Collaboration deploys cleaning company’s water conservation technology

Listed cleaning business Xeros Technology Group says its Indian license partner, Ramsons Garment Finishing Equipment, has received an order for nine denim finishing machines incorporating Xeros’ technologies.

Manufacturing will start immediately with the first machines shipped later this year to ABA Group, a supplier of clothing to international brands including American Eagle, H&M and Zara.

ABA has a production capacity of 45 million garments per annum with approximately 70% devoted to denim products.

The order represents the first sales of Rotherham-headquartered Xeros’ XDrum™ design, which fully automates the use of the Group’s proprietary XOrbs™ in garment finishing and laundry processes.

The use of XOrbs in the denim finishing process eliminates the need for pumice stone and reduces water consumption by 75%.

Manufacturing productivity and economics are also improved by allowing all finishing processes to be undertaken in a single machine in shorter cycle times.

XDrum-enabled machines are up to 5,000 litres in cubic capacity and can process approximately 300 pairs of jeans per cycle.

In line with the Board’s expectations, Xeros will receive a mid to high single digit royalty for these machine sales as well as royalties for the ongoing use of XOrbs.

Mark Nichols, CEO at Xeros, said: “The order from the ABA Group marks the first sale of Xeros’ new XDrum machine design and represents a landmark in the execution of our strategy.

“Our collaboration with Ramsons has created a new way for turning raw denim into finished garments, at a time when the industry is under intense pressure to reduce its environmental impact and costs.

“More than one billion pairs of jeans are sold every year, with each one exacting an environmental toll including high water consumption during manufacture and when washed by consumers.

“Microfibres from their laundering are also entering our rivers and oceans.

“Our mission is to change this dramatically for the better for all the garments in our world.”

Sunder Belani, CEO at Ramsons, said:” Xeros’ technologies were one of the principle reasons for ABA Group selecting Ramsons to equip their new denim finishing operation.

“ABA who operate to the highest environmental standards, are one of the largest apparel manufacturers in Bangladesh supplying global leaders in the fashion industry.

“We expect our partnership with Xeros to generate further orders in South Asia which is one of the world’s largest centres of garment production.”