Brückner Textile Technologies and its sales partner Advanced Dyeing Solutions have installed a state-of-the-art Brückner finishing line for industrial textiles at Heathcoat Fabrics in Tiverton, Devon, United Kingdom.

Heathcoat Fabrics is at the leading edge of textile engineering and has a proud heritage spanning two centuries. The Devon, UK based manufacturer is a global leader in technical textile with internationally recognised expertise in texturising, weaving and warp knitting as well as dyeing and finishing. Heathcoat’s highly specialist products are manufactured for use in the automotive, healthcare, defence, and aerospace industries, to name a few, contributing to some of the most innovative fabric-making projects in the world.

Brückner worked extensively with the local Heathcoat project team during several project reviews to develop a customised multipurpose finishing line, designed especially for the needs of Heathcoat Fabrics. The requirements were the treatment of light weight parachute fabric, but also heavy-duty conveyor belt carriers as well as 3D warp knits and stretch sensitive microfiber fabrics, where even a human skin contact can create picking issues.

Regina Brückner, CEO and owner of the Brückner Group, commented: "To meet the complex requirements of Heathcoat is not easy because of the great variety of technical textiles produced. Our line has to finish light as well as heavy articles, so the design, control and the whole line layout have to be flexible, functional and still easy to operate.”

“Fortunately, the team at Heathcoat Fabrics is very innovative and open-minded, and together we worked hard to develop the right technology and handling. We are very happy that we could convince this customer, whom we appreciate very much, with the productivity of our line and of course with our technological know-how," Mrs. Brückner said.

The direct gas heated Brückner Power-Frame stenter with its unique staggered heating source arrangement every half zone provides best available temperature consistency across the length and the width of the stenter. The unit is equipped with a low-lub, horizontally returning combined pin / clip chain and several fabric paths, especially designed for the different fabrics being processed. Together with Heathcoat Fabrics technologists, the Brückner design team developed a very special delivery end of the stenter with different edge trimming and slitting possibilities. Depending on the kind of products, the fabrics can be batched on large diameter A-frames, wound on cardboard tubes or plaited into trolleys.

Due to the complexity of the fabrics, the stenter is equipped with the newest weft straightening and pick counting technology. The control system allows integration into the customers ERP system and enables easy and reproducible operation by using the latest bar code scanning and batch related quality reporting tools.

Due to increasing energy prices, it was essential that the machine was equipped with the state-of-the-art Brückner heat-recovery technology.

Cameron Harvie, Heathcoat’s managing director, said: “We are very happy with the work and dedication of the whole Brückner team. This includes particularly the Brückner technicians. Since the installation of the line started with the Covid Lockdown, the Brückner technician had to sleep in a camper in our parking lot for several weeks. Despite these unusual conditions, the assembly could be completed on time. The machine is producing to our complete satisfaction and overcomes all the challenges presented by our very different quality products."

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