On February 7th, the textile industry initiative “ZiTex” invited stakeholders to the 18th Industry Dialogue of the North Rhine-Westphalian textile and apparel sector, hosted at our Emsdetten site. The annual association meeting welcomed leading industry representatives as well as Mona Neubaur, Deputy Minister for Economy, Industry, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The event began with a keynote by Dr. Wilfried Holtgrave, President of the Association of the Northwest German Textile and Apparel Industry.

This was followed by guest impulse presentations focused on the topic of sustainability.

TWE Group CEO Jörg Ortmeier introduced the company and our sustainable product line rePEaT.

Dr. F. Hans Grandin, CEO of Huesker Synthetic GmbH, explained how geotextiles are used in hydraulic engineering, road and traffic infrastructure, and environmental technology.

Ernst Grimmelt of Velener Textil GmbH gave a talk on recycling yarn and industrial waste using a new process that integrates people with disabilities.

Detlef Braun, head of ZiTex, and Professor Maike Rabe from the Department of Textile and Clothing Technology at Hochschule Niederrhein, presented “Textile Factory 7.0” – a model project envisioning industrial textile production in the year 2035.

Additionally, Minister Mona Neubaur gave a statement on the industry. She announced her commitment to supporting the sector by reducing bureaucratic hurdles and accelerating planning and approval procedures. The introduction of more automated, digital processes will play a key role in achieving this. She also emphasized the importance of better networking among industry players—companies, research institutions, and public bodies—to foster innovation and collaboration.