#Yarn & Fiber

2024-04-18

NILIT announces strategic expansions, including a joint venture with Shenma in China

NILIT, the global leader in high-performance Nylon 6.6 fibers for the apparel industry and leader in sustainability, that owns the broadest line of sustainable Nylon 6.6 products, is announcing a new joint venture with Shenma Industry Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Shenma), a subsidiary of China Pingmei Shenma Group, a global leader in the industrial Nylon 6.6 market and a leading supplier to the automotive industry around the world.

This new partnership represents a significant expansion of production capacity within China, also demonstrating NILIT’s ongoing commitment to support the growth of global customers and brands. This expansion is highlighted by multiple investments and cooperation designed to enhance production capabilities and deliver more innovative solutions to the textile industry.

“We are pleased to unveil this new greenfield joint venture in China with Shenma to introduce differentiated state-of-the-art technologies to support the local market,” says Ilan Melamed, NILIT Global General Manager. “This collaboration is set to produce premium specialized products in Fully Drawn Yarns (FDY), known for their outstanding strength and smoothness, and Air Textured Yarns (ATY), known for providing unparalleled softness for the textile market, providing quality and performance, all within a highly competitive cost structure. This partnership will open new opportunities in end uses such as home textiles and the automotive industry where strength, smoothness, and durability are essential.” The joint venture will include a new production site in Pingdingshan, the China Nylon City. The facility will be constructed to meet NILIT’s exacting Total Product Sustainability (TPS) standards for environmentally responsible production and is expected to yield a production capacity of 20,000 tons in the next few years.

This strategic partnership brings together the expertise, resources, and networks of NILIT and Shenma, both renowned enterprises in their respective fields. This joint venture combines NILIT's 50 years of global experience in the production and marketing of high-quality Nylon 6.6 yarns for apparel, and Shenma’s leadership excellence in the Chinese market. “With a shared commitment to excellence and innovation, we are poised to leverage our collective strengths to penetrate new markets and amplify our capabilities across China,” continues Ilan Melamed. The joint venture agreement was signed in a ceremony in Shanghai on April 18th attended by leaders from both parties including Mr. Li Mao, Chairman of China Pingmei Shenma Group, and Mr. Michael Levi, Chairman of NILIT Group.

This model of collaboration showcases the mutual benefits of such alliances, including market access, regulatory navigation, and competitive advantage, emphasizing the market leadership of the NILIT team in China led by Shay Kastoriano, NILIT Asia GM, and Shenma as a strong local partner in China.

Furthermore, in response to the increasing demand for NILIT's high-end products and the commitment to innovation and sustainability, NILIT is also accelerating its plans to double the production capacity at NILIT’s existing production site located in Suzhou SIP, where Shenma Industrials will be a minority shareholder. This strategic move is aimed at supporting the growing global market demand for NILIT's products, ensuring customers’ needs for advanced and innovative and sustainable materials are met.

NILIT goes circular with SENSIL® Flow

NILIT, the global market leader, and a producer of high quality Nylon 6.6 for apparel and owner of the SENSIL® brand, introduces SENSIL® Flow, a new approach to Nylon 6.6 circularity that enables yarn, fabric, and, ultimately, apparel recycling to eliminate waste and further reduce apparel’s environmental impact. SENSIL® Flow is more than just a sustainable performance product. It is an innovative approach that engages the entire supply chain to truly attain circularity through product design and partnership.

Expansive innovations converge in Shanghai as Yarn Expo Autumn 2026 opens doors next week

With just days to go, industry enthusiasm is building for the opening of Yarn Expo Autumn, Asia’s premier yarn and fibre trade fair, running from 25 – 27 August at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Across 27,000 sqm in Hall 8.2, buyers will find nearly 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions, spread across seven specialised zones that range from cutting-edge man-made and regenerated fibres to time-honoured cashmere and silk. Beyond the extensive sourcing options, a fringe programme of trend showcases, presentations and product launches rounds out the three¬day event with design, innovation and market intelligence.

Dornbirn GFC 2026 expands conference program with new thematic sessions

For 65 years, Dornbirn GFC has stood for innovation and is one of the world’s leading conferences in the fiber industry. From September 16 to 18, 2026, the international fiber community will meet in Dornbirn, Austria, to discuss current trends, technological developments, and forward-looking solutions. More than 600 experts from industry and academia from over 30 countries are expected to attend. With around 100 presentations by renowned speakers, a 2,5-day conference program, and three parallel presentation rooms with moderated sessions, Dornbirn GFC provides a first-class platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and international collaboration. Together, participants will generate ideas and impulses that will sustainably shape the future of the global fiber industry.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Novel flame-retardant and recyclable fiber-reinforced composite

Airplanes and passenger trains must meet strict safety requirements, including fire safety standards. This calls for materials that are flame-retardant, lightweight, robust, and scalable. Empa researchers, in collaboration with their industry partner Elantas, have now succeeded for the first time in making such a material – a composite – fully recyclable.

WHILL selects Teijin’s tough, lightweight Carbon Fiber Composite for new last-mile mobility

Teijin Limited announced today that WHILL Inc., a global leader in inclusive mobility technology, has selected Sereebo® P CFP series, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) material, for key structural components of the upcoming WHILL Model C Lite. Sereebo® P CFP series provides high strength, light weight, design flexibility and system cost advantages to the Model C Lite, which is a battery powered, single-seat, last-mile device. This new model combines maneuverability with light weight and one-handed folding to ensure ease of handling and operation.