FW
Coats Group plc (Coats), the world's leading industrial thread manufacturer, has appointed Rajiv Sharma as its Group Chief Executive with effect from January 1, 2017. Currently, he is serving as Executive Director and Global CEO, Industrial.
By mutual consent, current Group Chief Executive, Paul Forman would leave the Company on 31 December this year and take up the role of Chief Executive at Essentra plc, a FTSE 250 company and a leading global provider of essential components and solutions. Paul became Group Chief Executive of Coats on 31 December 2009.
Rajiv Sharma joined the Company in November 2010 and is responsible for the global Industrial business that accounted for approximately 80 per cent of the Group’s revenues in 2015. Under his leadership, the company has built new commercial and operational capabilities to deliver a strong track record of profitable sales growth.
The company has been at the forefront of product and service innovation for the global apparel and footwear industries and Rajiv has overseen the expansion of the Speciality business into emerging applications such as fibre optic cables and value added engineered yarns used in composites and conductive products. Sharma was appointed an Executive Director of the Company in March 2015. His experience spans multiple disciplines, including M&A, digital and leading large complex businesses, in a range of industries, across five continents.
In its bid to strengthen trade ties with the US, Pakistan has asked the Nation to give it a preferential access to the US textile market. The topic came up at the 8th Trade & Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) council meeting where ways to give Pakistani exporters belonging to various sectors including textiles, more access to the US market was discussed.
Giving a broader hint to this stance, Pakistani minister for commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan said that several international institutions have substantiated Pakistan’s stable economy while the security situation has also greatly improved that Pakistan is now a lot safer today than it was a few years ago. A durably stable Pakistan would not only bring prosperity to its people but would also allow it to play a role in creating a stable region, which is their mutual goal, he added.
The delegation to deliberate upon trade ties between the two countries was headed by Khan, while the head of the US delegation was Ambassador Michael Froman, United States Trade Representative (USTR), according to an official statement. Froman was of the opinion that TIFA can serve as a premier forum for advancing trade investment relationship between the two countries. This agreement can help improve the economic relationship. He said that Pakistan’s important structural reforms resulted in enhancing overall economic growth and lowering inflation, providing a conducive environment for further strengthening trade ties between two countries.
Karl Mayer will take part in the India ITME 2016 to be held in Mumbai from December 3 to 12. Mumbai. There, the renowned producer will be showcasing innovations from warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles.
For the Warp Knitting Business Unit Karl Mayer will be showing its successful duo belonging to the tricot segment: the HKS 3-M as another representative of the fourth generation of high-performance tricot machines, and the HKS 4-M EL, the high-speed all rounder that sets new standards in terms of patterning possibilities and productivity. Both models will be shown in a working width of 218" and a gauge of E 28. Besides, LEO® – a clever technology for energy saving and, thus, for cost saving – is supplied as standard feature on all these machine types.
At the exhibition, the HKS 4-M EL will make use of its design advantages offered by the EL function; it will be producing a lightweight, very delicate fabric in lace look for the clothing sector. The semi-transparent article has only a weight of 31 g/m². It consists of a very delicate, filigree, embroidery-like fabric ground made from monofilament yarn, and a relief-like patterning made from a textured PES yarn.
In Mumbai the HKS 3-M machine will be producing a rigid sportswear textile with a filigree, grainy surface in woven look. The maximum targeted speed is 2,800 min-1. Despite its impressive speed, the HKS 3-M is highly efficient due to the specific function integration on the basis of KAMCOS® 2, and with its new ergonomic machine design it also has a stylish look.
Karl Mayer will be presenting its new lace machine concept Lace.Express for the first time in India. Lace.Express sets new standards in terms of price-performance ratio when manufacturing garment lace.
The highlights of Karl Mayer’s Warp Preparation Business Unit are innovative solutions for sizing, sectional warping and for the denim business. For the denim sector, the company will be showing the model of the complete indigo dyeing unit Prodye.
It may sound surprising to note that Banglades sales of interlining, a piece of fabric used in smartening garments, run into $120 million a year. It means interlining, however small it may be, is important. The interlining is a material used as an extra lining between the ordinary lining and the fabric of a garment. The interlining is a material used as an extra lining between the ordinary lining and the fabric of a garment.
Globally; China is in a leading position in the interlining business. Although the business of interlining in Bangladesh is not new, the volume is not too high as a small number of entrepreneurs invested in this segment. In Bangladesh, it is used as an accessory, mainly in the collars of shirts; there are five to six interlining factories across the country at present.
Osman Interlinings Ltd started its business as the agent of a Chinese company in 1994. Later, the company began its own business in a rented factory at the DEPZ in 2001, and moved into its new factory this year. Speaking at his factory, he described his company’s journey to become a green building in the small interlining business.
Thanks to the LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council, the company can save 28 per cent of energy and 46 per cent of water. The factory harvests rainwater to use for production purposes to reduce groundwater consumption.
The company’s major customers include H&M, Aldi, Tema, Charles Vogele and Kappa. It is a concern of Concorde Garments Group headquartered in Dhaka. The group has garment factories in Mirpur and Ashulia in Dhaka. A total of 4,000 workers are employed in the group’s Lily Apparel and Concorde Garments, which mainly produce shirts and ladies’ tops.
In its zest to achieve investment potential of around US$ 42 billion in the coming years, China is getting closer to Bangladesh. But all said and done, the country is likely to come up with some $25 billion for the projects it has committed. Talking about the same, an official said though China doesn’t want to emphasise the figure of investment volume, it wants to engage deeply with Bangladesh ensuring a win-win situation.
With the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative as well as BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar) Economic Corridor, many investors in China have expressed their interest to invest in Bangladesh in the fields of textile, garment and infrastructure projects, it is learnt. But no official announcement regarding investment figure during the visit of Chinese president Xi Jinping.
A government official however said that the actual amount that China will provide cannot be mentioned yet, but it will be somewhere between US$20 billion to US$25 billion. The Chinese side said their business people have encountered some difficulties in Bangladesh like land acquisition and natural gas supply which the host country is trying to address.
According to a document of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), Xi Jinping stressed on promoting greater joint contribution and sharing the interest with each other countries participating in the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative.
Earlier, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and China Ministry of Commerce on cooperation in the establishment of Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Bangladesh. Following that authority allotted a land for the proposed economic zone that is situated in Anwara Upazila of Chittagong district on 774 acres of land.
In the past few years, sustainability has moved from niche to mainstream. Investors in the apparel space see it as adding to long-term value. It helps them determine long-term risk and a company’s dedication to long-term value. Sustainability creates value and implies lower risk and higher returns.
There has been a growth in investment strategies that are more focused on environmental and social governance (ESG) integration. Today, 90 per cent of the top 100 asset managers around the world have committed to evaluating ESG factors in all their decisions. Consumers’ increasing demand for transparency in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, have led to a jump in company- issued sustainability reports.
Only 20 per cent of S&P 500 companies issued a sustainability report in 2011 and today 82 per cent do. There is set to be a huge shift in the way investments are selected over the next two years. Environmental and social governance factors will play a huge role.
Firms are putting their investment weight behind ESG. However, there are challenges. Obtaining and analyzing ESG data will require new tools, resources and skills for both asset managers and owners. So technology will play an extremely important role in helping them meet their goals.
67 per cent imports of Bangladesh are now coming from top 10 source countries. In the last fiscal year (FY) 2015-16, the country’s total exports were valued at $36.75 billion. This excludes that of the Export Processing Zones, according to the Bangladesh Bank (BB) data.
In FY16, the actual import payments, in free on board value, stood at $39.71 billion. On the other hand, China followed by India were the largest source of the country’s imports. In the last fiscal year, imports from China stood at $9.64 billion which was $8.23 billion in FY15. Thus, China’s share in total imports stood at 26 per cent.
Bangladesh’s imports from India, however, slid to $5.45 billion in the last fiscal year from $5.82 billion in FY 2014-15. Imports from the country’s neighbouring country constituted 15 per cent of the total imports in Bangladesh.
In FY 2015-16, Singapore was the third largest exporters of goods to Bangladesh. Imports from the city-state stood at $1.96 billion in the last fiscal year followed by Japan from where products worth $1.60 billion were imported. Indonesia ranked fifth as an import partner from where goods worth $1.22 billion were purchased in the last FY. The United States (US) has emerged as the sixth largest import source. The imports from the US jumped up by around 46 per cent in the last fiscal year to $1 billion from $690.6 million in FY15.
While honouring the brand's 125-year heritage as a quality, casual, and distinctively, American luxury brand Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A & F) will soon launch a redefined identity for the Abercrombie & Fitch brand which reflects the character, charisma and confidence of today's consumer. The new brand conviction will be launched with the Company's largest ever advertising campaign due to kick off this year's holiday season.
At the same time, the company will introduce a completely redesigned website, all-new digital advertising across video streaming websites, music platforms, and social media, and out-of-home marketing in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
The holiday campaign will be introduced with teaser advertising designed to pique consumers' interests, challenge their notions of the ANF brand and encourage them to explore the changes that have taken place at ANF over the past two years. The message in the first phase -- People have a lot to say about us. They Think They've Got Us Figured Out -- will be followed up with the holiday messaging, This is Abercrombie & Fitch, illustrated by images that are optimistic, inclusive, and emotional.
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is a leading global specialty retailer of high-quality, casual apparel for Men, Women and kids with an active, youthful lifestyle under its Abercrombie & Fitch, Abercrombie kids and Hollister Co. brands.
"Long fibre spinning, yarn twisting and control, heat setting, carpet systems, nonwovens, dyeing and finishing, air and recycling processes et al categories were exhibited by seven French machinery manufacturers at the recently held ITMA + CITME 2016."
Long fibre spinning, yarn twisting and control, heat setting, carpet systems, nonwovens, dyeing and finishing, air and recycling processes et al categories were exhibited by seven French machinery manufacturers at the recently held ITMA + CITME 2016.
Evelyne Cholet, Secretary General of their Association explains, “The most well-known textile machinery inventor, Jacquard, was French. Research and development is our DNA. Our companies are SMEs run by entrepreneurs. Innovation is derived mainly from down to earth partnerships with our clients.”
For textile machinery, Asian markets are most important, particularly China which has been more difficult in recent months. Cholet comments, “We believe the Chinese textile industry will rebound thanks to its national market. When I travel all over China, I see that most Chinese like fashion as much as smart phones, that they are ready to spend money on apparel. Then I think that the Chinese national market will grow at a fast rate and that the best, most efficient, energy conscious machines will be more and more needed to produce apparel, home and technical textiles. We are well positioned to answer our customers’ needs.”
French fare at ITMA-CITME
N Schlumberger and SeydeL, members of ‘NSC fiber to yarn’ introduced two new drafting heads: the chain gill drafting head GC40 and the screw gill drafting head GN8. These two types of drafting heads are perfectly adapted to process any kind of wool or wool like fibers as well as Cashmere. NSC fiber to yarn showcased its complete product range and in particular, the latest developments in combing machine ERA40 and in gillboxes with the GC40 and the GN8.
With an eye on environment Laroche has been, deeply involved in the development of textile waste recycling technologies, achieving great processes and continuously helping to discover new ecofriendly solutions for the future. It offers complete processes to open into fibers almost all types of textile waste. Taking as example, the post-consumer garments, Laroche’s technologies can open the used garments into fibers removing all the bottoms and zips.
Fil Control is recognised for its first class yarn sensors and cutters. The company presented a full range of new and innovative products during ITMA ASIA 2016. Its development capacities have been stronger and stronger with more than 12 new sensors and solutions developed during the last 3 years. The sensors range is applied on a large number of fields and machines such as spinning and drawing (long and short fibers), texturing, assembling and winding, twisting and covering, etc.
The new MYT-T tension sensor uses an innovative and unique on-line tension measurement technology with the advantage of limiting temperature influence and avoiding tension pick to break the sensor head. This sensor is already used on the technical yarn industry and will be adapted soon for other assembling, winding and texturing operation.
Aesa Air Engineering is a global leader in industrial air conditioning, which is so important to optimise the production processes in the textile industry. Aesa combines rigour and experience, particularly for the textile industry, in which the company teams are specialised in spinning, weaving, knitting, nonwovens, dyeing and finishing, man-made fibers. The custom-made solutions for each factory are focussing on optimising the added value in term of precision, reliability, waste management and energy savings.
Superba is the largest and most experienced manufacturer of high-tech heat- setting machinery. Since July 2015, Superba is part of the family of companies from the Belgian group Vandewiele with very strong synergy effects in the carpet field. The company develops and produces integrated heat-setting lines for the processing of yarns that are used in the carpet manufacturing industry.
Superba, already mastering the sophisticated space-dyeing technique for years, is now offering their latest machine type MCD3: this new version is able to continuously dye a bundle of 72 yarns, with a production of up to 300Kgs/h and a range of six spot colors. The new MCD3 also permits a new style of space-dyed yarn thanks to its exclusive bi-color technology, offering the carpet designer a wider range of possibilities. Superba also provides the LV3 steaming and shrinking lines for the heat setting of acrylic yarns used in high density - high quality Persian carpets, now extended to 96 ends with a production of up to 10T/day.
Dollfus & Muller, founded in 1811, manufactures endless felts and dryer belts for the textile finishing and nonwovens factories. The company introduced its improved compacting felt for knit finishing with major evolutions compared to other products to serve better the dyeing houses. The compacting felt quality brings a special care to the fabrics thanks to its smoothest surface, has an excellent guiding and the best compacting rate in relations with its new exclusive compacting felt design.
Trelleborg is a world leader in engineered polymer solutions. The group has annual sales of more than 3 billion USD. Trelleborg’s rollers and belts operation exhibited its complete product range to leading textile companies from mainland China and the Far East at ITMA ASIA 2016. The complete Rollin® range of rubber shrinking belts for use any compressive shrinking was also showcased.
"Facts first, one billion pieces produced per year by 175,000 workers (30 per cent of all industrial jobs nationwide) in 1,600 local companies, 31.4 billion Moroccan Dirham (€31 bn) of exports in 2015 (marking 24 per cent of the country’s total exports) the textile industry is one of Morocco’s most powerful economic segments and Europe’s seventh largest textile supplier after China, Bangladesh, Turkey, India, Cambodia and Vietnam."
Facts first, one billion pieces produced per year by 175,000 workers (30 per cent of all industrial jobs nationwide) in 1,600 local companies, 31.4 billion Moroccan Dirham (€31 bn) of exports in 2015 (marking 24 per cent of the country’s total exports) the textile industry is one of Morocco’s most powerful economic segments and Europe’s seventh largest textile supplier after China, Bangladesh, Turkey, India, Cambodia and Vietnam. And AMITH, the Moroccan textile union, has ambitious plans to expand: by 2025, it wants to Morocco positioned as the biggest player in the textile industry across the African continent and second in the Mediterranean region.
Maroc in Mode: Focus on Moroccan textiles
This message was loud and clear during the recently held two-day sourcing fair Maroc in Mode. Held at Marrakech’s Touring Car Championships, the event attracted 100 exhibitors in its second edition. It proved to be a great meeting platform and demonstrated unique products and services of exhibitors. It attracted the entire spectrum of textile from fabric makers or importers to trim and accessory suppliers (such as zipper heavyweight YKK), garment manufacturers, finishers and laundries to visiting buyers of brands, private labels and retail chains.
Fast Fashion was the highlight at the show that showcased Morocco’s biggest advantage as a manufacturing base for European brands (in comparison to Asian suppliers): closeness and speed.
Top exhibitors’ show confidence
Belgium’s Chemitex that imports ca. 200 million metres of fabric from India, Pakistan, China and Indonesia participated to meet both manufacturers and fast fashion brands from Europe (mainly Spain) or Morocco to introduce them to their cotton-spandex, cotton popeline, linen or polyester fabrics.
Vita Couture which runs three sewing factories and claims to be the third biggest Moroccan supplier for Inditex, the group also works for El Corte Inglés or Promod and does was also there.
Denim delight
After fast fashion, denim was the biggest pavilion at the show. Exhibiting companies offered both readymade and plain manufacturing or fabric providing process, amongst these were Moroccan firms Lavasser, Modaland, Active Line or Crossing. Tavex und Mafaco were the only local producers of denim fabrics at the show. International suppliers such as Kilim Denim from Turkey or Denim Division from Hong-Kong, highlighted import duties as their biggest concern when working with customers in the EUROMED zone.
A strikingly innovative Tavex’ T-flow fabrics, a line of fluid, soft and light denims, is especially designed to render maximum freedom of movement and comfort in flared and looser cut jeans shapes. Fernando Gregorio, Development Manager, Active Line from Casablanca, said, “Every four to five weeks, you need to show your customer something new, you need to offer them something! This is the way to receive orders.” The company is filling for patent for a technique where a coloured thread is used for a special dying effect in denim. Another innovation is an elastic, pilling-free polyester thread – perfect for the manufacturing of all powerstretch denims.
Many of the Moroccan denim companies are part of the 2014-build Moroccan Denim Cluster (MDC), an interesting non-profit organisation aiming to drive collaborative projects in the Moroccan denim and sportswear industry, funded by AMITH and the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy. In its recent project, the MDC has developed a line of recycled denim clothing together with students of the Casa Moda University in Casablanca. Local weavers, clothing manufacturers, washers, accessories manufacturers as well as training institutes and fashion schools, the technical center of textile and clothing (CTTH) and the promotion organisation Maroc Export are some of the MDC members.
This cluster is setting an example of co-operation among peers to harmonise the entire textile industry and achieve growth. At the press meet, both Mohamed Tazi, General Director of AMITH and Gildas Minvielle of the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) highlighted how so-called locomotives, supportive team-ups between companies, shall help to create new jobs in the textile industry and boost export numbers.
With its proximity to (Southern) European markets - fast fashion aspect, mostly delivering to big chains (Inditex, Mango, Promod etc) in Spain and France; flexible business models (always a mix of introducing ready ideas/garments and simply carrying out orders); good relations to fabric makers (however, there are not so many denim fabric makers in the country, disadvantage to Turkey); stable political climate than neighbouring countries such as Turkey or Tunisia; initiatives like Maroc Export (CMPE) or Invest in Morocco (AMDI) to push the industry forward with locomotive synergies and learnings are some of the compelling reasons to be a part of Morocco manufacturing.
The next edition of Maroc in Mode is scheduled for October 26 and 27, 2017. AMITH aims to hold the fair bi-annually from 2018.
Facts first, one billion pieces produced per year by 175,000 workers (30 per cent of all industrial jobs nationwide) in 1,600 local companies, 31.4 billion Moroccan Dirham (€31 bn) of exports in 2015 (marking 24 per cent of the country’s total exports) the textile industry is one of Morocco’s most powerful economic segments and Europe’s seventh largest textile supplier after China, Bangladesh, Turkey, India, Cambodia and Vietnam. And AMITH, the Moroccan textile union, has ambitious plans to expand: by 2025, it wants to Morocco positioned as the biggest player in the textile industry across the African continent and second in the Mediterranean region. </p>
<p>
<h2> Maroc in Mode: Focus on Moroccan textiles</h2>
<p>
This message was loud and clear during the recently held two-day sourcing fair Maroc in Mode. Held at Marrakech’s Touring Car Championships, the event attracted 100 exhibitors in its second edition. It proved to be a great meeting platform and demonstrated unique products and services of exhibitors. It attracted the entire spectrum of textile from fabric makers or importers to trim and accessory suppliers (such as zipper heavyweight YKK), garment manufacturers, finishers and laundries to visiting buyers of brands, private labels and retail chains. </p>
<p>
Fast Fashion was the highlight at the show that showcased Morocco’s biggest advantage as a manufacturing base for European brands (in comparison to Asian suppliers): closeness and speed. </p>
<p>
<h2> Top exhibitors’ show confidence </h2>
<p>
Belgium’s Chemitex that imports ca. 200 million metres of fabric from India, Pakistan, China and Indonesia participated to meet both manufacturers and fast fashion brands from Europe (mainly Spain) or Morocco to introduce them to their cotton-spandex, cotton popeline, linen or polyester fabrics. </p>
<p>
Vita Couture which runs three sewing factories and claims to be the third biggest Moroccan supplier for Inditex, the group also works for El Corte Inglés or Promod and does was also there. </p>
<p>
<h2> Denim delight </h2>
<p>
After fast fashion, denim was the biggest pavilion at the show. Exhibiting companies offered both readymade and plain manufacturing or fabric providing process, amongst these were Moroccan firms Lavasser, Modaland, Active Line or Crossing. Tavex und Mafaco were the only local producers of denim fabrics at the show. International suppliers such as Kilim Denim from Turkey or Denim Division from Hong-Kong, highlighted import duties as their biggest concern when working with customers in the EUROMED zone. </p>
<p>
A strikingly innovative Tavex’ T-flow fabrics, a line of fluid, soft and light denims, is especially designed to render maximum freedom of movement and comfort in flared and looser cut jeans shapes. Fernando Gregorio, Development Manager, Active Line from Casablanca, said, “Every four to five weeks, you need to show your customer something new, you need to offer them something! This is the way to receive orders.” The company is filling for patent for a technique where a coloured thread is used for a special dying effect in denim. Another innovation is an elastic, pilling-free polyester thread – perfect for the manufacturing of all powerstretch denims. </p>
<p>
Many of the Moroccan denim companies are part of the 2014-build Moroccan Denim Cluster (MDC), an interesting non-profit organisation aiming to drive collaborative projects in the Moroccan denim and sportswear industry, funded by AMITH and the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment and the Digital Economy. In its recent project, the MDC has developed a line of recycled denim clothing together with students of the Casa Moda University in Casablanca. Local weavers, clothing manufacturers, washers, accessories manufacturers as well as training institutes and fashion schools, the technical center of textile and clothing (CTTH) and the promotion organisation Maroc Export are some of the MDC members. </p>
<p>
This cluster is setting an example of co-operation among peers to harmonise the entire textile industry and achieve growth. At the press meet, both Mohamed Tazi, General Director of AMITH and Gildas Minvielle of the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) highlighted how so-called locomotives, supportive team-ups between companies, shall help to create new jobs in the textile industry and boost export numbers. </p>
<p>
With its proximity to (Southern) European markets - fast fashion aspect, mostly delivering to big chains (Inditex, Mango, Promod etc) in Spain and France; flexible business models (always a mix of introducing ready ideas/garments and simply carrying out orders); good relations to fabric makers (however, there are not so many denim fabric makers in the country, disadvantage to Turkey); stable political climate than neighbouring countries such as Turkey or Tunisia; initiatives like Maroc Export (CMPE) or Invest in Morocco (AMDI) to push the industry forward with locomotive synergies and learnings are some of the compelling reasons to be a part of Morocco manufacturing. </p>
<p>
The next edition of Maroc in Mode is scheduled for October 26 and 27, 2017. AMITH aims to hold the fair bi-annually from 2018. </p>
