Graniteville Specialty Fabrics has set new standards by replacing the traditional pad finishing process with Baldwin Technology’s cost-efficient and highly sustainable spray finishing technology, increasing production efficiency and minimising chemical and water waste.

Based in Graniteville, South Carolina, Graniteville the company produces coatings and coated fabrics that are resistant to water, fire, UV and weather for the military, marine and tent markets. The installation of Baldwin’s TexCoat G4 has been part of a major facility upgrade to maximise production efficiency and capacity in the durable water-repellent finishing and coating line.

With extensive sustainability benefits, unprecedented tracking and process control and Industry 4.0 integration, the TexCoat G4 consistently provides high-quality fabric finishing with no chemistry waste, as well as minimal water and energy consumption. The system utilises non-contact precision-spray technology, ensuring precise finishing coverage with the exact amount of chemistry for reaching the optimal performance of the fabric. Changeovers for pad bath emptying, cleaning and refilling are significantly reduced, resulting in substantial chemicals conservation and increased productivity.

“We were pleased to be a key partner in Graniteville’s modernisation project,” said Rick Stanford, Baldwin’s vice president of global business development for extiles. “The team reached out to us and it was clear that the TexCoat G4 was the right tool for them.”

“Anytime you change from a traditional process like padding, it is human nature to be a little sceptical,” added Doug Johnson, Graniteville’s executive vice president of development and technical services. “Baldwin organised production-scale trials for us at a nearby TexCoat-equipped factory and we took the finished fabric, scrutinised the look and feel, and performed a battery of tests in our lab to American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists spray-rating and hydrostatic-head standards. The results were impressive. Moreover, when we commissioned our TexCoat unit, we duplicated and exceeded the fabric performance realised during the trials.”

www.baldwintech.com