#Textile chemistry

2019-06-06

Kemin names Kimberly Nelson president of Garmon Chemicals

Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer focused on improving the quality of life for more than half the world’s population, has appointed Kimberly Nelson, who helped lead the acquisition of Garmon Chemicals by Kemin, as President of the Kemin Textile Auxiliaries business unit, effective July 1, 2019.

Nelson named second president of Garmon Chemicals, Kemin’s Textile Auxiliaries Business, in more than 35-year history

Nelson will be taking over as President of Garmon Chemicals when the company’s founder, Maurizio Cappellini, retires. For more than 35 years, Cappellini led Garmon Chemicals to the top of the denim finishing industry with his innovative and avant-garde vision.

“We are deeply thankful to Maurizio for his strong leadership, professionalism and the amazing success he has achieved in his career. We wish him many happy years in his retirement and are grateful for his dedication to Garmon Chemicals,” said Dr. Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Kemin.

Garmon Chemicals was acquired in January 2018 after Kimberly, a third-generation Nelson family member which owns Kemin, presented the business opportunity of textile auxiliaries three years prior. Since the acquisition, Nelson has served as General Manager of Kemin Textile Auxiliaries in India. Her appointment as President is a key element in Kemin’s strategic growth plan that will drive Garmon Chemicals to advance its leadership position in the industry by further developing the brand’s R&D scope, commercial footprint and services.

“This is a big step for Kemin’s vision to continue as a family-owned-and-operated company,” said Dr. Nelson. “For Garmon Chemicals, the pace of change in today’s global markets is exceptional. As President of Garmon Chemicals, Kimberly will ensure that Kemin stays at the forefront of this evolving industry. She will continue Garmon Chemicals’ innovation and leadership in textile auxiliaries.”

This transition marks a new chapter in Garmon Chemicals’ more than 35-year history. Kemin has solidified its commitment to playing a significant role in the textile markets and will continue to provide high-quality products and services.

Reflecting on her appointment, Kimberly Nelson said, “I am honoured and excited to lead this wonderful company. The legacy of Maurizio Cappellini will only be strengthened as we continue to develop, innovate and create. I’m determined to continue Garmon’s momentum by elevating its global presence, leveraging the first-class operations and extraordinary R&D capabilities to further our creative and sustainable initiatives.”

Nelson received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in 2012, and a master’s degree in Luxury and Fashion Management from Savannah College of Fashion and Design in 2016. Before joining Kemin, she worked in marketing in Hong Kong for five years. Nelson will be based in San Marino.

DyStar releases FY2025 sustainability report, marking a new milestone towards its 2030 targets

DyStar, a leading specialty chemicals company with more than a century of expertise in product development and innovation, today announced the release of its FY2025 Sustainability Report, marking a significant milestone in its sustainability journey and reinforcing its commitment to long-term value creation.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.