Fiscal 2002 was the most successful year to date for Lenzing Lyocell. Lenzing Lyocell fibers succeeded in recording a clear upturn on the market. An expansion of capacities is the consequence of this positive development.
Lenzing Lyocell GmbH & Co KG developed to our great satisfaction during the year under review. The product and marketing campaign, which was launched recently, made it possible to achieve a significant increase in sales in spite of a slack cyclical environment. Production facilities worked to full capacity. In the course of the year, technical adaptations helped to expand capacities by about 20% and to reach a new record level. On account of all of these measures, the result was substantially improved during the year under review.
As regards products, new priorities were set, both in the textile segment and the nonwovens area, and the customer base was broadened. New attractive areas of application for Lenzing Lyocell are, for example, terry cloth products and other products in the field of home textiles. Lenzing Lyocell filling fibers for bedding enjoy a high level of acceptance.
Decision taken on large-scale investment
On account of the good demand, the decision was taken during the year under review to further expand capacities by building a second production line. The costs required by the investment will amount to about EUR 35 mill. The additional production capacities will be available in early 2004.
Outlook
At the beginning of 2003, the energy and material supply center of the Business Park Heiligenkreuz was purchased by Lenzing AG, in order to secure energy supplies at favorable costs on a long-term basis. As a result, it will now be possible to benefit from the advantages of integration in the energy field as well, by optimally adjusting energy generation to fiber production. It is expected that there will be a further increase in sales in fiscal 2003. Activities will focus on finishing the second production line in time. Intensive marketing activities will go hand in hand with the increase in capacities.
R&D
...Another priority was the improvement in the Lyocell process technology, with the aim of optimizing and securing Lyocell quality, in order to increase productivity and to reduce the specific investment costs. This is also of major importance in connection with the imminent capacity expansion at the Heiligenkreuz plant. The development of Lyocell fibers for hometextile applications was continued with consistency, since this segment recently managed to achieve considerable acceptance by the market.
In July 2002 the fifth anniversary of the Lyocell plant at Heiligenkreuz was celebrated. This was followed in October 2002 by a seminar for journalists dedicated to Lyocell.
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