The LYCRA Company officially opened its new Advanced Textile Innovation Center(ATIC) in Nanhai, China on May 16, 2019. The 4,500-square-meter Research & Development (R&D) laboratory, which is the company’s fourth, represents a significant increase in the U.S.-based firm’s global R&D capabilities.
“Developing groundbreaking innovations and creating new garment categories are part of our company’s heritage and critical to our success going forward,” said Bob Kirkwood, Chief Technology Officer. “Our investment in ATIC not only enhances our global R&D capabilities, but also demonstrates our commitment to providing exceptional service to our customers based in Asia.”
Branded Solutions for a Global Market
Scientists at ATIC will help mills, brands and retailers throughout Asia, as well as Western-based companies with local sourcing offices, create innovative fabrics and garments using The LYCRA Company’s branded textile solutions, which include LYCRA® fiber, LYCRA HyFit® fiber, COOLMAX® fiber and THERMOLITE® fiber. The research team will also engage with customers in opportunity identification, as well as the development and commercialization of new polymer, fiber and textile technologies.
ATIC Capabilities
ATIC is fully equipped with commercial equipment to simulate real world manufacturing processes including knitting, weaving, dyeing and finishing. This will enable The LYCRA Company to deliver unmatched technical support to its customers, ensuring consistent product quality and optimizing manufacturing processes. In addition, the lab has garment engineering, fabric certification and analytical testing tools to help customers achieve desired performance attributes for their fabrics or garments.
Seamless Global Collaboration
As part of the company’s Virtual Lab network, ATIC researchers will be able to collaborate seamlessly with colleagues in labs located across the globe to develop world-class innovations and apply best practices.
“By integrating science with apparel market research, ATIC staff will help guide the development and commercialization of innovative garment solutions designed to meet global apparel market needs,” said Julien Born, President, Apparel. “Co-locating ATIC and our South China sales office will enable tighter integration between R&D and our commercial team and help our customers accelerate speed-to-market.”
Opening Day Festivities
Approximately 200 people gathered at ATIC for the opening ceremony that included a lion dance performance and speeches by executives from The LYCRA Company: Bob Kirkwood, Chief Technology Officer, and Steve Stewart, Apparel Vice President - Asia. Employees from The LYCRA Company, Chinese government officials, customers and the media attended the invitation-only event.
Steve Stewart, Apparel Vice President - Asia, preparing for the traditional lion dance