Lenzing Fibers

Lenzing Fibers has increasingly enhanced its presence in Asia as a textile producer. The company's sales in the first-half of 2006 were 533.5 million euro, a gain of 14.9% from the year-ago level. EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) was 50.4 million euro, up 212%. In the background, there was

In China, Lenzing has Lenzing Fibers (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and Ernst Sandrieser, General Manager is playing an active part in business. This fall, Lenzing Fibers exhibited at the International Trade Fair for Technical Textiles and Nonwovens (CINTE) where it introduced to Chinese buyers hightech fibers such as "Lenzing FR", a flame retardant fiber.

As for high wet modulus viscose "Lenzing Modal":, Lenzing implements the protection program on a global basis. Tags (Swing labels) are affixed to the products with more than 30% of the blending ratio of "Lenzing Modal". The number of these tags issued totaled 90 million pieces in 2005 and exceeded 100 million pieces in 2006.

BISFA (International Bureau for the Standardization of Manmade Fibres) and ISO 2076 give a definition of modulus and strength of Lenzing Modal when wet. Lenzing emphasizes that "Only our "Lenzing Modal" satisfies these standards and similar items made by other firms are not up to the standards."

The registered "Lenzing Modal" trademark in Japan is written in the Japanese kata-kana phonetic syllabary, in Chinese characters within China and in the phonetic hangul (Korean) writing within Korea.

Lenzing places importance on the holding of technical seminars in Asia. In Japan, Lenzing held technical seminars in Tokyo this September in cooperation with Sojitz Corporation. The seminar programs included "the announcement of a dermatological research paper," "the information on the home product market trend for Lenzing materials in Europe and the U.S.," "the announcement of Lenzing technical support activities," "the announcement of marketing communication plan" and ":the brand guideline."

In the Japanese home product market, Lenzing has intensified its stance to keep steps with Sojitz Corporation. Along this line, Lenzing will launch an organization called "Lenzing Innovation Club (Home Product)." Based on this organization, Lenzing is going to accelerate the enhancement of knowledge on home fashion, along with technical support as well as an innovative development and improvement.

Lenzing plans to increase the ratio of shipment to the home product segment to 30% two years from now.

Sojitz Expanding "Tencel" Fiber Fill Sales in Japan

Sojitz Corporation has formulated a plan to expand sales in Japan of "Tencel" Fiber Fill, a refined cellulosic fiber. Sojitz is one of Japan's typical trading firms and its textile division continues to be in business, following in the tradition built up by the former Nichimen Corporation. With a friendly relationship with Lenzing Fibers, Sojitz has decided to intensify group work jointly with Lenzing in the development of the home product market in Japan.

According to Kazuhito Nakayasu, Manager, Textile Raw Materials Section, Functional Materials Department, Textile & General Merchandise Unit Consumer Lifestyle Business Division, Sojitz is going to play a leading role in the sales expansion of fibers produced by Lenzing, as far as marketing activities in the home product sector within Japan are concerned. To accomplish this, the first meeting of the "Lenzing Innovation Club Home Products," an organization under the leadership of Sojitz, is scheduled for meeting in January or February 2007. It is anticipated that nearly 50 firms including Japan's representative bedding manufacturers and bedding fabric manufacturers will participate in this organization.

This organization aims at the cultivation of mutual friendship among member firms, the holding of seminars to enhance the knowledge on home fashion, technical support and the promotion of an innovative development.