Tuesday, April 21, 2009

9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
101:General Session
Chair: William C. Smith, Techtextil North America Symposium Director, Industrial Textile Associates,
Greer, SC
The industry and applications are constantly evolving. The plenary session features industry leaders with viewpoints on where we are and where we are going.

• Welcome and Industry Overview Worldwide
   Michael Jaenecke, Director, Techtextil, Messe Frankfurt
   GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
The Director of Techtextil shows worldwide gives us his unique perspective on the technical textiles industry.

• Keynote Address: Adapting to Changing Times
  Richard C. (Rick) Brown, CEO, Performance Fibers Worldwide,
  Richmond, VA
How the fiber industry has changed and how companies adjust to changes in order to remain competitive.

• U.S. Manufacturing Still Strong
  Tom Murphy, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing and
  Distribution Practice, RSM, McGladrey, MN
A major survey collected input on a multitude of management and operations issues and challenges, including growth strategies, workforce challenges, risk management and the global economy.
The results confirm the market turmoil imposed by current economic conditions, but also provide insights into growth and operational strategies industry executives are employing to maintain—and in some cases successfully enhance—continued profitability.

• Gearing to Compete Overseas
  Jorman Fields, Managing President, TNC Global Consulting,
  Greensboro, NC
Developing effective overseas alliances for exporting, outsourcing, and/or manufacturing is crucial to compete in today's economy. An industry veteran provides some insight on how to achieve success.

• The State of the Technical Textiles Industry in
  North America
  William C. Smith, Principal, Industrial Textile Associates,
  Greer, SC
The economy is in a difficult position. How is the technical textiles industry coping? What markets offer opportunities?

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1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
102: Buildtech / Architecture
Session Chair: Dr. Barbara Pause, President, Textile Testing Solutions, Longmont, CO
New developments in use of technical textiles in building and architecture are featured in this session of a fast growing segment of technical textiles. Applications in this field are becoming more sophisticated and setting new design standards.

• Novel Breathing Wall Systems
  Alexander Messenger, School of Architecture, Philadelphia
  University, Philadelphia, PA
Work on a series of unique modular, adaptable, and aesthetically pleasing units (breathing wall systems) that can be used to retrofit existing tightly sealed buildings in order to combat sick building syndrome (SBS).

• Innovative Textile Coating Systems for Buildings
  Alexandra Saur, Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics,
  Valley, Germany
Demands on energy efficient buildings are continuously increasing. A new innovative textile coating system may replace plaster with a lightweight textile facade employing minimum materials, production steps, and efforts.

• Solar Electric Building Fabrics
  Jeff Peelman, Vice President /Chief Engineer, Shadeplex LLC,
  Tiffin, OH
Lightweight, thin-film photovoltaic modules are rapid increasing in power, efficiency, and availability. The application of integrating thin-film PV with architectural fabrics allows commercial users of fabric covered structures to enjoy less dependence on the electric utility grid, as well as off-grid power generating opportunities.

• Interactive Floor Surfaces
  C-H Zah, Manager Analytical Laboratory, Interface America,
  LaGrange, GA
A unique floor surface with a low cost sensor interface for a wide variety of applications. The floor becomes an interactive  map from which data can be read and written to aid in maintenance monitoring, indoor navigation, handicap assistance, security, asset management, and entertainment.

• Developments in Textile Based Buildings
   Invited: BirdAir Structures

103: Materials Technology
Session Chair: Brian Morin, PhD, CEO, Innegrity LLC, Mauldin, SC
New material developments drive and are the key to our industry. Some of the latest fiber, fabric, and finish developments that promise to make more effective products will be explored.

• Applications of High Modulus Polypropylene:
  Concrete, Rope, Ballistics and Tough Composites
   Brian Morin, PhD, CEO, Innegrity LLC, Mauldin, SC
A new development now coming to market is a high strength, high modulus olefin fiber with high performance properties at a lower weight and costs for a variety of applications.

• Innovations in ePTFE Fiber Technology - New
  Capabilities, Applications, and Opportunities
  Norman Clough, Technology Leader, W. L. Gore Associates,
 Elkton, MD
PTFE has found numerous commercial uses over the years, including high performance textile fibers, but has performance limitations. New technologies have been developed to provide ePTFE fibers with a broad range of attributes yet maintaining all of the inherent properties of PTFE.

• Stucturalization and Functionalization of PET
  A. Murarova, Slovak University of Technology, Faculty of
 Chemical and Food Technology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Modification of surface areas by various physical and chemical procedures deliberately changes some functional properties of surfaces and thus increase possibilities of a wider range of fiber materials. Laser and plasma modification are discussed.

• Smart Fabrics and Textile Enhancements:
  Harnessing Nature
  Melinda E. Wales, Reactive Surfaces, Ltd., Austin, TX
Biologically-derived additives offer a new "green" approach for functionalizing textiles. Building on the diversity found in nature, the molecular tools exist which will allow textiles to be tailored for specific functions, such as in medical use. These natural additives are at the leading edge of the "green revolution", yet their potential in coating and textiles is still far from realized at present. New developments of applying natural polymers to decontamination and medical textiles will be discussed.

• UV Protective Textiles
  Jan Beringer, Hohenstein Institute, Boennigheim, Germany
UV exposure is a danger to the skin but also affects the properties of fibers and fabrics and is potentially harmful in technical textiles such as automotive, construction, and protective textiles, among others. Joint facility research was focused on the development of a permanent UV protective finish based on either classic textile finishes with pigment binders or a sol/gel technology both with the incorporation of nanoparticulate "ceramic" UV absorbing agents.

• Developments in Liquid Crystal Polymer (Polyarylate) Fibers
  Akihiro Uehata, Kuraray Co. Ltd., Okayama, Japan
Fiber developments to LCP fibers relating to improved finishes and coatings, thick denier per filament multifilament (>10 dpf), and mock-monofilament, a highly twisted and heated multifilament.

104: Introduction to Technical Textile Markets
Session Chair: Dr. Nick Butler, Editor, Technical Textiles International, Droitwich, Worcs, United Kingdom
Want to know realistic ideas for getting into the technical textile market? This special session presents ideas and methods learned from several international conferences on the subject by the staff of International Newsletters.

• Understanding The Markets And Their Trends In
  The Technical Textile Sector
  Michael Jaenecke, Director, Techtextil, MesseFrankfurt GmbH,
  Frankfurt, Germany
How are the various technical textiles markets defined and inter-related? What are the key markets and their characteristics, by sector and by region? What are the key trends?

• What Makes A Successful Technical Textiles
  Company
  Dr. Nick Butler, Editor, Technical Textiles International, Droitwich,
  Worcs, United Kingdom
An analysis of the differing strategies adopted by leading companies in the technical textiles sector and a review of the key issues that these companies have needed to address when adapting their business to operate in new technical textiles sectors.

• The Importance Of Testing, Standards And Quality
  Control
  Speaker TBA
When operating in added-value, technical textiles markets, companies must understand the need for greater emphasis on proving and demonstrating the functionality of their products. How can they achieve this and what are the key issues that arise? What are the crucial differences in approach between North America and Europe?

• How To Build A Competitive Market Position
  Speaker TBA
How must marketing adapt to create, build and defend new niche sectors? Why has market pull replaced technology push? Creating a chain between customers and manufacturers and understanding (and satisfying) the specific needs of a market sector?

• Workshop/Moderated Panel Discussion With All
   Speakers.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
201: Military – Defense Textiles
Session Chair: Eugene Wilusz, Senior NBC Scientist, Warfighter Science, Technology and Applied Research Directorate, Natick Soldier RD&E Center, Natick, MA
One of the most successful events in the history of Techtextil North America Symposium – this program will present an update on many new developments for military that may be applicable to commercial use.

202: Composites / Aerospace
Session Chair: TBA
A fast growing major sub-set of technical textiles involving materials ranging from commercial products to ballistic protection to aerospace. This program will include information on the growing use of composites in products, including carbon and new materials and techniques. One topic will feature the growing use of structural composites in aircraft such as the Airbus 380 and the Boeing Dreamliner.

203: Nonwovens - Technology
Session Chair: Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Distinguished Professor, Executive Director, Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center, The Nonwovens Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
Showcasing the technical techniques for improved performance in nonwovens – a segment making many new products possible or economically feasible.

• New Manufacturing Technology For Lightweight Needlepunched
  Nonwovens
  Terry Purdy, Sales Manager, Dilo Inc., Charlotte, NC
Recent machine and technology developments in web forming and needling provide the opportunity for fabric weights under 100 gm/m2. Such materials can be used in the hygiene and medical fields normally satisfied by calander bonding or hydroentangling.

• New Machine Developments to Produce Technical Textiles Based
  On Staple Fibers
  Marc Wolpers, International Sales Engineer, ERKO
  Truetzschler GmbH (member of the Truetzschler Group),
  Duelmen, Germany
New technologies for certain nonwoven products include: newly designed card for hydroentangled products which improves MD/CD ratio in the finished product and allows a larger product range to be made on a single card; a new carding system to run 100% PTFE fibers in an efficient way; and new needle looms.

• Advances in SpunMelt Technologies
  Speaker from Reifenhauser TBA

• New Manufacturing Technologies for Nonwovens
  Speaker from Oerlikon Neumag TBA

• Latest in Spunlace Technology
  Rudi Weinhardt, Director Sales and Marketing, Fleissner
  GmbH, Egelsbach, Germany
Most spun lace products are commodity items today, being used for the production of wipes, interlinings, leather substrates, among others. A new generation of 3-layer spun lace composites consists of replacing the normal carded layer with a spun bond layer to add strength to the final product. Extensive research is being conducted to develop ways to speed up the lines for greater production and economy. New products are targeting special properties for more technical end uses. A new world of spun laced products are combining electrospun nanofibers with a variety of substrates to intelligent two layer composites.

                                                 ***
1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
204: Nanotechnology in Textiles
Session Chair: Shaoli Fang, Associate Research Professor, Alan G. MacDiarmid, NanoTech Institute, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX
From buzz-word to practical applications – where are we in the real use of nanotechnology in textiles? What are some of the “real world” areas where nano can make a contribution in the short term, as well as long term developments?

• Self-supporting Nanofiber Mats by Electrospinning
  Laura Frazier, SNA Nano Fiber Technology, LLC, Uniontown,
 OH
Nanofibers by electrospinning has been around for some years. Polymeric nanofibers have been used in areas of filtration, wound care, membranes, protective clothing, tissue engineering, and nanocomposites. A new process allows nanofibers in larger volume and can produce self-supporting mats up to 2mm thick. A new focus is adding super absorbent materials entrapped in the nanofiber matrix. The fully hydrated matrix possesses impressive strength and elasticity characteristic. A drug delivery system with controlled release is possible using the system.

205: Automotive / Mobiltech
Session Chair: Barbara Pause, President, Textile Testing Solutions, Longmont, CO
Session will include topics such as the state of the industry and how it affects the technical industry, interior, safety, and working textiles, and the role of composites.

206: Nonwovens – Technical Applications
Session Chair: Hooman V. Tafreshi, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
The use of nonwoven fabrics are increasing in usage for a broad range of technical textiles areas. This session will explore some of the developing or growing uses for nonwovens.

• Better Acoustics with Nonwoven Developments
   Charles E. "Rick" Pearce, Senior Director, Polymer Group,
   PGI Nonwovens Charlotte, NC
Manufacturers strive to provide higher value product offerings. New nonwoven developments and systems allow better acoustic properties, applicable in automotive and home interiors, construction, and a growing list of uses. A number of segments will be presented where improved acoustics offer opportunities.

• Spunlace in Protective Apparel
  Stuart Smith, Business Unit Manager, Norafin (Americas), Inc.,
  Hendersonville, NC
Spunlace  nonwovens have been used  in protective apparel  but little innovation has occurred in these materials. The durable segment has historically been served by traditional textiles due to the shortcomings of spunlace materials. A new proprietary process has evolved to overcome these shortcomings and allow the development of a wide range of high performance materials capable of delivering or exceeding the end-users requirements.

*Additional Topics are Still in Development

Thursday, April 23, 2009

9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
301: Medical Textiles
Session Chair: Bhupender S. Gupta, Professor and Interim Head, Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, College Of Textiles, North Carolina State University, NC
The session will feature many new material and textile related products, disposable and durable, woven and nonwoven for this rapidly growing field.

302: Technical Textiles Research
Session Chair: Dr. Seshadri S. Ramkumar, Nonwoven & Advanced Materials Laboratory, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX.
A special program of the Symposium which involves a fresh look at some of the research being conducted by various universities, institutions and laboratories. The program will be finalized early in 2009 based on the status of work being done and relevance to the industry. Poster sessions will be developed for this session as well.

Some of the topics being considered include:

• Decontamination Wipes
• Nanoparticles for functionalizing textiles
• Development in Plasma (Enercon Inc)
• Natural fiber base composites
• Lightweight ballistics

303: Performance Textiles
Session Chair: TBA
The session will present development in fabrics for leisure, exercise, athletics uses as well as protection of emergency responders. Topics will include moisture transmission, improved FR fabrics, and antimicrobial materials, among others.

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