Candour Techtex, a Melegaon JR Group company, is so happy with the latest coat—ing and lamination line supplied by the UK’s Amba Projex. It has immediately ordered a second, wider one to meet booming demand.

“We are very pleased with how this in—stallation went,” says Amba Managing Direc—tor Barry Goodwin. “Our team installed the machine and got it running from Day One,producing three—pass blackout thermal lin—ings and technical laminations to a quality never before seen in India.”

Based in High Peak near Manchester,BTMA member Amba Projex has over 40 years’ experience in the design and manu—facture of special purpose technical textile machines, with coating and laminating installations around the world.

“We serve manufacturers in many different countries with an experienced network of agents on the ground and in India we are bril—liantly supported by Jayessh S Nanavati and his team at Sainite Ex—ports,” says Goodwin. “They have been instrumental in securing sales for us in India. We strive to provide the most effective machinery,on time and within budget and also provide consultation services for customers based on our extensive process know—how.”

Amba will be working closely with Candour over the next five years, to establish an Indian technical textiles powerhouse capitalising on the UK technology provider’s long experience in the field.

Focus

Formerly Chandni Textiles Engineering Industries, Candour Tech—tex of the Malegaon JR Group assumed its new name in 2022 to re—flect its focus on a wide range of technical textiles at its new plant in Malegaon in the Nashik District of Maharashtra.

The company was founded in 1986 and at its existing plant in Ankleshwar, Gujarat, produces an annual 1.2 million metres of light velvet fabrics mainly for the domestic market for apparel and light home furnishings. In 2020 it also began operations at a plastic moulded components division in Gonde, Nashik, with a capacity of 4,500 tons per annum. Candour Techtex is already seeing growing demand for a number of its new products.

“The future for the technical textile industry in India is very positive with increasingly strong consumption rates in the domes—tic market, as well as a growing demand for exports,” says Man—aging Director JR Mehta. “Currently a lot of coated and laminated technical textiles are being imported to India so we see big poten—tial in manufacturing them here, but we also have a competitive advantage in exports, and Amba is assisting us in identifying these market opportunities.”

Blackout fabrics

In particular, the new Amba Projex system en—ables blackout fabrics to be produced efficiently and at scale. Blackout fabrics are installed in rooms where complete light shielding is required, such as in public institutions like hospitals, and retirement homes, in hotels and conference rooms, and also in the home,especially in bedrooms.

They obtain their light impermeability by a special three—layer blackout coating which works on textiles of all colours. Only the middle layer of the three coat—ings needs to be black for obtaining the necessary light absorption. The fabrics are usually also treated for permanent flame—retardancy, and also with water or stain—repellent finishes. In addition to locking out light and providing maximum privacy, blackout cur—tains also help to insulate a home and reduce energy costs, in addition to protecting furniture and carpets from fading due to sunlight exposure.

Rapid installation

With its two—metre—wide new coating and lami—nation unit now in full operation, Candour has ordered a second Amba Projex machine, with a wider working width of 3.5—metres.

“We are extremely pleased with the rapid instal—lation of this machine and its faultless commissioning by Amba and Sainite Exports,” Mr Mehta says. “They have proved to be partners we can solidly rely on as we continue to expand our business.”

“Companies looking to enter new areas of ad—vanced textile production have a lot to gain from part—nering with British technology suppliers with a lot of experience in the field like Amba Projex,” adds Jason Kent, Managing Director of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA). “This is a perfect example of an ongoing win—win cooperation between machine builder and manufacturer, at a very exciting time for India’s growth.”