Friedrich Weninger, CEO Lenzing, Keynote address to Dornbirn 2012

This summary of the keynote speech from this year's Dornbirn Man-Made Fibres Conference is the first of a series of summaries of the papers of most interest to a nonwoven audience.  They will be posted here regularly over the next few weeks and will accumulate, along with earlier posts from Dornbirn, in the Dornbirn 2012 folder.

Friedrich Weninger CEO Lenzing and President of AMFI observed that the USA had a huge advantage economically because the dollar remained the World’s reserve currency.  The Euro became sufficiently strong to share this role with the dollar but had recently lost its appeal.  If it collapsed, it would not be the Chinese yuan that benefited; it would be the dollar at least for the next 10 years.  However the collapse of the Euro would cost the EU more than saving it, and the current crisis provided the best opportunity to make fundamental reforms to make it stronger.  In fact without the crisis, reform could not happen so we must make the most of the opportunity.

Partnership was becoming more important than Ownership.  Take-overs of complementary businesses were not necessary if stable strategic partnerships could be created.  From within the fibre industry the following examples were noteworthy:

·         In raw materials, Lenzing partnered with SAPPI for pulp supplies.  Lenzing gave SAPPI the guaranteed offtake of high volumes which allowed SAPPI secure long-term investment.  Lenzing bought most of their needs from SAPPI and in return got attractive pricing.

·         In product development, Lenzing had partnered with Ten Cate for many years in FR textiles.  Now they had made the breakthough with the US army thanks to Obama giving Lenzing a waiver to allow Lenzing FR to be imported for military use.

·         Woolmark and Cotton Inc. were both examples of industries cooperating as a defence against synthetic fibres successes in textiles.

·         In nonwovens a similar co-op was needed to communicate the environmental and sustainability advantages of cellulosics over synthetics along the value chain.

Some interesting statistics emerged:

·         China’s GDP is growing more every 11.5 weeks than the total Greek GDP.

·         A Chinese spinner (Wi Chow?) operates 7 million spindles and uses a million tonnes of fibre a year.  This inflexible plant needs to operate at 90% utilization to avoid collapse.

·         70 million packs of Costco’s 70% Tencel wipe were sold last year making it the biggest baby wipe in the USA.  (Asked later what percentage of the US wipe market this represented, Mr Weninger said of the 70,000 tonnes of rayon used in US baby wipes, 18,000 were Tencel.)

In concluding Mr Weninger said Dornbirn was now a global knowledge platform for the fibre industries and he hoped many new co-operations would arise as a result of this meeting.

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 10 - Last): Chitin-Heparin Bico in Wound Care

Part 10 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

Chitin and its simple derivative chitosan are highly crystalline which makes them suitable for making high-tenacity structural materials such as fibers and films.   An interesting discovery was made some time ago [10] and remained practically unknown. It resulted from experimentation with solutions of chitosan and heparin, two oppositely charged polymers.   It was observed that at the interface of these two solutions it was possible to form a liquid film which had fiber forming characteristics (Fig. 17).  Thus prepared filaments were composed with a chitosan core and heparin sheath.  The purpose of that study was to combine bacteriostatic and wound-healing properties of chitosan with blood anticoagulant characteristics of heparin.  Potential medical applications of such materials involved for instance vascular grafts.

Another less known property of chitosan and, in particular, some of its salts involves ostensibly self-contradictory interactions with blood.  Chitosan has good hemostatic properties and this is one of the

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 9) - Chitin for Superabsorbents

Part 9 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

Last but not least, chitin is a fascinating polysaccharide for a number of reasons.  First, it is the second most abundant polycarbohydrate used by Mother Nature as a structural component both in the animal and in the plant kingdoms. Second, chitin has a chemical structure which is similar to that of cellulose except for a different functional group on the carbon atom number 2.  Finally, from a practical point of view, chitin has been shown to have interesting useful properties. For instance, chitin exhibits biological activity (e.g. wound-healing, bacteriostatic effect) which makes it very attractive for medical applications.
Chitin can be easily converted into various physical and chemical forms when it is first partially deacetylated to chitosan.  Chitosan’s structural uniqueness relies upon ionizable amino groups which make the polymer soluble in dilute acids. Without further derivatization one can then cross-link the deacetylated chitin and obtain a polycationic superabsorbent material which has very high absorbent capacity (Fig. 15).

Repositioning of Lenzing Modal® brand

Lenzing is repositioning the Lenzing Modal® brand to reflect the new Modal production technology. The slogan “Makes the World a Softer Place” will be changed to “CO2 Neutral Softness by Edelweiss Technology”.

Lenzing’s symbiotic production process makes Lenzing Modal® CO2 neutral*: the full integration of the site in Austria– pulp production and fiber production in the same location– leads to the recovery of excess energy and valuable wood substances. Pulp production at Lenzing is energy self-sufficient and also generates energy for Modal production as a whole. “We are proud that Lenzing Modal® is CO2 neutral*. Born from our desire to produce in an increasingly eco-friendly manner, we have developed proprietary production techniques. We have become pioneers in the design of wood organic refineries”, Dieter Eichinger, Vice President Lenzing Textil, explains. “This combination makes Lenzing Modal® unique. Where else can you find Modal production which uses beechwood and operates in an energy self-sufficient manner, recovering 95% of the chemicals required in the process? This is definitely something unique worldwide”, Dieter Eichinger says.

Lenzing Modal® is Edelweiss
“Lenzing Modal® is much more than just simply soft. We wish to pay tribute to this fact and reposition the Lenzing Modal® brand”, Marketing Director Andreas Dorner explains. “Expanding the fiber’s image from softness to eco-friendliness mirrors the changes in the demands from the marketplace. Today customers not only seek a high-quality product. They want to be sure that it was produced in a fair and eco-friendly way”, Dorner continues.

The environmentally compatible production of Lenzing Modal® is reflected with the term “Edelweiss technology“. It is only at Lenzing that all the environmental parameters are applied: pulp production and fiber production at a single site, the use of domestic beechwood, up to 95% recovery of the chemicals used, and environmental technologies specifically developed for this purpose.

Adaptation of Lenzing Modal® production
Now Lenzing Modal® will be available in greater quantities and “bleached with oxygen“. This is another step to make the fiber eco-friendlier. Nearly half of overall Lenzing Modal® production can be manufactured in this process.

* Life Cycle Assessment of Lenzing Fibers: M. Patel, L. Shen, University Utrecht, Netherlands, 2008

 For questions, please contact: 

Mag. Christina Kreuzwieser
Head of Global Marketing Communication
Business Unit Textile Fibers
Telephone: +43 (0) 7672 701-2331
E-mail: press@lenzing.com

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 8) Starch-based Nonwovens and Superabsorbents

Part 8 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

From the cost point of view, starch may seem even more attractive as a raw material compared to cellulose for a superabsorbent polymer because of its high-molecular weight and abundance of reactive hydroxyl groups.  Indeed, relatively high-capacity products have been commercialized and there were even some attempts to use them for personal care applications.  So far the performance of synthetic SAP is far more superior and it may be hard to replace it in the disposable hygiene area with a starch-based polymer.  Still it is worth mentioning at least one simple technical solution which involved an approach similar to the one referenced above with regard to cellulose [8]. In this case, carboxymethylstarch was cross-linked also by heat treatment to achieve a decent, but not permanent absorbency capacity (Fig.13).  One can speculate that, over a period of time, polysaccharides may undergo morphological changes due to relaxation and reorientation of polymeric chains, which affect the physical crosslink density in the material.   Therefore, the absorbency properties may gradually decline.

Germany Blocks Lenzing bid for Kelheim Fibres

Cartel office says takeover would create tampon monopoly

* Lenzing wants to buy 90 percent of Kelheim

* Lenzing says will appeal (Adds Lenzing comment, shares, background)

DUESSELDORF, Germany, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Germany's cartel office has blocked the planned takeover of Kelheim Fibres by Austrian cellulose fibre maker Lenzing, saying it would produce a monopoly in tampon fibres.

Lenzing had wanted to buy 90 percent of Germany's Kelheim, which is privately owned with more than 700 employees and exports its specialty fibres to 44 countries worldwide.

"The takeover would create a market monopoly. Competition would come to a halt not only in Germany but worldwide," cartel office chief Andreas Mundt said on Friday.

Lenzing said it would appeal against the decision, saying the vast majority of relevant competitors were in Asia and the 10 million-euro German market was too small to be regulated.

Lenzing shares were up 0.3 percent to 63.6 euros by 1442 GMT, underperforming a 0.8 percent-higher ATX, the Austrian benchmark index. (Reporting by Matthias Inverardi and Angelika Gruber; writing by Georgina Prodhan; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: Reuters

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 7) Converting cellulose into superabsorbents?

Part 7 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

There have been many attempts to match the performance and cost of the CMC SAP to those of the synthetic sodium polyacrylate SAP.  On both fronts, however,  these efforts have not been successful enough to make the concept commercially viable for personal hygiene applications.

For instance, one of more interesting approaches was to create cross-links within the CMC polymer simply by using heat [8].  The resultant material had high absorbent capacity (Fig. 12). However,  over time the superabsorbent properties of such a polymer tend to decline gradually.   

There were also attempts to enhance the capacity of cellulose-based SAP by creating micro-porous sponge-like structures by applying organic solvent/water exchange techniques.  For low-cost applications such solutions do not seem to be viable because of their complexity and relatively high cost.   So, the concept of replacing synthetic SAP with a cellulose-based equivalent still may wait some time for a satisfactory practical and inexpensive solution.

(Go to Part 8)

TENCEL® – Yejimiin introduces premium sanitary pad in Korea

Yejimiin, in Korea, is introducing a new generation of sanitary pads within December 2012: 숲속이야기 TENCEL® is the first pad on the market to feature a top sheet based on 100% TENCEL®. In addition to being available in the Korean market, the product is exported to the U.S. for Korean women living overseas.

Yejimiin aims to satisfy women’s needs with high-quality products. Following the launch of TENCEL®Liner in February - a pantyliner with a top sheet based on 100% TENCEL® - the Korean company is now ready to introduce a new generation of sanitary pads under the product name 숲속이야기  TENCEL®.

Yejimiin is aware of the significant impact of the raw material on the final product. Since the top sheet of a sanitary pad is in direct contact with the skin, the choice of the raw material – the fiber – is crucial. TENCEL® has been demonstrated to be the ideal choice for Yejimiin since it is characterized by a very smooth surface which increases comfort in use. In addition, the natural moisture management of TENCEL® optimizes the conditions for sensitive skin. Furthermore, TENCEL® combines purity with consistent quality which is essential for sensitive hygiene applications.

The botanic value can be seen as another important decision driver for Yejimiin. Based on the renewable raw material wood sourced from responsibly managed forests, the cellulose fiber TENCEL® is fully biodegradable and meets even the enhanced standards of Vincotte Home compostability.

Elisabeth Stanger, Marketing Director of Lenzing’s Business Unit Nonwoven Fibers, explains: “Yejimiin succeeded in launching another innovative feminine hygiene product that offers natural confidence and comfort. We at Lenzing are proud to be part of this success story. The cooperation with Yejimiin underlines our long-term strategy to offer tailor-made fibers for sensitive hygiene applications.”

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 6) Collaboration between modified fibres and SAP

Part 6 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

One of these solutions utilizes cellulose fluff carrying polyvalent cations such as Al3+ [6].  These ions are subsequently released to the entering liquid and can precipitate the soluble sodium polyacrylate fraction which diffuses from the SAP particles. The polyvalent cations can also react with the surface of the superabsorbent granules creating in situ a “skin” on them, which protects the soluble oligomers from leaching out to the system.  This concept is illustrated in Fig. 9.  As a result of the collaborative interaction between the modified fibers and the SAP, the permeability of the system is improved as is the efficiency of the fiber matrix liquid distribution capability.

Here is another example of a system in which cellulosic fibers can help enhance

Practical Polysaccharides (Part 5) A solution to the ammonia odour problem in personal absorbents

Part 5 of the paper by Jacek K. Dutkiewicz of Buckeye Technologies Inc given at this years Insight Conference organised by MTS in Norfolk Virginia. (Click here for Part 1)

An example of using cellulose fibers both for this purpose and simultaneously, for absorbency was presented a few years ago at the Insight Conference [5].   The concept of storing a urease inhibitor in absorbent fluff proved to be very effective for eliminating ammonia odor which normally occurs due to enzymatic hydrolysis of urea.   This solution to the odor problem is shown in Fig. 8. 


 Inhibition of microbial ammonia production had an additional benefit for skin wellness, which is maintaining the pH at a level slightly below neutral.