Creora Fresh teams with Sofileta, DuPont named European Bio-based Materials Company of the Year and Enlightened Equipment takes on DownTek Zero PFC.
Creora Fresh
Sofileta, an innovative French knitter with expertise in advanced and technical textiles, has partnered with Hyosung to develop a new collection of Creora Fresh fabrics.
The Creora Fresh technology works to deodorize sources of body odor through chemical bonding and is permanent in the fiber.
(Read more about Hyosung’s Creora expansion: Hyosung Stretches Spandex Capacity)
“We are committed to leveraging our technical capabilities to service the needs of customers for performance plus fashion,” said Dominique Heuillard, innovation manager at Sofileta. “Our expertise is to customize the fabrics for the needs of the specific end use application. Creora Fresh allows us to add another element of performance for intimates and sportswear.”
In a test comparing Creora Fresh to an ISO Test Standard measuring “deodorization,” Creora Fresh exceeded the norm in minimizing ammonia, acetic acid and isovaleric acid, all of which create sweat odor.
“Sofileta is the ideal partner to work with, as they can integrate fabric and fiber technology to develop leading edge products,” said Ria Stern, Hyosung’s global marketing director. “We have worked with Sofileta from the early days of Creora and are thrilled to continue our partnership in meeting the ever-changing needs of brands.”
HP Fabrics
HP Fabrics Inc., a manufacturer of raw fabrics, plans to invest $1.1 million over the next two years and create 260 jobs over three years in a plant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that formerly housed Microfibres, a company no longer operating in the city.
HP Fabrics is a subsidiary of Tukek Holdings A.S., headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. The holding company maintains manufacturing outposts around the world. The Winston-Salem facility will play an important connecting role in the Tukek global production network, while producing raw fabrics for a variety of commercial and consumer goods, including upholstery. The company expects to create additional jobs and investment at the facility over a five-year period.
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“It’s a pleasure to see an idle facility come to life again, opening new opportunities for North Carolina’s talented workers,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland.
The state’s Commerce Department and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina were instrumental in supporting the company’s investment decision.
The new positions in Forsyth County will provide a payroll impact of more than $8.2 million annually to the local economy.
“This investment will help Tukek to strengthen its global position in the flocking industry, while bringing the lost jobs back and creating much more than what Microfibres had to offer at its best years,” said Rafet Tukek, the president of HP Fabrics and Tukek Holding. “This investment will also strengthen trade between Turkey and the United States of America and will be one of the first manufacturing-related direct investments made by a Turkish company into the United States economy.”
A performance-based grant of $250,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate the company’s move. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require a matching grant from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.
DuPont Industrial Biosciences
Market research firm Frost & Sullivan has named DuPont Industrial Biosciences the 2017 European Bi-based Materials Company of the Year for its innovation in the bio-based materials market and its commitment to shaping future development in the industry.
“From the carpets in your office to the clothes on your back, DuPont innovation in biomaterials offers high-performance with less impact on the environment,” said Michael Saltzberg, global business director for biomaterials at DuPont.
DuPont continues to show commitment to researching and developing technologies that build on its heritage of materials innovations.
For example, DuPont Sorona, a high-performance, patented polymer, is made with a renewable, plant-based ingredient for use in a range of products, from carpets to ski jackets to sarees that brings softness, inherent stain resistance and durability.
“The successful development of DuPont’s versatile bio-based polymer comprised of 37 percent renewable plant-based ingredients, Sorona, demonstrates the company’s commitment to implementing innovative practices that lower reliance on fossil fuels and elevate product quality and manufacturing efficiency,” said Frost & Sullivan vice president Leonidas Dokos. “After thorough research and tracking industry best practices, there is no question that DuPont is a standout in the bio-based materials space.”
In early 2016, DuPont and Archer Daniels Midland Company announced a breakthrough technology that produces a bio-based monomer from a renewable feedstock. The groundbreaking process has potential to expand the materials landscape with applications in packaging, textiles and engineering plastics.
Frost & Sullivan collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities.