The Fibres Conference 2015 will look at prospects for raw materials, fibres and textiles in the context of sustainability challenges, global health issues, and lifestyle and demographic changes. These factors carry implications for the mix of fibres, the manufacturing locations of supply chains, and the production systems that are used, the organiser reports.

Market situation

Global fibre and textile supply chains have endured difficult and unpredictable last three years in which raw material prices have soared and crashed. Heavy investment in China and volatility in exchange rates have reconfigured supply chains, and trade patterns and over-capacity at all levels has become a major threat to the financial stability of large parts of the industry, PCI Fibres reports.

But 2015 looks to be the change-year, which begins to point toward rebalance and recovery. This can slowly be achieved by waiting for supply/demand balances to restore the situation, or it can be accelerated by directly addressing some of the complex challenges that global consumers are presenting the industry at every level of activity, according to the company.

Presentations programme

Speakers will include PCI consultants as well as guest speakers. The key note speaker this year will be Giulio Bonazzi, Chairman and CEO, Aquafil Group. Presentations will address fibre demand numbers and will also look at the crucial issue of how to recover value, one of the most pressing requirements throughout the industry.

The conference will review the raw material chains for polyester, polyamide, cotton and viscose. After such a rapid decline in the oil price, the event will look at the recovery possibilities, assessing whether excessive investment in polyester and polyamide intermediates continue to prejudice margins.

It will also provide answers to questions like: Are prospects still bleak for cotton after the volatility of recent years? Can we expect consolidation in the viscose supply chain?

Sustainability and market influences

Other presentations will look at factors influencing fibre choices by textile and garment companies, in the search to restore value, the important dynamics in key applications such as nonwovens and automotive products, and the definition of sustainability at various levels of the chain, and the role of recycling and bio-based products in providing sensible solutions.

Another topic will explore the evolving geographic structure of the global fibre and textile industry, looking at China and its competitive edge, India and its potential, and relative newcomers like Vietnam.

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