Glen Raven Inc., a global provider of high-performance fabrics designed for a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial applications, is exploring expanding its presence in India.

The company provides high-performance fabrics for various industries including automotive, petrochemicals, construction, mining, logistics, geosynthetics, filtration and protective fabrics for the police, military, fire fighters etc.  Glen Raven has manufacturing facilities on three continents, including North America, Europe, and Asia, and sells products in over 100 countries.  Its brands such as Sunbrella and Dickson fabrics are used for residential and commercial awnings, upholstery, outdoor furniture, and boating.

India’s technical textiles market, which is currently estimated at $ 17 billion is likely to reach a level of $ 32 billion by 2023, will develop as an important centre for both manufacturing and consumption.  Innovation in using technical textiles for new applications across industries will be the driver of the growth of the industry.

Paige Mullis, Director of Concept Development, Glen Raven said, “Globally, technical textile forms 65 per cent of the textile market, whereas in India it is only 10 to 15 per cent. This indicates the massive growth potential in this segment. Given the demand for the technical textiles in India, and our diverse range of products, our experience and expertise in innovations in high performance fabrics, we are well placed to partner with Indian companies to provide solutions for industry specific needs. Our leading-edge manufacturing facilities specialise in weaving, knitting, dying, coating, and laminating worldwide—and are committed to the health and safety of our associates.”

Glen Raven’s investments in India began in 2007 when it acquired Strata Systems, Inc. in the U.S., which owned 50 per cent of Strata India, a geosynthetics sales, marketing and technical support company based in Mumbai formed in 2004 as part of Strata’s global operations.

According to Paige, “Advances in fiber, yarn, fabric and manufacturing technologies continue to lead to new application opportunities across industries, especially in the more highly engineered applications, such as in automobiles, military, and infrastructure.  Glen Raven has been a leader in innovation, performance, quality and technical merit of these engineered products since 1880. Staying ahead of the technology curve is critical, but equally important for us is to partner with our customers to use our products as solutions for their specific needs in high tech, high performance fabrics designed not just to look attractive, but to offer a significant added value in terms of functionality.”