Tencel in Courtaulds Annual Reports (1981-90)

The Courtaulds Annual Reports contain concise statements of the progress of the Tencel development year-by-year.  These statements have been pasted into a series of 10 posts which can be read in sequence by scrolling down from here:

1981-82 - under "Research"

Technology is being developed in the use of novel solvents for the conversion of woodpulp to regenerated cellulose products, leading to lower effluent levels and reduced energy consumption in the manufacturing process.

1982-83 - under "Courtaulds Research"

 A pilot plant incorporating a process which directly dissolves cellulose ran successfully towards the end of the year.  First indications are that the process may provide a low cost route to novel types of fibres and films.

1983-84  - under "Courtaulds Research"

Development of the new process for directly dissolving and regenerating cellulose continued.  Samples of fibres, of fabrics made from them and of transparent films have been produced, all with interesting properties.

1984-85 - Under "Research"

The research progamme into the production of new fibres and films by direct dissolution and regeneration of woodpulp continued successfully.

1985-86 - under "Research"

The development of a direct solvent spinning system for cellulosic fibres and films continued successfully.  An expanded pilot plant will be available by the end of 1986.
1986-87 -  under "Fibres"
Research expenditure was again at a high level for all fibres, but especially in the development of the new solvent-spun cellulose fibre.  Its pilot-plant came on stream and good progress has been made on the next stage of production which will make commercial quantities available.
               - under "Research"
The programme to develop a new range of cellulosic fibres using a new direct solvent spinning system continued with the successful commissioning of an expanded pilot-plant and with engineering developments for further expansion.  The process gives significant improvements over existing fibre properties and environmentally.
1988-89 - under "Fibres"
The first commercial scale Tencel plant was commissioned during the year. Its capacity is modest and design work on larger units is now well underway.
                - under "Research"
Substantial work was undertaken to transfer expertise learned on the pilot plant...to the scaled up plant commissioned...at Grimsby.
1989-90 - under "Fibres and Films"
The new solvent spun fibre Tencel continued to progress well.

N.B.  (1) Tencel is not mentioned in the "Research and Technology" section in 89-90.
        (2) The Textiles business had been demerged and was no longer part of the Courtaulds Group.
        (3) Saiccor Pulp (the best pulp for making Tencel) had been sold in 1988 to fund acquisitions of US sealants and adhesives.
        (4) Bonded Fibre Fabric, the nonwoven business which had been modernised at the end of the eighties, was sold at the end of March.  (Tencel was showing great promise in nonwovens)
        (5) Prior to 1989-90, "Fibres" came immediately after the "Chairman's Statement" at the front of the Annual Report.   Here "Fibres" comes last after Coatings, Performance Materials, Packaging and Chemicals.  Furthermore it has been merged with the "Films" used in packaging - cellophane, polypropylene and polyethylene.  Maybe the continued development of Tencel clashed with the emerging strategy of getting out of Fibres and Textiles and was therefore downplayed.

Thanks to Ted Richards who provided the full set of Courtaulds Annual Reports from 1970 to 98

Innovation: Product Development with Tencel (1985-94)

Work with potential customers started in secret in October 1985 based on Coventry pilot plant Tencel.  All the developments to 1994 were organised by Courtaulds Research in conjunction with sales offices outside the UK and Tencel sales. 
There's a bias to nonwovens and technical textiles here because I have little information on the development of apparel textiles. Comments and additional information from those involved is welcome as always!

1985:

Products:  Hydroentangled dry-laid nonwovens, woven Tencel gauze

Markets:  Surgical Swabs (cotton gauze replacement)

Partners:  Chicopee USA,  Johnson and Johnson

Key Players:  Alton Bassett, Eric Attle (CNA)
Products:  Hydroentangled Coverstock (Topsheet)

Markets:  Diapers, Femcare

Partners:  Unicharm (Japan)

Key Players:  Migaku Suzuki,
1986:

Products: Hydroentangled Nonwovens

Markets:  Disposable Wipes

Partners:  Chicopee NV, Johnson and Johnson

Key Players:  Derek Rochford, John Elves

Products: Thermal bonded nonwovens

Markets:  Interlinings

Partner:  BFF Nonwovens

Key Players:  Taki Tyropolis, Bill Kennard
Products: Thermal bonded nonwovens

Markets:  Wipes

Partners:  J W Suominen

Key Players: Jorma Suominen, Esa Paltaala

Products:  Wet-laid nonwovens/Special Papers

Markets: Abaca replacement, tea-bags, food casings
Partners: JR Crompton (UK)
Key Players: Brian Tomkinson, Ivan Gbur
Products: Wet-laid nonwovens
Markets: Drapes/Gowns/Central Sterilising Room Wrap
Partners:  Dexter USA
Key Players: Alan Meierhofer
Products: Latex bonded nonwovens
Markets:  Disposable Wipes
Partners:  International Paper,
Key Players:  Zoltan Mate, Eric Attle (CNA)
Products: Thermal bonded (Powder Bonding)

Markets:  High Loft absorbents

Partners:  Bonar Carelle

Key Players:  ?
1987:

Products: Wet-Laid Nonwovens

Markets:  Wet-Wipes (Viscose replacement - low odour)

Partners:  Stora Kopparberg

Key Players:  Stefan Fors, Peter Fredericks
Products:  Modified Apertured Fabrics

Markets:  "J-Cloths" (polyester replacement), Swabs

Partners:  Johnson and Johnson (Canada)

Key Players:  Errol Tan
Products:  Hydroentangled Nonwovens

Markets:  Surgical drapes and gowns (polyester replacement)

Partners:  Chicopee USA,  Johnson and Johnson

Key Players:  Alton Bassett, Eric Attle (CNA)
Products: Tampons

Markets:  Femcare

Partner:  Johnson and Johnson (Germany)

Key Players:  Fritz Weinstrauch, Rolf Altdorf
Products: Tampons

Markets:  Femcare
Partner:  Tambrands (USA)

Key Players:  Ken Merrill, Eric Attle (CNA)

Products: Dry-Laid Nonwovens - various bonding

Markets:  Interlinings

Partner:  Freudenberg (Germany)

Key Players:  Gerhard Schaut, Johannes Knocke
Products:  Hydroentangled Nonwovens

Markets:  Surgical Dressings (cotton and polynosic replacement)

Partners:  Unicharm (Japan)

Key Players:  Migaku Suzuki, Kunihiko Tozaki (CJL)
1988:

Products:  Flame Retardant Tencel
Markets:  Workwear

Partners:  Albright and Wilson(UK)

Key Player:  David Cole, Les Pearson

Products: Dry Laid Thermal Bonded

Markets:  Floppy Disc Liners

Partners:  Freudenberg

Key Players:  Holger Buchwald

Products: Dry-Laid Latex Bonded

Markets:  Battery Separators

Partners:  BFF

Key Players:  Andrew Kelly

Products: Hydroentangled Coverstock

Markets:  Diapers/Femcare

Partner:  Kendall/International Paper

Key Players:  Drew Horn
Partner: J&J Personal Products
Key Player:  Beth Stern
1989:
Products:  Paper

Markets:  Security Papers

Partners:  Portals (UK), Tumba Bruk (Sweden)

Key Player:  Paul Howland,

Products: Wet-Laid Hydroentangled

Markets:  Industrial Wipes

Partners:  Molnlycke (Holland)

Key Player: Bernt Johannsen

(1990's developments follow)

All you need to know about Tencel (1989)

This is the most comprehensive 2-page overview of the Tencel project as it was at the end of 1988 thanks to the journalistic skills of Stan Davies and an interview with Barrie March and Alan Jones for Textile Horizons.

Demerger of Textiles announced (1989)

Not strictly Tencel-related but this is a reminder that Courtaulds was under pressure from the shareholders in the late 80's, with rumours of possible take-over.  Kerry Packer is mentioned here.  Coming after the sale of the wood-pulp business in 88, the demerger of Textiles added to the impression that fibres in general and cellulosics in particular might not be the highest of priorities for the next decade.

It was around this time that the board was being asked to consider a major investment in a long-term project aimed at leading the next century's fibre industry with a new sustainable fibre.

From the Wall Street Journal - date unknown

Tencel gives good fibre-yarn conversion (1989)

Its not clear where this article came from or who wrote it.  Presumably the original was in English and had been translated into German for inclusion in the main body of this journal.  The main story seems to be that Tencel fibre/yarn conversion is unexpectedly good, but the graph to illustrate this isn't included with this translation.  No mention of fibrillation.  Is the fibre still used in ground warps for velvets, towelling or sheetings I wonder?

Hydroentanglement of Tencel (1989)

The abstract below makes it look as if Duncan Rhodes and I collaborated on an article but there were two separate articles here, one on cotton and one on rayon.  Later Duncan (Technical Manager at Edward Hall - cotton bleachers) and I did collaborate on a study of cotton/Tencel blends in hydroentanglement but this has yet to appear in the abstracts.  I can also recall putting a tonne of Tencel through the Edward Hall kiers a few years after this in order to degrade it to make a faster fibrillating fibre.  (The optimisation of the Tencel process for textiles had stopped the easy fibrillation which was so attractive in the first HE nonwovens - circa 1986)  

This Chapter presents articles on the main raw materials used in the manufacture of spunlace products. A study of the importance of cotton in the textiles industry worldwide as well as its suitability for nonwovens is contained in 'Cotton: the natural fibre in nonwovens' (Rhodes D). This article examines the use of cotton in nonwovens and considers properties of nonwovens containing cotton which may be achieved for various applications. The benefits of combining spunlace technology and rayon fibres are outlined in 'Rayon used in spunlacing' (Woodings C R), which also describes the Tencel solvent spun cellulose process.

Rhodes D; Woodings C R, Spunlace Technology Today, edited by Vargas E, Chapter VI, pp 50-68, [San Francisco, CA, USA: Miller Freeman Publications, 1989, 146pp]

CELLULOSE - ITS USE IN THE VISCOSE RAYON PROCESS AND IN SOME ALTERNATIVE PROCESSES (1989)

As the most abundantly available organic raw material in the world, new uses are constantly being found for cellulose. The viscose-rayon process is still widely used, but there have always been attempts to devise an alternative, preferably based on a solvent which dissolves the cellulose directly and can be easily recovered after spinning. The Newcell, DMAc/LiCl and Celca processes have all proved to yield more brittle fibres than the viscose-rayon method. The production of high tenacity, high modulus cellulose yarns by spinning anisotropic cellulose triacetate solutions followed by saponification to cellulose yarn is not a true alternative, since the yarn has much higher strength and modulus and lower elongation than conventional rayon. The super-cellulose yarns as yet produced are not suitable for commercial production.

Vollbracht L., Chemiefasern Text. Ind., Man-Made Fiber Year Book 1989, pp 32, 35-36

Conclusions from Nonwoven Developments with Tencel (1989)

These were the conclusions from work on Tencel in nonwovens between mid 1987 and end 1989.  They were presented at EDANA's INDEX 90 Congress in Geneva.  Tencel's performance in wet-laid hydroentanglement was particularly striking, because properties comparable to dry-laid were achievable in this potentially higher productivity process.

BENEFITS OF NEW TENCEL CELLULOSIC (1989)

Courtaulds new Tencel fibre is produced by a new solvent process followed by new spinning, washing and drying technology. The finished product is highly consistent and free of by-product traces, and is one of the strongest staple cellulosic fibres. It is convertible into added value nonwovens by a variety of production routes. Tencel dry-laid fabrics have been made with half the latex bonding used on viscose, and gave stronger, more absorbent fabrics. Excellent strength properties, particularly in the wet state were achieved by blending Tencel with Hercules T151 polypropylene by thermal bonding. In the hydroentanglement process, Tencel outperformed the stronger polyester fibres. Its performance and possible applications are still being tested. 

Woodings C., Text. Month, Feb. 1989, pp 51-52

TENCEL - HIGH PERFORMANCE CELLULOSE FIBRE (1989)

Here's the first release which mentions textile as opposed to nonwoven applications.

Tencel, a new cellulose fibre from Courtaulds, is produced from woodpulp by the company's patented solvent spinning route. It offers much higher yarn strengths than previously possible with rayons or even cotton, and its wet strength is almost the same as dry. It has a circular cross-section, making it particularly suitable for the new short staple spinning processes. Tencel is likely to find applications in the production of lighter weight apparel fabrics of superior quality, home furnishings and quality sheetings, and tehnical fabrics. Hydroentanglement produces a lofty, soft handling matt fabric, and thermal bonding also looks promising. Opening and intimate blending with other commercial fibres is easy. Tencel is environmentally friendly and biodegradable.

Anon, High Performance Text.,vol. 9, no. 7, Jan. 1989, pp 1-4

Since first posting this the original has surfaced and is added below:

LYOCELL - NOT TENCEL (1989)

The generic name allocated to the cellulosic fibre produced by Courtaulds Genesis solvent spinning process is to be Lyocell not Tencel. Lyocell is notable for its high wet strength. Its suitability for advanced nonwovens manufacturing systems, such as hydroentanglement, has been under evaluation.

 Anon, Nonwovens Rep. Int., no. 220, July 1989, p. 10

This little abstract hides a multitude of issues.  In 1988 I think we hoped to get Tencel as the generic but realised that Tencel was becoming too associated with Courtaulds and issued an edict that Tencel should become "tencel" in the literature to emphasise that it was not a brand. This failed.

I think CF001 became the temporary US generic before the FTC accepted lyocell, but what was the situation in the EU?  Finally lyocell became generic and Tencel the brand and I'll check the FTC site for more.  Had we got our way and Tencel had been accepted as the generic name, who knows what would the brand name would have been?