The Lenzing Group, Lenzing, Austria, has successfully initiated production at its new TENCEL® jumbo production facility, the largest in the world, at the Lenzing site in Upper Austria. The plant is in the midst of a stable ramp-up phase. 

 

"We are more than satisfied with the progression of the startup curve. Based on the production process in the past days and weeks, we have reasonable grounds to believe that this latest generation of TENCEL technology will completely fulfill our expectations," said Lenzing CEO Peter Untersperger.

 

"The successful startup of production operations is a technological milestone for TENCEL, the fiber of the future, and for the entire Lenzing Group. We are optimistic that we will be able to achieve the planned production target of 30,000 metric tons by the end of 2014. This new TENCEL facility is decisive to ensure the long-term viability of fiber production at the Lenzing site and the basis for future investments in all markets," added Lenzing’s COO Friedrich Weninger. 

 

This factory represents the first time that a single production line with an annual nominal capacity of 67,000 metric tons was installed. Previous TENCEL production lines usually have been only one-quarter as large. The new plant design incorporates lessons learned from the longstanding experience of three existing Lenzing Group TENCEL production plants located in Austria, the U.S., and the U.K. The new TENCEL plant in Lenzing thus represents the world’s leading generation of TENCEL technology. 

 

The new design of the jumbo production line also enables investment costs to be maintained at a very competitive level of approximately EUR 150 million (about EUR 2,200 per metric ton of capacity). 

 

With a construction time of 24 months, Lenzing completely adhered to both the budgeted investment costs as well as all timetables. The TENCEL production in Lenzing secures 140 jobs at the Lenzing site. 

 

Due to startup of the new plant, annual nominal TENCEL production capacity of the Lenzing Group will rise from 155,000 metric tpy to about 220,000 metric tpy. In this way, Lenzing will further expand upon its global market leadership for TENCEL fibers and offer its global customers new expansion opportunities in both the textile and nonwovens segments as well as new and innovative applications. 

 

"The related market development activities have already been in full swing for quite a few months," said Robert van de Kerkhof, chief commercial officer of Lenzing responsible for the fiber business. Moreover, new technical applications will be opened up and significantly expanded in the years to come. 

 

TENCEL, the latest generation of man-made cellulose fibers, is manufactured in a particularly environmentally-compatible production process awarded the "European Award for the Environment" by the European Union. Lenzing is the only industrial-scale supplier of TENCEL in the world. TENCEL fibers are used by the textile industry as well as for nonwovens. Typical applications of the high-tech fiber TENCEL include sportswear, soft denim applications, home textiles, and baby wipes and cosmetic wipes. However, TENCEL is also being increasingly deployed for technical applications. For example, as a powder added to construction materials, TENCEL ensures a pleasant indoor climate.