CMYUK has announced its plans to build a new digital textile development facility in Shrewsbury, UK.
The construction, which will be an extension of their existing industry-renowned demonstration and training centre, will showcase digital textile printing equipment and associated technologies. The new facility will enable CMYUK to expand on its growth in the digital textile print market regarding both production equipment and the development of new textile materials for the décor, design and fashion markets. This business division has already established close product development programmes with a number of key textile and equipment manufacturing partners and that drive for product innovation will increase significantly once the Centre is on stream in 2019.
Director of CMYUK Group, Robin East, says: “We’re really excited to announce this further investment into our infrastructure, setting out our stall to become the UK’s market-leading supplier for digital textile production equipment and materials.”
CMYUK recently announced the appointment of Brett Platt as digital textile division manager. Platt will work closely with Michael Crook, commercial director, and Joel Willcock, who is entrusted with textile material business development, establishing the research and development infrastructure to bring new fabrics to market. The centre will enable CMYUK to evaluate new products for a wide range of textile printing technologies, the company says.
“Our objective will be to develop a comprehensive range of natural and man-made fabrics from cottons, linens and polyesters,” says Platt. “We will be a one-stop supplier for equipment and material for companies of all sizes.”
CMYUK will be developing and proving coatings to support their expanding range of natural fabrics, working closely with chemical companies to formulate solutions. Research and development will play a large part in the growth of the new division, including advancement with pigment printing that will help customers achieve the best possible colour and fixation when printing directly onto natural fabrics.
This suggests a shift towards a more sustainable future for CMYUK. Both pigment printing and natural fabrics are key in easing the textile industry’s impact on the environment. Pigments are effective in the production process because they do not require a finishing process other than drying. Cleaning up the manufacturing process with innovative inks is one thing, but the quantity of man-made fibres going to landfill, namely polyester, which can take centuries to decompose, is concerning many experts.
Nevertheless, education plays an important role in making the industry more sustainable and CMYUK believes its new digital textile development centre will help people better understand the intricacies of the evolving market which, as well as fashion, is increasingly influencing the home furnishings industry. This is demonstrated by a number of world-leading digital textile machinery OEMs exhibiting at this week’s Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt.
East says: “We will also be partnering with designers and production companies to showcase solutions for textile market sectors including contemporary wall and ceiling systems, décor and fashion, hosting many innovation days for customers within the business and educational sectors.”
