• Online moisture measurement
of water-based coating by mirowave technique
• Coating add-on immediately after coating knife across width (side, center, side) and length
• No protective precautions necessary in comparison to radioactive measuring devices

• Optimised heat treatment through monitoring of fabric and air temperature
for reproduceably
high quality of production, avoiding skin and crack formation

• Distortion analysis (Skew/Bow %)
  distortion in absolute values in cm or inch
• Pick/Course counting per cm
• Width measurement

On the 06.11.09 there took a high-carat advanced training of the VDTF (Verein Deutscher Textilveredlungsfachleute e.V.) place with more than 160 participants, a new record, from economy and colleges from all over Germany in the especially prepared production hall. With talks all around textile finishing and textile chemistry, held by famous lecturers, the participants could extend their theoretical knowledge.

The practical part consisted of a company tour, where the participants got in-depth knowledge about the high-tech products of the company PLEVA. In the textile industry these are in worldwide use, among others, for process and energy optimisation of drying processes, for the optimisation and regulation of coating and dying processes and for automatic straightening of woven or knitted fabrics. Tasty food by midday and in the evening completed the event.The well-balanced and successful daily schedule with perfect organisation and big hospitality received big praise from the VDTF as well as from all participants.

One week later on the 13.11.09 a feast was organised with the employees and their families in the Hotel Empfinger Hof. With a musical presentation from the family circle, a narrative about the company’s origin and many entertaining contributions from the rows of the staff, an overall successful party was celebrated till the early morning hours.

In early 2009, the 40-year anniversary was already celebrated with other highlights. Outstanding was the concert within the scope of the Horber music days in May. More than 300 visitors from the whole region took pleasure in a unique jazz concert under the motto „New York, New York“ in the production hall.

The employees remember the company walking-tour in spring with joy. It went from Bad Imnau by the Eyachtal to Haigerloch followed by a guided tour of the nuclear cellar and gallery Hurm. Along the Haigerloch Castle, the way led on the forest trail with direction Trillfinger Cottage. After abundant refreshment it went to the vantage point „the seat of wisdom“, from which the whole alb panorama can be seen from mountain Rossberg to mountain Plettenberg. From there the employees walked back in the valley to Bad Imnau.

On the 11.11.2009 the PLEVA GmbH celebrated its 40-year anniversary. That's why an advanced VDTF training seminar took place on the 06.11.2009 at the PLEVA sites. The free seminar with the subject „Chemical basics of textile finishing: pretreatment – dying – finishing“ which was mainly directed at apprentices, students and young employees in the textile finishing area was a repetition of the seminar which had taken place in March in Mönchengladbach.

After a short greeting by Dr. Pleva and Mr. van Wersch the participants of the seminar were introduced into the basics of fiber chemistry by Dr. Bernd Wahle (management consultant and teaching representative of the Niederrhein University). Afterwards Mr. Richard Fahnder (DyStar Textilfarben GmbH & Co., Frankfurt) enlarged on the colouring chemistry.

In the lunch break a company tour followed after a refreshment in the canteen. The visitors could be read up closer on three different stations about the high-tech straightening system, the measuring and control systems of coating, dying and size processes and the sensor systems of the company Pleva to save energy at drying processes.

In the afternoon Mr. Gero Reichert (consultant for Pulcra Chemicals GmbH and visiting professor at the university of Shanghai) held a talk on the subject „Chemistry of the textile additives - known how, the application of tensides -“.

Prof. Dr. Maike Rabe (lecturer at the Niederrhein University) presented the finishing highlight with her speech on the meaning of the surface and interface chemistry.

The participants could receive their certificates at the end of the seminar. Everybody agreed that even the long journey of some participants from Mönchengladbach has been worthwhile. The fact that the seminar met big approval also can be ascertained in the new record of 160 participant .

Kurt van Wersch thanked Dr. Ralf Pleva and his whole team for the good organisation and catering and agreed with Dr. Pleva that such an event should be repeated soon.