That was Techtextil 2011!

No less than 1,561 manufacturers from 60 countries in the fields of technical textiles, nonwovens, processing techniques and technologies made presentations at Techtextil (24 to 26 May 2011) and the concurrent Texprocess (24 to 27 May). The trade visitors came from over 100 nations around the world.

Revolution in the weaving process

The Techtextil and Avantex Innovation Awards are not only important indicators of the high level of innovativeness in the entire sector but also a great incentive. The award-winning OpenReedWeave (ORW) technology of Lindauer Dornier is an example of developments in the weaving process, which are branching out in new directions. By opening the reed upwards, ORW technology can be used to integrate multi-axial scrims, complex cross weaves and additional reinforcement. Also of importance for the production of technical textiles is the ‘Malitronic Multiaxial’ of Karl Mayer Malimo. This high-tech warp knitting machine with its multiple weft insertion systems is used to make multi-axial scrims and composite structures, which are particularly suitable for use in car bodies, for aircraft components, for rotor blades of wind power stations, for sports equipment and for reinforcing textile concrete. An impressive application for textile concrete was shown at Techtextil by Groz-Beckert in the form of a model of the 100 metre footbridge in Albstadt (Germany).

Unadulterated innovativeness – and no end in sight

In many cases, the innovative potential of the exhibitors was also to be seen in the various solutions developed in response to specific and individual customer requirements, e.g., Outlast’s first heat-regulating polyester fibre with phase-change material (PCM), which was also singled out for the Techtextil Innovation Award. The fibre is particularly suitable for use in the underwear and sportswear segments. Another product distinguished by a great potential for commercial applications is Recuptex, the new and patented fibre series from Concordia Textiles, which stops 99.9 percent of electromagnetic pollution from passing through the fabric and thus protects the wearer from environmental influences.

Numerous applications are solutions in detail, e.g., the highly flexible co-polyester hot-melt adhesive (EMS-Griltech) and the process for printing, laminating and embossing knitted spacer fabrics (Essedea). Others, such as the new HORST safety system, which was also selected for an Innovation Award, are based on a rethinking of the manufacturing stage. Thus, a power saw and cut-resistant protective clothing are matched magnetically so the motor stops as soon as the saw comes close to the sensor in the clothing. Additionally, all of the research projects to be seen were also characterised by interesting and thought-provoking ideas.

Thus, there was a host of innovative examples with a great potential for a wide range of different applications to be seen at Techtextil, and it is the multiplicity of options offered by technical textiles that makes the sector one of the most fascinating in the world.

The entire spectrum of a fascinating sector

This year’s Techtextil once again left no doubt that nowhere else in the world can the entire spectrum of technical textiles be seen in such a compact and innovative form as at this biennial trade fair in Frankfurt am Main. The next Techtextil will open its doors from 11 to 13 June 2013.