UK's first yarn dyeing application now fully operational

25 Sep '12

3 min read

The first dedicated yarn dyeing plant to be installed in the UK for many years is now fully operational at Park Valley Dyers in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire; featuring a complete Thies dyeing installation.

German dyeing machinery specialist, Thies GmbH & Co KG, installed the ten dyeing machines and a horizontal pressure dryer in record time, in addition to designing the lay-out and specifications for all ancillary equipment at the new plant.

It stands as a shining example of a lean and efficient 21st Century operation, run by just six employees already achieving output of 25 tons of dyed yarn a week – and with virtually zero waste.

Huddersfield is situated at the convergence of the rivers Colne and Holme, where centuries ago it was discovered that the water – flowing down from the Millstone Grit Pennine hills – provides excellent results for washing raw wool. Fine woollen and worsted manufacturing became a Huddersfield tradition, with skills and expertise handed down from generation-to-generation.

The boom period for UK textiles in the late 19th and early 20th Century made many industrialists very wealthy, as is still evidenced today by some of the grand architecture of Huddersfield.

Unfortunately, many of the mills which once clothed the world now stand silent or have been turned into apartments and offices. Textile companies remaining in this region are specialised niche businesses operating in very demanding markets. One such company is contract furnishing fabrics specialist Camira Fabrics, which has set up the new £2 million Park Valley operation in a joint venture with Holmfirth Dyers.

Camira, which is headquartered in nearby Mirfield, has a weaving mill in Huddersfield and a second in Lithuania, employing a total of 450 people at the two sites. As the supplier of Holdsworth-branded fabrics to the transportation industry, its products are supplied for bus, coach and train upholstery across the world. Customers include Arriva, Transport for London, the Paris Metro, London Underground and First Group.

Camira also produces extensive collections for office furniture. For both of these markets, product specification is extremely high, particularly in respect of continuity and reproducibility of product with high fastness requirements being met by the new Thies units.

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