world of Europe

References Special Issue www.monforts.com T

Competence in

Technical Textiles AHEAD OF PROGRESS

Our Product Range Suitable for Stretching Ranges Ⅲ Ⅲ Glas Fibre Fabrics Flow Through Dryers Ⅲ Ⅲ Light Protection Belt Dryers Ⅲ Ⅲ Tarpaulins High Temperature Stenters Ⅲ Ⅲ Billboards Vertical Dryers Ⅲ Ⅲ Artificial Leather Ranges Ⅲ Ⅲ Floor Coverings Universal Dryers Ⅲ Ⅲ Artificial Grass TwinTherm Dryers Ⅲ Ⅲ Nonwovens Thermobonding Ranges Ⅲ Ⅲ Spacers Coating Lines Ⅲ Ⅲ Membranes

A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG Germany | A member of CHTC Fong’s Group www.monforts.com Retaining a lead in Europe In this special publication for Of this 181 billion value, 33% ITMA 2019 in Barcelona, we are is achieve€d by clothing, 17% by celebrating the achievements of conventional trading in fabrics, Monforts customers here in our 15% by home textiles and 17% European markets. by industrial and technical In attempting to convey the textiles. importance of the European All these market segments are textiles and clothing industry to its served by Monforts products, overall economy, Lutz Walter, and at ITMA 2019 you’ll find director of innovation and skills at innovations built on Industry 4.0 Euratex – the European possibilities and our long history and Apparel Council – notes that of accumulated expertise across the list price of a new Airbus all clusters of the textile chain. A350-900 wide-body jet airliner is Virtual and remote control of around 275 million. our plant technologies, including This m€eans that EU exports of digital twinning and complete textiles and clothing outside the automation, are just a few of the block alone are the annual concepts you can find out about equivalent of purchasing over 350 for our advanced textile finishing of these latest Airbus planes, so and coating systems, by visiting A. Monforts Textilmaschinen there is no need to be modest us at ITMA 2019 in Barcelona, in GmbH & Co. KG about the achievements of our Hall 2, at stand D101. Postfach 10 17 01 customers. And it’s only the start of what D-41017 Mönchengladbach Euratex puts the overall annual we intend to achieve in the next Blumenberger Straße 143-145 value of EU textiles and clothing at years for the continued success D-41061 Mönchengladbach 181 billion, without including the of our valued customers in Telefon: +49 - (0) - 21 61-401-0 Telefax: +49 - (0) - 21 61-401-498 €contribution of key countries such Europe – and globally. Internet: www.monforts.de as Switzerland and Turkey. The eMail: [email protected] industry has certainly rallied since the recession of 2009, when it hit a Stefan Flöth low of 150 billion, but at the same Managing Director time, h€as become more diversified over the years since then. PUBLISHED BY MONFORTS MARKETING GROUP

Monforts customers featured in this issue: Cover : The Monforts “Digital Twin” with Arta, ATB, Bethge, Boyahanesi, BWF, Hugotag, GTA, Mariani, Smart Services and Smart Controls for the highest productivity and availability. Riopele, Schoeller, Tapetex, Tinfer, Van Clewe, Vaz da Costa.

World of Textiles | Europe | 3 www.monforts.com IOT Industry 4.0 Innovations are here

Monforts technology is providing the full flexibility in coating and finishing that advanced European textile manufacturers now need to successfully negotiate the diverse markets they serve, writes the company’s Head of Technical Textiles, Jürgen Hanel.

The in stant connectivity and easy including ‘digital twin’ capability All specifications relating to distribution of know-how is for all of its machine systems. machine and the changing the face of industrial By exploiting the latest production process can be manufacturing, making the advanced sensor technology, mapped, to enable vastly operation of complex machinery 100% comprehensive technical simplified and targeted analysis much simpler and cutting down machine data is now virtually for controlled planning and the required training periods, mapped in the cloud in real production. Insights harnessed while at the same time, reducing time. from such analysis can be the chance of human error. This digital mirror can be used to optimise the actual At ITMA 2019 in Barcelona, easily consulted using the new production process. Monforts will demonstrate a range Monforts Smart Support and At the same time, potential of new advances made possible Smart apps for an instan - sources of error can be by Industry 4.0 techniques, taneous status overview. anticipated and eliminated,

‘Digital Twinning’ is the latest Industry 4.0 concept from Monforts.

4 | World of Textiles | Europe | TECHNICAL TEXTILES enabling improved machine availability while considerably minimising downtime.

Virtual monitoring On request, Monforts can also virtually monitor machine performance and pro-actively alert customers to the need for preventative action. In such cases, however, data is only ever called from the cloud by Monforts when customers have given their full consent, in the interests of data security. Data from Smart Check, for example, can even be used to A modern coating range with an integrated Monforts texCoat unit installed in Germany. analyse a system’s energy requirements, allowing machine operation to be optimised by systems and Eco Applicator, These very different materials, tailoring production runs to texCoat and Allround coating however, have one thing in the peaks and troughs of units. common – they all require expert electricity costs. coating and finishing for The Monforts digital twin Coating advances maximum efficiency and the system and apps, along with our Since we acquired the coating technology to allow for ultimate Qualitex control system, are being technology that our texCoat and flexibility and the ability to switch made available for all of our Allround systems are based on in quickly from one fabric formula to machine ranges going forward, 2015, Monforts has also made a the next, without compromising including Montex stenters, lot of refinements resulting in on the economical use of energy Thermex and E-Control higher coating accuracy and the or raw materials. continuous ranges, resulting quality of the treated Monfortex and Toptex shrinking fabrics, especially for manufac - Modules turers of technical textiles. The introduction of the latest Technical textiles are extremely Monforts multi-functional coating diverse in their end-use heads for the company’s applications and manufacturers industrial texCoat and Allround can be called upon to quickly coating units offer an unprece - produce a succession of dented range of options, with materials with widely differing modules available for: properties and performance • Screen printing. applications – often within a • Magnetic roller coating. single shift. • Knife coating (two versions For customers of Monforts, for differing applications). these range from substrates for Monforts is also now offering the digitally-printed soft signage to coating roller for the texCoat and carbon fabrics for today’s high- Allround coating units as an performance composites, and optional carbon fibre version, in from filter media which must order to meet even the highest perform in extreme temperatures level of coating accuracy that is to flame retardant barrier fabrics. being demanded by the most Then there are the heavy duty exacting customers today. membranes which are employed The carbon rollers provide the in the collection and storage of extreme stiffness necessary to methane in biogas plants, as well deal with the winding tension as materials equipped with required in the processing of sensors and electrical conductors materials such as prepregs for which are now used as base composites and other liners in DSC solar cells, to name heavyweight fabrics, but at the just a few examples. same time, a significant

World of Textiles | Europe | 5 www.monforts.com improvement in coating accuracy manufacturing from a single Organic solvents is achieved, even for very source here in Europe. There has been a wariness about lightweight flexible materials. In handling organic solvents, but in addition, the surfaces of the Quick changes the end, they’re not as difficult to rollers are protected against both On the Allround, the modular coat on textile substrates as they abrasion and damage from coating heads can be quickly and are on plastic films where they’re aggressive chemicals by a special easily changed via a specially- already widely used, and they ceramic coating. A further benefit designed undercarriage from offer a lot of possibilities for is that the rollers are much easier the side of the unit, allowing companies to explore and to clean. it to be readily adapted for develop entirely new products – Nowadays we are the only different applications. especially in fields such as manufacturer which can offer The Montex Allround consists of medical and filtration. completely integrated coating a load cell, a spreading unit and a Nevertheless, they do require a lines from a single source and the pulling device along with the highly-controlled and contained coating machine is tailored to the selected coating head. It allows for environment, and this was a key subsequent Monforts drying the tension-free coating of the consideration when constructing technology – with all the benefits substrate along a greatly-reduced the technical textiles line that is resulting from a fully integrated web path and a very short period available for trials at the Advanced plc control. of ‘open’ coating prior to it Technology Centre (ATC) at our Our system has the shortest entering the dryer, to ensure headquarters in fabric path from the coating unit significantly less chance of Mönchengladbach, Germany. into the and we have all contamination. The shortest This incorporates a Montex four- variations of coating application possible distance between the chamber, horizontal chain stenter systems too – and all of these coating head and the stenter and is fitted with an explosion- options are available in wider infeed ensures the highest quality proof coating application widths, with the engineering and coating results. chamber. Every single component within the chamber has to meet the standards of the European Union’s ATEX directives for working in an explosive atmosphere. A range of sensors linked to alarms operate at various levels within the chamber to ensure the specified lower explosion limit (LOL) is never exceeded and the ventilation adapts accordingly. Special features on the finishing line relate to a further advanced function – the ability to treat materials not only at temperatures of up to 320°C, but also to be able to treat the top and bottom faces of certain materials at different temperatures within a single pass through the machine. To achieve this, the first two chambers of the stenter are fitted with special, heavy duty TwinAir ventilation motors and separate burners for individual top/bottom temperature. A temperature differ - ential of up to 60°C can be achieved between the upper and lower nozzles within the chamber. There are many applications The latest Qualitex control system where employing two separate makes the operation of Monforts temperature treatments is machines much simpler. beneficial, such as floorcoverings –

6 | World of Textiles | Europe | TECHNICAL TEXTILES

The unit itself does not actually save the energy, but by applying only the precise amount of functional finish, ensures the subsequent drying time is shorter – in some cases dramatically so. Some Monforts customers have reported success stories of cycles which previously took an average around 160 minutes being reduced to just 40 minutes. Obviously, if you’re reducing the full processing time to a quarter of what it was, it has a significant impact on the electricity, steam and gas that is being used. While being widely market- proven on woven and fabrics, major manufacturers are now also reaping the benefits the Eco Applicator provides. Knitted fabrics must never be stretched and need to be treated in a relaxed state. This is why, for The Web-UI app enables the example, the Montex stenter process monitoring of machine dryer with vertical chain return parameters on handheld devices. incorporates a TwinAir nozzle system that ensures the relaxed where the textile face fabric is as woven or 3D knits for high fabric is kept at a suitable height treated at one temperature and temperature filter media. in between the upper and lower the rubber backing at another – as nozzle system, allowing for the well as PVC flooring employing Eco Applicator fabric’s ‘bowing’, since it can’t chemical foams or for materials For conventional woven and be stretched. like black-out roller blinds with knitted fabrics, the Monforts Eco Similarly, the Eco Applicator heavy backings. Applicator as an alternative to the for knits is fitted with an advanced At the same time, in the traditional on-wet padder has guidance system specially- pharmaceutical industry there is a been highly successful since its adapted to the needs of delicate wide range of different introduction in 2011, both treatments and eliminating any applications for organic solvents integrated into new finishing lines possible ‘curling’ of the fabric such as anti-septic treatments and retro-fitted to existing ones. edges prior to entering the which have to be treated very In many textile mills globally, the stenter. carefully and applied at very cost of running integrated Compared with a padder specific temperatures in order not manufacturing lines – especially system, where the initial moisture to destroy their efficacy.” those for fabric finishing that can content of the fabric entering the Other materials, such as PTFE- involve numerous sequences of stenter is 60%, with the Eco coated filter materials are also heating and subsequent drying – Applicator it is reduced to 40% applied and then cured at is now eclipsing the cost of and the system also has the separate temperatures. paying people to operate them. shortest fabric path from the The ability of the Eco Applicator coating unit into the stenter. Stretching to significantly reduce energy The Eco Applicator’s versatility Another key feature of the costs is the key reason for its also allows mills to apply finishes technical textiles line at our ATC is rapid acceptance on the market. to just one side of the fabric, or the special stretching device The soft coating unit in many both, and even to apply separate which is capable of pulling ten cases eliminates the need for a finishes to each side, or to tons in length and ten tons in padder, instead employing trough specific areas of a fabric, for width – a huge amount per square and roller techniques to apply the endless possibilities, whether metre of fabric and necessary in required amount of liquid/coating treating wovens, denim or the production of materials such to the fabric. delicate knits. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 7 www.monforts.com Absolute print quality guaranteed

Having installed its first Monforts Montex stenter just two years ago, during 2019 Germany’s GtA has installed two more – as it runs 24 hours a day to meet unprece - dented demand from the digital printing market.

A new standard in pure white, with a 3.6 metre wide, seven- With two production plants in 100% clean and fault-free textile chamber Monforts Montex Germany and headquartered at substrates has been demanded in stenter, purpose-built at Montex Gross-Zimmern, close to Frankfurt, recent years by the rapid growth GmbH in Austria. Georg and Otto Friedrich has a in digitally-printed banners and Building on the success of this monthly production of more than hoardings – often referred to as installation, the company has this 450 tons of warp knits – the ‘soft signage’. year installed two more Montex equivalent of around six million lines – both with an expanded metres – for a range of end-use Purpose built working width of 5.6 metres – a applications, including garments, In response to this demand, GtA six-chamber unit for further automotive interiors and technical (Gesellschaft für textile washing processes and a five- textiles, in addition to digital Ausrüstung) formed in 2016 chamber line for coating. printing substrates. and erected a purpose-built GtA is run by a seasoned team It is for digital printing, however, plant on a greenfield site in of textile professionals led by in addition to certain interior Neresheim, Germany. Managing Director Andreas Niess, fabrics, which are washed and The plant was first equipped with the backing of Georg and treated at the Neresheim plant, with a fully-automated 72 metre Otto Friedrich – one of the largest that GtA was established. long installation comprising a manufacturers of warp knitted “I have worked with other washing machine integrated textiles in Europe. stenter manufacturers in the past,

GtA managing director Andrew Niess (left), and production and quality control manager Zeki Yagizi.

8 | World of Textiles | Europe | GtA but we opted for Monforts technology and the company’s excellent service we have received,” says Andreas Niess. Zeki Yagiz, Production and Quality Control Manager agrees. “We are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with these lines,” he says. The substrates of choice for digital printing are 100% warp knits which have extremely smooth surfaces. This is becoming increasingly critical due to the general move away from PVC coatings which were the standard in the past. In addition, they are resilient and The first 72 metre long installation comprising a washing machine integrated with a 3.6 metre wide, allow excellent take-up of inks, seven-chamber Monforts Montex stenter at GtA. and vibrant colours and clear and precise images to be achieved with digital printing techniques. The knitted construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers. The raw fabrics being finished and coated are supplied by Georg and Otto Friedrich to GtA in weights of 50-350gsm, in rolls of up to 600 kg or 1,800 metres. Depending on the fabric weight, GtA is running the initial stenter at speeds of between 20-50 metres an hour at an average temperature of 200ºC.

Quality Inspection The new Monforts Montex coating line installed The first entire finishing line is and awaiting commissioning earlier in 2019. controlled by an EVA quality inspection and control system In addition, GtA has purpose- Otto Friedrich and its many which analyses every square designed the automatic chemical distributors and partners ready to metre of fabric to ensure mixing and dosing system that be printed. completely uniform and blemish- feeds to the padder for the seven The finished rolls are automat - free production. key treatments that are carried out ically glued with RFID labels and Another distinctive feature of on the fabrics through the stenter. embedded in to the company’s the line is the proprietary addition “Here too, we have an extraor - own system. to the Monforts air-to-air heat dinary precise quality control and GtA started production in recovery system which is now usability,” explains Andreas February 2016 and for the standard with Montex stenters. Niess. “Our daily philosophy is first five months ran a single The first GtA line is also zero mistakes enforced eight-hour shift. In July 2016 this configured for air-to-water heating throughout the company.” was increased to two eight-hour to save considerable energy in Also fully automatic, are the roll shifts daily and since January washing operations. inspection tables after the winder 2017, the company has been The complete demand for hot and a robotised cutting and operating a three-shift system water is generated by the heat packaging system which converts 24 hours a day. exchanger which also ensures the master rolls down to 75,100, Now it will have greatly surplus water for heating the 200 or 300 metre packages to be expanded capacity, such is the building and the roof. despatched back to Georg and demand for its fabrics. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 9 www.monforts.com

ATB holds some 10,000 fabric samples in stock, and its library is constantly growing.

Ten thousand samples for 52 seasons… As the specialist in the supply of finished fabrics for Europe’s leading fast fashion retailers, Portugal’s ATB knows it can completely rely on its Monforts technology.

Not so long ago there were just One company that was quick with the rise of fast fashion. two fashion seasons per year, but to recognise and respond to the These customers are, says with the advent of ‘just in time’ emergence of fast fashion is ATB company founder Mário Mano, manufacturing and the optimi - – Acabamentos Têxteis de extremely demanding in terms of sation of supply chains, the Barcelos – established in 1985 in quick turnaround. timescale in the latest designs Barcelos in northern Portugal. “The deadline is always moving from the catwalks to the The company is dyeing and yesterday,” he jokes, “but high street stores has been finishing between 36-40 tons of the key to staying successful drastically shortened. Internet fabric on a daily basis for key is in new technology investment retailing has only accelerated customers including Benetton, and at the same time new expectations and with the advent Esprit, Mango, and also Inditex – fabric developments.” of digitisation, the era of 52 the textile logistics chain behind At the time of WOET ’s visit, the micro-seasons per year is very the hugely successful Zara company was keeping busy with a much upon us. brand which is synonymous huge 1.5 million order from €

10 | World of Textiles | Europe | ATB

Inditex for a total of around 600 In addition, the ATB plant is “Our customers will ask for tons of processed knitwear. ATB is equipped with three Monforts initial fabric samples and then one of the few companies with Dynair relaxation dryers, with the very quickly need five metres of the capacity to deal with such an latest being installed in a new the fabric for prototyping, so we order, which in any case, is pretty building which is also presently have to be very organised in this unique these days. used for warehousing but will respect,” says Mario’s son eventually be used for additional Ricardo, who now works with his Quick turnaround manufacturing lines. father managing the plant. “We “Orders are usually for smaller The ATB finishing plant is also do a lot of shopping to equip quantities where the turnaround operating over three shifts, for 24 our showroom, in order to times can be as little as a week hours a day, and often at investigate how our fabrics turn from the start of the knitting weekends too, Mr Mano says. out in finished garments, and to order to final delivery of the let our visiting customers know fully-finished fabrics, depending Samples and prototypes that we are anticipating all of their on the quantity of course,” ATB also holds some 10,000 fabric needs – with the help, of course, Mr Mano says. “We’ve even samples in stock, and its library is of our leading technology received orders on a Thursday constantly growing. suppliers like Monforts.” G afternoon and had them with the customer by the following “The Monforts machines are known for their efficiency and the fabric quality that Monday morning.” can be achieved,” says Mário Mano. Knitting is carried out at ATB’s sister company Etevimol, also in Barcelos, with 87 employees running some 160 knitting machines supplied by the leading European manufacturers. The ATB dyeing and finishing plant meanwhile has 187 employees and investment in the latest technology is ongoing. In addition to the knitted fabrics from Etevimol, it also finishes woven fabrics on a commission basis. The company installed its first Monforts Montex stenter frame in 1990 and has subsequently ordered four more over the years. All are 2.4 metres wide and use heat recovery units for increased energy efficiency and also the latest control equipment, to grant the highest possible process quality/reproducibility.

Mário and Ricardo Mano.

The Monforts Montex stenters at ATB are all 2.4 metres wide and use the latest control equipment to grant the highest possible process quality/reproducibility.

World of Textiles | Europe | 11 www.monforts.com Weathering the storm Three new Monforts finishing ranges were installed in record time for a Swiss mill to mark its 185th anniversary.

Switzerland’s long hot summer of Nestled in the foothills above worth of damage, with the Bethge 2017 – the hottest for over a Zofingen, the Bethge plant was in plant taking the brunt of it. century, with temperatures the direct line of a 1.6-metre-high soaring as high as 34°C wave which thundered down onto Crisis meeting throughout May and June – was the town when a dam above it The following week a crisis violently interrupted in the first finally burst its banks. meeting was held by the directors weekend of July when heavy “It was unbelievable in its of the family-owned company and storms finally broke. ferocity,” said Mr Katzenstein. “It it became clear that its finishing Particularly badly affected was crashed right through the steel lines – including the existing the town of Zofingen in the doors of the plant and completely Monforts stenter and shrinkage canton of Aargau, where Bethge engulfed our machines. Almost range – would have to be AG Textilveredlung has operated everything was destroyed.” completely replaced. as a commission fabric finisher “It really looked like the business since 1834. Chaos was finished unless we could More than 450 rescue workers resume operations in a very Hail were mobilised to deal with the limited amount of time,” Mr “It started with the hail,” recalls chaos in Zofingen, with the Katzenstein said. “For many years the company’s plant manager electricity down, the railway we have specialised in the Frank Katzenstein, “the most station underwater and the finishing of woven textiles for third fierce hail storm I’ve ever seen, motorway around the town party brands and distributors, with stones as long as four closed in both directions for primarily based on and centimetres. This was enough to many hours. Miraculously, , as well as some polyester close all of the local roads and although a number of people and polyamide. These are then the rain started and just were taken to hospital, nobody destined for the home and hotel didn’t stop – and the flooding and was killed, but the freak storm tableware and bedding markets in landslides began.” had caused millions of francs Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

One of the two Montex stenters installed at the Bethge plant is equipped with the latest Monforts texCoat system, as an extension of Bethge services to its customers.

12 | World of Textiles | Europe | BETHGE

Bethge’s new Monfortex compressive shrinkage range has a larger shrink cylinder for enhanced shrinkage values in fabrics. Bethge’s plant manager Frank Katzenstein.

“Hospital linen is another key end-use sector for our fabrics, and as one of the few remaining textile finishing operations in Switzerland – where both costs and environ - mental standards are extremely high – our just-in-time delivery and quality guarantees have been crucial. “Thankfully, Thomas Päffgen, Monforts’ area sales manager, and the company’s manufacturing and installation teams, were able to pull out all the stops for us.” Bethge opted to order two new energy-saving six-chamber Montex stenters, as well as a Monfortex compressive shrinkage Intuitive automation and surveillance range which is characterised by a of the machines is via the Monforts Qualitex control system. larger shrink cylinder allowing for longer processing paths to achieve tablets, making navigation drying technology for maximum enhanced shrinkage values. extremely easy and cutting down benefits. Monforts offers multi- the time required for becoming functional coating heads for its Record time familiar with the system. texCoat units, with modules that The first stenter was manufactured Operation is via touchscreen and can be integrated into new lines at the Montex plant in Austria and wheel-effect selection and the or retrofitted into existing ones. was delivered, installed and dashboard can be individually In addition to its main markets, commissioned in a record time of configured to meet the exact Bethge also manufactures certain less than four months. needs of an operator’s tasks. technical textiles, as well as “We were able to salvage our Damast fabrics and voiles existing air cleaning system and texCoat destined for Africa’s apparel after the first of the new stenters The second Montex stenter that markets. The company is now was up and running we were able has been installed at the Zofingen back to full production, finishing to resume operations and build up plant is equipped with the latest some three million metres of back to where we were, month by Monforts texCoat system, as an fabric annually. month,” Mr Katzenstein said. extension of Bethge services to its “Ongoing service from Monforts All of the Monforts lines have customers. As the only continues to be excellent,” Mr working widths of 3.4 metres and manufacturer which is able to Katzenstein concluded. “We have benefit from the latest Qualitex offer completely integrated had a long-standing relationship 800 control system. This has all of coating lines from a single source, for many years, but were really the familiar features of the latest Monforts coating heads impressed with the service they touchscreen smart phones and are tailored to the company’s provided this time.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 13 www.monforts.com Zero defects ‘a la lyonnaise’ Monforts technology is providing major benefits for the French luxury brands fabric supplier renowned for its know-how in finishing.

Quality is the number one The five-chamber Montex 8500 “The fabrics are very delicate and requirement for Hugotag, a machine at the Fourneaux plant is require a sensitive treatment when specialist French finisher of silk equipped with newly-developed being pinned into the stentering fabrics to many of the world’s 24-inch visualisation monitors, chain, as well as very gentle drying most prestigious luxury brands. providing total, intuitive – without the fabrics ever touching Now a member of the Chanel automation and surveillance via the nozzles and with absolutely no Group, the company in its the Monforts Qualitex 800 system. air turbulence in the dryer.” present form represents the “The humidity of the air inside merging five years ago of two Precision the stenter is crucial for ensuring a former silk businesses – Tag, “It’s an excellent machine,” says perfect quality fabric feel,” adds founded in 1974 in Fourneaux, Hugotag Director General Philippe French representative for Monforts, close to Lyon, and Hugo Soie, a Magat. “The key parameters for Christophe Monel, of Monel St Etienne-based company with a us include homogenous drying Industrie Services. 200-year history. over the length and width of the machine and precise control of Fine Consolidation the tension of the fabric, because Hugotag is finishing some very fine Investment in new equipment has the silk has a natural elasticity, silk fabrics indeed – sheer followed the merger and consoli - even without the addition of that can be as light as 14 gsm, dation of the companies at the elastane. The Monforts stenter along with chiffons, and heavier Fourneaux site, including allows us to completely control and . The weights of the advanced digital printing the tension from the fabric entry more delicate fabrics are usually machines, as well as the instal - right through to the winding between 20-50 gsm, and produced lation of a finishing line centred on machines – and we have special in average widths of 90 centimetres the latest Monforts Montex 8500 units for winding onto small rolls to a maximum of 1.9 metres on the stenter and a Matex padder. too.” 3.2-metre wide Monforts finishing

Intuitive automation and surveillance are provided via the Monforts Qualitex system.

Hugotag Director General Philippe Magat.

14 | World of Textiles | Europe | HUGOTAG range. In haute couture fine fashion, of course, they command very high prices. As a result of the extremely specialist nature of handling such delicate fabrics, the Monforts line has been equipped with a number of additional features, including special needle chain devices for dealing with knitted silk fabrics, a steamer unit, a computerised weft- straightening device and associated controls, and a horizontal combined chain. The stentering chain is completely sealed – to avoid ~any As a result of the extremely specialist grease or oil coming into contact nature of handling such delicate fabrics, with the fabrics at any time – and the Monforts line has been equipped fitted with long-lasting lubricated with a number of additional features. bearings. Special attention has also been paid to energy recovery, with low energy consumption IE3 motors and the integration of a full heat recovery system into the line. Philippe Magat confirms that this is now providing Hugotag with significant energy savings.

Historic legacy Like its equally famous counterpart in Italy – Como – Lyon has histor - ically been associated with silk fabric production, and all of Hugotag’s fabrics are still woven The five-chamber Montex 8500 machine at the Fourneaux plant is locally. Piece-dyeing was equipped with newly-developed introduced in Lyon and became an 24-inch visualisation monitors. industrial process in the mid-18th century and for a long time can now do it successfully,” says computer-controlled machines remained a speciality of the region. Philippe Magat. “More than like the Montex 8500 still can’t do Screen-printing is meanwhile anything, however, zero defects are – and perhaps never will. sometimes known as ‘a la our objective, and this is Hugotag still relies on the keen lyonnaise’ because Lyon is something the new highly- eyes of its specialist quality fabric acknowledged as the first region to automated and computerised control inspectors who have industrialise the process during this Monforts line is allowing many years of experience, rather same period. us to achieve. than digital optical inspection And although there still remain “We don’t need to run at high systems that are readily-available other silk finishers in France, speeds, and average 15-20 metres on the market. Hugotag is one of only two to carry per minute, because the priority is “At this level of quality, it’s a skill out the ‘degumming’ of the silk perfection. Our customers are very machines are simply unable to fabrics using ‘Marseilles Soap’ – a discerning and even the smallest of replace,” Philippe Magat chemical-free formulation based on defects can result in returns, which concludes. “Through many years 100% olive oil, developed long we simply can’t afford to allow to of experience I am able to spot before the concept of sustainability damage our reputation.” even the smallest detail that the was even known. average eye simply can’t see – “It’s a very specific treatment and The human touch and so can the specialist team because the fabric is so very It is reassuring to know, however, working here. Our exclusive delicate it’s very difficult to do on that there are still some things customers would expect nothing an industrial machine, but we that highly-automated and less.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 15 www.monforts.com Trusted quality from Catalonia Spain’s circular knits finishing specialist has recently taken delivery of a new Montex stenter at its Barcelona plant.

In opting to partner with Monforts Specialist are subsequently supplied to for the supply of its third fabric Tinfer has adapted over the years garment makers for the global stenter, commission dyer and from being a supplier of brands and retailers and the finisher Tinfer put service – along commodity textiles to company is a firm believer in with the proven reliability of establishing a reputation as thinking global while acting local. advanced Montex stenters – at the Spain’s specialist in swimwear “The emphasis can only be on top of its list of priorities. and sportswear – and especially constant high quality, which our Founded in 1973, originally in the dyeing and finishing of customers expect as standard,” as Tintes Fernández, in Arenys circular knits with a high degree says General Manager Xavier de Munt, the company shortened of stretch, based on elastanes Alabau Basart, who is the son in its name, expanded and with , polyamides, law of the company’s founder relocated to its present plant in and their blends. Juan Fernández. “This in turn Pineda de Mar just down the While 90% of its customers are relies on both our own high coast from Barcelona at the third party distributors in standards and working with beginning of the 1980s. Catalonia, the fabrics Tinfer treats trusted suppliers. We needed to

View from the operation deck.

16 | World of Textiles | Europe | TINFER

The stenter is one of the first in Europe to benefit from the integration of the self-cleaning Monforts Eco Booster heat recovery unit.

invest in a third stenter to increase which means the machine doesn’t our capacity in response to higher have to be stopped at all,” says demand from our major Aguilar and Pineda Sales Engineer customers, and this time decided Oriol Canet. “In addition, the to opt for the Monforts system.” degree of soiling of the rotating heat exchanger wheel is Know-how monitored automatically, deciding The agent for Monforts in when cleaning is required and to Barcelona, Aguilar and Pineda, what degree, so the mill no longer benefits directly from the has to rely on the operator.” technical know-how of its The new line is fully automatic, Technical Director Karl with all the intuitive features Sonnleitner. He was previously a operators will be familiar with from Tinfer General Manager Senior Engineer for Monforts at its Xavier Alabau Basart. touchscreen smart phones and Mönchengladbach HQ, so Tinfer tablets provided by the Monforts couldn’t be in more experienced benefit from the integration of the Qualitex 800 control system. hands at a local level. self-cleaning Monforts Eco This makes navigation “Not surprisingly, Karl’s an Booster heat recovery unit. extremely easy and has consid - expert in this field and located just The Eco Booster is equipped erably cut down the time required 30 kilometres from our factory,” with an electric drive for for Tinfer’s operatives to become says Mr Alabau. “There are computer-controlled optimisation familiar with the system. always teething problems with of the heat exchanger’s “In my opinion the latest any new line but the response performance to the prevailing Monforts Montex is without from both Aguilar and Pineda and exhaust air streams – something doubt the best horizontal chain Monforts has been tremendous.” that is not possible with purely stenter on the market,” Mr The new six-chamber Montex static heat exchanger modules. Alabau concludes. “We are now stenter which was commissioned “The Monforts Eco Booster heat building on the additional at the Pineda de Mar plant has a recovery unit puts an end to capacity it has provided us with working width of 2.2 metres. It is maintenance downtime as a result and we expect it to be fully one of the first in Europe to of its automatic cleaning control, booked out very shortly.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 17 www.monforts.com Two-way trust Having only recently invested in what is now the largest Monforts Montex stenter installation in Europe, Portugal’s Riopele has placed a new order for a further machine of similar dimensions to become operational during 2019.

As the owner and third-generation period, and the two-way trust that 2016 the company, with 1,025 chairman of Riopele – a company is necessary today, to ensure our employees, achieved an average established by his grandfather mutual success,” says Mr Oliveira. annual turnover of 71 million € with just two water looms in 1927 “We endeavour to be ahead of the with an EBITDA margin of 8.5%. – José Alexandre Oliveira has field, and key drivers for us are In 2017, Riopele enjoyed its best adopted a successful strategy of currently the new possibilities year to date, with sales climbing forming much stronger ties with offered by Industry 4.0 and digiti - to 74 million and an EBITDA of € both customers and suppliers in sation, in addition to the push 15%. The headcount at the plant recent years. towards a circular economy.” in Pousada de Saramagos near Riopele’s customers, it should It’s certainly a strategy that is Porto has meanwhile increased to be emphasised, are some of the paying off – between 2012 and 1,069 people. biggest high-end and luxury brands in the world, including Armani, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld, Massimo Dutti, Paul Smith, Versace, Max Mara, Victoria Beckham, Sandro and Maje.

Mutual success “We now have a closeness with these customers that would have Riopele’s four-hub been inconceivable six or seven Pousada de Saramagos years ago, and it’s based on how Riopele chairman José plant extends over an area the industry has changed over that Alexandre Oliveira. of 140,000 square metres.

Dominating the Riopele finishing department is the latest Montex stenter.

18 | World of Textiles | Europe | RIOPELE

Vertical Entirely vertically integrated, from raw material to finished fabric, Riopele has a monthly output of around 700,000 metres of fabrics based on synthetic, natural and recycled fibres, with a speciali - sation in polyester, viscose and elastane blends. Production is 24 hours a day, over three shifts and the company’s key fabric brands are Çeramica, Çeramica Clean, Tecnosilk and Tenowa. Riopele’s strategy of close The 12-chamber Montex stenter has a partnerships also extends to its full installation length of some 70-metres. technology suppliers. Over an area of 140,000 square metres, the four-hub Pousada de Saramagos plant is equipped with some 30,000 spindles, ten winding machines and over 60 twisting machines, as well as 204 machines. The company’s finishing operations are divided into three stages – preparation, dyeing and Special J-boxes at the Montex finishing – with a wide variety of stenter’s inlet and outlet allow for the gentle storage of a processes enabling the fine tuning high volume of material. of colour, touch, gloss, look, function and fluidity. the stenter’s inlet and outlet, for brands – they can no longer show the gentle storage of a high garments that will be available in Partnership volume of material. The special six months’ or a year’s time, As long-standing partner with heat recovery system was also because consumers are now Monforts, Riopele has a variety of tailored specifically to the geared to having things they want the German machine builder’s company’s needs, based on immediately. These expectations equipment, and dominating the detailed calculations.” have totally changed how finishing department is the latest The next ten-chamber Monforts everyone operates along the Montex stenter, with 12 chambers Montex stenter which is currently entire supply chain. and a full installation length of being built will be operational this “Our ongoing investment in some 70-metres. The line was year, as part of a new 10 million technology is critical to keeping € installed as part of a 14 million investment plan. ahead in the market, but just as € investment programme between “We need close relationships critical is our investment in our 2014-16. with the suppliers of our people,” he adds. “Building on our “This stenter combines equipment, who we know know-how of 91 years and production efficiency with to be the best in the world,” passing it on to the coming excellent energy efficiency, says Mr Oliveira. “When partners generation is of extreme ensuring a continuous production like Monforts develop something importance. This is being flow with a positive impact in new, we trust them to tell us achieved through our internship terms of delivery time,” notes about it straight away so programme, research and Fernando Araújo, of we can incorporate it into our development programmes with Maquicontrolo, the Monforts forward planning. research centres and universities, agent for Portugal. “Monforts and special initiatives such as an worked closely with Riopele’s Technology and people open space R&D hub, bringing technicians on the special design, “It’s no longer like in the past, together our research, which has a number of unique when you would wait until the development and product features designed according to next ITMA to discover what they engineering teams. their specifications. These include, were unveiling. This is just the “All of this equips us for future for example, special J-boxes at same as the expectation from the success,” Mr Oliveira concludes. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 19 www.monforts.com First at the finishing line for 150 years Swiss fabric innovator Schoeller Textil has taken the finishing of two-layer laminates for protective clothing and outdoor and active sportswear to a new level of production efficiency with the installation of a Monforts Eco Applicator unit.

The innovations over the decades They include the introduction of in the early 1980s and the first from Schoeller – which celebrated the first elastic ski apparel at the temperature regulating fabrics its 150th anniversary in 2018 – are start of the 1960s, the integration over twenty years ago. too numerous to mention. of into motorcycle jackets From its base in the beautiful village of Sevelen, at the foot of a scenic stretch of the Swiss Alps close to the border with Austria, Schoeller has been responsible for a succession of award-winning and exclusive new fabric finishes, many of which are now licensed to third party mills. These include coldblack ® for UV protection, energear™, which exploits the beneficial properties of far infrared from the body, NanoSphere ®, for water, oil and dirt repellency, along with highly wash and abrasion resistance, 3XDRY ®, for moisture Schoeller’s Sevelen plant in Switzerland. management, and the latest environmentally-sensitive The new Monforts Schoeller treatments, ecorepel ® Eco Applicator at the Schoeller plant. and ecodry. Having led the field in stretch woven fabrics for many years, Schoeller considerably expanded its range of knitted fabrics through the acquisition of fellow Swiss manufacturer Eschler Group in 2012.

Standards Manufacturing in Switzerland, of course, comes with environ - mental responsibility – the country has consistently ranked Number One worldwide in the Environ - mental Performance Index (EPI) and as a consequence, Schoeller has had to meet standards even

20 | World of Textiles | Europe | SCHOELLER higher than in surrounding European companies. Everything a manufacturing plant does is strictly regulated, including the land, water and air that is used, but Schoeller was an early responder in this respect, having become the first textile company in the world to receive bluesign ® certification back in 2001 – indeed, the company was instrumental in establishing this highly-successful system. It excludes all environmentally Schoeller two-layer membranes. harmful substances from the manufacturing process, sets guidelines and monitors their observance for environmentally friendly and reliable production. Further, the company has a close cooperation with the environmental authorities in Switzerland and has also gone to great lengths to ensure no emissions or noise come from the Sevelen plant – which is in both a rural and residential area – and Both stenters are connected to a together by the Eco Applicator that it blends naturally into its heat exchange system. On the before going to the stenter,” immediate environment. latest stenter, the waste air also explains Michael Killisperger, goes through the heat exchanger manager of Schoeller’s finishing Natural fit to heat up the fresh air, providing and coating department. “The Eco The advantages that can be two sources of recycled energy – Applicator is designed for minimal provided by the Monforts Eco both air and water. Half of the application, and we can measure Applicator for water, energy and energy used for warm water at the moisture humidity at the raw material savings were a the plant is gained through heat entrance of the unit and then after natural fit for the company’s plant. recovery. The energy is harvested both the first and second passes It has been designed to provide from the waste air of the steam through it. significant energy savings with boilers as well as the stenters, and “Ideally we’re looking for 20% reduced liquor application, the residual heat of the recovered residual content – 10% on each eliminating the need for a conven - steam condensation. side. Most of these membranes are tional wet-on-wet padder and The Eco Applicator has been highly elastic so high control of the employing trough and roller integrated at the start of the fabric tension is also required to techniques to apply just the second Montex line at the Sevelen prevent the creation of stripes. This required amount of liquid/coating plant and its prime function is to can also be controlled at various to fabrics via contact with the roller. make substrates for Schoeller’s points within the unit.” As a long-standing Monforts membranes hydrophilic on their The installation is part of an on- customer, Schoeller already inner side and hydrophobic on the going programme that has seen operates two 2.4-metre-wide outer side in a single pass – over 25 million Swiss francs Montex stenters, the most recent although a further 20-25 different invested in new technology at the being a 60-metre long, ten- finishing treatments are also Schoeller plant over the past chamber unit. carried out on the line. decade and has led to further new This has a very long feed-in product developments such as area, since for some laminated Minimal application the introduction of upcycled materials it is necessary to “It’s not possible to finish the Econyl ® (by Aquafil SpA) use two A frames for feeding layers individually, prior to hot and the PFC-free ecorepel ® Bio in the different materials, as melt laminating so the fabrics and technology, based on renewable well as accommodating padding membrane films are dyed raw materials, as new and laminating/coating and separately prior to being components for the company’s bonding machines. laminated, and then finished industry-leading membranes. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 21 www.monforts.com Inspection boards for textile excellence The exclusive wallcovering collections of Tapetex are to be found in the very best guest rooms of the world’s finest hotels, in executive boardrooms and offices and in top-of-the-range luxury new housing developments across the world.

As family-owned company with a “Our aim is to always come up Specialisation 50-strong workforce at the plant in with materials that other “We opted from the start to Helmond, The Netherlands, companies simply can’t make,” concentrate solely on wallcov - Tapetex takes the finest fabrics of said Managing Director Bart van erings and our collections are Europe’s most advanced weaving den Broek, whose father founded now well known to architects mills – pure silks, , the company in 1975 as a trading Ωand specifiers worldwide. jacquards, and suede – and operation, before deciding to Manufacturers for other markets turns them into unique collections bring full finishing processes in- attempt to enter the field quite via a combination of in-house house a decade later, in order to often, but find it harder than they design know-how and advanced be completely in control of anticipated because it’s a complex finishing techniques. quality and the just-in-time distri - market. They come and go.” Since 1975 Tapetex has been bution network. The Tapetex plant is equipped considered the master in the field with all of the latest technology of textile wallcoverings, with for laminating and embossing, sustainability and quality as its dyeing, double-sided coating and main focus. All products are , crushing, flocking, made from natural and renewable laser engraving and digital and fibres such as linen, silk, cotton, conventional printing, including a viscose and only in exceptional Monforts Thermex dyeing line for cases are man-made fibres used, both wovens and nonwovens. if there is not yet a sustainable The company’s latest digital alternative. The company runs a printing line is capable of simulta - 100% water-based production neously printing three different facility in which PVC, solvents, Tapetex Managing Director designs on 110 cm diameter plasticizers etc., are banned. Bart van den Broek. jumbo rolls. Recently, a 2.2-metre-wide, six Operator view of the stenter. chamber Monforts Montex stenter has been installed in a new 4,000 square metre expansion at the Helmond site. “An older stenter is still being used for more limited runs,” said Mr Van den Broek, “but with the new Montex line we can do much more. It has allowed us to introduce a number of new processes that were previously not possible. “We can run coating and finishing processes that need better temperature, moisture, and

22 | World of Textiles | Europe | TAPETEX

The 2.2 metre wide, six chamber Monforts Montex stenter has been installed in a new 4,000 square metre expansion at the Helmond site. air speed parameters in a much these fabrics, so we rely on the anywhere in the world in a matter more controlled way.” best computerised technology.” of days,” said Mr van den Broek. The Tapetex collections are “We have established a very good Reliability and repeatability generally subtle and subdued, logistics network worldwide.” It is one of the most meticulously with an understated appearance The company’s latest collection clean plants in the world, and as often belying the sophisticated is based on both wetlaid and an extra measure, all fabrics are techniques behind their creation. spunbonded nonwovens. brushed as an initial step in A material like Belle Epoque, for “Again, many of these eliminating dust and potential example, is a tri-dimensional products are supplied in several contaminants prior the start of the suede wallcovering which has laminated layers with several finishing and converting steps. intricate laser cut patterns coatings and usually double- “We need to be sure every revealing the nonwoven base calendered to provide the perfect metre of fabric is perfect from the fabric and with silver and gold finish we need,” Mr van den first to the very last of a touches imprinted around its 3D Broek explained. production run,” said Mr van den crenulations. “Our nonwovens collections are Broek. “It’s about reliability and Tech Inspirations, meanwhile, is not cheap, but the materials fall repeatability. a linen which has been cleverly between the general market for “The Montex 6500 stenter has embossed in variated grid lines, vinyl wallcoverings and our high- been running very well and gives its design trialled on a lead end wovens. Their big advantage us complete computerised template, so that its shimmers as compared to vinyl is that they are control of all parameters such as the eye moves across it and the made from sustainable raw temperature, moisture and viewer moves across a room. materials and furthermore allow setting times. Shambala Silk, a 100% the walls to breathe – in some handwoven silk, radiates luxury parts of the world mildew is an Proprietary recipes with its natural sheen and very issue due to humidity but with “We make all our own finishing subtle gold 3D print on top. textile and nonwoven wallcov - recipes and dyes in-house and try These are just three examples of erings there is no danger. to do as much as possible the close to 400 fabrics in widths “The walls on which our ourselves. We deal with a lot of of 110 or 137cm rolls that Tapetex materials are eventually hung are expensive woven materials and keeps in stock and currently sells essentially inspection boards. quality has to be guaranteed – to over 70 countries worldwide With other textiles in bigger especially if an order is being via its sales offices and agents. production runs there are small shipped to the other side of the mistakes that can be worked with, world from here. Last minute but in what we do there’s “With these kinds of fabrics, “Our customers generally like to absolutely no margin for even the even the smallest of mistakes can order at the very last minute that a smallest error. be very expensive. There can be job is specified and appreciate the “The new Montex is helping anywhere up to fifteen separate ready availability of what they us achieve this very high stages to the finishing of some of want, which can be shipped quality standard.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 23 www.monforts.com Only the best for Italian luxury goods Tessitura Oreste Mariani Spa is operating Italy’s first Montex texCoat coating unit at its plant in Gissano, just outside Milan.

The extremely flexible texCoat unit is allowing the company to carry out both knife over air and knife over roller coating based on simple and user-friendly PLC techniques, with on-screen visual - isation for all operating modes and recipe management for many different coating processes; all integrated in to the proven Qualitex control system of the Montex stenter.

Third generation Tessitura Oreste Mariani Spa, Andrea and Gaia Mariani. founded in 1937, is now run by Andrea and Gaia Mariani and their apparel fabrics, before the advent the comparative cost of an Italian cousin Edoardo Mariani – as third of synthetics, notably , fabric for one. generation members of the opened up a huge niche market “Fifteen years ago, there were founder’s family. Today it for woven umbrella fabrics at the suddenly 20 million Chinese- specialises in high-end linings for end of the 1950s in Italy,” explains made umbrellas in Italy, luxury handbags and shoes, as Andrea Mariani. accounting for 99% of the market well as continuing to also make “The company, like a number of and many of the local manufac - the umbrella fabrics which for others, then devoted itself 100 % turers and their suppliers were many years were the company’s to nylon umbrella fabrics and it forced to close down.” sole stock-in-trade. was a strong business for many “The company was founded by decades. Then very quickly, Diversification my grandfather and initially was Chinese companies were able to Tessitura Oreste Mariani’s just a weaving operation, making supply a fully-made umbrella for response was to diversify, initially into sun umbrellas and garden furniture, but eventually its fabrics for luxury leather goods came more to the fore, built on firm relationships with the brands, and today represent 85% of business, with the remaining 15% being umbrella fabrics. “This shift demanded significant investments to broaden our dyeing and finishing operations and become more vertically integrated,” said Andrea. Mariani’s latest finishing line The company now operates 24 is some 43 metres long. doubled width weaving looms, 19

24 | World of Textiles | Europe | MARIANI of which are equipped with Jacquard harnesses, a range of regular and high temperature dyeing systems and two finishing and coating lines. It also has fully equipped units for cylinder, screen and transfer printing along with a dedicated inspection department and a fully-equipped textile testing laboratory.

Residential Due to the plant’s residential location, it also benefits from advanced water, air With the Qualitex visualisation software, ‘finger tip’ control features and heat recycling and ensure smarter operating procedures. purification equipment. “This change in response to the The Montex 8500 stenter is yourself with everything that’s market was something of a distinguished by several new actually possible. revolution for the company,” says features, including a newly “The machine is longer Gaia, “because until then we had designed operator’s platform with than our other working four- been making standard fabrics improved access, a new and chamber stenter, and the older based mainly on one fibre – nylon improved visualisation with one it has replaced, and by – and producing bulk orders. modern ‘slider effect’ on bigger 24 comparison, operating speeds “In moving successfully into the inch screen monitors and the Eco are 30-40% higher. luxury brands market we had to Booster heat recovery module. “On average, we are running review our entire operation and With the Qualitex visualisation each fabric four times through the focus on many different types of software, ‘finger tip’ control stenter, to thermo-fix before fabric construction and designs, features offer smart phone-type dyeing, for drying after dyeing, while at the same time shortening techniques for the machine for waterproofing and then our production cycles and operators and ensure smarter for coating. With the texCoat, enhancing our packaging and operating procedures. the application of coating distribution operations. Additional benefits allow the chemicals is very precisely “We now work with many of the operator to compose and pre- measured and applied.” famous luxury brands and 90% of programme the ‘dashboard’ of the Mariani’s fabric constructions our manufacturing is personalised monitor to personal requirements for umbrellas are generally nylon for them, based on discussions and preferences. warp yarns with polyester weft with their designers about how to yarns, but for luxury goods, best adapt the fabrics in our Full control combinations of many different regular collections for their Mariani is still working to further yarns are employed, including specific leather goods. exploit the maximum benefits and cotton and those based “We are now very flexible in from the new line. on luxury fibres. terms of colours, constructions “In many ways, it’s a lot simpler The weight range too is different, and designs in striving to innovate for the operators because averaging around 50-60gsm for with them.” everything is electronically umbrella fabrics and up to 500- “The readiness of some of these controlled,” says Andrea Mariani. 600gsm for luxury materials. brands to explore the reshoring of “One major benefit with the new A range of heavy duty double- their supply chains to local stenter, for example, is complete faced Jacquards is also produced. producers has also been helpful in electronic control of the tension “Because the new Monforts recent years,” she adds, “although at all times, and the same applies technology is completely at the same time, the business to temperature. electronic, the adjustments for remains highly cost competitive.” “We use a range of temperatures differing weights and fabric Mariani’s latest finishing line for our different finishing steps and constructions are immediate and certainly further strengthens the each chamber of the stenter can instantly compensated for, in company’s position. be individually optimised. But, in a terms of tension control, humidity, It is some 43 metres long and at way, it’s a little like changing from machine speed and all other its heart is the six-chamber an old-fashioned desk phone to an parameters,” Andrea Mariani Monforts Montex stenter and iPhone for us – although relatively concludes. “We are learning to texCoat coating unit. easy, it takes time to familiarise totally trust this technology.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 25 www.monforts.com Complete Econtrol

Through investment in new Monforts technology, Istanbul Boyahanesi is planning to increase its capacity for the commission dyeing and finishing of woven goods to a monthly 2.5 million square metres during 2019.

The company is surely also the only dyehouse in Turkey to date with its own proprietary software for virtual control of all operations via smartphone or TV from the boardroom. The special app-based programme has been developed by co-founder and director Kemal Taşkin, who has a background in software engineering, and it provides real-time information on all machine parameters and operator activity. “I am now developing it further and in the near-future it will also be able to provide financial forecasting for us right down to individual batch level,” he says. Istanbul Boyahanesi plant manager Hakan Kaplan (left) and co-founder This development has much in and director Kemal Ta şkin. common with the advances Monforts is making itself in the field of Industry 4.0 and automation, such as the latest Qualitex control system and the Web-UI app for remote visuali - sation of Monforts technologies via smart phones and tablet devices.

Thermex Econtrol Based in the key Turkish textile centre of Çerkezköy, Istanbul Boyahanesi was only founded in 2017, on the site of an older existing dyehouse. It is a joint venture between two of Turkey’s leading textile wholesalers, Yilmaz Kumaşçilik, which specialises in fabrics for casual and outerwear, and shirtings and suitings textiles operation Erika Kumaşçilik. The Monforts Thermex Immediately on its formation, Econtrol continuous dyeing the first move of the new line at Istanbul Boyahanesi. company was to order a new

26 | World of Textiles | Europe | ISTANBUL BOYAHANESI

Istanbul Boyahanesi plant.

Dahboard of Istanbul Boyahanesi’s proprietary app-based plant control programme developed by co-founder and director Kemal Ta şkin.

Monforts Thermex Econtrol The Thermex Econtrol range Continuous quality continuous dyeing line. has a working width of 1.8 metres “The Monforts Montex stenter is “The existing equipment we and allows the single-bath of course, our key product and its inherited, which includes a 23- continuous dyeing of cotton and advantages are well established,” year-old Monforts Montex stenter, polyester fabrics with selected says Neotek founder Ahmet Kiliç. is only suitable for producing reactive and dispersion dyestuffs, “It allows our customers to heavy weight fabrics with weights as well as cotton-polyester blends achieve high quality contin - of 300gsm and above,” Mr Taşkin to be processed without reductive uously, with the trusted electronic explains. “The new Thermex intermediate cleaning, eliminating drive technology of Monforts. allows us to get down to fabric the need for a steamer. With the energy savings that are weights of 80gsm. The old pad Other processes, such as the achieved they also save money dyeing system we have is also use of indanthren vat dyes for and being robust, Monforts very time-consuming and the enhanced wash and boil stenters also require fewer spare Thermex has allowed us to fastness, or the over-dyeing on parts and less maintenance, with considerably shorten processing reactive-dyed cotton fabrics to remote assistance in any case times for the heavier fabrics, while achieve an extremely broad always available. at the same time considerably range of colour effects, are also “All of the components in expanding our product offering. carried out on the range. Monforts machines are the best It’s an extremely versatile range, The range was installed and available and the majority of the allowing us to instantly see the commissioned in a very tight companies in Turkey either results and to easily move space within the existing already have experience with between reactive and disperse factory by Istanbul-based them and trust the brand, or see dyeing, for example.” Monforts partner Neotek Tekstil, the benchmarks being set by which is also a new company, their competitors, making Savings formed in February 2016 to Monforts technology the natural “Of course, there is no assume responsibility for choice,” he adds. comparison in terms of Monforts dyeing and finishing “We have been very happy chemicals and energy usage and technology throughout Turkey. with the service we have received with the Thermex the savings are In the short period since its to date from Monforts and considerable,” adds plant inception, Neotek has already Neotek, and will continue to trust manager Hakan Kaplan. “It is also installed and commissioned over their technology going forward allowing us to make much longer 50 full Monforts ranges as we expand our business,” batches of fabrics.” throughout the country. Mr Taşkin concludes. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 27 www.monforts.com One step ahead Portugal’s leading commission finisher has recently installed a new Montex stenter – despite some limitations on space for expansion at its Guimeraes plant.

In the commission finishing Belgium and Germany in recent struggling, as Portugal adjusted to business, finding the time to make years. These exports now account democracy in the years following necessary new investments in the for around 20% of total its Carnation Revolution of 1974. latest technology can be difficult. commission finishing business. A “You can imagine, it was not Services can’t just stop and orders second business involving the easy for a young woman to be be delayed when an old machine making-up, embroidery and introduced to the management of needs to be dismantled and a new packaging of high-end bed and such a traditional company in one installed. table linen under the well-known Portugal back then, and my father For Vaz da Costa, which was Bovi brand also operates from the had his own way of doing things, founded in 1960 on the edge of site, with a total combined so there was some resistance to the historic centre of Guimaraes in workforce of around 180 people. my ideas,” she says. Amelia was Northern Portugal, there’s also the Around 80% of these products soon joined by her brother question of space. The town are for export markets. Separate Francisco and her sister Isabel, centre of Guimaraes has been entrance and exit points for the however, and together the trio listed as a UNESCO World two businesses have recently have successfully steered Vaz da Heritage site since 2001, yet its eased logistics. Costa’s progression ever since. suburbs have expanded signifi - Today, Amelia’s son and daughter cantly in the past half century and Investments are also part of the management now the Vaz da Costa plant is “We are currently in the middle of team as it moves to third surrounded by residential what is our biggest ever generation family ownership. buildings, making further outward investment programme, although Vaz da Costa has recently expansion near-to impossible. it’s pretty much an ongoing successfully installed and Nevertheless, the site is process,” says Amélia Marques, commissioned a new Monforts currently dyeing and finishing who joined the company, which Montex stenter, having previously around 100,000 metres of fabric was founded by her father, fresh opted for a machine from a rival daily, and has expanded its from obtaining her economics supplier which proved commissioning services to degree in the late 1970s. This was problematic on its installation in customers in France, Spain, at a time when the company was 2012, as well as in subsequent day-to-day operation. There have been no such problems with the new Monforts eight chamber machine, which has a working width of 3.6 metres and as such is one of the largest in Europe, operating continuously at speeds of above 100 metres a minute. It is equipped with a Mahlo weft straightening unit and a Benninger padder, in addition to a Monforts Ecobooster hear recovery system.

Fine tuning Vaz da Costa’s plant is on the outskirts of Guimaraes in Northern “There are always many Portugal. The town’s centre has adjustments to be made in fine- been listed as a UNESCO World tuning such a machine,” says Heritage site since 2001. Fernando Araújo, of

28 | World of Textiles | Europe | VAZ DA COSTA

With eight chambers and a working width of 3.6 metres, Vaz da Costa’s new Montex stenter is one of the largest in Europe.

Maquicontrolo, the Monforts The ‘disc-o-clean’ unit on the representative for Portugal. “It’s new stenter carries out the automatic sieving and collection not just like buying a new car. of dust from production. There are so many challenges arising on a day-to-day basis.” “The automation features on the latest Monforts machine certainly help to eliminate any chance of human error,” adds Amélia Marques, “but there are so many parameters involved. The heating distribution, for example, is always challenging. Maintaining a consistent level can be difficult for so many reasons. It can be a question of the temperature in the plant changing rapidly, or the difference between how the machine has been cleaned from the laboratory stage and we now “We can’t afford to stop one shift to the next. There are have two fully equipped labs, production for the usual lots of things you can’t see where personnel has increased timescale involved so this will immediately and sometimes you from a single person to eight ease the pressure and keep only detect things after a problem people,” says Mrs Marques. things flowing,” Mrs Marques has occurred. For this reason I Following the installation of the said. “It’s a question of organising don’t think you’ll ever be able to new Montex stenter, Vaz da Costa it all when and how we can, and fully automate a finishing line.” is this year planning a further 5 when it will cause the least € The company is primarily million investment programme disruption, but we expect to have finishing 100% cotton fabrics in which will see a new warehouse it all completed shortly. We are wide widths, in the weight range building, away from the main also currently exploring the of 130-200gsm, with very even site, but closer to the main potential of digital pigment conditions required for the motorway link. New bleaching printing for our bed linen squeezing. and singeing units and a drum business, and also looking at new dryer are also to be installed and embroidery machines and a new Quality control these will be built up at the calendar. Investment is ongoing, “Because we are in constant former warehouse in order to because only the strongest production, the emphasis is minimise the time required for players who keep up with the increasingly on quality control at installation and commissioning. latest technology survive.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 29 www.monforts.com Just in time reaction and action Hans Wroblowski, Area Sales Director and Head of Product Management for Denim at Monforts, proposes some positive measures for keeping a step ahead in with Industry 4.0.

We are currently facing the Now we are truly in the digital biggest challenge of our times – age, surrounded by smart Hans Wroblowski. what is now being referred to as technologies and permanent the 4th Industrial Revolution. online solutions. A. Monforts was founded in the With online finance and technology in order to help our year 1884 and our evolution in shopping, expert systems have customers respond to the textile engineering and machine been developed for optimizing fundamental challenges facing the building has progressed from internationally-linked businesses, today. These can mechanical, steam and water- along with business models for constitute something of a vicious powered technologies to the first global production planning, in circle of demands and mass production lines, electronic order to achieve the shortest expectations as a result of: drives and highly modular possible supply and delivery times. • Fragmented process chains. machines such as our stenters. • Different time and The move towards the current Challenges production scales. state of the art has involved firstly How should textile manufacturers • Missing standards of data transfer and storage via respond to this situation? communication interfaces. internet/intranet, along with At Monforts, we have a clear • Small profit margins. teleservice solutions, followed by mission and are committed to full automation concepts. investing in the digitization of our The reality of low margins and low profits means that textile The four Industrial Revolutions. manufacturers are ultimately fighting for every production cent which can be saved. This can result in a reluctance to invest in new textile machinery, but manufacturers really need to explore what additional value the latest technologies can deliver. The era of digitization is demanding new structures and new ways of thinking, in order to assume digital leadership. The key benefits the latest technologies can provide include: • A reduction in the cost of energy sources. • A reduction in machinery production costs. • The sharing of process operators.

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• A reduction in machine downtime. • Optimised production planning.

The objectives, which will result in a rapid return on investment are: • Higher productivity. • Higher machine availability. • Increased efficiency.

The expectation of the industry is ‘just in time reaction and action’ and time is the most valuable asset within our industry. The latest tools which can ensure this include: • Remote service, with easy and secure connection to the machines. • Maintenance and servicing management. • Spare parts support and a shop system directly at the machine. • Advanced monitoring and visualization of machine conditions. The circular dilemma for textile manufacturers. Energy and resource savings The textile industry consumes • The Matex Eco Applicator, as an Steps to huge amounts of energy and alternative to padding, for successful digitization resources at virtually all stages minimum liquor application, Companies who choose to follow of production, but especially especially for wet-in-wet a Textile 4.0 strategy can set out during finishing, where large solutions. The guiding concept their path to digitization and the volumes of water, chemicals and of this unit is “not more than application of digital concepts thermal energy are required. A necessary and result-oriented by following these three significant portion of these application” for liquid and pragmatic steps: resources, however, can be energy savings of up to 40%. • Give all things a name. For all wasted without precise feeding, • The Monfortex Eco Line products, sets and production monitoring and control. shrinkage solution provides materials a clear ID has to be The optimized handling of similar energy savings of up to defined, for example, with a bar thermal energy in particular, is 40% in comparison to code and thus a unique name. currently a hot topic in the textile traditional padder/cylinder Further, digitizing and connecting industry and one which offers a dryer solutions. products and the value chain can great deal of potential. • A basic solution for the only be made possible on the The latest Monforts introduction of two-way super basis of clear identification. technologies for enabling stretch into denim carried out in • Measure, registration, measure. resource savings include: a single processing step. Measure all process relevant

Line configuration of the advanced solution for the introduction of two-way super stretch into denim carried out in a single processing step.

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information by the use of sensors. The Matex Eco Applicator, as an alternative New Horizons to padding, for minimum liquor application, Install sensors at multiple with Qualitex especially for wet-in-wet solutions. measuring points along the The consolidation of the production line. The availability of Monforts Qualitex digital measuring data allows companies solutions with the latest to improve processing time and mechanical solution such as machine ability. the Eco Applicator or Eco Line • Analyze Data. Connect the can be the basis for the clearly identified products with efficient implementation of a their digital specification, their range providing higher production materials as well their productivity and efficiency. manufacturing related process The Qualitex offers the data. Further, connect the different operator more reliability, sources of data-machines within quicker access and therefore the production chain. Create the more benefit. The required communication and IT easy operation by infrastructures in order to achieve use of the latest connectivity and to be able to slider and combine and analyse data with an dashboard functions with expert system and a pre-adjustable individual adaption to the recipe data information system. operating states assures faster access to comprehensive recipe data and therefore enhanced The Qualitex offers the operator more reliability and quicker access. machine ability. Through its target-oriented and integrated digital intranet/internet- based Cloud solution, the aforementioned just-in-time reaction and action can be achieved to ensure that supplier and customer will be always benefit from a retrievable online information service.

Summary The significant opportunities arising from Textile 4.0 and the Internet of Things require elevated Through its target-oriented and integrated digital intranet/internet-based Cloud investments, with intranet and solution, the Qualitex achieves just in time reaction and action. internet being the most important tools in the future of efficient corporate management. We should not, however, underestimate the numerous challenges that this transition entails. The main sources of the benefits in respect of productivity, efficiency and availability have yet to be defined between supplier and producer. Of course, there are already extremely optimized textile processes in use which are executed serially in a well-defined sequence. These will be further optimized in the future and open the route to the introduction of new production approaches. G

32 | World of Textiles | Europe | ARTA Winning combinations for Arta Arta plant manager As an accredited supplier to leading Mehmet Kalipçio ĝlu European retail brands, Turkey’s Arta Tekstil is seeing a programme of continuous investment over the past three years now paying solid dividends.

With a monthly production has seen the installation of a new capacity of around 4 million European-built Monforts Thermex metres of finished woven fabrics Econtrol dyeing system as well as per month, Arta employs 3,000 two ten-chamber Monfongs workers over three shifts daily, Montex stenters and a Monfongs with 50% of its output exported sanforising unit, all of which have to key retail customers and the been installed and commissioned other half produced on a by Istanbul-based Neotek. commission basis. The company is situated in Wider range Single process Çorlu, some 70km west of “In combination with the new One special development Arta has Istanbul – a city which has Monforts Thermex system, this been involved with in a joint boomed over the past 30 years, provides us with a far wider project for TÜBITAK – The with its population having risen range of fabric finishes and Scientific and Technological from barely 20,000 to over surface effects that we can Research Council of Turkey – has 270,000 people. This has largely achieve compared to our resulted in a fast and economical been due to a welcoming competitors,” says Arta plant method for applying both reactive immigration policy and the new manager Mehmet Kalipçio ĝlu. dye and a version of pigment dye textile mills which have emerged “Our dyeing methods include in a single process. in the past few decades. reactive, sulphur, indanthrene, “Since the washing effects of Of the 350 textile companies in indigo, pigment and disperse reactive and pigment dyes are far Çorlu, however, around 250 are dyed fabrics, along with different, there are some colours estimated to be dyeing and specially-developed in-house you can only get with either, but our finishing operations, so how, you techniques and special glitter, PU, customers can now achieve may ask, does a company like pearl and other blade coatings. outstanding new colour shades Arta distinguish itself? Through combinations of all of after garment washing with this The answer is through clever these techniques, we are able to process, and different shades or combinations of processes provide our customers with contrast colours can be combined,” exploiting its comprehensive highly-differentiated fabrics.” Mr Kalipçio ĝlu explains. dyeing, finishing, coating and Added to these winning The latest Monforts and digital and rotary printing combinations can be a variety of Monfongs installations, he adds, technologies to the full. finish effects such as silicone, have resulted in a production In addition to other wrinkle-free, paper-touch, water increase of over 50%, with a technologies, the company’s repellent, stain repellent, anti- marked improvement in quality recent investment programme bacterial, fire-retardancy etc. and reproducibility. G

World of Textiles | Europe | 33 www.monforts.com Passing on the know-how As the key site for the construction of Monforts finishing machines, Montex Maschinenfabrik in Austria is currently working flat out to meet a very busy new order schedule and plays a key role in finalising the new machines for ITMA exhibitions.

“We have been working very centre of Austria’s Lavant Valley, components, painting and closely with the Monforts Montex Maschinenfabrik was shipping, along with a well- research and development team founded by Monforts in 1982 as organised spare parts service.” in Mönchengladbach, Germany, to an advanced manufacturing hub. The Montex machine shop is take the latest new ideas through “Our area is known as the equipped with advanced Trumpf testing and prototyping, in ‘paradise of Carinthia’ due to its laser and CNC cutting machines readiness for ITMA 2019 and for favourable climate,” says Gert. and presses, with the powder future series production,” says “Lignite was mined up to a depth coating of exterior panels also Montex plant manager Gert Hanzl. of 600 metres here until 1968. carried out for rapid turnaround. “We are fully exploiting the many From the outset of Montex in “The respective electrical switch new possibilities being offered by 1982, we have specialised in all cabinets for the machines are Industry 4.0 in the continuous aspects of machine production, delivered just-in-time from development of design and including high-precision sheet Monforts in Germany according manufacturing methods.” metal working, laser cutting and to our production schedules,” Located in St. Stefan, in the welding, the assembly of says Gert.

The Montex Maschinen - fabrik production site in St. Stefan, near Klagenfurt in Austria.

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Loading of a wide width machine for a new Monforts reference customer. Special machines While there is standardisation in series-produced Monforts machines, Montex is increasingly called upon to construct tailor made machines with unique designs, according to the special needs of the customers. “We aim for the best combination of already-proven components and carefully-tested special constructions,” says Gert. “We are able to handle extremely large projects, having recently Montex Maschinenfabrik plant manager Gert Hanzl. shipped a complete finishing line to one customer within eight include a complete portfolio of it’s very important that we train weeks, and we were particularly coating units for virtually all apprentices at the same time, in pleased with our proven design of applications in textiles. These have order to pass on our know-how a challenging stenter frame with a been further developed and been and ensure the high standard that 320-degree temperature chamber. adapted to Monforts electrical plc- customers expect from Monforts We are currently manufacturing control standards and are now systems is maintained going machines with working widths of available as the Monforts texCoat forward,” he says. “One of the key 5.6 metres and we can produce and Allround units. advantages of being here in the those with widths of up to seven “The business is currently heart of Europe is the Trial Training metres, if requested.” running very well and with ITMA System – one of the best training The core Monforts machine 2019 approaching we are ready systems in the world. It combines range, including the industry to meet a special challenge,” theoretical instruction in a standard Montex stenters, along Gert says, emphasising that the vocational school with practical with relaxation dryers, Thermex loyalty and satisfaction of the training both within the company dyeing ranges and Montex workforce is of and in training workshops. Monfortex/Toptex compressive paramount importance. “Established staff also train shrinking ranges as well as Matex regularly to develop new skills padders and Eco Applicator Advanced training and everyone is involved at all minimal coating units, has been “We have employees who have stages of production and trained significantly expanded with the worked at this site since the to multi-task. This gives us acquisition of Timatec in 2015, to foundation of Montex Austria, but flexibility and strength.” G

World of Textiles | Europe | 35

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