Fujian textile industry to invest in upgradation

(Fibre2fashion) -- The traditional textile industry of Changle in suburban Fuzhou, located in east Fujian province of China, will undergo transformation as several projects have been signed for introduction of new technology and upgradation of the textile industry.

A total of 17 projects, with a combined investment of 15.33 billion yuan, have been signed at the
Changle ⌠Love Hometown and Start Business Spring Festival Symposium.
Textile industries dominate the economy of Changle and were facing problems like high energy consumption and high pollution due to their reliance on outdated technology. This, along with the
prevailing high labour cost, was reducing the competitiveness of the Changle textile industry.

Last year, the Changle government outlined plans aimed at transforming and upgrading the textile industries. This included schemes for financing, technical upgradation and brand promotion. There was also a consensus among entrepreneurs to introduce new technologies at their manufacturing plants.

At the Symposium, a contract was officially signed for the Jingfen chemical fibre project. Jinjiang Spinning Co. Ltd., Shanli Chemical Fibre Industry Co. Ltd. and Fujian Jinlun Fibre Shareholding Co. Ltd. also announced investments in major high-tech projects that include projects related to value-addition.


The new projects would also boost production capacities of various firms that are engaged in the production of caprolactam (CPL), Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), fabrics and garments.

MRC

(reuters) -- About 150,000 tonnes of mainly heavier naphtha grades will be shipped to Asia from the
Mediterranean in March, but a shortage in Europe is likely to halt further shipments to Asia.

The volumes are mainly heavy full-range and heavy naphtha, grades which can be used to make
paraxylene, a material needed in polyester manufacturing and production of PET bottles.
Open-spec grades, or those with a higher paraffin content, are usually used for cracking into ethyleneand propylene needed to make plastics.

Prices in Northwest Europe of most naphtha grades were rising as supplies were shrinking on refinery outages and shutdowns due to monetary losses. The strong European market may even result in Gulf/Asian naphtha barrels being shipped to the West in what traders term as 'reverse arbitrage'.

"The February East-West values are now at a discount, but March prices are still in a high single-digit premium. So there could still be a chance that Asia may keep the Gulf/Asian barrels," said another trader.

MRC

(polyestertime) -- Singapore-based Indorama Corporation plans to invest up to Rs 1,000 crore within three years in India to set up three manufacturing facilities to produce spandex fibre, used in various applications like stretch denims and sportswear.


The company, which is present in India through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Indorama Industries Ltd, has already invested Rs 400 crore for its first plant at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. Two new units will come up at the same location.

"In the next three years, when all the three plants are completed the investment will reach Rs 1,000 crore," Indorama Corporation Managing Director Amit Lohia said. The company would fund the expansion process through a mix of debt and equity, he added.


The Baddi plant, which will be commissioned next month, has a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per annum to produce its branded spandex product 'Inviya'. "With the commercialisation of three plants, our total capacity to produce Inviya will treble to 15,000 tonnes per annum over the next three years," Lohia added.

The company, which exports polyester yarn to India, is looking to cash in on the high growth of
spandex utilisation in the country. According to the company estimates, the consumption of spandex in India is nearly 6,000-7000 tonnes per annum, all of which is imported.

MRC

(arkema) -- Arkema Coating Resins has introduced Celocor opaque polymer, a voided latex product that imparts hiding and functions as a partial replacement for titanium dioxide (TiO2). Compared to competitive opacifiers with similar functionality, Celocor opaque polymer offers a more balanced approach to performance attributes such as tint strength, gloss development, burnish resistance and scrub resistance.

"We recognize that the cost and availability of TiO2 are among the most important issues that coatings formulators are facing today," Eric Kaiser, Global Marketing Director for Arkema Coating Resins, explained. "Celocor opaque polymer gives paint developers more formulating options in their approach to TiO2 reduction."

Celoco opaque polymer provides an effective way to reduce raw material costs and improve hiding in a wide range of products, including interior or exterior coatings from flat to semigloss. Additionally, this product meets the standards of Arkema Coating Resins EnVia program and is designed to help formulators achieve their sustainability and regulatory goals in finished coating products.
"Everything we do is based around the needs of the formulator," Kaiser said. "In speaking with our customers, we found that they are very interested in having more options for TiO2 reduction while maintaining a good balance of performance attributes in their products. Our new Celocor opaque polymer meets that need."



MRC

(3sigma) -- 3 Sigma is installing a wide-format specialty coater, with production trials beginning in the first quarter of 2012. The new coater, designed and built to 3 Sigma specifications, will accommodate 76-inch web materials and can apply multiple coatings and/or adhesives on both the front and back of the web. A laminating station produces pressure-sensitive constructions with liner or multi-layered product designs.

Announcing the new capability, Mike Sotzing, 3 Sigma Vice President of Operations, said, ⌠This new 3 Sigma specialty coater will be our most versatile piece of equipment.


With it, 3 Sigma will be able to produce more complex applications and constructions for specialty and niche markets, as well as those we now serve. When installation is complete, 3 Sigma will operate 14 coating lines. We saw significant growth in 2011 and expect another major leap forward in 2012 by virtue of this expanded capability.

Since 1980, 3 Sigma has been a fast-growing, resourceful innovator of specialty top-coating and pressure-sensitive adhesive coated products. 3 Sigma offers expertise in solvent, emulsion, and hot melt technologies, to provide the optimum solution for any label need.

MRC