In this regular column, I’d like to share some of what I’ve been hearing and seeing about the latest trends and developments in industrial fibers and technical textiles. I hope some of these insights might help you in your own businesses.

As some of you may know, I started in this industry in the 1960s, so I’ve experienced a lot of change. And in many ways, change is good. While a lot of the traditional, long-time players are gone, many companies have re-invented themselves and newcomers are bringing the industry fresh energy and ideas.

Innovation is all around us, as we saw in the halls of Cobb Galleria during Techtextil North America in Atlanta. The future looks bright for companies that are adding value, finding their niches, bringing new technologies and products to market, and seizing opportunities with dedicated, creative, and forward-thinking management.

While I don’t have a crystal ball, here are some of my predictions for 2007-2008:

We’ll get older. As I can attest after my knee replacement surgery last year, medical advances can keep us living stronger and healthier. The aging Boomer population creates great new opportunities for medical textile products that improve performance, comfort, fight odors and provide protection against bacteria and germs. Nanotechnology will continue to be a hot area to watch.
We’ll get smarter. From the symposium at TTNA, we’re seeing an incredible thirst for knowledge about the evolution in technical textiles and the changeover from commodity to higher-end specialty markets. You’re looking for new ideas, and together we’ll learn from each other to make the industry stronger.
We’ll become more global. The record number of international exhibitors and visitors at Techtextil is further proof that the technical textile industry is increasingly going global and I expect this to continue.
We’ll get smaller. As an industry, we’ll see more consolidation. But the remaining companies will be stronger and more competitive going forward. Glen Raven’s planned acquisition of The Astrup Co. and John Boyle & Co. illustrates this. Partnerships like this will ensure that long-time, family-owned innovative players stay in the industry for many more years to come.

I would love to hear from you about areas to focus on in this column. Please send your comments, suggestions and ideas to me at billsmith@intexa.com.

Wishing you all the best in 2007!
Bill