An Andritz reXline tearing installation has recently been commissioned for Aitex, one of Europe’s largest textile research and development centres.

As the only Spanish centre accredited to issue Oeko-Tex certifications, the new machine will strengthen Aitex support for customers from various industries including geo and agrotextiles, as well as automotive and fashion.

The reXline tearing equipment can process a large variety of raw materials and has been customised to meet specific needs for R&D projects focused on recycling post-industrial and post-consumer waste.

“This collaboration with Andritz allows us to expand our trial capabilities and enhance the services we provide to our customers,” said Aitex CEO Vincent Blanes. “The new equipment efficiently supports the growing demand for textile recycling solutions and ensures our R&D remains at the forefront.”

Hemp innovation

Based in Malmö, Sweden, Ekolution is meanwhile expanding its pioneering development of sustainable building materials following the commissioning of an Andritz teXline bast fibre line.

This installation includes equipment for hemp decortication and refining combined with a neXline airlay line for producing nonwoven felts from the hemp.

“Our company is at the forefront of green materials with insulation and nonwoven products that are bio-based, carbon-negative and energy-efficient,” said Ekolution CEO Remi Loren. “Andritz helps us achieve our sustainability targets through a process that makes the most of our raw materials while reducing resource consumption. We can also rely on Andritz expertise for service and digitalisation in the future.”

The new line, designed to obtain hemp fibre without impurities, is equipped with machinery that has a small plant footprint and operates with low energy consumption. The decortication and refining equipment will produce high-quality fibres from up to five tons of feedstock per hour. Some of the fibres will be fed into the neXline flexiloft+ airlay line producing up to 1.5 tons of nonwovens felt per hour.

“We are proud to be part of this project, which is fully in line with our commitment to providing sustainable and circular technologies that support the green transition,” said Francis-Elias Junker, area sales manager for Andritz Nonwovens and Textiles.

Ekolution, established in 2013, uses hemp from its own plantations and its insulation is the first to achieve an Environmental Product Declaration (EDP) confirming that it is carbon negative – more CO2 is sequestered in the industrial hemp than is emitted in the production process.

Ekolution’s hemp panels and nonwoven products have recently been used in the construction of a high-tech logistics centre in Stockholm – the world’s largest building project using hemp fibre insulation to date. In addition to the construction industry, Ekolution’s hemp products can also be used in the automotive, textiles, furniture, acoustics, packaging and pulp and paper industries.

www.andritz.com