#Yarn & Fiber

2021-06-30

Kelheim Fibres presents award at “Plan B” start-up competition

For the fourth time, the international start-up competition "Plan B - Biobased.Business.Bavaria." organised by BioCampus Straubing honoured the best new business ideas in the field of biobased solutions.

Dr Crnoja-Cosic, Director New Business Development, and Matthew North, Commercial Director, represented Kelheim Fibres at the award ceremony. The manufacturer of special viscose fibres has been working with the BioCampus Straubing for many years and is a supporter of the competition, this year as prize sponsors.

In this capacity, Dr. Crnoja-Cosic was honoured to congratulate the newly founded team of Microbify GmbH on their third place and present them with a cheque for 3,000 Euros. As a spin-off from the University of Regensburg, Microbify works, among other things, on the use of old natural gas storage facilities for the production of green natural gas using extremophilic microorganisms. Dr. Crnoja-Cosic particularly praised the approach of reusing existing infrastructure in an innovative way.

At the same time, she was enthusiastic about the scope of the competition: "62 applications from Germany and all over the world show how much creative potential has been mobilised here. At the same time, the start-ups prove that their ideas also work economically. Only the combination of both will really move us forward and make our dream of a bio-based economy a reality."

Driving the change from a fossil-based to a bio-based economy is a declared goal of Kelheim Fibres - their speciality fibres are replacing fossil materials in more and more applications. To this end, the fibre manufacturer seeks inspiration and exchange within its own industry as well as with innovation partners from outside the industry, start-ups and science in an open innovation approach.

"The cooperation with BioCampus Straubing is very valuable for us," says Crnoja-Cosic. "Here we find people who share our passion for seeking innovative answers to previously unsolved needs."

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.

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.

Kelheim Fibres GmbH: Insolvency proceedings opened in self-administration – focus on sustainable restructuring and securing the future

By order of the Local Court of Regensburg dated January 1, 2025, insolvency proceedings were opened against the assets of Kelheim Fibres GmbH and self-administration was ordered. The management remains fully capable of acting within the framework of the proceedings ordered by the court and is supported by the law firms Advant Beiten and Brinkmann & Partner. Attorney Michael Verken was appointed as trustee.

CARBIOS and Wankai sign strategic PET biorecycling pact

CARBIOS (Euronext Growth Paris: ALCRB) and Wankai New Materials (“Wankai”), a listed subsidiary of Zhink Group, the 3rd largest PET producer in China and 4th worldwide, announce the signing of the definitive agreement establishing a strategic partnership for the industrial rollout of CARBIOS’s PET biorecycling technology in Asia. The first milestone will be the construction of a PET biorecycling plant in China.

Fulgar voice at the Milan Fashion Institute

Daniela Antunes, Marketing Manager at Fulgar, participated as an expert speaker at the XVII edition of the Master in Brand & Product Management of the prestigious Milano Fashion Institute, which trains well-rounded professionals capable of managing both the creative and strategic-managerial aspects of the fashion & luxury sector.

SENSIL® by NILIT and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei collaborate to reduce apparel’s footprint

Rapidly transforming apparel into a lower-carbon industry requires collaboration, innovation, and creativity. In this spirit, SENSIL® by NILIT and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei have collaborated to introduce the concept of a new fabric with less environmental impact, combining SENSIL® ByNature, a NILIT Biomass Balanced Nylon 6.6 yarn, and Biomass Balanced ROICA™ premium stretch fiber, both designed for high-performance apparel.

Navis TubeTex announces U.S. partnership with Icomatex

Navis TubeTex, a global leader in advanced dyeing and finishing machinery solutions, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Icomatex (www.icomatex.com), a respected European manufacturer of high-quality stenters and textile finishing equipment. Under this agreement, Navis TubeTex will exclusively represent the Icomatex stenter line in the United States.

ADVANSA launches ADVA®tex: A new step toward textile-to-textile recycling

ADVANSA has introduced ADVA®tex, a new filling fibre made entirely from recycled pre-consumer textile waste, positioning the material as a significant step forward in textile-to-textile (T2T) recycling. The fibre is designed for use in duvets, pillows, mattresses, and furniture applications and is available in three versions.

KARL MAYER celebrates 35 years of EL pattern drive

KARL MAYER is celebrating an anniversary this year: on 30 November 1990, the first warp knitting machine with electronic guide bar control, the KS 4 EL, was delivered – another milestone for patterning. As early as 1980, the SU gearbox with the MRS42SU had initiated the transition from mechanical chains to digital data.