. It will also promote the localization of advanced technologies to enable the private sector and SMEs to play an active role in the national economy,” Al-Benyan added.

In addition to SABIC, members of the Nusaned™ Council include the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Investment, Monshaat and the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority.

The Council is the executive platform of SABIC’s localization initiative Nusaned™. It convenes three times annually to follow up on the progress made in efforts to stimulate local content for promising future sectors, in addition to launching partnerships and initiatives and graduating eligible projects for local investment.

“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.

Lenzing and Kaihara to debut REMOD denim collection at Kingpins Amsterdam

The Lenzing Group, a global producer of wood-based fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, has partnered with Japanese denim manufacturer Kaihara Corporation to launch the “REMOD Collection”. The collection combines three of Lenzing's fiber offerings for denim applications: TENCEL™ Lyocell Standard, TENCEL™ Lyocell – HV100 and TENCEL™ Lyocell dtex 2.2.

Circ and Huafon partner to scale textile-to-textile recycling in China

Circ® and Huafon, a leading spandex producer in China, are partnering to build and scale a new multi-phase textile-to-textile recycling site in China, expanding Circ's global pathway to industrial scale. The project will be located within Huafon's industrial footprint and will use Circ's technology to process polycotton textile waste and recycle both inputs, recovering recycled PTA, recycled MEG and recycled cellulosic pulp for use in new textiles. The site will be developed in phases, with Phase 1 designed for approximately 200 metric tons of textile waste per day and additional capacity planned.

UNIFEQ Europe adopts Coats Digital’s GSDCost and AI-powered GSDQuest to support rapid growth

Coats Digital is pleased to announce that rapidly growing Polish defence and uniform manufacturer UNIFEQ Europe Sp. z o.o. has invested in its award-winning GSDCost solution together with its AI-powered GSDQuest platform to establish a consistent approach to garment costing, improve sewing-floor productivity and accelerate labour costing for tenders and new products.

EURATEX urges Member States to prioritise competitiveness in the next EU budget

Ahead of crucial discussions among EU Member States on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028–2034, EURATEX, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, calls on European leaders to safeguard ambitious funding for industrial competitiveness and ensure that these resources translate into concrete investment support in European companies.

Brazil: The Italian textile and textile-machinery sector takes centre stage at two workshops

From 19 to 24 October 2026, Brazil will host a mission showcasing Italian excellence in the textile and textile machinery sectors, with two workshops scheduled for 20 October in the state of Santa Catarina and 22 October in São Paulo. The initiative will bring together Italian companies specialising in textile machinery, yarns, fabrics and clothing accessories, with the aim of strengthening commercial and industrial ties between the two countries and opening up new opportunities for collaboration.

KARL MAYER highlights new technologies and growth opportunities at INDIA ITME 2026

India‘s textile industry is undergoing a profound transformation: What was previously a production hub driven primarily by cost and volume is increasingly evolving into a market focused on technology, exports, and value creation. KARL MAYER supports this change with high-performance machinery solutions and innovative textile concepts, and is therefore looking forward to INDIA ITME 2026 with great anticipation.