By John Y. Daniels
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) had a very productive year in 2004, undergoing significant changes in governance and program activities to ensure that we remain relevant to our broad range of members worldwide. The AATCC Constitution and Bylaws were amended to streamline the governance of the association, provide for continuity of leadership, maintain sectional activities and initiate new interest groups that will not be geographically restricted.
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During 2004 we merged our Piedmont and Northern Piedmont local sections to form a new expanded Piedmont Section and have recently started a new local section in the northwest!
Governance
We begin 2005 with a new Constitution and Bylaws and have transitioned our previous governing Council of over 40 individuals to a new 20-member Board of Directors representing the key functional areas of activities of the association.
Robert K. Lattie of SDL Atlas LLC is our new president for a two-year term. We will have a special election in February to elect an individual to the newly created position of president-elect for a two-year term to ensure good continuity in our governance.
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AATCC is very grateful for the leadership that Roland L. Connelly Sr. provided the association for the past two years as president and look forward to continuing to work with him in the newly created position of immediate past president.
Technical
Test method development is always a primary focus for AATCC and this was the case in 2004 as well. We experienced tremendous growth with our Proficiency Testing Programs. In 2004 we added the Appearance and Physical Properties Module to complement the existing Colorfastness Module.
Participating laboratories can compare test results of specific tests they perform to the results of others performing the same tests, as a means to ensure testing is being performed properly. Confidentiality of all participants and their results is strictly maintained. As more goods are sourced overseas, quality control and testing are becoming even more critical, and about two-thirds of the participating laboratories are from outside the United States. In addition, AATCC has developed a new UV Calibration Reference Program to help ensure that instrumental measurement of whiteness is being performed properly. For more information on participating in these programs see www.aatcc.org.
As AATCC test methods are used worldwide, it is important that proper training be made available globally. We have been training the industry on proper procedures for conducting AATCC test methods at the Technical Center in Research Triangle Park several times each year.
We expanded the test method training program internationally to cover a number of cities in India, as well as in Beijing, and will launch the program in Shanghai in 2005.
AATCC’s test methods and evaluation procedures can now be purchased and downloaded from www.aatcc.org. This capability allows companies that are interested in just a few of the methods to obtain copies easily and not have to wait for the yearly update of the AATCC Technical Manual, which now contains 124 current AATCC test method and evaluation procedures.
In an effort to help users better understand AATCC test methods new training CDs on Colorfastness to Crocking and Colorfastness to Perspiration have been developed, to complement the existing training CD on Color Evaluation.
In late 2004, AATCC and ASTM signed an agreement to jointly administer the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for ISO/TC 38 Textiles. AATCC will continue to provide the Co-secretariat responsibilities for Subcommittee 1, Test for Coloured Textiles and Colorants and the Secretariat responsibilities for Subcommittee 2 Cleansing, Finishing, and Water Resistance Test Methods.
AATCC conducted the important secretarial duties of those subcommittees in Terrassa, Spain, in June. Robert K. Lattie of SDL Atlas LLC chairs the TAG and the AATCC International Test Method Committee.
Education
The AATCC educational offerings were well received in 2004, and a wide range of symposia and workshops are being offered in 2005. AATCC was pleased to co-locate our annual International Conference & Exhibition (IC&E) and to offer exceptional educational tracks in conjunction with ATME-I in Greenville, SC.
During 2004, we co-hosted a digital printing conference with [TC]2, and another digital printing program is being developed jointly with [TC]2 for May 2005 in New York City.
AATCC’s third Concept 2 Consumer® (C2C) symposium, targeted to the textile and apparel design and merchandising community, will also be held in New York City, in April.
A new workshop on Color Vision and Assessment will be held in February at the AATCC Technical Center. A symposium on Outdoor Performance Materials is being developed jointly with IFAI and will be held in March in Charlotte. A symposium to address the dyeing and finishing of nonwoven materials is being developed jointly with INDA for September in St. Louis.
Plans are progressing well for our annual IC&E, which will be held this year October 25-27 in Boston. Three tracks pertaining to our three interest groups (Chemical Applications, C2C, and Materials) will be offered. Looking ahead, we have an exciting opportunity before us in exhibiting and conducting educational sessions at Shanghaitex in June.
Interest groups
AATCC has formed three interest groups, as previously mentioned, for the purpose of offering our members new opportunities to participate in strategic activities of the association, as well as to work in areas of mutual interest.
The C2C committee formed two years ago transitioned to an interest group and is chaired by John A. Darsey Jr. of Color Solutions International. C2C has already conducted a number of excellent educational programs and has developed, in conjunction with ASTM Committee D-13 on Textiles, the Technical Supplement, which provides hints and guidelines on properly conducting a number of important test methods as well as offering a number of additional tentative tests.
Recently C2C launched a new student design competition. The initial theme is the design for a “carry-all,” and students may enter one of three segments (technical design, aesthetic design, or textile design).
By the December 2004 entry deadline, 85 entries from 25 colleges and universities were received. Judges from the industry will pare down the entries to 10 semifinalists in each of the three categories. The first- and second-place winners in each category will be determined by judges during the upcoming C2C symposium in April.
The traditional textile chemistry, preparation, dyeing, finishing and printing interests of the association will be carried forward in the new Chemical Applications Interest Group, with Stephen B. Brooks of National Textiles LLC. as the initial chair. This group will work to develop technical programs for symposia and IC&E education tracks and other special projects of interest.
AATCC plans to have significant activity growth in the area of high-performance textiles. The new Materials Interest Group will initially be chaired by Fred L. Cook of the Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition to special symposia and education tracks at IC&E, this group will also work on special projects of importance to new materials used in the industry and to new high-tech applications of textile materials.
Individuals are welcome to join any or all of the interest groups, but will only be allowed voting rights in one group. The Membership Services Department at AATCC may be contacted for additional details.
Publications
In 2004, AATCC again received two Apex Awards for our magazine, AATCC Review. We successfully transitioned to and launched an on-line Buyers Guide and have structured the ability to list products in this very informative, searchable and easily updatable guide, which may be accessed on the AATCC website.
Listing in this new Buyers Guide has been incorporated into the AATCC corporate member benefits package. In 2004 we launched an electronic newsletter, AATCC News —from Concept 2 Consumer, and this month launched an on-line version of AATCC Review.
Membership
We have developed a new reduced-fee AATCC membership package for individuals in developing nations, as determined by the World Bank Organization, which will utilize the electronic version of AATCC Review. In addition, improved corporate members benefits will commence in the first quarter 2005, as well as new promotional offerings for key customers of the association.
Foundation
In 2004 the AATCC Foundation launched a research and education fund drive, “Reinvigorating Textile Sciences through Research and Education,” to support its vital research, education and scholarship mission, which complements the mission of AATCC.
Perry L. Grady, associate dean emeritus, College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, is managing this fund drive as well as other activities for the foundation and association.
AATCC is in the planning stages with the American Textile History Museum of Lowell, MA, for the development of events to celebrate the sesquicentennial anniversary of Sir William Henry Perkin’s development in 1856 of the first synthetic dye, which also played a significant role in launching the entire field of organic chemistry.
John Y. “Jack” Daniels serves as executive director of the American Association of Textile Chemists & Colorists (AATCC). He can be reached at danielsj@aatcc.org.
