We in ADVANSA are proud to have been involved in polyester since the beginning of its development and growth.

After much research in both the USA & the UK during the 1930s into the process of making polymers from oil based products, Polyester (PET) was discovered and patented in 1941 by two chemists, Winfield and Dickson from the Calico Printers Association based near Manchester, in the UK.

Secret development work on it continued throughout the Second World War and in 1946 manufacturing rights were granted to DuPont (for the USA) and ICI (worldwide except the USA). Polyester was first used to produce fibres, and turn into revolutionary synthetic fabrics. Dacron®, branded in the early 1950's was the world's first wash and wear synthetic fabrics.

Since those early days, applications and demand for Polyester has grown hugely - its evolution and diversification driven by continuous development in polyester manufacturing, chemistry, technology and engineering. Today, polyester is used for applications as diverse as pillows, garments, babies' nappies and cable insulation.

For more on how we are still actively developing our products and processes visit our fibres or intermediates(DMT) & polyester polymer solutions product pages.

ADVANSA Milestones

• Product Related News
• Plant upgrades and other major developments
• Organisational Highlights
  

• Product Related News
  
  Since our formation in 2000 we have regularly introduced new products across most of the market segments in which we operate. Fibrenyle even awarded ADVANSA its prestigious Supplier Of The Year Award in 2002. Our primary concerns have been innovation and delivering real advantages to our customers. We have also purposely built up our capacity to produce our products at more than one site so that we can provide our customers with enhanced security of supply.
  
  Highlights include:
  
  
  • Speciality staple production started at Uentrop in 2000 for Coolmax® certified fabrics.
  • Softec® yarn production started at Pontypool in 2001.
  • Speciality staple production started at Uentrop in 2002 for Thermolite® certified fabrics.
  • New products in the comfort fibres sector, Ergo3plus pillow and Hollofil® blanket.
  • Securelle® - a totally new flame retardant yarn and staple fibre for fabrics.
  • New generation multichannel filament for Coolmax® certified fabrics.
  • Hydrofix® staple fibre for nonwovens.
  • 1.2 Denier Dacron®, a new staple fibre with better spun yarn properties suitable for high speed open end spinning.
  • High-tenacity, high modulus black staple fibre.
  
  
• Plant upgrades and other major developments
  
  
  • Through 2001 and 2002 using proprietary technology we designed and installed new batch staple extruders at our plant in Adana.
  • In 2002 we completed a full implementation of SAP into our Turkish operations, we now utilise SAP to operate all of our business processes across Europe.
  • In 2002 we completed the development of our new Evospeed technology. This technology, which is the result of a close alliance with DuPont and Barmag, delivers a massive productivity increase in Polyester POY spinning.
  
  
• Organisational Highlights
  
  
  • In late 2001 the organisation and responsibilities of the Leadership Team were changed. The aim was to leverage the extensive knowledge of the leadership team to maintain competitive advantage, whilst retaining our commitment to customer focus, product excellence and low cost manufacturing.
  • Three new internal functions (Safety Health & Environment, Research, Development & Technology and Information Systems & Technology) were formed to enable the changing focus to be realised.
  • Fibres Business Development Unit was launched in June 2002 to market and promote ADVANSA fibres to textile end uses.
  • 2002 saw the Research, Development & Technology Group grow in size, capability and facilities : all aimed at delivering our ambitious goals in R&D across fibres.