I.W.S. at textile machinery exhibition

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32666, 23 July 1971, Page 17

I.W.S. at textile machinery exhibition

New or closer contacts with machine manufacturers from every continent and all major industrial countries are the initial results of the International Wool Secretariat’s first participation in I.T.M.A.—a world textile machinery exhibition held every four years, says a special correspondent in Paris.

Hundreds of manufacturers visited the I.W.S. stand. It was manned in relays by 10 technologists—a multi-national, multilingual team—supported by I.W.S. French staff. The I.W.S. Technical Centre at Ilkley, England, qualified as a machinery manufacturer this year by producing the I.W.S. crimper and other equipment. “Only by sending a very big technical team on a long world tour could we have contacted as many manufacturers as we have at 1.T.M.A.,” says Mr Harry Bush, I.W.S. technical service director. The most striking feature at I.T.M.A. has been the overwhelming confirmation of the surge towards knitting in textiles. Unprecedented interest was shown in the three halls where knitting machines were concentrated.

In line with this trend, the I.W.S. at its stand effectively showed the viability of knitting in wool, using shrink-resist yam running on a double-jersey machine. In line with new I.W.S. policy, knitting products in wool-rich blends were also shown, in new textures and surfaces. One manufacturer produced a high-grade double jersey fabric in 70 per cent wool and 30 per cent polyester, for which the I.W.S. helped to develop extremely well-running knitting yams. The theme of wool in knitting was further emphasised by the number of knitting machine manufacturers using the fibre. The verdict of an Italian managing director was: Wool runs so well on our latest machines that I wish all manufacturers would use it.” Visitors showed considerable interest in the I.W.S. crimper, developed at the Technical Centre to impart extra crimp to strong wools. Several have been ordered —mainly for the United States market. The new I.W.S. device for spraying trousers in permanent crease and permanent press techniques was studied by a steady flow of visitors, as were the knitting instruction units for which the I.W.S. prepared programmes. The cold pad-batch dyeing process for piece goods,

now under trial for doublejersey fabrics, was also featured. Woolmarks were not confined to the I.W.S. stand. They were also seen on the stands of 38 manufacturers who collaborated with the Technical Centre in processing wool on their new machines. One of the highlights was the needling loom demonstrated by Verbruggen (Belgium), making floor coverings from New Zealand-type wools. Interest came from all countries. Another highlight was the success of I.W.S. co-opera-tion with the British firm. Singer Cobble, which used wool for the first time on its giant new carpet tufting machine. There had been no time for trials before assembly at 1.T.M.A.,

but I.W.S. technicians had

studied the possibilities for wool and confidently recommended its use. Working in two shifts, they helped to convert the tufter. The resultant carpeting delighted executives of the firm.

In the hall for dyeing, several machines prominently featured jet-dyeing of double-jersey wool knits. Wool’s presence was also shown in another way—by a display on various stands of fabric samples with high fashion appeal and in contemporary styles. “Judging by the number of visitors to our stand and the chance we now have for follow-ups by branch staff, we can rate our first I.T.M.A. appearance as an outstanding success,” says Mr Bush.

“It has encouraged leading machinery designers who are working closely with the I.W.S. in developing machinery to process wool and will, we hope, stimulate others to do so.”