Over the past two decades, manufacturing sites have moved from the Western world to the Eastern
world. Over the past decade, this trend has accelerated even more towards China and other small and
big tiger countries. This was especially the case for textiles and apparel manufacturing. The “Made
in China” label is quite common all over the world.
China started to be and is the production facility for almost the whole Western world. On the
one hand, investments in the Western world decreased. On the other hand investments in Asia rose
considerably.
Production Site Germany
But for some very successful companies this is not the case. From time to time,
Textile World
can report on investments in the Western world. And this week it’s reporting on quite a
considerable investment and a commitment to Europe in general and a the production site in Germany
in particular.
In an opening ceremony last week, Ulrich Reifenhäuser, CEO of Germany-based Reifenhäuser
GmbH, presented a double-digit million-euro investment in its new nonwovens technology center in
Troisdorf. These new laboratory lines will be used mainly for customer trials of its daughter
company Reifenhäuser Reicofil GmbH & Co. KG, the world leader in spunbond production lines.
Impressive Components
The lines installed include one composite line for hygienic applications, one line for
technical applications and a new meltblown line. Individual components of the three lines include
eight extruders, two REItruder co-rotating twin-screw extruders, 11 spin pumps and 30 dosing
motors; and nearly 80 meters of spin belts for the line for hygienic applications.
The nonwovens technology center accommodates a flexible production line specifically designed
for technical nonwovens, and a six-beam line for hygienic and medical products. Trials can be run
on both lines at their respective maximum speeds of 400 and 1,000 meters per minute.
More Possibilities For Trials
For the first time, customers and suppliers are offered the opportunity to develop special
products, such as ultralight SSS or SSMMMS nonwovens and hydroentangled nonwovens in an inline
production environment.
Dr. Bernd Kunze, CEO of Reicofil sees savings potential for customers in the newly created
testing opportunities. “The high-speed lines installed in our new technology center will enable
customers to develop new products and processes which they could test in the past only on their own
lines at high costs in terms of time and money,” Kunze said.
Facilities Can Be Viewed
Visitors to INDEX, the International Nonwovens Exhibition in Geneva, can get a first
impression of the new research and development facilities. The activities at the technology centre
will be transferred live by a video stream to the Reicofil booth, number 2531 at Geneva Palexpo.
Visitors will be able to watch how the line for production of hygienic and medical products
installed at the Troisdorf site can be controlled from Geneva. As Kunze said, this is only possible
due to the high automation level of the Reicofil technology.
Say Hello To
Textile World
Textile World, and its sister magazines
Textile World Asia
and
Textiles Panamericanos, also will be present at INDEX. If you should visit the
show in Geneva, please come around and meet us at Booth 4411. See you in Geneva.
April 15, 2008
