The Lenzing Group, 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, which is proceeding according to schedule and is expected to be completed within the originally planned timerame of 24 months. The feedback on the part of the market is very positive.

Peter Untersperger, CEO, Lenzing Group, said that they are more than satisfied with the progression of the startup curve and are confident that they will be able to achieve the planned production target of 30,000 tons by the end of 2014.

The production line at the new facility, which employs 140 workers, has an annual nominal production capacity of 67,000 tons and enables Lenzing to raise total annual Tencel production capacity from 155,000 tons to some 220,000 tons. The company reports that the startup of the facility provides expansion opportunities for its customers in the textile and nonwovens segments alike, in addition to enabling development of new applications including technical applications.

The new TENCEL plant in Lenzing 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 mn (about EUR 2,200 per ton of capacity).

This comprises the decisive approach to the further competitive scaling of TENCEL fibers as a universally deployable textile and nonwoven fiber. The new, broader product portfolio on the basis of the TENCEL technology successfully complements Lenzing’s specialty strategy.

Moreover, new technical applications will be opened up and massively expanded in the years to come.