Autefa Solutions will Exhibit Its Environmentally Friendly Technologies at ITMA
André P. Imhof, CEO of Autefa Solutions Switzerland and Autefa Solutions Austria, who was among the speakers of the ITMA 2023 Press Conference organized by Swissmem in Bern, shared information about the products that his company will exhibit at ITMA. Here are the highlights of that presentation:
“Sustainability is one of the challenges facing the Textile Industry”
The textile industry faces many challenges and sustainability is one of the most pressing. Our industry needs to reduce its carbon footprint, water consumption, recycling, circular economy, and energy savings are key to achieving these goals. Another key challenge is the changing workforce. As the industry continues to grow, there is a need for more skilled personnel and talent to operate and maintain the complex machinery used in the manufacturing process. Digitalization and automation are also transforming the industry, and companies need to invest in new technologies to keep up with the pace of change. At ITMA, we are excited to showcase our latest innovations and technologies that cater to the needs of our customers while also minimizing their impact on the environment.
“Our technology is designed to minimizing energy consumption”
Our advanced Airlay technology delivers heavy and thick fibers mats by using natural or recycled fiber for the growing acoustic and thermal insulation market. Our energy-saving Spunlace technology is designed to maximize efficiency while minimizing energy consumption. Our Needle Exchanger technology reduces downtime and increases productivity, making it a valuable addition to any production line. We also offer automated bale warehousing solutions that optimize space and streamline operations.
As sustainability becomes an increasingly important consideration in the fashion industry, we are witnessing a significant increase in the demand for textile circularity, with consumers and companies alike seeking solutions to recycle fast fashion; in response to this trend, Autefa Solutions offers a range of innovative solutions designed to process and reuse various types of fibers, including reclaimed, natural, and man-made materials.
Our Airlay KV12/K12 aerodynamic web forming machine in combination with Stylus Needle Loom or HiPerTherm Oven meets all customer requirements for maximum productivity and consistent high quality.
“With Needle Exchanger, needle insertion, exchange and removal are done automatically”
The re-needling of needle boards in needle punching nonwovens production has to be simple, safe, and efficient to avoid long downtimes and extend the service life of the needle boards. Autefa Solutions has developed an innovative solution, the Needle Exchanger, to address these challenges. This machine replaces the physically tiring and risky manual process of needle insertion, exchange, and removal with an automated process that removes the risk of operator injury and minimizes the risk of board damage. The Needle Exchanger provides a great return on investment and is the most economic service machine for needle exchange in nonwovens production. The machine is efficient and equipped with an adapted software system, so that reproducibility and safety at every needle exchange are of utmost importance.
“Wetlaid Technology Ensures Sustainable Products”
The cooperation between Autefa Solutions and PAMA Paper Machinery offers the best of two worlds – the nonwovens world based on fiber-based web forming, consolidation and drying technology combined with the Wetlaid technology commonly used in the paper industry.
Wetlaid – Spunlace is the technology of choice to produce sustainable and cost-effective nonwovens from 100% cellulosic raw material such as cellulose pulp, viscose or Lyocell fibers. This collaboration provides the machine technology to produce sustainable and biodegradable products for a world with less plastic. With the enormous challenge of rising raw material and energy costs, producing sustainable products with energy saving and innovative Wetlaid technology is the answer.
The process improves the bulkiness and feel of the final product through Autefa carding and spunlace technology. Compared to the classic Wetlaid inclined wire technology, we are focusing on innovative paper machine solutions with even better performance, especially for CP products. The use of this technology reduces the amount of pulp fibers and energy required. Further savings in power and water consumption are achieved with Autefa Solutions’ V-Jet technology for hydroentanglement, our most effective dewatering with V-shaped suction slots, and the highly efficient SQ-V square drum dryer technology. Our technology is designed to create a uniform pulp layer for optimal fiber distribution with the lowest fiber consumption.
“Our latest project with a customer in Turkey is about to start”
We are proud to offer our customers the technology to produce the highest quality and quantity of Wetlaid – spunlace product. Automated warehousing can provide a wide range of benefits, from space savings, lower building costs, improved productivity, more efficient material flow, fewer people, and safer operations, to reduced inventory, lower operating costs, better ROI, and lower life cycle costs. As the market leader in fiber baling presses for man-made fibers, we have expanded our service offering to include all production steps, including warehousing. We are pleased to announce that our latest project with a customer in Turkey is about to start.
During the ITMA, you will have a sneak preview of one of the largest PET fiber bale logistics centers in the world. The warehouse and logistics center of Autefa Solutions will organize, press, form, package, strap, identify, label, stack, sort and prepare the enormous fiber output of six new polyester staple fiber lines with specific fiber know-how for storage and further logistical actions.
Over the last ten years, Autefa Solution has become an expert in special fiber properties, with fully automated baling systems with enormous capacities, covered and sealed short cut balers, hygienic fiber baling systems, silicon and conjugated fiber baling systems, bale transport with additional strapping, weighing, automated labeling, stacking, and sorting, and storage as a block or rack system.
“We Want To Help Our Customers Achieve Eco-Friendly Production”
We offer conversions, modifications, and electrification for existing machines, which are updated to be resource-efficient, cost-effective, and compliant with current safety standards for future use. We place great emphasis on sustainability and want to help our customers achieve efficient and environmentally friendly production.
Our new Autefa Loyalty programs convey our commitment to sustainability and your focus on extending the lifespan of older machines, which aligns with the goals of many environmentally conscious companies. To promote our program, we highlight the benefits of keeping older machines in operation, such as reducing waste, preserving valuable equipment, and saving money on replacement costs. Autefa Solutions has set itself the goal of becoming CO2-neutral by 2035 and being perceived as a sustainable company in the industry. To achieve this goal, we are focusing on renewable energies and resource-saving production.
“Our Factory in Bavaria Generates Electricity from Solar Panels”
Since August 2022, our plant in Friedberg, Bavaria, has been producing electricity from solar cells installed on the roof of the plant. In August 2023, the plant in Linz, Austria, will commission a biomass heating plant and a photovoltaic system. This will enable Autefa Solutions to produce in a CO2-neutral manner, making an important contribution to the decarbonization of supply chains.
