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#Yarn & Fiber

Fire at Kelheim Fibres’ viscose fibre production plant

On Sunday 14. October 2018 at around 10:00 a fire broke out in the main fibre spinning area at Kelheim Fibres GmbH. The fire was extinguished by 13:00 by the company’s own fire brigade with the support of local fire services. No employees were seriously injured, one suffered minor injuries. There were no hazardous discharges to the environment.

The fire caused significant damage to some parts of the fibre spinning lines, and more particularly to electrical cabling, and also structural damage to some parts of the spinning area. Currently two teams of specialists are working on securing the building, removing debris and cleaning up the production area.



Following a first preliminary assessment of the damage caused, a provisional plan for the restart of the production lines has been developed. It is planned to start the first two lines at the end of October 2018, with a further two to follow at the end of November 2018. After four months, it is planned to have started a further four lines, with the remaining two to follow eight months later.

Kelheim Fibres is in direct contact with customers and has informed them of the expected impact on supply.

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#Man-Made Fibers

Kelheim Fibres GmbH informs about the closure of operations

The management of Kelheim Fibres GmbH informs that business operations will be terminated as of 31 March 2026. A continuation of the company beyond this date is not possible. The investor and sales process conducted within the framework of the self-administration did not lead to a positive outcome. The potential strategic investor who most recently entered the process has withdrawn from a potential investment at short notice.

#Man-Made Fibers

Investor withdrawal forces Kelheim Fibres to assess future operations

Kelheim Fibres GmbH has confirmed that the planned transaction within its ongoing self-administered insolvency proceedings has failed. The intended sale to the Munich-based LEO III Fund, advised by the DUBAG Group, could not be completed despite extensive efforts.

#Man-Made Fibers

Kelheim Fibres GmbH: Strategic Realignment and Acquisition by LEO III Fund

Kelheim Fibres GmbH has signed a notarial purchase agreement with Munich-based financial investor LEO III Fonds, exclusively advised by DUBAG Group, as part of its ongoing self-administered insolvency proceedings. The signing took place on November 5, 2025, with the completion of the transaction scheduled for January 1, 2026.

#Man-Made Fibers

Kelheim Fibres on track for the future

Kelheim Fibres GmbH, a global leader in specialty viscose fibre solutions, has successfully completed an internal restructuring and sharpened its focus on core product segments following its October 2024 insolvency filing. This has enabled the company to return to a sustainable business model, with a firm commitment to continue on this path.

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#Spinning

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

#Man-Made Fibers

ROICA™ launches new global brand identity and digital experience

ROICA™, the premium stretch fiber developed by Asahi Kasei, today announced the launch of its new global brand identity, including a new key visual and a fully redesigned website. This milestone initiative marks the beginning of a new phase in ROICA™’s evolution as a global brand.

#Man-Made Fibers

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

#Man-Made Fibers

Grasim Industries announces fresh investment of ₹3094 Crore to expand Lyocell capacity

Grasim Industries Limited, the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group and a global leader in cellulosic fibres, today announced an investment of ₹3,094 crore, for Phase II Lyocell capacity of 110K TPA at Harihar, Karnataka. This expansion will consist of 2 lines of 55K TPA (150 Tons per day) each. The first line is expected to be commissioned by 2028, and the second line is expected to be commissioned by 2030.

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#Nonwovens

Lenzing Group highlights scalable, bio-based nonwovens solutions at leading global industry fairs

From CIDPEX in China to Techtextil in Frankfurt and INDEX in Geneva, the Lenzing Group showcases ready-for-market, bio-based nonwoven solutions and receives industry recognition for LENZING™ Nonwoven Technology.

#Research & Development

Carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre proves its worth – NRW Minister for Science Mona Neubaur congratulates ITA start-up TERNAfil

MAXCarbon technology, a novel carbon-ceramic hybrid fibre developed by ITA spin-off TERNAfil, secured third place at the HIGH-TECH.NRW Demo Day on the TÜV NORD campus in Essen. The technology combines the strength of carbon fibres with the temperature and corrosion resistance of ceramic materials. Mona Neubaur, Minister for Science in North Rhine-Westphalia, congratulated the team on their success and on winning prize money of 4,000 euros.

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DTF vs DTG Printing - The technologies shaping today’s custom merchandise market

From sportswear to branded tote bags, custom merchandise continues to grow in popularity across sectors, driving print shops to cater to short runs, personalisation, and rapid turnaround. As print providers look to this market, two printing technologies often stand out: Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) and Direct‑to‑Garment (DTG). Each offers its own benefits, and understanding these differences helps determine the most suitable production method for print service providers.

#Associations

Towards pragmatic and harmonised labelling in the EU

EDANA, alongside 14 European associations, urges the European Commission and Member States to adopt a pragmatic approach for the future harmonised packaging labels, in line with the EU’s agenda for the EU Single Market, simplification and competitiveness. The system should rely on text-free pictograms, available in achromatic or monochromatic versions matching the packaging palette, with the possibility of using digital labelling as a core element. Our associations represent manufacturers of consumer goods across Europe.

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