#Yarn & Fiber
DORNBIRN-MFC as a generator of ideas and networking agent
The European-led innovation platform for the fiber industry and downstream manufacturing stages is to function as a generator of ideas and networking agent, with every participant contributing to the success of the event.
The more than 100 expert presentations (50% from industry and 50% from the academic world) will cover the following fields
- Fibre innovations
- Fibres, textiles and nonwovens for healthcare and hygienic applications
- Fibres, textiles and nonwovens for protective applications
- Fibres, textiles and nonwovens for sports and leisure wear
Top-class Plenary Lectures on Opening Day:
Professor Radermacher, of Ulm University, Head of the Forschungsinstitut für anwendungsorientierte Wissensverarbeitung (Research Institute for Application-oriented Knowledge Processing), Member of the Club of Rome, will address the subject of “Globalisation, Sustainability, Future – is there still hope for us?“
Mr. Buisson, Veolia Water Technologies / USA, will report on prospects for “Innovative Fibres and Textiles in the Field of Water Management“, and Dr. Meierkord , the President of the European Man-Made Fibres Association CIRFS, will present a paper on the “Contribution of Man-made Fibres to the Balanced Use of Global Resources“.
In the field of fiber innovations participants may look forward to a number of highly interesting papers, including three presentations from Germany on the subject of “marine litter (microplastics)“ and reviews of such subjects as recycling, biopolymers and high-performance fibers.
Recent developments in the field of healthcare and hygienic applications will be discussed from the angle of hospital and general health care as well as implantology. Alongside the major brands, a number of reputable “private labels“ in the field of sanitary care will also be represented.
The introductory paper on protective applications will be presented by a speaker from NASA (USA), who will talk about flame-retardant textile fibres in the context of space research, and the representative of a world-wide renowned manufacturer of protective clothing will, amongst others, talk about recent developments as well as the requirements placed on upstream processing stages.
In the field of sports and leisure wear the innovative, much-decorated outdoor brand VAUDE and the global manufacturer MAS Holding will present highly interesting papers, and representatives of industry and research will submit presentations on functionalisation and ecological production methods.
Interactive panel discussions:
To make the programme more lively and interactive, the organizers have planned panel discussions on a number of key issues.
On Opening Day there will be a management talk on the most timely subject of “Marine Litter – a problem turned into an innovative opportunity“. The panel will be headed by Walter Woitsch, a partner of SYNGROUP Consulting. Other panel members will be
Prof. Franz Josef Radermacher / Ulm University, Philipp Meister / Adidas, Wilhelm Rauch / IVC, Robert van de Kerkhof / Lenzing, Uday Gill / Indorama.
In the field of sports and leisure wear a panel on “Sustainability & Performance – a contradiction in this industry?” has been planned for Thursday noon, just before the lunch break; discussants are Rene Bethmann / VAUDE, a representative of Adidas, Ranil Vitarana / MAS Holding, and other Brands, who will be headed by Giuseppe Gherzi.
In the segment protective applications, the second day will be concluded with a discussion on “The endless saga of ultra-light & ingenious high performance features: What’s next?”
Moderated by Dr. Isa Hofmann, the panel will include Evelyne Orndoff / NASA, Michael Stanhope / Tencate, Oliver Spöcker / Lenzing AG, Pierluigi Bernardi / Nilit and a representative of DSM Dyneema.
Young Scientists Forum:
The outstanding success of last year‘s “Young Scientists Forum“ has induced us to repeat the event, this time on the last day of the Congress.. The workshop, which will again be chaired by Walter Woitsch, Managing Partner - Industrieberatung SYNGROUP (A), will be devoted to the subject of the “Impact of the Digital (R)Evolution on Research & Development“.
Expert Panel / Workshop ”Circular Economy: Textile & Nonwovens Waste – a threat or opportunity?” on the day preceding the congress:
This highly topical subject will be studied by a group of experts drawn from the fiber industry and downstream manufacturing stages, trading firms and, for the first time, waste management companies.
This unique event will be jointly organised by the Dornbirn-MFC in cooperation with CIRFS (the European Man-made Fibres Association), EDANA (the association of the nonwovens industry) and ISWA (the global association of waste management companies).
It will be moderated by SYNGROUP, Austria‘s most important management consulting group) under the chairmanship of Walter Woitsch.
The firms participating in the event represent all parts of the supply chain:
Fiber industry: Lenzing AG, Glanzstoff Industries, Märkische Faser, Advansa, Nature Works, Wellman, Fisipe, IFG Asota, LyodellBasell, Aquafil
Machinery construction & chemical industries: Laroche, Starlinger, Saurer, Oerlikon, Novozymes
Manufacturers, Traders & Brands: Adidas, IKEA, Wolford, Textil Santanderina, Utexbel, Salesianer
Refuse Disposal & Waste Management: ARA, ALBA, Reiling, Gläser Textil, Stadt Wien,
Trade Associationsv & Universities: Euratex, EcoTLC, Bayern Innovativ, Vienna University of Technology, STFI Chemnitz
The Sponsors:
Since the day it was founded, the Dornbirn-MFC has enjoyed the exemplary support of the flourishing economic region of Vorarlberg and the “smart city“ of Dornbirn, and its cooperation with the provincial authorities and the Economic Chamber of Vorarlberg has been steadily intensified over the last few years.
Lenzing AG and CIRFS as well as the German Chemical Fibers Association, IVC, are generally regarded as the initiators of this annual event. Lenzing AG, the world‘s biggest and most innovative cellulose fiber manufacturer, plays an important role in the Congress as its lead sponsor.
These sponsors again contribute greatly to the success of the 2017 Congress:
ADVANSA (D), AVANTEX, CHT Beitlich (D), CIRFS (B), Dralon (D), Ecoplus. Niederösterreichs Wirtschaftsagentur GmbH (A), EDANA (B), Fisipe (P) , Gherzi Textil Organisation (CH), Glanzstoff Industries (A) , Groz Beckert (D), IFG Asota (A), IKV Innovative Kunststoffveredlung (D), Kunstuniversität Linz (A), Land Vorarlberg (A), Lenzing AG (A), Märkische Faser (D), Oerlikon Textile (D), Saltex (A), Saurer AG(CH), Smart Textiles Plattform (A), Stadt Dornbirn (A), SYNGROUP (A), WISTO – Wirtschaftsstandort Vorarlberg GmbH (A) and WKO Wirtschaftskammer Vorarlberg (A).
New Main Programme:
The new main programme of the 56th Dornbirn-MFC affords a detailed overview of the roughly 100 expert papers to be presented the course of two-and-a-half days in parallel sessions held in three halls of the Kulturhaus Dornbirn. The Programme can be downloaded from the congress homepage www.dornbirn-mfc.com .
Simply register online
Interested people can simply register online at www.dornbirn-mfc.com.
