Advances in technology have been swift, and this has led to the emergence of new industries as well as the opening up of markets. Even the more mature industries such as printing, especially textiles, have benefited immensely from this. The pioneers of new technology and innovation are key to any industry, and here is a vertical nonwoven machinery manufacturer continuing to open many doors.
At the ITMA exhibition, Barcelona, we had the pleasure of speaking to Jason Cooper, Managing Director at V-Lap, a specialist vertical lapping nonwoven machinery manufacturer and supplier. V-Lap began functioning almost 15 years ago at Melbourne, Australia, under the parent company CTS Group. They have since established themselves as technology gurus in the global textile market. The product portfolio is quite impressive as well. Their unique turnkey lines allow them to begin the process from stable fiber bales to going into further functions such as opening, blending, cutting, and so on.
At last, through the patented V-Lap machines, the stage of thermal bonding was finally reached. It is this element of the entire process that makes vertical lapped materials popular in the market. The reason behind this are their thermal and acoustic properties as well as the possibilities of reducing weight.
Cooper said: “If the customers already have parts of those lines, we give (them) a supply of V-Lap and thermo-bonding in the existing lines.”
Their latest model and primary showcase at ITMA, the VLS2500, provided the widest range of products in the market, starting from 10mm to 8mm in loft. It has an immensely superior speed and has new systems on board, such as powerful suction reticulation. This kind of machinery is crucial for industries like automotive, mattressing and especially, garment industries where V-Lap makes use of ultra-lightweight garments as down replacement in high end brands like North Face.
He further disclosed: “We are also approaching new industries such as technical acoustics, buildings, internal office acoustics and more. We’re very excited about upgrading to the new model.”
It is no wonder that so many manufacturers flocked the company stall to check this technological masterpiece. What makes V-Lap even more unique isn’t just how technologically advanced its machines are as compared to its competitors, but their superior quality. The fiber orientation is a highly commendable process that has been strategically implemented by the Australian manufacturer. It claims that customers cannot get a full, 90-degree, perpendicular, vertical finished product, from nutritional airlaid to crosslaid, anywhere else. The kind of fiber orientation available at V-Lap has is distinctly different from the rest, which, in turn, carries a lot of advantages as compared to the more traditional nonwoven fiber.
Another technical advantage under their wing is that their recovery resilience acts more like a PU foam compared to the overall turns in the market. This gives fibers a greater competitive advantage in terms of breathability, resoakability, higher loft and a bulky product with less white. This is especially very important for industries like automobiles.
Over the course of its existence, V-Lap has installed over 20 projects across the globe. However, the process goes beyond just installation of machinery. They first educate the customers and the industry on the new technology, its functions and most important of all, its value. This way, V-Lap stands as quite a customer-oriented organization.
Asked about how V-Lap perceives the Indian textile market, Cooper had all good things to say. Its parent company, CTS Group, has already installed various lines in India in the last two years. They specialize in manufacturing stainer ovens, flooring industry carpets and different machinery items available in India. It’s no surprise that V-Lap wants to incorporate the Indian market under their strategy as well.
“We’ve had a good customer visit from Indian manufacturers at the show. It’s definitely the new technology that proved its success”, he added.
Currently the company has no insulation in India, but it is keen on appointing an agent to represent the company. The process is being directly looked at by Cooper, along with other technical cells, whereby people can approach the company directly to establish a potential deal.
V-Lap doesn’t just stand out as a pioneer of technology, but also a promoter of it. Companies that are testing out new technology in their own local markets also study the technological advancements already happening around them. The manufacturer has a sample line ready for such companies in Melbourne. These sample products are provided to other companies so that not only do they get feedback from their customers but so does V-Lap understand how their products could fair in new, unexplored markets. This strategy clearly comes from the understanding of the real customer needs.
With the highly vocal environmental awareness all around, V-Lap isn’t far behind. It wants to cover new areas, especially the more environment-friendly ones. It is currently focusing on agricultural areas where it is implementing systems to use natural fibers and recyclable materials. It also aims to provide its services to light weight industries as well. The automotive industry is definitely the most important one among them. The next is the aircraft market.
What makes V-Lap a unique and interesting corporate story isn’t its success or how it just knows what to bring out into the market. It’s its unique approach to listen to the problems of its customers and the market, and accordingly roll out solutions. It is going beyond this by further educating the masses about the importance of the advancement in technology.