Interview with Brian J. McCarthy

Global Background It may be useful to begin with a broad perspective. The year 2009 saw the World Textile and Clothing sectors shrink by some 14.8% to US$527 billion (with textiles at some US$211 billion and clothing US$316 billion) – the first reduction since 2001 and the worst contraction for 20 years (World Trade Organisation). Imports from Asia to Europe declined by some 16% yet the EU27 still posted a deficit of some US$67.13 billion. The countries generating the greatest surpluses in textiles and clothing included China, India, Turkey, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The world’s biggest textile exporter in 2009 was the EU27 – which was also the world’s biggest importer. Over 49% of world clothing production was imported into the EU. The UK has the third largest deficit in textiles and clothing – the deficit fell by 9.9% in 2009 and stands at US$18.49 billion (we are a net exporter of textiles but a major importer/retailer of clothing). To put this in perspective, the UK Fashion industry is worth some £21 billion per annum. Overall, World fibre production in 2009 fell by 0.7% to 63.9 million tonnes with China being by far the major synthetic fibre producer. Then 2010 saw a recovery globally for the sectors and recent figures state that the global trade for Textiles and Clothing is now more than US$600 billion. However, the global financial position is worrying. Growth in China is slowing, the US markets are static and the Eurozone is under significant pressure. In a worrying sign for the Eurozone, the slowdown appears to be spreading, with German factories, which have supported growth in the bloc for some time, hitting the brakes while France's manufacturing sector contracted for the first time since July 2009. The Markit Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), which gauges changes in activity levels across thousands of eurozone manufacturers, fell to 49 in August from 50.4 in July. The August figure was revised down from a preliminary 49.7. It is the first time since September 2009 that the index for the sector, which drove a large part of the bloc's recovery, has fallen below the 50 mark that divides growth from contraction. In the UK, the Northwest Region achieved a total turnover figure of £1,976 million (or nearly £2 billion) out of a UK figure of £8,763 million (nearly £8.8 billion). This Northwest turnover represented 22.5% of the UK and was ahead of all other regions with East Midlands in second place on £1,631 million (£1.6 billion). In terms of Textiles Manufacture only, the Northwest dominance is clearly shown with a total turnover of £1,552 million or 28.8% of the UK figure of £5,380 million. In this Sector Yorkshire &the Humber is in second position with a turnover of £962 million. In terms of Manufacture of Wearing Apparel the Northwest, with a £311 million turnover is in third place to East Midlands with£705 million, and London on £424 million. The UK total was £2,524 million. A feature of Apparel production in the Northwest, however, is the existence of a number of specialist manufacturers. Focus on Technical Textiles The term 'technical textiles' was coined in the 1980s to describe the growing variety of products and manufacturing techniques being developed primarily for their technical properties and performance rather than their appearance or other aesthetic characteristics. It largely superseded an earlier term 'industrial textiles' which had become too restrictive in its meaning to describe the full complexity and richness of this fast growing area. "The technical textiles sector is one of the fastest growing economic areas worldwide," says Michael Jaenecke, brand manager, Techtextil, Frankfurt, Germany. "No other sector produces so many innovations and new developments in such a short time’ (www.techtextil.messefrankfurt.com). According to a 2010 report from Allianz Faserbasierte Werkstoffe Baden Württemberg (www.afbw.eu), technical textiles have been successful in large part because of woven, knitted and nonwoven fabric innovations — and particularly those fabrics in combination with one another — as approximately 70 percent of all technical textiles are based on the material qualities.

The diversified research being conducted also is a driving force for technical textiles innovations, as it promotes their discovery and implementation. In Germany – in this field, the world’s leading nation alongside the USA – the share of technical textiles in total textiles sales currently amounts to approx. 52 percent. In addition to being one of the most innovative industries in the world, the technical textiles sector ranks among the five high-tech sectors with the greatest development potential, according to industry analysts. The global technical textiles market has a current value of approximately $127 billion, with Asia ranking first in textile consumption, accounting for 8.5 million metric tons, followed by the United States with 5.8 million metric tons and Europe with 4.8 million metric tons. Twenty-two percent of technical textiles are manufactured for Mobiltech applications (transport); 18 percent for Indutech (industrial textiles); 10 percent for Buildtech (construction textiles); and 10 percent for Protech (protective textiles). A number of key factors will drive this industry – the need for protection (environmental, sport, medical, military, personal), the ageing population (in the West), sustainability, the need for performance and light-weighting, the global marketplace and the demand from emerging economies for added-value textile commodities. The Protective textiles sector has the additional key driver of legislation to provide workplace safety. Technical textiles for intelligent personal protective clothing and equipment This market comprises clothing and other textile-based systems accessories and related services whose main function is to protect the user. These high-tech products are used under very different circumstances such as by professionals and emergency services operating in hazardous environments or dangerous situations. The Protective textiles sector The current size of the Personal Protective clothing and Equipment (PPE) market in the EU is estimated at EUR 9.5 billion to EUR 10 billion, accounting for around 200 000 jobs, directly or indirectly. The fast growth forecast in certain parts of the world suggests that EU exports of PPE could grow by about 50% over the next few years. Advances in this area include novel speciality fibres, the use of nanoparticles and the integration of micro-electronic components into fabrics and garments. EU industry expertise in the fields of polymer technology, specialty yarn and fabric manufacture, textile finishing and service supply will play a pivotal role in reinforcing EU industry's leadership in new generation PPE products. Technological developments originating from high-tech domains such as space industry and military use have a well-known potential to be transferred to the PPE market, including non-wearable interior textiles (for buildings or transport vehicles) and consumer products (such as garments for sports, outdoor wear or fashion). Challenges The value of the non-EU markets doubles that of the European one, offering possibilities to increase EU exports substantially. The EU12, countries such as Ukraine and Russia and the Asian region are the fastest growing markets. However access of European products to markets in Asia is controlled in exports and public procurement. Swifter development and use of European standards in the global market, combined with appropriate measures to protect intellectual property for example through business support services for SMEs, would create additional demand for protective textiles. The 2011 Techtextil Conference and Exhibition held in Frankfurt, Germany this year was very successful and ITMA is approaching – to be held in Barcelona, Spain. The sector continues to develop but all manufacturers will be affected by US and Euro debt woes. The demand for textiles is reflected in the demand for specialised equipment. For example, the Global Textile Machinery Market is forecast to reach US$20.7 billion in 2015.

TechniTex is the Premier Research and Knowledge Transfer Organisation for the UK's Technical Textiles and Advanced Materials Sector. It is industrially driven, focusing on research, design and development of new technologies and applications for the technical textile industry. TechniTex offers consultancy services for a wide range of technical textile requirements and it's team of Knowledge Transfer Specialists have significant expertise in a wide range of product areas including biocides, composites, digital printing, healthcare and microbiology. TechniTex is a not-for-profit organisation based in Manchester, UK. Our key role is to encourage interaction between industry and academia – leading to product innovation in technical textiles. We are directed by an industry-focussed Board who engage in technology horizon scanning an who provide strategic direction. Our open and transparent knowledge transfer activities are delivered through our sector representation and role in the Materials Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) (https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/technical-textiles). Membership of the KTN is free and open to all. Registration on the site is straightforward and will allow access to technical reports and presentations which are free to download. The sector priorities for 2011 and 2012 are clearly laid out.

Technical textiles as a sector continue to innovate. Recent developments have focussed on the production of nano-fibres. Collections of nanofibres are useful materials for a variety of applications including filtration, biomedical tissue engineering, and energy storage thanks to a combination of high surface-to-volume ratios and large porosity values. Market projections are as follows:

US$80.7 million in 2009

US$443 million in 2015

US$2 billion in 2020

Various attempts are now underway to product these materials in industrial quantities. Another key area is nanocomposites. Global revenues for polymeric nanocomposites were approximately US$223.15 million in 2009. A diverse range of markets are being impacted by polymer nanocomposites such as aerospace and aviation, automotive, food, pharmaceutical and electronics packaging, electrical and electronic goods, sporting goods and medicine. Clay nanocomposites have the largest market share with revenues of approximately $89.65million in 2009, with main application markets in packaging, flame retardants and aerospace and aviation (including military applications). The largest application market for nanocomposites in 2009 were plastics and packaging ($49.5million), aerospace and aviation ($45.4million, including military) and automotive ($28.35). By 2017 annual global revenues are projected to be approximately US$1040.5million. The market for clay nanocomposites will continue to grow in the packaging sector. Packaging will remain the largest market for polymer nanocomposites ($253million), followed by aerospace and aviation ($163.5million), automotive ($110million), energy ($101million, representing the largest growth area) and electronics and semiconductors ($89million). The other major growth areas in technical textiles are medical, performance clothing (e.g. smart clothing, sports clothing, military clothing) and geo/agricultural textiles. The emphasis will be on multi-functionality! One area to watch closely is Smart and Interactive textiles – textiles will be a major component of ‘The Internet of Things’.

Protective textiles are a sub-sector of personal protective equipment (PPE). Globally, public procurement plays an important role in PPE, accounting for 100% of purchasing in certain product groups, but there is fragmentation of demand for protective textiles at the level of local authorities. There is a lack of knowledge of how to purchase innovative PPE goods and services in under current public procurement law. Growth in this sector must favour the innovation of new products and accelerate early adoption. Other measures must include methods to facilitate public procurement for innovative protective textile products; strengthen awareness of intellectual property protection and SME involvement in the development of national and international standards. Employers and their workforce will also benefit from access to better products for key services such as civil protection, for instance in case of pandemics or terrorist actions with high risks to the population. For example, the market for protective gloves in Russia is set to increase dramatically, potentially tripling by 2017. The trigger for growth was a law established by the Russian Ministry of Labour in 2010, which supports workers’ rights to PPE. - legislation was passed allowing workers to legally refuse to perform tasks, without impact on their wages, if they are not given appropriate personal protective equipment. The Russian protective gloves market is now expected to see a 300% increase, as employers and workers comply with the law. The most common form of PPE is protective gloves, as they are used for a wide range of tasks across multiple industries. Globally, the protective glove market has significant opportunities within the construction, manufacturing, gas and oil industries, and the emerging automotive and food sectors may also prove lucrative.

The following two press reports illustrate the situation in India! India's technical textiles industry to grow to Rs.1.4 trillion by 2017 26 August 2011, New Delhi According to a report in India's Economic Times yesterday the country's technical textiles industry is projected to grow to Rs.1.4 trillion ($31.4 billion) by 2016-17, with healthcare and infrastructure sectors accounting for a major chunk of the consumption. The report quotes from a FICCI-Wazir Advisors-Ernst & Young Knowledge joint paper published last Thursday which also said that the technical textiles industry market was estimated at Rs 570 billion ($12.67 billion) in 2010-11. Quoting directly from the FICCI paper, the report said: "With an improving economy and social scenario in India, a number of enabling factors are expected to positively impact the market for technical textiles. The growth drivers are emerging at both the supply and demand sides and include government support, increased investor interest because of the large untapped market." "Introduction of regulatory norms, India's inherent advantage as a manufacturing base and increase in retail and industrial consumption will also help the growth of the industry." "The way forward to ensure development of the sector lies in promoting international partnerships, training, implementation of policy support, focusing on product innovation, promoting awareness creation programmes and pursuing regulations and standardization of technical textile usage." "Two of the most important sectors where technical textile products have the potential of being used in significant volumes are healthcare and infrastructure. It is expected that technical textiles will be increasingly used in both these sectors either due to increase in awareness or government regulations," it added. According to the Economic Times the Indian healthcare industry is currently estimated at Rs.2.25 trillion, and is expected to grow at 14 percent till 2020, to reach a size of Rs.8 trillion. Indian technical textiles sector to reach US$36 billion in 5 years 2 August 2011, Lubbock, Texas According to media reports the Indian government now estimates that the country's growing technical textiles sector will reach US$36 billion by 2016-17. According to an article on www.commodityonline.com by leading technical textiles academic Seshadri Ramkumar of Texas Tech University, an estimated annual growth of 20% is expected. The Indian government is promoting the growth of the technical textiles sector by creating new centres of excellence, market research and support programs. "Sujit Gulati, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles India, while inaugurating a one day seminar on technical textiles in the South Indian City, Coimbatore emphasized the need for inter-ministerial coordination involving Ministry of Textiles, Health and Highways to grow the emerging technical textiles sector," the report said. India will be one of the major manufacturers of technical textiles. India offers:

A clear Government Strategy and Investment

A young and developing workforce

A network of national University and Research Institutes with good international links

A rapidly developing economy with improving living standards

I would stress UK links with the India Institute of Technology, New Delhi and PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore.

Polymeric Protective Technical Textiles – Cologne, Germany – 25th to 26th October 2011 Whether you manufacture polymers and/or technical textiles for life saving applications, or are an end-user or specifier of these materials, this conference is a great opportunity to talk to the leaders in this fast-moving sector. Featuring a number of highly topical papers, this conference will showcase the latest research, technological developments and innovations that are taking place in this rapidly evolving sector, and will feature sessions on developments for the defence sector; smart and multi-functional materials; and technical aspects for the safety and security sectors including impace and blast protection, thermal management, antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, and camouflage. Regulatory and environmental aspects, such as REACH, will also be examined and guidance will be given. To know more about this Event - CLICK HERE