Autoneum: Revenue development and personnel changes

Reflecting the pandemic-related drop in worldwide vehicle production, Autoneum’s revenue in local currencies fell by –18.7% in 2020, although the second half of the year saw a significant market recovery. Group revenue in Swiss francs fell by –24.2% year-on-year to CHF 1 740.6 million. For the full year 2020, the EBIT margin will be around 1.5% and the free cash flow slightly over CHF 100 million.
At the Annual General Meeting on March 25, 2021, the Board of Directors will propose Liane Hirner and Oliver Streuli for election to the Board of Directors of Autoneum Holding. Peter Spuhler will not stand for re-election.

Ascend Performance Materials: Sorpol Ltd. brings American antiviral technology to Israel

Sorpol Ltd., a leading importer and distributor of industrial raw materials in Israel, has launched a website to sell Acteev Protect™ masks, made in the USA by polyamide manufacturer Ascend Performance Materials. The two companies also plan to partner in the distribution of Acteev surgical masks, N95 respirators, nonwoven media and textile fabrics as they become available.

Laboratory tests have demonstrated Acteev fabric effective at deactivating 99.9% of the viruses SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, and H1N1, a flu virus. Acteev technology also eliminates bacteria and fungi.

Ofer Soreq, Sorpol’s marketing director, said the Acteev Protect line fits in neatly with the mission of the company.

Lenzing plans Upper Austria's largest ground-mounted photovoltaic plant

With the industrial use of solar energy, Lenzing sets new standards regarding decarbonization in the fiber industry.

The Lenzing Group plans Upper Austria’s largest ground-mounted photovoltaic plant on an area of around 55,000 m². The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place in summer 2021. After the expected commissioning in the second half of 2021, the plant's output will amount to 5.5 MWpeak. With approximately 16,000 modules, the plant will generate nearly 5,500 megawatt hours per year. This corresponds to the average annual electricity demand of more than 1,700 households and is unique in Upper Austria on this scale.

The photovoltaic plant is an important symbolic milestone for Lenzing on its way to becoming a CO2-neutral manufacturing site. This project is part of Lenzing’s global energy concept, which aims to provide electricity from 100 percent renewable sources in order to reduce CO2 intensity by 50 percent already in 2030 and to be globally climate neutral in 2050.

Tata Communications today announces its financial results for the quarter ended December 31st, 2020

• Tata Communications continues to drive growth and profitability Delivers PAT of INR 309 Crore for Q3, up 428% YoY
• Data services revenue grew by +3.8% YoY | Consolidated EBITDA at INR 1,046 Crore, increase of +37.5% YoY with margin expansion of 680 Bps

Consolidated financial highlights

•    Consolidated revenue was at INR 4,223 crore (USD 572 Mn); flat YoY, growth in data business compensated for decrease in Voice business
•    Consolidated EBITDA at INR 1,046 crore (USD 142 Mn); increase of +37.5% YoY on the back of robust growth and margin expansion in data business and cost optimisation initiatives
•    Consolidated PAT at INR 309 crore (USD 42 Mn) as compared to a profit of INR 59 crore in Q3 FY20, growth of +428% YoY, on the back of strong growth in profitability
•    Net Debt has come down on the back of strong free cash flow generation; Net Debt to EBITDA at 1.9x as compared to 2.9x for same quarter last year
•    CAPEX for this quarter was INR 339 crore as compared to INR 490 crore in Q3 FY20

Please find attached the detailed financial results Q2 FY21.

PREMIUM+SEEK+JOOR Passport is back

Summer 2020 saw the first ever staging of PREMIUM+SEEK Passport by JOOR. In the midst of the pandemic, it offered the industry an opportunity to continue doing business, stay in contact with key partners, and expand business networks. Over 150,000 retailers took part in the event in 2020 and 40,000 products were sold.

The second edition of the PREMIUM+SEEK+JOOR Passport event will be an optimised and focussed version and offers participants maximum opportunity for success. From 27 January around 100 brands curated by the team at the PREMIUM GROUP will once again have access to JOOR’s network of over 200,000 selected international retailers. Virtual showrooms will act as the location for showcasing the latest collections, telling brand stories and closing deals. Every showroom can be individually designed by participating brands so as to stage and communicate their brand identity in a purely digital setting. Accessible at any time, without time-consuming logistics.

Hologenix and Kelheim Fibres launch Celliant Viscose

Hologenix, creators of Celliant®, infrared responsive technology, and Kelheim Fibres, a world-leading manufacturer of viscose specialty fibers, have partnered to launch Celliant Viscose at ISPO Munich 2021. Celliant Viscose is a finalist in Best Products by ISPO and will be showcased in the Fibers & Insulations Category for ISPO Textrends, where realistic views and 3-D simulations will be available for each material.

The introduction of nature-based Celliant Viscose will be the first in-fiber infrared sustainable solution on the market and meets a consumer demand for more environmentally friendly textiles. An alternative to synthetic fibers and extremely versatile, Celliant Viscose blends beautifully with cotton, micromodal, lyocell, wool varieties including cashmere. It also has many applications across industries as it is ideal for performance wear, luxury loungewear, casual wear and bedding.

Borealis and TOMRA open plant for post-consumer plastic waste sorting and mechanical recycling

• Demo plant sorts post-consumer plastic waste and will produce ready-for-market fully formulated polymer pellets
• Brand owners and converters will be able to access material for qualification and market validation in early 2021
• EverMinds™ in action: Pioneering collaboration brings together expertise vital to advancing the circular economy

Borealis and TOMRA have today announced the operational start of their advanced mechanical recycling demo plant in Lahnstein, Germany, the result of a partnership that marries chemistry with technology for unsurpassed results.

The state-of-the-art plant processes both rigid and flexible plastic waste from households. And unlike many current recycling plants, it will produce the advanced solutions necessary for use in high-demanding plastic applications in various industries, including automotive and consumer products. With high purity, low odour, high product consistency and light colour fractions, these Borcycle™ M grade recycled polymers will meet customer quality requirements across the value chain.

RUDOLF GROUP: Bio-Based DWR Performance from Natural Sources

The RUDOLF GROUP is an uncontested agent of positive change especially when it comes to pioneering technologies that help transforming the textile and fashion industries. A shining example of conscious leadership played by the RUDOLF GROUP over the past decades is the invention and introduction of fluorine-free Durable Water Repellency (DWR) for textile and apparel. Since 2003, the RUCO-DRY product line has gradually convinced the industry that water-resistance can be achieved through the study and replica of natural models. “Biomimicry and the study of lotus leaves and bird’s feathers were instrumental in developing the very first fluorine-free DWR’s” says Dr. Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at RUDOLF GROUP.

Fifteen years later, RUDOLF GROUP does it again and takes a significant leapfrog. It pushes the boundaries of R&D well beyond fluorine-free, embraces nature and introduces water repellent performance entirely based on natural components. “We are launching two brand new, distinctive product propositions entirely manufactured from natural sources that do not compete with human and/or animal nutrition” continues Dr. Duschek.

Video Material Stories are presented by the PERFORMANCE DAYS Exhibitors

ECOPEL & TEXWORLD New York City plant trees

For each of your visits to our page on the Texworld NYC virtual platform, Ecopel commits to plant one tree. Planting trees is an effective way to offset our greenhouse gas emissions and promote responsible practices. In 2020, Ecopel planted 2,000 trees with the One Tree Planted charities with a mission to help global reforestation efforts.
 

• #MakeAChange, PLANT A TREE