From the Sector

Beijing - Tencent Holdings Limited (“Tencent”) (00700.HK), JD.com, Inc. (“JD.com”) (NASDAQ:JD), and Vipshop Holdings Limited (“Vipshop”) (NYSE:VIPS), today jointly announced that Tencent, a leading provider of internet value-added services in China, and JD.com, China’s largest retailer, have entered into definitive agreements with Vipshop, a leading online discount retailer for brands in China, such that Tencent and JD.com will invest an aggregate amount of approximately US$863 million in cash in Vipshop at the closing of the transaction.

Pursuant to the share subscription agreement, Tencent and JD.com will subscribe for newly issued Class A ordinary shares of Vipshop in the amount of approximately US$604 million and approximately US$259 million, respectively. The purchase price will be US$65.40 per Class A ordinary share, which is equivalent to US$13.08 per American Depositary Share (“ADS”) of Vipshop, five of which represent one Class A ordinary share. The purchase price represents a 55% premium over the closing price of the ADSs as of the last trading day on December 15, 2017.

The transaction is expected to close in the near future, subject to customary closing conditions.  Upon the closing, Tencent and JD.com will beneficially own, taking into account any existing holding, approximately 7% and 5.5%, respectively, of Vipshop’s total issued shares. The Class A ordinary shares issued to Tencent and JD.com will be subject to a two-year lock up restriction. Tencent and JD.com will have the right to appoint a director and an observer, respectively, to Vipshop’s board of directors during the two-year lockup period. After the end of the lock-up period, for so long as Tencent and JD.com hold approximately 12% and 8%, respectively, of Vipshop’s total issued shares, or otherwise by mutual agreement with Vipshop, they will maintain director and board observer rights.

Concurrently with the entry of the share subscription agreement, Tencent and JD.com have entered into business cooperation agreements with Vipshop, effective upon closing, establishing a cooperative relationship among Tencent, JD.com and Vipshop. Under these agreements, Tencent will grant Vipshop an entry on the interface of Weixin Wallet enabling Vipshop to utilize traffic from Tencent’s Weixin platform, and JD.com will grant Vipshop entries on both the main page of JD.com’s mobile application and the main page of its Weixin Discovery shopping entry, and will assist Vipshop in achieving certain GMV targets through JD.com’s platform.   

“I am truly delighted about Vipshop's new strategic cooperation relationships with Tencent and JD.com,” said Mr. Eric Ya Shen, Vipshop’s Co-founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. “This undoubtedly is an important event for Vipshop as well as China's e-commerce and internet industries. We, together with Tencent and JD.com, will leverage our respective strengths to form a strategic cooperative alliance aiming to achieve a deep, win-win cooperation and to benefit internet users and consumers. We will develop a holistic cooperation with Tencent on the Weixin platform and expand our strategic alliance with Tencent into more and broader areas.  We will explore win-win opportunities in multiple areas with JD.com, including establishing a strategic alliance in collaboration with brand suppliers, and an on-line traffic alliance. We will continue to operate as an independent e-commerce platform and further deepen and enhance our leading e-commerce capabilities in fashion (including apparel, shoes, bags and accessories) and cosmetics categories as well as our strong female user base, thereby offering higher value and better user experience to our customers.”

“The strength of Vipshop’s flash sale and apparel businesses, as well as its outstanding management team, create clear and strong synergies with us,” said Richard Liu, Chairman and CEO of JD.com. “This partnership will further extend the strong inroads that we have made with female shoppers, and will expand the breadth and reach of our fashion business. We continue to add the top-notch partners to complement JD.com’s core strengths, ensuring that JD and our partners provide the best customer experience for every shopping need.”

Martin Lau, President of Tencent Holdings, said, “We are pleased to become strategic investor in and partner with Vipshop. We look forward to providing Vipshop with our audiences, marketing solutions, and payment support to help the company provide branded apparel and other product categories to China’s rising middle class. We already see substantial demand from our users to discover, discuss and purchase branded apparel in our applications, and we believe that connecting our users more deeply to products on Vipshop’s platform will enrich their online experiences while benefiting Vipshop. We are proud of the role our resources such as marketing technology, payments handling, and machine learning play in facilitating a healthy and diverse retail ecosystem, online and offline.” 

About JD.com, Inc.

JD.com is both the largest e-commerce company in China, and the largest Chinese retailer, by revenue. The company strives to offer consumers the best online shopping experience. Through its user-friendly website, native mobile apps, and WeChat and Mobile QQ entry points, JD offers consumers a superior shopping experience. The company has the largest fulfillment infrastructure of any e-commerce company in China. As of September 30, 2017, JD.com operated 7 fulfillment centers and 405 warehouses covering 2,830 counties and districts across China, staffed by its own employees. JD.com is a member of the NASDAQ100 and a Fortune Global 500 company.

About Vipshop Holdings Limited

Vipshop Holdings Limited is a leading online discount retailer for brands in China. Vipshop offers high quality and popular branded products to consumers throughout China at a significant discount to retail prices. Since it was founded in August 2008, the Company has rapidly built a sizeable and growing base of customers and brand partners. For more information, please visit www.vip.com.

About Tencent Holdings Limited

Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Our social products Weixin and QQ link our users to a rich digital content catalogue including games, video, music and books. Our proprietary targeting technology helps advertisers reach out to hundreds of millions of consumers in China. Our infrastructure services including payment, security, cloud and artificial intelligence create differentiated offerings and support our partners’ business growth. Tencent invests heavily in people and innovation, enabling us to evolve with the Internet. Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998. Shares of Tencent (00700.hk) are traded on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “future,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “confident” and similar statements. Among other things, statements regarding the expected closing of the transactions and the quotations from management in this announcement are or contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to, those included in JD.com’s and Vipshop’s filings with the SEC and in Tencent’s filings with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and none of Tencent, JD.com or Vipshop undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

• Der neue Freeride-Handschuh Ergo Grip Incline von Hestra

München – Der Wintergott Ullr und Frau Holle scheinen in diesem Frühwinter gemeinsame Sache zu machen und versorgen Freunde des gepflegten Tiefschneepflügens mit massenhaft Powder. Kälte, Schnee und Stürme verlangen allerdings auch nach Top-Equipment. Hier kommt der neue Freeride-Handschuh Ergo Grip Incline von Hestra ins Spiel. Der Handschuh aus Bergziegen und Rindsleder kommt mit dem patentierten Ergo Grip-Design, das mit leicht vorgeformten Fingern eine optimale Passform verspricht.

Der neue Freeride Handschuh Ergo Grip Incline von Hestra vereint edle Materialien mit optimaler Passform und Robustheit. Die Handinnenfläche wird aus einem speziellen Bergziegenleder geformt. Das wird auf Grund seiner enormen Haltbarkeit auch für die Handschuhe des schwedischen Militärs benutzt und daher Army Leather genannt. Der Handrücken besteht aus imprägniertem und ebenfalls sehr robustem Rindsleder. Seine exzellente Passform verdankt der Handschuh dem patentierten Ergo Grip-Design. Bei dieser Konstruktion werden verschiedene Ebenen überlappend vernäht und verleihen dem Handschuh so eine der natürlichen Handhaltung angepasste, vorgeformte Passform. Am Handgelenk schließt der Handschuh mit einer Kombination aus Neoprenbündchen und Klettverschluss ab.

Hexcel Corporation is proud to announce the unveiling of the third H160 prototype from Airbus Helicopters, featuring a striking carbon-inspired livery that represents the composite materials Hexcel supplies for the helicopter.

This gesture follows Hexcel’s announcement in June that its reinforcements, prepregs, adhesives and honeycomb materials had been selected for the H160’s composite fuselage structures and main rotor blades. The H160 was designed by Airbus Helicopters to create added-value for customers in terms of performance, economic competitiveness, safety and comfort. The use of Hexcel’s composite materials throughout the structure contributes to the lightweight fuel-saving design and performance optimization.
Airbus Helicopters decided to promote the H160 program and its high carbon fiber content in a way that recalls the livery previously used for the A350 XWB. The A350 XWB has a structure that is 53% composites and Hexcel supplies the carbon fiber prepreg for all of the aircraft’s composite primary structures.
The newly unveiled H160 prototype is a fitting tribute to the 40-year partnership between Hexcel and Airbus Helicopters.

• Schlichte Eleganz, harmonische Farbgebungen und ein Hauch modischer Diskretion dominieren die „1919“ Collection Autumn/Winter.

BUSINESS MENTALITIES

Globales Denken und lokale Wurzeln, Business und Privatheit, Tradition und Modernität: Gegensätze wie diese bilden keinen Widerspruch mehr, sie sind vielmehr Spiegel einer modernen Haltung, in der starre Regeln aufgehoben werden und unterschiedliche Stilwelten gleichberechtigt nebeneinander stehen oder sich wechselseitig inspirieren. Geschmack, Qualitätsbewusstsein und Stilempfinden werden nicht ausschließlich mit Mode gleichgesetzt, sondern als Ausdruck eines individuellen Lifestyles betrachtet.

Die Leitidee der Kollektion basiert auf drei Stilmentalitäten, die eine starke visuelle Identität ausstrahlen und damit alle wichtigen Facetten einer sich global immer mehr etablierenden Geschmackskultur abbilden. Die erste Grundhaltung bringt Modernität mit Traditionsbewusstsein in Einklang und steht für einen eher formellen Look, in dem sartoriale Aspekte und perfekte Proportionen eine herausgehobene Stellung besitzen. Das zweite Mentalitätsmuster zeigt eine besondere Offenheit gegenüber unterschiedlichen Einflüssen, changiert gekonnt zwischen unterschiedlichen Stilen und mixt klassische Aspekte mit legeren Elementen. In der dritten Grundeinstellung liegt der Fokus auf dem Nebeneinander von Authentizität und informierter Sportlichkeit.

Diese Mentalitäten bilden das Grundgerüst für die Kollektionsstruktur, sind in allen fünf Kernthemen spürbar und werden über den gesamten Lieferrhythmus gespielt. Sie funktionieren sowohl in sich geschlossen als auch übergreifend und spannungsreich miteinander korrespondierend. Allen gemeinsam ist ein durchdachtes, perfekt arrangiertes Styling.

ESSENTIALS

Die Essentials liefern den Unterbau für die gesamte Kollektion und zeigen vor allem Klassiker wie Popeline, Oxford, Filà-Fil und Chambray. Entsprechend decken die Dessinierungen ein Spektrum von Unis, feinen Streifen, diskreten Checks bis hin zu Micro-Motiven ab. Diese modernen Basics werden in Bezug auf Farb- und Materialeinsatz auf die Thematik der jeweiligen Liefertermine abgestimmt.

SMART BUSINESS

Den Businessbereich von starren Regeln zu entbinden und größere Freiräume für individuelle Interpretationen zu schaffen, liefert die Leitidee für diese Thematik. Qualitäten wie Oxfords, Denim Varianten, Twill und Flanell definieren den Businessaspekt neu und zeichnen ein durch mehr Softness und Dreidimensionalität charakterisiertes Bild. Zusätzlich unterstreichen Kragenformen wie neue Kent-Typen, Button-Down oder Under-Button-Down den Mix aus Anspruch und Entspanntheit.

LUXURY ESSENTIALS

Der Einsatz anspruchsvoller Hemdenqualitäten, deren Spektrum von extremer Feinheit bis hin zu haptisch wertvoller Dreidimensionalität reicht, steht bei diesem Thema im Vordergrund. Der Fokus liegt auf klassischen, in feinen Rapportgrößen aufgemachten Dessinierungen, die aus der Tradition extrahiert und in eine moderne Optik übersetzt werden. Gleichzeitig bildet dieses Konzept die Basis für eine exklusive Themenkapsel, die gemeinsam mit einem italienischen Traditionsweber entwickelt wurde.

BUSINESS MOUNTAINEERING

Groß gezogene „Mountain Checks“ mit leicht nostalgischem Unterton kreieren eine authentische und trotzdem smarte Kernaussage. Auf dieser Grundlage wurde auch hier mit einem italienischen Traditionsweber kooperiert und eine individuelle Capsule-Kollektion generiert, die durch markant gestaltete Karos und höchste Warenqualitäten dem Business-Segment einen neuen Impuls gibt.

Der Grundgedanke der Kollektion basiert auf der Idee einer Kleiderstange mit Lieblingsteilen für jeden Tragemoment: vom Business Outfit bis hin zur After Work Party oder einem City Trip. Egal, ob cool, relaxed, verspielt oder elegant. Das Eine sein und das Andere am liebsten noch dazu. Was spricht dagegen? Mode ist Kommunikation und das perfekte Medium, um mit dem eigenen Stil Fashion-Statements zu setzen und seinen individuellen Look zu kreieren.

Die beiden ästhetischen Elemente Progressiv und Feminin ziehen sich durch die zwei Liefertermine der Kollektion und stehen trotz und auch gerade wegen der Stilbrüche harmonisch nebeneinander: Kernige Jeansqualitäten, Babycord, casual gewaschener Cotton mit Papertouch, aber auch hauchige, florale Drucke, Samt und Denim. Eine wichtige Basisqualität ist ein edler Seidensatin Stretch, dessen breite Farbkarte durch einen Sand wash Effekt sehr edel und pudrig ist. Ausbrenner, eine fließende Lyocell Qualität sowie Samt und Cord runden die Palette an interessanten Haptiken stilvoll ab.

Die „1919“ Kollektion steht insbesondere für naturgetreue Farbnuancen, verbunden mit klassischen, natürlichen Silhouetten: Tadellos geschnittene, zeitlose bis progressive Blusen, verzierte Kleider und exquisite Seidenhemden werden gepaart mit luxuriösen Details wie Stickereien oder Strickbündchen mit dezentem Lurex.

Die Basisqualitäten der Kollektion - Papertouch Cotton, Lyocell, Seidensatin Stretch und Samt - werden durch Farbkapseln ergänzt. Die beiden fließenden Qualitäten Seide und Lyocell bieten dabei breite, sehr modische Farbkarten.

Zu den Highlight Prints zählen botanische Wasserschlangen Prints, Samt- Ausbrenner, asiatisch inspirierte Drucke sowie zarte Conversational Prints auf glänzender Viskose und auf samtigen Jerseys.
Einen schönen Kontrast dazu bilden Maskuline Dessinierungen wie Glencheck Karos und Streifen mit dezentem Lurex sowie kernige indigo Jeans und soft gewaschene bestickte Karo Flanellshirts.

Die Seidensticker Herbst-/Winterkollektion bietet von modernen, businesstauglichen Blusen über feminine, eher verspielte Styles bis hin zu progressiven, cleanen Modellen eine stilistische Vielfalt, die sich optimal ergänzt und und für jeden Tragemoment das perfekte Styling bietet.

• Nathalie Brunel’s role is to support Lectra’s global teams in the roll-out of its new strategy to customers

Paris – Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nathalie Brunel to the role of Vice-President Sales, Fashion & Apparel. Based at Lectra’s headquarter’s in Paris, Nathalie reports to Edouard Macquin, Chief Sales Officer, Lectra and a member of the executive committee.

Nathalie Brunel’s role is to support Lectra’s subsidiaries as they conduct the Group’s strategic roadmap through the deployment of an offer—integrating the PLM and the cutting room of the future—which is rooted in customer experience. Nathalie will notably work with six countries: United States, China, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy.

“The fashion and apparel industry, a historic market for Lectra, is the pillar of our international presence. Our customers expect a high level of expertise and advice to meet the challenges they face due to the digitalization of their professions. Nathalie Brunel’s experience in transforming organizations and developing business for complex solutions within large groups is a valuable asset for both Lectra and our customers,” states Edouard Macquin.

“The fashion and apparel ecosystem is clearly entering the digital era. I aim to bring Lectra’s value proposition to our customers, facilitating their adoption of Industry 4.0 principles. I am proud to contribute to the integration of new technologies in their processes, from design to the finished product. It is crucial to meet the needs of companies facing a complex and fragmented market that is generating both local, and global, pressures,” underlines Nathalie Brunel.

Nathalie Brunel has over 20 years of experience in managing large accounts and management responsibility. In 1996, she joined the Altran group where she successively held the roles of Development Director, Director of a business unit, Associate Director, and Executive Director of large accounts. In 2011, Orange Business Services recruited Nathalie Brunel as Vice-President, Business Operations and Support, then Vice-President Large Accounts, Manufacturing and IT. Prior to joining Lectra, Nathalie Brunel held the position of CEO and shareholder of Okavango Energy, a consulting and industrial energy performance company.

Nathalie has a diploma from the Institut supérieur de commerce de Paris.

What Keeps Consumers Up at Night?

Climate change appears to be a bigger concern for consumers than recent media reports may have indicated. In the ground-breaking, global, quantitative consumer survey, “The Key to Confidence: Consumers and Textile Sustainability—Attitudes, Changing Behaviors, and Outlooks”, commissioned by the OEKO-TEX® Association in commemoration of its 25th Anniversary, climate change ranked third on a list of sixteen modern day worries on the minds of today’s consumers.

“The Key to Confidence” online study was conducted earlier this year with a worldwide sample of more than 11,000 clothing and home textile consumers. Designed and administered by global brand and sustainability research expert, Ellen Karp of Anerca International, the extensive study explored a broad assortment of consumer attitudes about textile sustainability including harmful substances, the industry’s environmental impact, and the social welfare of textile workers.

Prior to answering questions about clothing and home textiles in particular, consumers responded to several queries to gauge their attitudes about sustainability in general. To understand the relative importance of climate change, consumers were asked to pick the top five issues that worry them most from a list of sixteen political, economic, personal, and global problems. “Terrorism” ranked first with 49% of consumers listing it in their top 5, “illness and disease” was second with 42%, and “climate change” rated third with 41%. “My personal finances” came in fourth at 37%. “Opportunities for my children in the future” and “the political leadership in my country” tied for fifth with 31% each.

“Climate change has become a significant issue for consumers,” Karp concludes. “Erratic weather patterns, mounting scientific data, escalating political debate, and first-hand experience with environmental degradation combine to make climate change more of an immediate threat than people considered it to be just a decade ago.”

“For twenty-five years, OEKO-TEX® has helped reduce the use of harmful chemicals and increase sustainable manufacturing practices in the global textile supply chain,” says Anna Czerwinska, Head of Marketing and Communication at OEKO-TEX®. “Our certified clients are industry leaders in the production of compliant, high quality textiles that are tested for harmful substances and responsibly made with respect for the environment and employees. They will be well positioned to capitalize on the growing consumer demands for sustainable textile products.”

A webinar with Ellen Karp presenting the research findings can be viewed at https://rebrand.ly/oekotexTKTCweb. To learn more about “The Key to Confidence: Consumers and Textile Sustainability—Attitudes, Changing Behaviors, and Outlooks”, please contact Trish Martin at t.martin@oeko-tex.com or Anna Czerwinska at a.czerwinska@oeko-tex.com. Read more about the OEKO-TEX® portfolio of testing, certification, and label products at: www.OEKO-TEX.com

The AZL will continue its collaboration on composites in buildings and infrastructure after completing an initial market and technology study which identified new potentials for composite technologies in buildings and infrastructure markets. The aim of the new AZL Workgroup which will meet for the first time on January 25th, 2018 is to jointly develop new applications and to support the business development for composites in these two growing markets. The meeting is open to interested companies from the composite industry as well as the building and infrastructure markets.

The aim of the initial workgroup meeting will be to turn insights from the study into a long-term workgroup collaboration and to define topics and initiatives for the joint cooperation in the field of process and manufacturing technologies, fire safety regulations, materials as well as standards and norms. Industrial keynote presentations will introduce these action fields and will provide an insight into building and infrastructure applications for composites. The meeting will furthermore provide a platform to network with companies along the entire composite value chain.

Dr. Amer Affan, CEO and founder of AFFAN Innovative Structures based in Dubai is in charge of various composite projects for buildings such as the Museum of the Future in Dubai: “We have been utilizing structural composites in construction since 2010. Composites is a truly high-tech material compared with the traditional building materials (steel, concrete, timber and aluminum) but it is still to be recognized as such in the conservative and price-sensitive building industry. AZL, particularly its location at the RWTH Aachen University and its partner companies, offers a good platform to progress the use of composites in construction.”

AZL together with more than 25 companies just completed the Joint Market and Technology Study on “New Potentials for Composite Technologies in Buildings and Infrastructure” establishing a broad knowledge on business opportunities for composite technologies in these two growing markets. In a structured approach, the study determined the key segments as well as the technologies/applications with the highest market and technological potential. Analyses of 20 market segments, investigation of 438 applications, technology analyses of 25 highlight components and 11 detailed business cases were elaborated throughout the study. Additional to requirement analyses for materials and production technologies, new concepts for efficient profitable production technologies and cost engineering analysis were developed. With the workgroup, the AZL will take this initiative a step further with the aim to build a long-term cooperation platform for composites in buildings and infrastructure markets.

Justin Jin, CEO of the Korean company AXIA Materials participated in the study and is part of the AZL Partner Network: “As producer of large thermoplastic composite sheets and composite SIP (Structural Insulated Panel), we are eager to drive composites in B&I applications with the best efficient way. The AZL study on Buildings and Infrastructure provided us a great networking with key players in this business field and opportunities to strengthen our products with the key elements from partners. The study also gave us a proper market understanding including market size/volume in numbers to prove the value of this technology to building industry. We are looking forward to following up on these first insights and to realize applications with the AZL and its partners.”

Besides the networking options, the meeting will offer the opportunity to get an insight into the activities of the AZL Network consisting of nine research institutes at the RWTH Aachen Campus and more than 80 companies from 21 countries. During an optional guided tour, participants will visit selected institutes at the RWTH Aachen Campus. The meeting is open to all interested companies and free of charge.

More Information on Meeting and the Study
Information on AZL activities in the field of buildings and infrastructure:
www.azl-lightweight-production.com/composites-buildings-infrastructure
Details and registration to first Workgroup Meeting on January 25th, 2018:
http://www.azl-lightweight-production.com/termine/1st-workgroup-meeting-buildings-infrastructure

• Revenue up 9.4 percent to EUR 1,726.6 mn
• EBITDA improvement of 23.9 percent to EUR 397.1 mn
• Retail bond of EUR 120 mn redeemed – Lenzing with net liquidity as at end of September
• State-of-the-art application innovation center opened in Hong Kong

Lenzing – The Lenzing Group generated a substantial increase in revenue and earnings in the first nine months of the 2017 financial year compared to the prior-year period. The company is continuing the implementation of its Group strategy sCore TEN in order to further expand the offering of specialty fibers and be even closer to its customers and business partners.

Consolidated revenue climbed 9.4 percent year-on-year to EUR 1,726.6 mn. This increase is mainly attributable to higher prices for all three fiber generations. Consolidated earnings before tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 23.9 percent to EUR 397.1 mn, corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 23 percent, up from 20.3 percent in the prior-year period. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased by 34.6 percent to EUR 298.4 mn, resulting in a higher EBIT margin of 17.3 percent (Q1-3 2016: 14 percent). The profit for the period improved by 35.3 percent to EUR 219.3 mn, and earnings per share rose 36 percent to EUR 8.12 per share. In September Lenzing redeemed the retail bond of EUR 120 mn. At the end of the reporting period the Group had net liquidity of EUR 16.9 mn.

“In the first three quarters of 2017, we successfully captured value in a very positive market environment and we continue to implement the sCore TEN strategy with great discipline. The opening of our new application innovation center in Hong Kong is an important step to boost our regional innovation capabilities. We were particularly proud to launch TENCELTM Luxe as a sign of Lenzing’s ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability”, states Stefan Doboczky, Chief Executive Officer of the Lenzing Group. “After three excellent quarters we are confident to deliver substantially better operating results in 2017 compared to 2016, but at the same time we do expect more headwinds in 2018.”

Focus on customer intimacy

In September 2017, the Lenzing Group opened a new application innovation center (AIC) in Hong Kong, thus setting a further milestone in strengthening its innovation offering to all partners along the value chain. New applications for Lenzing fibers will be developed and tested at the new facility, among them applications for recent innovations such as the TENCELTM Luxe branded lyocell filament, the RefibraTM branded lyocell fiber and the EcoVeroTM branded viscose fiber.

Furthermore, new sales and marketing offices were opened in Turkey and South Korea in the first half of 2017. The direct contact to customers and well-equipped showrooms featuring products made of LenzingTM fibers serve as the basis for providing even better customer support.

Investment program in progress

The Lenzing Group aims to increase the share of specialty fibers as a percentage of revenue to 50 percent by 2020. Following the capacity expansion initiatives in Heiligenkreuz (Austria) and Mobile, Alabama (USA) which are both underway, Lenzing announced its intention to construct the next plant to produce TENCEL® fibers in Thailand.

A new era of sustainable production

In October 2017, the Lenzing Group presented a new product, TENCELTM Luxe, at an exclusive event held in Paris. The TENCELTM Luxe branded filament yarn represents Lenzing’s entry in the filament market. This fiber will support the Lenzing Group’s path towards becoming a true specialty player in the market for botanic materials derived from the sustainable raw material wood.

The launch volumes of TENCELTM Luxe are being produced at the Lenzing site. The basic engineering for a commercial scale plant was commenced.

Outlook
Demand development on the global fiber market remains positive within the context of a generally friendly macroeconomic environment. Lenzing expects wood-based cellulose fibers to grow at an even higher rate than the overall fiber market. After three excellent quarters, the Lenzing Group will achieve an operating result in 2017 that is significantly better than 2016.

For 2018, Lenzing sees a number of somewhat opposing factors that limit visibility regarding fiber price developments. Overall market demand is expected to remain high. However, the Group expects a substantial increase on the supply side, especially for viscose but also for cotton. Price trends for selected key raw materials, especially caustic soda, are difficult to predict. Against this background the Lenzing Group expects a much more challenging market environment for standard viscose during the upcoming quarters.

The above-mentioned development reassures the Lenzing Group in its chosen corporate strategy sCore TEN. The Group initiated its transformation from a volume-oriented viscose player to a value-oriented specialty fiber player at the end of 2015, and will continue the disciplined implementation of its business strategy.

Die koreanische Hyosung Corporation, einer der weltweit führenden Elastanhersteller, zu der auch die bekannte Marke creora® gehört, hat die Stelle des Marketing Direktors neu besetzt. Für Hyosung ist das ein weiterer konsequenter Schritt bei der Umsetzung ihrer Philosophie „Committment to Excellence“ in der Textilindustrie.

MIKE SIMKO leitet seit Oktober 2017 das globale Marketing für die Marken creora® Elastan, MIPAN® Nylon und weitere spezielle Polyesterfasern. Seine Aufgabe ist es, Innovationen, das überlegene Preis-Leistungsverhältnis und andere gemeinschaftliche Leistungen in die ganze textile Wertschöpfungskette einzubringen.

„Wir sind tief beglückt, Mike bei Hyosung begrüßen zu dürfen. Seine fundierten Führungsqualitäten, sein tiefes Verständnis für unsere Industrie und ihre Anforderungen sind ein unschätzbarer Wert für Hyosungs künftige Marketing-Bestrebungen“, teilt Cho Hyun Joon, Vorsitzender der Hyosung Corporation und CEO, mit. „Seine Ernennung geht einher mit der Verpflichtung weiterer neuer Köpfe in Europa, Asien und den Vereinigten Staaten. In Kombination mit dem kontinuierlichen Ausbau der Produktionseinrichtungen unterstreichen die personellen Veränderungen Hyosungs Langzeitstrategie in der Textilindustrie. Wir sind weiter bestrebt, innovative Produkte auf den Markt zu bringen, beste, hochwertige Qualität zu liefern und unsere weltweite Zusammenarbeit mit Herstellern, Marken und Händlern weiter auszubauen.“
Um eine schnelle Marktreife ihrer Produkte in Europa zu erreichen, hat Hyosung bereits 2009 massiv in die Elastanherstellung in der Türkei investiert. Dadurch wurden die Kapazitäten verdreifacht, um der gestiegenen Nachfrage gerecht zu werden.
„Es ist eine wirklich spannende Phase, in der ich in dieses agile Unternehmen komme und ich sehe schon jetzt, wie das Team wächst und prosperiert“, erläutert Mike Simko seine Vision. „Besonders freue ich mich darauf, unseren Kunden die neuen, exzellenten Produkte auf der ISPO in München vorstellen zu können.“ 

Mike Simkos Expertise baut auf mehr als 20 Jahre Erfahrung in leitender Funktion in der Chemie- und Textilindustrie sowie anderen Industrien auf. Zu seinen Aufgaben zählten globales Marketing und Vertrieb, Strategische Planung, Unternehmensentwicklung, Forschung & Entwicklung wie auch Produktion. Unter anderem war er in leitender Funktion bereits für Invista und DuPont tätig.

Mönchengladbach - Erneut gehören an der Hochschule Niederrhein ausgebildete Textillaborantinnen zu den Besten in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Merle Marie Kreft (22) und Marie Gräber (21) wurden sowohl als Beste der IHK-Region Mittlerer Niederrhein als auch als Beste des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen ausgezeichnet. Beide begannen ihre Ausbildung im September 2015 im Rahmen des dualen Studiums Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik an der Öffentlichen Prüfstelle der Hochschule Niederrhein.

„Ich wollte gerne etwas mit Mode studieren und bin durch einen Artikel der Bundesagentur für Arbeit auf das duale Studium an der Hochschule Niederrhein gestoßen. So bin ich auf die Öffentliche Prüfstelle für das Textilwesen aufmerksam geworden“, erzählt Merle Marie Kreft, die aus Flensburg stammt und jetzt wieder zurück an die Nordsee geht.

Im Gegensatz zu Merle bleibt Marie Gräber auch weiterhin am Niederrhein: „Ich habe mich schon immer für die naturwissenschaftlichen Fächer interessiert und fand es sehr spannend, diese mit dem Anwendungsbereich Textil und Bekleidung zu verbinden“, sagt Marie Gräber, die aus Hannover nach Mönchengladbach gezogen ist, um sich an der Öffentlichen Prüfstelle ausbilden zu lassen und parallel an der Hochschule Niederrhein zu studieren.

Beide berichten: „Wir haben uns beworben und wurden nach einem Schnuppertag, bei dem wir uns einen Eindruck über den Beruf als Textillaborantin machen konnten, zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch eingeladen. Nach der Unterzeichnung des Ausbildungsvertrages waren wir automatisch in der Hochschule eingeschrieben.“ Für das duale Studium zogen beide nach Mönchengladbach.

Die öffentliche Prüfstelle bietet seit mehreren Jahren die Ausbildung zur Textillaborantin in Kombination mit einem dualen Studium im Bereich Textil- und Bekleidungstechnik mit dem Schwerpunkt Textile Technologien an. Von der Faser bis zum fertigen konfektionierten Kleidungsstück testen die Auszubildenden die verschiedenen physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften ganz unterschiedlicher Materialien. Bis zu 300 verschiedene Prüfungen werden in der Öffentlichen Prüfstelle jährlich durchgeführt und angewendet. Zum Beispiel kann ermittelt werden, ab welcher Belastung ein Textil kaputt reißt, wie stark ein Material in der Wäsche einläuft, was passiert, wenn ein Textil mit Flammen in Kontakt kommt oder wie schnell ein Gewebe durchscheuert.

„Uns gefiel vor allem der abwechslungsreiche Tagesablauf und die Kombination aus Handwerk und Naturwissenschaften. Gerade durch den Praxisbezug wird die Theorie sehr gut veranschaulicht“, berichten beide. Zumindest für Marie Gräber geht das Studium jetzt weiter – nach fünf weiteren Semestern kann sie den Bachelor of Science erwerben. „Ich wünsche beiden Auszubildenden viel Erfolg auf ihrem weiteren Lebensweg“, sagt Carmen Kalinowski, Ausbildungsbeauftragte der Hochschule Niederrhein.