Cottonbleach

RTDs

GUT - Technische Universitaet Graz / AustriaAlmost 200 years of research and teaching in society’s service make Technische Universitaet Graz (GUT) one of Austria's most venerable scientific institutions. GUT pursues teaching and research in the fields of the engineering sciences and the technical-natural sciences. Prof. Gueorg Guebitz will be the person responsible for such research, having published over 150 scientific papers and several patents in this field. GUT’s business activities include a range of technology for new developments and inventions, advice on innovation questions, co-operation network for research projects, recruiting services and continuing education and training opportunities. It also co-operates with partner universities and extra-university facilities within the framework of international networks. Establishing excellent contacts with industry and the business world are an everyday activity at GUT.

Role in the consortium: GUT will mainly focus their research work in the study of in-situ peroxide generation, studying the influence of the process conditions in the reaction.
At the same time, GUT institution has been appointed as CottonBleach coordinator.

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TEM - Associação Universidade-Empresa para o Desenvolvimento - TecMinho / Portugal TecMinho was created in 1990 by the University of Minho (one of the three largest universities in Portugal) aiming at being an interface body to interact with Industry regarding science, technology and innovation. TecMinho promotes RTD services fostering new products and processes, consulting services (including innovation audits and technology watch) and IPR support.

Role in the consortium: TEM will lead the research activities in laccase pre-treatment enhanced by ultrasound (WP2). Their previous experiments performed in collaboration with GUT in this kind of processes represent a solid background to carry out the research work. They will be able to determine the most efficient way to transform the coloured compounds present in cotton fibres by means of laccase activity and how the ultrasound can improve this reaction by means of mass transfer and radical formation phenomena.

IPE is a department of Centre de recerca i investigació de Catalunya, S.A. / Spain research center founded in 1997 and based in Spain, which aims at assisting small and medium sized enterprises to become more competitive through technological innovation, respecting the environment and improving products, processes or services that contribute to a better quality of life. Role in the consortium: CRIC will be in charge of process engineering, electronic sensors and signal acquisition for integration of the different parts involved in the project, and design and build up the prototype. The partners believe that their combined capabilities in process engineering and electromechanic expertise will result in the most effective and rapid development of the technology. Their experience in field validation and training tasks will be used in this phase of the project (WP6 and WP7 respectively). They will also work together with several consortium partners in the more specific definition of the system specifications (WP1). IPE also will contribute towards defining the technical requirements of the CottonBleach system and will lead the research tasks in WP3, studying the improvement of peroxide bleaching process by means of laccase pre-treatment. They will offer support during the field tests of the final equipment in ACT installations, and will play a key role in technology transfer and exploitation preparing the dissemination material.

SME-AGs

AITPA- Asociación Industrial Textil de Proceso Algodonero / Spain Since 1977 AITPA has represented the interests of the Spanish cotton textile industry. It is involved in different fields and tasks including economic and commercial policy, industrial policy, trade unions relationship, environmental matters, export promotion, training courses and relationship with universities and research institutions. AITPA is a member of several national and international organisations: Consejo Intertextil Español, CEOE, Fomento del Trabajo, Circulo de Economía, Eurocoton, Euratex, and ITMF (International Textile Manufacturers Federation).

Association of Textile – Clothing – Leather Industry (ATOK) is the largest corporation of textile, clothing and leather enterprises in the Czech Republic. It represents about 55% of these industries, especially in textile and clothing sector. Established in 1990, 50 member companies.
The main role of the Association is to represent and protect the interests of its members in the Czech Republic and abroad as well. Furthermore it develops relevant organizational activities in the sphere of economy, commerce, production, etc. This activity comprises also contacts and cooperation with analogous organizations and institutes abroad.
ATOK facilitates direct commercial relations between the Czech and foreign companies and is member of the Confederation of Employers Associations of Czech Republic, EURATEX ( European Apparel and Textile Organisation) and ITMF (International Textile Manufacturers Federation). ATOK participated and is still participating in several EU projects.

ATP- Associação Täxtil e Vestuário de Portugal / Portugal is an employers’ association that groups more than 700 companies from the Portuguese textile and clothing sector. Altogether, these companies are responsible for more than 60,000 jobs, with a turnover of 3,000 million Euros. The Association now represents all commercial and industrial activities of the textile and clothing business and become the biggest organisation representing the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Sector. They are member of the CIP – Confederation of the Portuguese Industry and EURATEX.

Role in the consortium: All the Project associations, as initial owners of the intellectual property rights will ensure the optimal dissemination, use and exploitation of the project results. They will also participate on the validation of the developed technology as well as on the take up of results activities.

SMEs

ACT - Acatel Acabamentos Täxteis S.A./ PortugalACT was established in 1985 and offers services of dyeing, mercerizing, bleaching, piece dyeing, printing, flocking and finishing. Its business strategy is based on short delivery deadlines and quality performance, the result of continuous investments and a highly professional human resources team. They are member of consortium SME-AG ATP.

BRA – Brazzoli S.P.A. / ItalyBRAZZOLI S.P.A., worldwide leading manufacturer in the production of machines for dyeing and finishing of both woven and knitted textiles, offers innovative solutions for the reduction of the energetic consumptions and for the optimisation of the treatment cycles. They have different patents on their products (INNODYE®, INNOVAT®, INNOFLOW®) due their strong research character.

UTC - UTC Umweltlabor GmbH / AustriaUTC is an Austrian SME with over 20 employees founded in 2004. UTC as a special focuses on Environmental Technology and Environmental Chemistry and also took over the Dr. Glaser analysis lab in 2006 which existed since 1992. The CEO of UTC, Dr. Jürgen Maier has experience in the development of enzyme systems for textile/ fibre processing with special focus on reductase enzymes for bleaching of dyes. Additional experience for screening techniques for new enzymes and scaling up enzyme production and immobilising of all kinds of enzymes became more recently available in the course of ongoing integration of the related business activities of Qualizyme biotechnology. UTC cooperates with GUT already in various projects which facilitate execution of the projects tasks.

FISA- Fisa Iberica S.L. / SpainFISA are specialists in the design, manufacture and sale of automatic ultrasound cleaning machines, FISA has acquired experience and 'know-how' via more than 8,000 installations sold throughout the world. Their range of products, adapted to meet current legislation requirements, has strengthened their presence in various high-potential industrial sectors, such as the automotive, aeronautical, electronic and medical industries. Furthermore, FISA has developed a strategy that is specially adapted to niche markets such as tooling maintenance and the optical industry.

Role in the consortium: All SMEs will provide their input based on their industrial experience and will participate on the validation of the developed technology as well as on the dissemination and take up of results activities.