Tough, Rugged and Safe: What sets Technical Textiles apart

Technical textiles are materials and products that are manufactured for specific technical and functional performance. Global textiles powerhouse, Aditya Birla Group, has an extensive portfolio of this advanced category of textiles comprising of solutions engineered for high performance across industries, geographies and applications. 
 

Function meets performance

Technical textiles are designed to perform vital functions, such as providing strength, durability, insulation, filtration, protection etc. They have wide-ranging applications across diverse sectors - from the labels in clothing, to the surgical sutures in medical procedures; from fishing nets and sports nets, to packaging material, recycled packaging, and much, much more. 
 

Types of Technical Textiles 

Engineering customised solutions

Aditya Birla Group’s expertise in technical textiles exceeds four decades, spanning across 70+ global markets in six continents. Its multi-geographical and multi-disciplined approach is designed to give customers the best value addition through customized products engineered to meet unique applications.

R&D Centres for Technical Textiles

1. Aditya Birla Science and Technology Company 
2. Aditya Birla Cellulosic Research Centre
3. Textile Research and Application Development Centre 
    

In addition to three state-of-the-art research centres, the Group has multiple pilot plants across its manufacturing facilities in eight countries, dedicated to product application development; over and above which, it partners with renowned technology and research organisations to bring the latest innovations to its customers. 
 

Cutting-edge Product Portfolio

The Group’s vast portfolio of technical textile products extends across categories and companies. Here’s a selection of five, along with their benefits and applications, as well as the businesses that are spearheading their production:

1. PROTECH comprises of technical spun yarns and high-performance fibres manufactured by PyroTex, Spinnerei Lampertsmühle, ABY and Thai Acrylic Fibre. With properties such as resistance to fire, heat, extreme weather and chemicals, high strength and comfort, ProTech products are ideal uniform material for the safety of firefighters, police, military and industrial workers.
2. INDUTECH provides high strength, durability and optimised barrier benefits to industrial applications for webbings, conveyor belts, PCBs, filtration products, battery separators etc. Century Enka, Spinnerei Lampertsmühle, Grasim, ABY and Thai Acrylic Fibre are the Group companies manufacturing these fibres, technical yarn blends and filaments that drive efficiency in industrial solutions.
3. MOBILTECH redefines comfort for road travel due to its load bearing capacity, excellent adhesion to rubber, heat ageing and chemical resistance, high modulus and low thermal shrinkage, and durability. Used in automotive tyre cords, seat covers and clutch lining / brake pads, it encompasses fibres, technical yarn blends and filaments that are manufactured by Century Enka, Spinnerei Lampertsmühle, Raysil, ABY and Thai Acrylic Fibre.
4. HOMETECH is where beauty meets durability and comfort in upholstery, mattresses, curtains, carpets and flooring. Grasim Birla Viscose, Pyrotex, ABY, Thai Acrylic Fibre and Spinnerei Lampertsmühle manufacture these fibres, yarns and blends that are flame and heat resistant, comfortable, durable and moisture-controlled.
5. GEOTECH is produced by Century Enka for the application of Geogrids. Its technical yarn blends (filament) combines safety, stability and sustainability through soil reinforcement and superior strength. 
    

Manufacturing excellence across the board

A glimpse into some of the Group businesses manufacturing technical textiles, their products, brands, reach and defining propositions.

• ADITYA BIRLA YARN is a global leader in man-made fibre-based spun yarn products, with a wide portfolio of technical, sustainable and speciality value-added spun yarn. The company has a considerable manufacturing capacity across six plants in Indonesia, Thailand, Germany and Slovakia; its research centre comes with dedicated spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing, garmenting and testing labs. Under the brand names ABY, Spinnerei Lampertsmühle and Aramex-Garne, it exports ProTech, HomeTech, InduTech and MobilTech products to over sixty countries.
• CENTURY ENKA is the largest processor and recycler of nylon in India, manufacturing nylon and polyester industrial yarns, nylon and polyester tyre cord fabric and conveyor belting fabric. Its research centre also comes with dedicated spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing, garmenting and testing labs. Century Enka exports ProTech, HomeTech, InduTech, MediTech, SportTech, ClothTech and MobilTech to North America, Czech Republic and Vietnam. 
  Century Enka is the first company globally that can supply Nylon Tyre Cord Fabric made from 100% recycled route. The sustainability leader also biofuels power steam generation, discharges zero liquid at its manufacturing sites and recycling 100% of waste.
• BIRLA CELLULOSE, a subsidiary of Grasim, is a leading producer of man-made cellulosic fibres, such as Viscose, Modal and Lyocell. The global exporter supplies ProTech and HomeTech products under the brand names Birla Cellulose and Birla Excel. 
  Birla Cellulose produces 100% plant-based fibres, made from wood pulp, sourced from sustainably managed forests and manufactured in state-of-the-art plants adhering to highest global norms on environmental responsibility.
• CENTURY RAYON is among the top manufacturers of Viscose Filament Yarn globally. The company exports MobilTech products, such as high-tenacity rayon tyre cords for ultra-high-performance tyres, as well as zero twist and pre-twisted yarns under the brand Raysil, to Europe, USA and Japan. Its sustainability certifications include OEKO TEX Standard 100, Recycled Claim Standard and STeP. 
   

Growth meets opportunity

Technical textiles have considerable potential for growth, particularly in India, where its penetration is a mere 10-12%, compared to a global penetration range of 30% - 70%. With a firm foothold in the market already, Aditya Birla Group is poised to meet the growing demand for the high-performance products.