At INDEX, Reicofil from the Reifenhauser Gruppe unveiled Reicofil RF 4 state-of- the-art technology. "Our technology has the potential in regard to speed, throughput, and lower fabric weight. With Our technology we can deliver the required product properties to its lowest cost with material and energy,” said the company's service sales manager Jorg Linden.

In other news, Reifenhäuser Reicofil offers customized combined heat and power plants (CHP) for new and existing Recofil spunbonding and composite lines that enable a new generation of electric power and an optimal use of the resulting waste heat, depending on the configuration of the lines. The new energy concept was presented by Reicfoil at INDEX 2011.

Under optimal conditions, customized combined heat and power plants can achieve an overall efficiency of over 90%, far more than common central power stations.Producers disposing of their own CHP are able to produce part of the required electricity and at the same time they can utilise the waste heat in a targeted way on different temperature levels. For example, high temperatures can be used to generate hot compressed air for the melt blown process or for heating calenders and driers, while low temperature levels are suitable for pre-heating of process air or secondary air or for space heating. In combination with an absorption refrigerator, they are even appropriate for process air cooling and air conditioning of buildings.

According to Hans-Georg Geus, technical director of Reicofil, combined heat and power plants offer essential advantages: “The targeted utilisation of waste heat resulting from a combined generation of heat and power enables the users of such plants to reduce their production costs while at the same time their production will become more sustainable and resource conserving.”