Shri Vallabh Pittie Industries (SVP), a leader in polyester and cotton blended yarn inaugurated its Rs 450 crore new textile plant in Jhalawar in Rajasthan. The plant is fully automated with 1,00,000 spindles holding a manufacturing capacity of 22,000 tonnes per annum and is spread across 25 acres of area. After inaugurating the plant recently, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said, “We are committed towards forging partnerships that promote manufacturing and create employment opportunities in Rajasthan.”

The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) has proposed to set up a Rs 800 crore state-of-the art textile processing cluster housing about 100 dyeing and printing mills in Surat district and has approached the central government for 50 per cent funding. The total project cost for the cluster is pegged at Rs 800 crore. The SGCCI is eyeing 50 per cent grant from the Central Government and 25 per cent each from the State Government and the industry, according to a newspaper report.

Textest AG’s, Switzerland new model, which is portable and laboratory model has taken the No. 1 position in the world market. Their portable air permeability tester MinAir has also taken India by storm with all major customers buying MinAir model – being portable.

There is a paradigm shift in thinking of Indian entrepreneurs in last five years. They are more adaptive to new things and new technologies today. But, unfortunately our Textile Industry players have not realized the latest trends. They still continue to manufacture same age-old conventional textiles. They are hardly taking any efforts for innovations. Though Technical Textile is growing at CAGR of 20 per cent in India having huge growth potential, there is no much investment in this sector and the main reason is lack of awareness about the markets.

The very successful third edition of India’s leading home fashion business platforms – Heimtextil India and Ambiente India set new visitor records attracting 8,443 business visitors from across the Indian subcontinent, a 17 per cent increase from last year. The well-timed opening during the Indian buying season and on the day India’s cabinet approved a package of measures to boost the textiles sector led to intense business discussions and an optimistic outlook among the fraternity.

The Swiss textile machinery industry is strongly export-oriented and has a presence with its own companies, sales and service organisations in all the world’s key markets. Cornelia Buchwalder, Secretary General, Swissmem, speaks about the response to Swiss textile machinery globally post ITMA and how the Swiss textile machinery industry has been faring in India since the beginning of 2016.

Founded in 2012, AUTOTECH Nonwovens is a leading manufacturer of nonwoven fabrics for the automotive industry in India. AUTOTECH Nonwovens was set up recognising the need for a focused high quality nonwovens producer in India. AUTOTECH has carved a niche for itself as a manufacturer of choice for needlepunched nonwovens in India. Ankit Desai, Director, AUTOTECH Nonwovens, speaks to ITJ’s Sr Sub Editor Karthik Muthuveeran about the market for nonwovens in India, and its prospects and problems.

With its special collection based on Tencel lyocell fibre, LE Textile GmbH is offering a soft, supple handle, the typical look of a natural-fibre product, and outstanding comfort. These soft fabrics also offer advantages for the environment. LE Textile has focused on the environmental aspects in its use of materials and production processes. LE Textile has been known for some time on the market under its old name of Elastic Textile Europe. This company, which is based in Neukirchen, produces stretch fabrics and lace for lingerie, swimwear and sportswear. Products produced by LE Textile are also used in the medical sector and industry, e.g.: in the automotive sector.

Two spinning concepts for the economic production of high quality bico filament yarns promise tailormade solutions for all applications, explain Günter Schütt and Susanne Beyer from Oerlikon. Although bicomponent yarns have been around for about 50 years now and they are not a new phenomenon, we have seen a constant increase in demand over the past few years (with frequent fashion-related peaks in 2015, for example). Reasons for this development are manifold. In addition to current fashion trends, new, highly-efficient solutions for manufacturing textile fabrics such as circular knitting, for instance, reduce production costs.