#Associations

2022-07-07

EDANA elects new board and awards Krzysztof D. Malowaniec with EDANA Life-Time Achievement

EDANA welcomes 6 new governors (c) 2022 EDANA

EDANA, the leading global association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has elected six new Governors and a new team of Officers for 2022 - 2023. Mikael Staal Axelsen (Fibertex Personal Care) remains as Chair, supported by new Vice-Chairs Omar Hoek (SWM International, Luxembourg) and Jörg Ortmeier (TWE, Germany) and Treasurer Giorgio Mantovani (Corman, Italy). Announced at EDANA’s recent Annual Strategic Review and AGM held in Lyon, the newly elected board began their term on July 1st, by when Murat Dogru also takes over as General Manager.

The association is ready to address future challenges with new general manager and renewed officers team

“EDANA now has over 310 members and a broader reach and wider scope than ever, after reinforcing its representation even during the pandemic. It is encouraging therefore to welcome new blood with Murat Dogru as General Manager and a renewal of expertise to our board” said Mr. Staal Axelsen. “The ongoing member confidence in our association to drive our determined and broad agenda is very rewarding. EDANA’s ongoing successful fostering of an environment beneficial to innovation, and to sustainable and profitable growth, is a great testament to the professionalism of the team and our members.”

The following Governors were elected as new Board members:

• Matthew Bird, Global Vice President - Paul Hartmann, Germany

• Robin Guillaud: EVP Sustainability, Innovation, Marketing, Ahlstrom-Munksjö, France

• Klaus Hering, Vice President Sales & Business Development, RKW SE, Germany

• Daniel Krumme, Managing Director, Innovatec Microfibre Technology, Germany

• Anke Renz, Global VP R&D Personal Care, Essity, Sweden

• Lori A. Shaffer, Vice President, Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark, United States

The team of Officers is reinforced by Executive Governors, co-opted by the Board: Mr Thorsten Habeck (Business Director - Fiber Bonding Europe, Middle East & Africa, BASF, Germany), Mr Ulrich Hornfeck (Board Member & Chief Commercial Officer, Sandler, Germany), and Mr Mark A. Thornton (Vice President Global Materials and Packaging, Procter & Gamble, United States).

A complete list of the EDANA Board of Governors is available on the website.

https://www.edana.org/about-us/edana-board

At the June AGM, special thanks were extended to Mr Krzysztof Malowaniec (Paul Hartmann) who is retiring and leaving the EDANA Board of Governors after over 25 years, an exceptional commitment for which he received an EDANA Life-Time Achievement Award.

INDEX™26: A strong edition in a challenging context, confirming Geneva’s role as a global hub for innovation in the nonwovens sector

EDANA’s INDEX™26, the world’s leading trade fair for nonwovens, co-organised with Palexpo, officially concluded last Friday 22 May with a successful edition. In a context marked by uncertainty and continued pressure, the 2026 edition of INDEX™ concluded successfully. With a diverse range of 625 exhibiting companies from 44 countries, an important number of visitors, and an expanded international reach, the event confirmed its role as a central hub for innovation and a representative showcase of the nonwovens’ ecosystem.

PET spunbond from China – EDANA welcomes imposition of provisional anti-dumping measures

On 13 May 2026, after eight months of investigation, the European Commission imposed provisional anti-dumping duties of 45.6-50.0% on imports of PET spunbond from China. EDANA welcomes this expression of the Commission’s clear determination to protect EU industries from the unfair trade practices of Chinese producers.

INDEX™26: World’s leading nonwovens exhibition presents groundbreaking product launches, exclusive seminars and immersive experiences

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Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

Keeping products moving with Swedish automation at FILTECH 2026

At FILTECH 2026, taking place in Cologne from June 30th to July 2nd, members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – will highlight how the country’s engineering expertise is enabling filtration manufacturers to increase productivity, improve traceability and reduce dependence on labour-intensive manual processes.

Results of the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey

The global textile industry appears to be turning a corner, but this is more likely a fragile and possibly temporary improvement than the start of a durable recovery. According to the 38th ITMF Global Textile Industry Survey, conducted worldwide during the second half of May 2026, business sentiment, order intake, order backlogs and capacity utilization all improved versus March — yet every indicator remains weak by historical standards, and rising costs cast doubt on how long the upturn can last.

ITM 2026 makes happy participants with its international and qualified visitor profile

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most prestigious meeting points of the textile machinery sector, attracted attention in its first three days, particularly with its diverse international visitor numbers. Industry professionals from all over the world had the opportunity to closely examine the latest technology machines and solutions displayed in operation. Thousands of visitors from approximately 100 countries, primarily Egypt, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, met at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center for new investment and cooperation opportunities.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.