Remscheid/Shanghai, 24 June 2014 – In 2004, Oerlikon Manmade Fibers pioneered the introduction of the e-save label for particularly energy-efficient plant, machinery and components. Today the related core aspects of energy, economics, environment and ergonomics are among the key issues facing Asia's textile industry. At the textile machinery fair ITMA ASIA + CITME 2014 taking place from 16 to 20 June in Shanghai, the exhibition presentation of the Oerlikon Barmag and Oerlikon Neumag brands will focus primarily on environmentally friendly, sustainable solutions with the e-save certificate.
In the last ten years e-save has become established as the trademark for a comprehensive efficiency programme. All innovations by Oerlikon Manmade Fibers are now developed taking the four e-save aspects mentioned into account:
Energy
Saving energy is no longer a matter of preference but of necessity in textile production. The arguments in its favour are increasingly compelling. Global energy consumption is expected to increase by a third between 2010 and 2030, according to forecasts. Gas and mineral oil deposits are limited and will be increasingly expensive to access in the future. The introduction of renewable energies takes time and is also cost-intensive. Supply shortages also arise as a result of the growing demand for textile products caused by population and economic growth, especially in Asia. Oerlikon Manmade Fibers was quick to recognise this and pays particular attention in the development of new components, machinery and plant to the most efficient utilisation possible of the energy used. Potential for this can be found across the entire textile value creation chain, in virtually all parts of an installation. Example: the S+, a 3-ply BCF carpet yarn machine from Oerlikon Barmag, saves up to 17 percent energy compared with its predecessors. Many machines and components from Oerlikon Manmade Fibers can already achieve energy savings of up to 50 percent in the relevant production processes.
Economics
Energy prices are rising. The price of a kilowatt hour of electricity in China, for example, is among the highest in the world. Saving energy in yarn manufacturing is thus becoming an important economic factor. Oerlikon Barmag's SP8x spin beam in a POY spinning system with 144 positions consumes 40 percent less power than conventional technology, thus saving around USD 90,000 per year in operating costs. As well as energy costs, maximum productivity, efficiency and reliability while minimising costs are a central e-save topic. Here's an example of this too: in WINGS FDY Oerlikon Barmag offers an innovative solution for manmade fibre production with 35 percent higher productivity in relation to previous models. The machine saves over 40 percent energy. Such economic advantages and the extraordinarily long life cycles of the machines enable customers to maintain and consolidate their market position.
Environmental protection
High energy consumption, the intensive use of fossil fuels and other process components of industrial production don't just have a longterm detrimental effect on the environment. They also cause a steady increase in the associated costs. With its e-save label Oerlikon Manmade Fibers has been assuming environmental responsibility for ten years. Applying the latest scientific and technical knowledge helps to reduce the negative influence of industrial production to a minimum along with that of raw material consumption and emissions. The next-generation staple fibre installations developed by Oerlikon Neumag are thus especially environmentally compatible due to their dramatically reduced vapour emission. They cut energy consumption by more than 20 percent while increasing productivity by up to 50 percent. This shows that with superb engineering and experience of all the processes relevant to textile production, it is possible to develop machines that meet the requirements of both environmental protection and cost optimisation. China has recognised that environmental protection and economics are often two sides of the same coin. Traditionally a user of energy from coalfired power stations, trade magazines report that in 2013 the country brought more new eco-energy to the power grid than the coalfired power stations did for the first time. In 2015 the People's Republic aims to cover 15 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources.
Ergonomics
The significance of ergonomic machine design is often underestimated. However, optimally configured installations support economic goals in many respects. Labour costs and downtimes due to maintenance are sharply reduced, while consistent quality and efficient production are ensured. In addition, the functionality and thus the productivity of a component, machine or system is always directly related to its serviceability. Often it can be invisible details that make the job much easier for the staff when deployed in practical operation and only then make the true value of an investment comprehensible. This is demonstrated by an example: in the WINGS POY Oerlikon Barmag offers an integrated winder that has a 75 percent smaller footprint than its predecessors. The staff requirement can thus be reduced by up to 60 percent. The WINGS POY 1800 winding concept exhibited at ITMA ASIA+CITME 2014 is also 20 percent more productive and can now produce 12 packages simultaneously instead of the 10 hitherto.
"With the constant expansion of our e-save philosophy we are pursuing constant value creation and value enhancement for the textile industry with high-grade, innovative solutions. And we are showing that as an international company we are assuming responsibility for a decent future," concludes Stefan Kross, CEO of Oerlikon Manmade Fibers.
