Creating value through differentiation

In today´s tougher global business environment, successful textile mills don´t just rely on product quality and performance to stand out. They leverage their environmental credentials and economic competitiveness as well. Textile mills worldwide are under more pressure to attract international buyers as brands and consumers become more demanding and discerning.

As a minimum, mills today must offer safe, sustainable and cost-competitive textiles that also deliver long-lasting quality and performance. Economic and environmental trends are making this even more of a challenge. The price of raw materials, packaging, transport, energy and labor have all increased sharply in the past few years. So, too, has the cost that mills must bear to meet stricter environmental standards. Many countries have strengthened their regulatory regimes, while brands and retailers are upping their oversight of the supply chain, demanding more frequent audits, more due diligence testing and extra reporting.

What mills need now are ways to immediately make sizeable improvements in products and production without substantial investment in new plant or equipment. The AVITERA® reactive dyes are one of our most dramatic advances in this regard. With the release of AVITERA® Black SE, the range now offers PCA-free dyes across the entire shade gamut and color spectrum. We are also making great strides in durable water repellents that meet stringent safety and environmental standards, with PHOBOL® CP-CR and ZELAN® R3 now launched.

Our Productivity Improvement Program (PIP) is another powerful tool that mills can use to reduce costs, increase output and enhance right-first-time performance using existing plant. Implemented around the world, the PIP includes audit and consultancy services that focus on equipping mills to win lucrative contracts with the world´s best brands and retailers. Looking ahead, the challenges are escalating. Can your mill meet today´s stringent regulatory requirements ´ and anticipate and prepare for future regulations? Do you have workable solutions to the challenges posed by your customers´ Restricted Substances Lists? Do you have access to day-to-day chemical management support and ongoing innovation that helps you deliver higher value products? As a technology leader and a sustainability pioneer, Huntsman is committed to helping textile mills address these tough challenges. Time and again, we have proven that it is possible to be both compliant and competitive. We know there is still a long way to go as environmental groups and the global public continue to call for a greener, cleaner and more socially responsible clothing industry. Like you, we are here for the long haul.

– Paul Hulme,
President, Huntsman Textile Effects,
as quoted in Textile Connection, June 2015