18 February 2010, Almelo - Xennia Technology Ltd, a
subsidiary of the Netherland’s Royal TenCate, is today unveiling its process demonstrator
for nano printing and finishing of textile materials at its Letchworth, UK
headquarters. The novel nano process technology, which TenCate says will change
the textiles industry, is based on inkjet technology, whereby ink or coating
particles are applied with great production precision and high speed. The technology will eventually enable TenCate to
reduce its production costs and develop unique new materials, which will
strengthen its leading position in its core markets.
TenCate says that the new technology breakthrough has been accomplished
in the field of industrial processes, which were until recently not applicable to
the textile industry. The company adds that the inkjet technology not only leads
to an innovative printing technology but also to a new nano process technology
which can apply high added value functionality to textile substrates.
Textile industry faces huge
TenCate claims that apart from new technological
possibilities, one of the additional advantages of the technology is that the production
process helps realize large environmental benefits and energy savings. “Through
the combination of a patented continuous process and specially designed
chemistry, the textile industry will face a huge change in an economical and
ecological way,” the company said.
TenCate says the transformation to digital production
processes in the textile industry will take place gradually as new machines
will have to be introduced. One of the building blocks of Xennia’s business model
is its alignment with machine builders in order to create an ‘installed base’. Xennia
will supply the technological solution, which will consist of modules such as print
engines, software, ink systems and specially developed high quality inks. The
relevant machine producers (OEM’s) have the
necessary sales and service networks as well as the design and build
capabilities, the company adds.
Alliance with Reggiani
With respect to textiles applications, Xennia has entered
into an alliance with Reggiani Macchine of Bergamo, Italy, a leading digital
printing machinery developer and producer. Reggiani will continue the joint development
process with Xennia and a production version of the continuous textile printing
machine will be ready before the end of this year.
Xennia will be increasingly involved in the development and production
of special inks and new ink formulations with special characteristics, creating
new in roads in the textiles printing market, which the company claims will
create an increasing level of market penetration for digital printing
techniques.
Reggiani Macchine is an established brand in the field of
textile printing and dyeing and finishing machines for textiles and the company
has an international presence via its sales and service network and was one of
the first companies engaged in digital printing processes for textiles. Reggiani
will specialize itself further in this area with Xennia as a technology
partner.
Importance for TenCate
Xennia contributed positively to TenCate’s 2009 corporate
results and TenCate expects its contribution will increase dramatically from
2010 on the basis of current components and systems developments regarding
print platforms for various machine configurations and research projects for
third parties. Based on the current market outlook and R&D projects,
Xennia’s revenue forecast for 2015-2017 is £300-400 million.
Xennia will also concentrate on modifying the print heads of
third parties for special applications under its own brand name and the
production of proprietary inks for applications such as textile printing and
finishing. The company owns several patents related to ink formulas.
According to TenCate the annual global textile printing
market by volume is 21 billion metres, less than 1% of which is digitally printed.
The company envisages that through the alliance Xennia and Reggiani Macchine
will become major players in this market and that the overall market share of
digital printing will gradually increase.
The strategic contribution of Xennia to TenCate mainly
refers to technology and through this technological innovation TenCate will be able
to reduce its production costs and develop unique new materials, which will
strengthen its leading position in its core markets. TenCate says its environmental
footprint will also substantially be reduced.
TenCate says that the importance of the new technology for
the innovative ability for the region of Eastern Holland is also huge. The
Regional Innovation Platform and the Twente University as well as the Province
of Overijssel all support innovation projects regarding new materials and
nanotechnology. TenCate’s innovations first and foremost relate to the ‘safety
and protection’ market theme with its protective fabrics for industrial and
defence applications and outdoor fabrics. All of these fabrics require prints
and coatings in order to provide the required functionality.
In due course Xennia’s solutions will also be used in other TenCate
business areas such as composites, synthetic grass and for conductive coatings
and prints for use in sensors.
TenCate says that as the world’s leading chemistry-driven
industrial ink jet integrator, Xennia has been instrumental in revolutionising
outdated manufacturing processes by creating reliable inkjet solutions for
markets like product decoration, ceramics, textile printing and electronics.
Xennia solutions comprise research and development capabilities, printers and
printing modules, software and printing fluids. Xennia has a plant in the
United Kingdom and the Netherlands.
Royal Ten Cate (TenCate) is a multinational company which
combines textile technology with related chemical processes and material
technology in the development and production of functional materials with
distinctive characteristics. Systems and materials from TenCate come under four
areas of application: safety & protection, space & aerospace,
infrastructure and the environment, and sport and recreation. TenCate occupies
leading positions in protective fabrics, composites for space and aerospace, antiballistic,
geosynthetics and synthetic turf.
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