Monforts is joining forces with Archroma and BW Converting to push the boundaries of sustainable solutions at the Monforts Advanced Technology Centre (ATC).
Together, the three companies will support dyeing and finishing manufacturers in their development projects aimed at boosting the quality and performance of finished products, while at the same time maximising the productivity and resource utilisation of the finishing application processes.
Monforts will install BW Converting’s full-width Baldwin TexCoat digital spray unit on a stenter frame at its ATC in Mönchengladbach, Germany, later this year.
“Our ATC already houses two full Montex stenter finishing lines engineered to accommodate an extremely diverse range of processes, in addition to a Thermex range for the continuous dyeing of denim and other woven fabrics, a full colour kitchen and a number of lab-scale systems for smaller batch trials,” explains Monforts technologist Saskia Kuhlen. “It enables our customers to test their own textiles and technical fabrics under fully confidential, real production conditions and using the results from these trials we are also able to make recommendations for improving many fabric finishes. The new TexCoat installation will make an important contribution to what we can achieve.”
Precise application
TexCoat G4 revolutionises the traditional water and energy-intensive pad-dry-cure finishing process by precisely applying chemistry – including softeners, antimicrobials, durable water repellents, flame retardants, resins and most other water-based chemicals – across a textile surface only where it is required, on one or both sides of the fabric. The system can therefore reduce water, chemistry and energy consumption by up to 50% compared to traditional pad application processes.
The TexCoat G4 installation brings together the surface functions, fabric transport and thermal processing technology of Monforts stenter frames with Archroma’s speciality chemicals, applied with TexCoat’s contactless precision, to achieve optimum absorption and maximum efficacy, exceeding the performance of traditional pad applications.
Pivotal
“Archroma’s commitment to advancing sustainability solutions for technical textiles has led to a pivotal partnership with Baldwin, where the benefits of contactless precision spray combined with our solutions have helped textile manufacturers achieve greater energy and water savings,” says Michael Schuhmann, global marketing segment manager for technical textiles at Archroma Textile Effects. “We are thrilled to take the partnership to the next level with the integration of a renowned equipment expert. Together, we will bring the best of our expertise in sustainable technologies to our customers around the world.”
“Baldwin has enjoyed a great relationship with Monforts and Archroma over the last few years,” adds Rick Stanford, Baldwin’s vice-president of business development for textiles. “Individually, we are working hard to assist our customers to achieve their sustainability and environmental targets but this is the first time the three companies have committed to working together with a focus on bringing transformative change to the dyeing and finishing space. It will result in significantly lower energy, chemical and water consumption with increased productivity and higher quality. We strongly believe that this partnership will be greater than the sum of its parts.”
Beyond textile finishing, Monforts, Baldwin and Archroma will work together to develop a versatile offering that will include coloration concepts and in the not-too-distant future the partners additionally plan to expand their collaboration to continuous spray dye applications developed by Baldwin.