News

21. December 2011

Lenzing and smartfiber intensify their cooperation

Lenzing AG, world market leader for man-made cellulose fibers and the German company smartfiber AG/Rudolstadt are expanding their cooperation. In the future Lenzing will exclusively produce the lyocell specialty fibers smartcel and SeaCell developed by smartfiber at the Lenzing site in Upper Austria. In 2007, Lenzing already granted smartfiber a license for the pilot production of new types of lyocell specialty fibers. Moreover, smartfiber and Lenzing have been cooperating for several years to develop fabrics and on various research projects.

For reasons of profitability, the pilot plant of smartfiber is being relocated from Rudolstadt to Lenzing in order to be able to rapidly move ahead with the commercial exploitation of smartcel and SeaCell fibers in spite of rising energy and raw material prices. The integration of the facility in Lenzing, the world’s largest cellulose fiber production site, will enable a significantly better cost structure. Moreover, the smartfiber pilot plant had recently reached its capacity limits due to the continually increasing order volume, which no longer made it possible to optimally coordinate incoming orders and accept large orders.

smartfiber will continue to be responsible for the sales and marketing of smartcel and SeaCell. The fibers are primarily used in home textiles as well as in the fashion and medicine segments. The SeaCell fibers contain valuable active substances from seaweed which promotes health, nurtures the skin and protects against free radicals. smartcel sensitive is the first antibacterial, natural fiber available on the market to which the essential trace element zinc is added, thus enabling regenerative skin care and hygiene in textiles.