Posted September 6, 2017

 

This year’s IFAI Expo, organized by the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), is set for the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans September 26-29.

 

Hundreds of exhibitors are booked, including 55 new exhibitors.

 

On Tuesday, Sept. 26, an interactive and educational day of sessions, activities and speakers has been added. Expo plus will be available only with the purchase of an Expo Plus registration. It will include the Advanced Textiles Conference and the Specialty Fabrics Conference, running concurrently.

 

Back by popular demand are Campfire Sessions, where you can participate in fresh, informal and interactive discussions right on the show floor.

 

New this year will be Mentor Meetings, allowing the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the leading professionals in the industry.

 

For more information or to register, please click here.

 

Following are previews of eTextileCommunication’s Featured Exhibitors and other exhibitors. Please stop by their booths to see what they have to offer.

 

eTC's Featured Exhibitors

 

Jason Mills

 

Jason Mills (Booth A847), based in Milltown, N.J., will be featuring seven styles among its usual line of 50+ SKUs, as well as its development program.

 

Some of these materials have debuted and should be of interest to visitors. Among styles:

 

• 1928 – a basic polyester, but completely Berry Amendment compliant and finished with a neutral pH. The end use is for the parachute industry, as it works as a lining;

• 1992 – a variation of its standard, blending copper and polyester yarns for an antimicrobial finish. This fabric is used in the equestrian industry  for horse blankets;

• 1920 – the newest generation of golf simulator impact screens, they are highly impact resistant, but knit to enhance HD imagery;

• 801 – same as 1920, but a tighter knit. This is the best impact screen on the market, period, according to Jason Mills;

• 800 – two variations of its cut-resistant material; one offers hi-viz safety colors with a polyester/nylon blend. The other has an enhanced pattern for better coverage and cut resistance. This is used in the occupational safety industry for such items as arm guards for glass handling and aprons;

• 415 – Highly UV resistant to 2,000 hours for the automotive industry (windscreens); and

• 413 – Its no-see-um mesh. It is water repellent, UV resistant, fire resistant and snag resistant. It prevents intrusion down to ticks and tick nymphs. For outdoor retail.

 

“This year’s venue has an extra vibe and excitement with the New Orleans locale,” said Brenda Stamboulian,” Jason Mills’ director of Sales & Marketing. “Local distractions aside, we anticipate walking away with at least 50 to 75 new leads and with new supplier opportunities. We are looking forward to the show as a major springboard for growth and opportunity in 2018.”

 

American & Efird

 

American & Efird (A&E) will be highlighting the Sunstop® product line in Booth 2323. Sunstop® is a premium polyester thread specifically engineered for use in marine and outdoor markets. This specialty product contains advanced UVR protection technology against fade and degradation, keeping colors looking brilliant.

 

This innovative product provides superior colorfastness and weather durability to outdoor industrial stitching markets. The possibilities for this unique product are endless, and it is used in everything from outdoor furniture to awnings and tents to boat tops, according to the company.

 

“It's a very versatile, durable product,” said Jacob Blackburn of A&E’s Global Marketing Department. “If you are in those markets, you should definitely give it a try.”

 

A&E plans to also showcase the premium Subrella® embroidery thread. This product is a favorite of our customers and is sought out at this venue.

 

“We expect a big turnout for this year's show in New Orleans,” Blackburn said. “In addition to showcasing the Sunstop® Industrial Thread and Subrella® Embroidery Thread product lines, we will be taking part in one of the more exciting attractions at the show, Wearables Technology.”

 

A&E will be the sole thread sponsor for this innovative technology area.

 

“When IFAI approached us with this opportunity it was one we couldn't pass up,” he said. “Innovation is a cornerstone of A&E and the thread products we make. Innovation is what fuels A&E's industry-leading research and development teams and assists our customers in reaching new heights. We are honored to lend our expertise and support of Wearables Technology and are excited to see the set up at this year's show.

 

Graniteville Specialty Fabrics

 

Graniteville Specialty Fabrics, based in Graniteville, S.C., will be showing its capabilities using solvent and water-based coatings in Booth 2220.

 

Those coatings are used for a wide variety of end uses, including marine covers, military tents, recreational tents and other end uses requiring a coated fabric.

 

“We look forward to meeting with our customers, suppliers and other companies that are looking for a technical coated fabric for their specific end use,” said Kevin Crean, executive vice president at Graniteville Specialty Fabrics.

 

PA Group

 

PA Group USA, based in Chattanooga, Tenn., is a software consulting firm passionate about helping companies grow stronger with a rock solid foundation of integrated business systems – CRM, ERP, Manufacturing Execution Software and Retail POS.

 

“Our deep industry expertise makes us THE choice for textiles, mill products and composites,” said PA Group’s Trey Stavrum.

 

PA Group’s software solutions are:
 

• PREFERRED as an elite Microsoft Dynamics Gold Partner;

• IMPLEMENTED by Expert Consultants;

• SECURED in the PA Private Cloud;

• ACCELERATED by Proven Industry Solutions; and

• TRUSTED around the globe.

 

According to Stavrum, PA Group allos customers to:

 

• Engage your customers with Microsoft Dynamics CRM;

• Unify your business with Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP;

• Power up your manufacturing with JUST MES; and

• Simplify and secure your IT with PA Cloud Solutions.

 

“Visit us in Booth A254 for a quick demo and get a free gift,” Stavrum said.

 

Daikin America, Inc.

 

In Booth A130, Daikin America, Inc. will be providing information about its repellent products for the industrial fabrics market.

 

The company, with corporate headquarters in Orangeburg, N.Y., will have fabric samples and product literature available.

 

Daikin America’s sales, technical and new business development group will be present to discuss any repellent, stain release and self-cleaning solutions.
 

Other Exhibitors

 

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group

 

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group, based in Yorkville, Ill., will showcase several of the next-generation, custom-coating capabilities and products the company has engineered to meet the evolving needs of the pressure sensitive tape, medical tape, industrial belt, home furnishings, automobile, building construction and printable textiles industries.

 

Visit Booth A311 to learn more about Aurora’s technical finishes, as well as the company’s highly acclaimed research & development group, which specializes in helping companies develop and introduce new products to market.

 

Aurora provides a wide variety of finishes – water repellency, antimicrobial and flame retardancy, to name a few – and is well-known for pressure-sensitive tape fabrics, as well as industrial belting and printable textiles. With new manufacturing operations in Yorkville and new state-of-the-art technology, Aurora has begun providing custom coating for a wide variety of industries.

 

At IFAI, the Aurora booth will have a special focus on tape products. Aurora currently has a significant market share in the medical tape, athletic tape and gaffer tape segments in North America and has begun moving into the athletic stretch tape category. With its new manufacturing capabilities, Aurora is poised to help companies enter that new and growing market.

 

“Our ownership has invested significantly in Aurora and that investment has allowed us to participate in more technical and demanding markets,” said Dan LaTurno, Aurora’s president. “At the same, we’ve improved our processing of the existing textile products and that improvement has allowed our customers to stave off foreign competition. We work hand in hand with our customers as we co-develop products in a proprietary manner.”

 

In the printable textiles category, samples of Aurora’s Expressions canvas line will be on display. Treated with a new proprietary coating developed by Aurora, Expressions has been engineered to maximize print output and throughput with today’s newest digital printing equipment. The entire line is cross compatible with the latest generation of latex, solvent/eco-solvent and UV printers without sacrificing quality or productivity.

 

In addition, independent testing confirms that Expressions has the industry’s leading print output with regard to outstanding color reproduction and broadest color gamut. Expressions includes the full range of gloss levels. 

 

Generally speaking, Aurora can provide custom-coated textiles for a wide variety of industries that use or produce fabric-based products that require antimicrobial, water-repellent, FR and/or other technical finishes. 

 

Aurora also recently began establishing a presence in Europe, and is in a position to provide product globally, not just to North American manufacturers.

 

Trivantage

 

Trivantage plans to introduce new products and fabric additions at the IFAI Expo.

 

Located in Booth 2239, Trivantage will display the following products:

 

• PremoBond – a filament-bonded polyester sewing thread designed for marine and outdoor markets, featuring unmatched colorfastness for color that doesn’t bleed;

• AwnTex 160® – premium outdoor fabric that provides excellent shade coverage without trapping heat or airflow;

• HarborTime® Edge – marine fabric made from acrylic-polyester and coated with Perfecta Marine® technology, providing superior heat reduction and heat reflection; and

• SolaMeshTM – performance shade fabric engineered with polymer technology and made from HDPE monofilament and tape yarns for strength, durability and UV protection.

 

Covestro

 

Textile manufacturers often rely on high-performance materials to create innovative solutions. Among these are polyurethane materials, which play an integral role in transforming fabrics used in everyday applications.

 

To this end, Covestro offers a variety of polyurethane materials that provide comfort, sustainability and durability for medical textiles, apparel, footwear and more.

 

Covestro will showcase its materials portfolio for the fabric industry at the IFAI Expo in Booth A318.

 

Covestro supplies high-performance, solvent-free polyurethanes for a more sustainable coated textile. The company will highlight its INSQIN® waterborne polyurethane technology, which enables a new level of material sustainability for polyurethane-coated fabrics in the apparel and footwear industry. A recent Life Cycle Assessment demonstrates that using a waterborne polyurethane, such as INSQIN®, to manufacture polyurethane synthetic textile significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the material by 45 percent.

 

Using a more sustainable manufacturing process, INSQIN® reduces pollution and uses 95 percent less water and 50 percent less energy. This technology also allows for enhancements in design, comfort and performance while offering durability and breathability. Visitors to Covestro’s booth can see INSQIN® technology in action with PUMA’s evoPower Vigor 1 soccer shoe. Topaz-DOTS, a coating technology based on INSQIN®, is applied to both sides of a spandex upper material, contributing to the shoe’s design and functionality.

 

Covestro will also showcase its diverse portfolio of Dureflex® thermoplastic polyurethane films, which can be custom-engineered to achieve desired characteristics. When laminated to fabric, Dureflex® films offer water resistance, low noise and breathability to sports and leisure apparel. These films can also be used as multi-layer tapes to seal textile seams, keeping jackets or trousers watertight. Additionally, Dureflex® hot melt films are ideal for manufacturing multi-layer home textiles, such as textile wallpapers. Visitors to Covestro’s booth can see a variety of samples from the Dureflex® portfolio.

 

Baymedix® raw materials from Covestro are used to create sustainable, waterborne textile coatings. Often used in wound care and healthcare wearables, these breathable coatings are waterproof, resistant against disinfectants and bodily fluids and feature chemical stability coupled with a soft, textile-like touch. Several examples of medical textiles and nonwovens utilizing Baymedix® raw materials will be on display.

 

Covestro will also share its expertise as part of the Advanced Textiles Conference.  Bentley Mah, senior technical sales specialist, Baymedix®, Covestro LLC, will present “Sustainable Coatings for Medical Textiles” on Tuesday, September 26 at 4 p.m. Mah will discuss how raw materials from Covestro provide good haptics and enhanced stability toward disinfectants in applications such as surgical wear, hospital bed linen and medical bandages.