From the Sector

CARBIOS and Landbell Group, a global operator of more than 40 producer responsibility organizations (PROs) and a provider of closed-loop recycling solutions, announce the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding for the sourcing, preparation and recycling of post-consumer PET waste using CARBIOS’ biorecycling technology at its first commercial plant in Longlaville from 2026.  

The partnership will leverage Landbell Group’s expertise and network in the sourcing of PET packaging and textile waste which will be prepared for biorecycling. Thanks to CARBIOS’ highly selective enzyme, less sorting and washing is required compared to current recycling technologies, offering future savings in energy and water use. From 2026, Landbell Group will supply CARBIOS with 15 kt/year of PET flakes, ensuring a steady supply chain for sustainable PET production. These flakes will serve as essential feedstock for CARBIOS’ production of food-grade PTA and MEG, further re-polymerized into PET.

Through the partnership with Landbell Group in Germany, the supply of multilayer trays through the CITEO tender in France  and the MoU with Indorama Ventures, CARBIOS will have sourced over 70% of its feedstock required for the 50kt/year capacity when its first commercial plant in Longlaville, France, will operate at full capacity. Close to the borders with Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg, the plant’s location is strategic for nearby waste supplies.

Through this partnership with CARBIOS, Landbell Group will ensure that the problematic PET fractions such as multilayered, colored and opaque trays from packaging waste and polyester textile waste are redirected towards recycling. In this way, Landbell Group strengthens its commitment to the development of recycling solutions to enable a circular economy.

• Revenues: 477.6 million euros (-6%)
• EBITDA before non-recurring items: 79.0 million euros (-15%)
• Net income: 32.6 million euros (-26%)
• Free cash flow before non-recurring items: 45.3 million euros
• Dividend: €0.36 per share

Lectra’s Board of Directors, chaired by Daniel Harari, reviewed the consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year 2023. Audit procedures have been performed by the Statutory Auditors.

Currency changes between 2022 and 2023 mechanically decreased revenues and EBITDA before non-recurring items by 3.9 million euros (-3%) and 1.7 million euros (-8%) respectively in Q4, and by 11.2 million euros (-2%) and 4.8 million euros (-6%) respectively in the year, at actual exchange rates compared to like-for-like figures.

OUTLOOK
While the 2023 full-year results were affected by the adverse environment, they also attest to the substantial improvement in the fundamentals of the Group's business model, which will have a positive impact on 2024 results. Persistent macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties could nevertheless continue to weigh on investment decisions by the Group's customers.

While the most recent indicators seem to suggest that the situation is unlikely to deteriorate further, the timing and magnitude of a rebound in new system orders remain uncertain.

Outlook for 2024
To facilitate analysis, the accounts of Lectra excluding the Launchmetrics acquisition ("Lectra 2023 Scope") will be analysed separately from the Launchmetrics accounts in 2024.

The Group has based its 2024 objectives on the exchange rates in effect on December 29, 2023, in particular $1.10/€1. When converting 2023 results using the exchange rates retained for 2024, 2023 revenues are mechanically reduced by 4.7 million euros (to 472.9 million euros) and 2023 EBITDA before non-recurring items is reduced by 2.2 million euros (to 76.8 million euros). Thus, for the Lectra 2023 Scope, the comparisons between 2024 and 2023 printed below are based on constant exchange rates.

At this early stage of 2024, continuing low visibility regarding orders and revenues from new systems makes it impossible to predict the actual timing and scale of the future rebound in this area. On the other hand, visibility is high for recurring revenues, which accounted for 68% of total revenues in 2023 and will continue to grow in 2024.

In light of the above, Lectra has set as its objective for 2024, for the Lectra 2023 Scope, to achieve revenues in the range of 480 to 530 million euros (+2% to +12%) and EBITDA before non-recurring items in the range of 85 to 107 million euros (+10% to +40%).

The low end of the revenues range is based on the absence of a rebound in new systems orders, which would remain stable in 2024 relative to 2023, with a 6% decline in revenues from perpetual software licenses, equipment and accompanying software and non-recurring services, as the order backlog was lower on December 31, 2023 than a year before.

The high end of the revenues range reflects a gradual rebound in new systems orders, which at year-end 2024 would be back to year-end 2022 level.
 
In addition, Launchmetrics revenues (for the consolidation period from January 23 to December 31) are projected to be in the range of 42 to 46 million euros, with an EBITDA margin before non-recurring items of more than 15% (assuming an exchange rate of $1.10/€1).

More than 82 companies, businesses and social organizations – including AkzoNobel – are involved in a major Dutch research program focused on developing new technologies that will help solve some of today’s societal challenges.
 
Seven broad consortia have been established as part of the government-funded “Perspectief” program, with AkzoNobel set to play a leading role in the SusInkCoat project, which will explore how to make inks and coatings more sustainable.

The company will work together with private partners and other societal stakeholders to develop new materials, processes and applications to improve the durability, functionality and recyclability of coatings, thin films and inks. The program, which will run for the next five years, is backed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

“Our discussions about collaborating with our SusInkCoat partners have been very positive,” says AkzoNobel’s R&D Director of Scientific Academic Programs, André van Linden, who is also the co-lead of SusInkCoat. “We’re all facing the same societal challenges – how to become more circular – and we’re looking for the same solutions in different application areas. But we’ve never done that together for this specific research topic, so we need an ecosystem to help us solve these challenges.
 
Van Linden adds that the program – one of many R&D projects the company is involved with – will also support AkzoNobel’s ambition to achieve 50% less carbon emissions in its own operations – and across the value chain – by 2030.
 
 “We want to make the recyclability of materials - such as furniture, building materials and steel constructions - easier by introducing functionalities like self-healing, higher durability and triggered release,” he continues. “The more you can leave the materials in their original state, the more sustainably you can operate.”

AkzoNobel will be collaborating with Canon, Evonik, GFB, PTG and RUG Ventures, who together possess extensive knowledge of market demands, supply chains and production processes. All the SusInkCoat partners will also work with academic researchers at several Dutch universities in an effort to identify promising developments that can be commercialized, used for education purposes or for outreach to the public.

Research being conducted by the other six consortia includes investigating methods to make tastier plant-based food; flat optics for more sustainable hi-tech equipment; and cheaper and more accessible medical imaging technology.

RadiciGroup announced the appointment of Stefano Pigozzi to the Board of Directors of Radici Partecipazioni SpA, the parent company overseeing all the Group's business activities in the chemicals, engineering polymers and advanced textile solutions sectors.
 
A professional with proven experience in the chemical industry, Mr. Pigozzi will complement the Board with his strategic vision acquired in international organizations.
 
Stefano Pigozzi graduated from the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland with a degree in Business Administration and started his work experience in the finance division of BASF in the late 1980s. Since then, chemistry has remained at the centre of his career: over the years, he has held marketing and sales positions of increasing responsibility in various business sectors (plastics and inorganics), moving up to more strategic and managerial roles within BASF, including president of the Monomers Division and, most recently, head of the Group Global Purchasing Division at the Ludwigshafen headquarters.
 
During his more than 30-year career at BASF, Mr. Pigozzi has consistently demonstrated his leadership capability, his financial analysis skills and his dedication to corporate business success. He has also contributed significantly to the positioning of BASF as a global leader in the chemical industry.
 
Mr. Pigozzi’s appointment to the Board of Directors of Radici Partecipazioni is aimed at strengthening RadiciGroup's presence in the market and helping to guide the company towards new goals.

At the end of last year, KARL MAYER launched the TM 4 EL – a new, highly flexible machine for the mid-range segment in the four-bar tricot machine sector. The machine produces fabrics for upholstery, automotive interiors and outerwear, as well as sportswear items and home textiles.

Featuring KARL MAYER’s proven CFRP technology, the TM 4 EL is up to 30% faster than the previous four-bar tricot machine designed for the commodity sector.

The new TM 4 EL is offered in gauges E 28 and E 32. The available working widths are 210” and 280”, with a working width extension also available. Further width varieties are also planned. Equipment highlights include an integrated Laser Stop to detect yarn breakages early, and functional LED lighting, which illuminates the warp knitting area for easy handling and signals unplanned machine stops using the corresponding colour. The machine can be networked with KM.ON’s secure cloud via the k.ey device to utilise the KARL MAYER GROUP’s digital solutions. This includes, for example, the web-based lapping editor CORE LITE.

Adient, a leader in automotive seating, has been certified for the second time by the Top Employers Institute as a European Top Employer for several of its EMEA locations.
 
23 of the automotive supplier’s locations in the Czech Republic, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Serbia underwent an extensive assessment by the institute and were evaluated in categories such as People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more. All six assessed markets obtained the certification, having already done so in last year’s edition.
 
While the organization’s overall score improved by 4.5% compared to 2023, Adient stands out the most from its competitors in the areas of People Strategy and DE&I practices, at 11% and 7%, respectively.

The Top Employers Certification Program has been created to provide guidance on people practices of employers in a wide range of industries. It evaluates companies worldwide and provides feedback on their working culture based on a best practice survey.

In ärztlichen Praxen gibt es unterschiedliche Gefährdungen und hygienische Anforderungen abhängig von Fachrichtung, Behandlungsspektrum und Patient:innenklientel. Das Hygienemanagement hat das Ziel, Infektionen bei Patient:innen und die Verbreitung von Krankheitserregern zu vermeiden sowie den Arbeitsschutz der Mitarbeiter:innen sicherzustellen. Dies erfordert die Einhaltung verschiedener rechtlicher Vorgaben, darunter Infektionsschutz für Patient:innen und Mitarbeiter:innen, medizinprodukterechtliche Vorgaben und Qualitätssicherungsmaßnahmen. Der BVMed-Newsletter informiert über die Mustervorlage zur Aufstellung eines Hygieneplans in der ärztlichen Praxis und die verschiedenen Maßnahmen zur Basishygiene, zur baulich-funktionellen Gestaltung sowie zur Risikobewertung und Einstufung von Medizinprodukten.

Um Hygienemaßnahmen bzw. präventiv Infektionsschutz durchführen und gewährleisten zu können, sind bestimmte Produkte erforderlich. Dazu gehören neben verschiedenen Desinfektionsmitteln persönliche Schutzausrüstungen (PSA) – Kleidung, die die eigene (Berufs-)Kleidung sowie den Körper vor Verunreinigungen jeglicher Art schützt. Wiederum schützt diese Kleidung immungeschwächte Patient:innen vor Übertragungen von Krankheitserregern durch das ärztliche oder nicht-ärztliche Personal.

Darüber hinaus enthält der MedTech ambulant-Newsletter Informationen zu den Anforderungen an die Hygiene bei der Aufbereitung von Medizinprodukten.

Mit dem Newsletter „MedTech ambulant“ informiert der BVMed über Themen rund um Medizinprodukte im ambulanten Bereich. Dabei geht es unter anderem um Detailinformationen zu Studien, Abrechnungsfragen, Produktinnovationen, Strukturverträgen, gesundheitspolitische Entwicklungen oder Tendenzen.

CARBIOS published its second Sustainability Report with 2022 as the reference year. Like the first, this report is not subject to any publication obligation for the company, confirms CARBIOS' commitment and desire for transparency in terms of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.

In 2022, several objectives were achieved:

• Increase of the number of independent directors on the Board of Directors,
• Completion of the first carbon footprint report to sustainably reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
• Consolidation of the life cycle analysis (LCA) of the PET enzymatic depolymerization process,
• Continuation of employee training in safety and environmental issues.

In October 2023, CARBIOS appointed Bénédicte Garbil as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability: "In 2022, CARBIOS strengthened its governance, building a solid foundation for our continued growth and commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This strategic development demonstrates our commitment to operational excellence and transparency. We have integrated the principles of sustainability, ethics and environmental responsibility at the heart of our governance, putting CSR at the forefront of our actions."

2024 is a turning point for the European textiles and clothing industry: From 6 to 9 June 2024, European citizens will vote for a new European Parliament and, based on the results, a new European Commission will be formed. In view of this important election, EURATEX publishes a Manifesto, presenting 15 requests which will help to ensure a competitive European textiles and clothing industry.

The textile and apparel industry is making a substantial contribution to European wealth, jobs and growth. Europe counts 192,000 companies employing 1.3 million workers with a turnover of €167 billion and over €67 billion of exports. Entrepreneurship should be recognised as the foundation for a competitive textile industry, offering high quality and sustainable products, based on innovation, creativity and design. European policy makers should recognise such role to textiles and apparel companies and have an open dialogue to create better framework conditions to operate in the internal and global markets.

To realise that vision, the industry and policy makers need to work together on a mix of policy measures and initiatives, which are coherent and offer a transparent and predictable framework for our companies, and make them more resilient and competitive.

These policies should focus around four points:

Develop and implement a “smart” EU industrial policy
Europe should create policies which enhance competitiveness, instead of creating administrative burdens. To EURATEX, each new piece of legislation should undergo a “competitiveness test” to critically look at the impact of the new rules. Europe should also create a favourable environment to promote education and jobs in the industry. The EU textile industry currently employees 1,3 million people, 30% of which is above 50 years old. A critical bottleneck for the textile industry is to attract (young) people and make sure these people have the right set of skills, to operate in a changing textile ecosystem. EURATEX also asks the EU to invest in innovation and digitalisation as they are key to the European competitive advantage. Not only, as the last years have proved, Europe should provide companies with access to sustainable energy at lower prices.

No sustainability without competitiveness
The EU Strategy for Sustainable Textiles is pushing our sector towards new business models with a lower environmental footprint. To realise that ambition, no less than 16 regulatory proposals are on the table, each of them with a different timetable, managed by different departments of the European Commission. EURATEX is committed to sustainability, but asks for economic realism. This set of new regulations needs to be coherent, enforceable, feasible and applicable for SMEs, and not push textile companies out of the market. Moreover, some member states are moving forward faster and some legislations will be decided at national level, creating fragmentation of the market. Such scenarios will hamper Europe and its possibilities to grow.

Ensure free and fair trade
With $224 billion in sold merchandise, Europe is the second major world exporters of textiles and clothes after China ($321 billion). It is therefore important that the global market should be open, free and fair for our industry to continue to thrive. Besides the support to FTAs in general, EURATEX wants to emphasise that all trade agreements should offer effective market access for EU companies and a level playing field in these markets. A free and open market should go hand in hand also with protection against free riders. The EU must always consider enforcement and enforceability when making new laws; it should also take action together with the member states for a better coordination with harmonised criteria for action among Customs Authorities.

Incentivise the Demand for sustainable textiles
Sustainable textile products typically come at a premium price, making it difficult for many consumers and buyers to purchase such products. Many surveys across Europe confirm that around 50% of interviewees do not purchase sustainable fashion products and the main reason is price. EURATEX believes that, to create a demand and help consumers to buy a (genuine) sustainable textile product, there should be standard requirements and fiscal incentives. Public authorities should also implement green public procurements, by increasing the importance of sustainability criteria in their evaluation grids.

EURATEX welcomes the unanimous vote in support of the new rules of origin under the PEM Convention, as a historic achievement. Facilitating trade and investments in the “PanEuroMed” region (covering 27 EU member states and 24 partner countries in the neighbourhood region)¹ is top priority region for the EU, as trade with these countries accounted for €677 billion in 2023. For the EU textile and clothing sector, the region represents 35% of its exports and 21% of its imports.
 
In 2013 the European Commission adopted a package of proposals aimed at increasing trade between the European Union and neighbouring countries in the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) region. The proposal introduced modernised rules of origin of the PEM convention, lifting the prohibition of duty-drawback and introducing the principle of “full cumulation”.

Today, after ten years of intense negotiations which EURATEX supported, the European Commission reached a full and final agreement with all PEM partners. This is a landmark achievement that will unlock the full potential of the Euro-Mediterranean area as the biggest and most integrated region of advanced manufacturing and trading of sustainable textiles and clothing. The rules adopted today will accelerate the integration of T&C supply chains and boost T&C production and trade within the region, both in the East and Southern borders of the EU. In a moment when companies are looking at moving their production from Asia to nearby, like-minded and more reliable countries , it is very timely to have the PEM Convention implemented.

EURATEX’s President, Mr Alberto Paccanelli, commented: “This is a strategic trade deal that can help European companies recover from the multiple crisis which we face since 2020”. He continued “We call on the European Union to not stop here, but keep up the efforts to secure trade deals that are good for European companies and their competitive position in the world. The next objective should be the adoption of the EU-Mercosur Agreement and a conclusive settlement of all trade disputes with the United States”.    
 
According to Director General Dirk Vantyghem, “today’s unanimous vote in favour of the modernised PEM rules is good news for our industry.. We should now engage with these partner countries to fully exploit the potential of these new rules. EURATEX is ready to engage in an industrial dialogue with the companies from the PEM Countries to facilitate their transition to the new framework”.

¹ The PanEuroMed contracting parties are: the EU, the EFTA States (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), the Faroe Islands, the participants in the Barcelona Process (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the territories of West Bank and Gaza, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey), the participants in the EU's Stabilisation and Association Process (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo), the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine.