Lenzing AG
Encyclopedia
Lenzing AG is a company based in Lenzing
, Austria
whose main business is textile
and nonwovens
cellulose fiber
s (such as modal
and lyocell
) and also makes some polymer
plastics. Lenzing Group is an international group of companies with its headquarters in Austria, and production sites in all major markets.
The company initially focused solely on fiber production, but it needed plastic wrappings for its fiber bales, so Lenzing Plastics was founded to produce them. The plastics division is still active, making 11.7% of total sales in 2009.
The company's history goes back to 1892 when Emil Hamburger, an industrialist, operated a paper mill
in Lenzing, Austria. In 1938 Zellwolle Lenzing AG was founded, starting pulp and viscose fiber production and in 1962 the company's name was changed to Chemiefaser Lenzing AG. The old calcium bisulphite method was used for fiber production until 1963, when the new more eco-friendly magnesium bisulphite method was introduced. In 1975 the company established a department responsible for the environment and introduced a more "green" bleaching process for pulp in 1977. In 1984 the company name changed to Lenzing AG and its shares were listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1986.
Lenzing Group has international branch offices in the United States
and Asia (China
, India
, Indonesia
). Its production facilities are located mainly within the European Union
, with the fiber
s being produced in Austria, United Kingdom
, the US, China, and Indonesia, while its plastics factories are located in Austria, Germany
, Czechia, and the US. The pulp is produced in Czechia and the engineering research is done in Lenzing, Austria which is also the largest integrated pulp and viscose
fiber production site worldwide.
Total 2009 sales were EUR 1.25 billion, with a workforce of 6,021. The main fiber markets of Lenzing are Asia (52%) and Europe (39%). The majority owner of Lenzing, with 90.15% of voting rights, is B & C Industrieholding GmbH along with its subsidiaries. As of 2007, the corporate group has an annual production of over 500,000 tons of fibers, over 27,000 tons of plastics, and over 80,000 tons of paper. The paper division was sold out in 2008.
Lenzing
Lenzing is a small town of approximately 5000 residents, three kilometers north of Lake Attersee in Austria, It is located in the Upper Austrian part of the Salzkammergut....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
whose main business is textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
and nonwovens
Nonwovens
Nonwoven fabric is a fabric-like material made from long fibres, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabrics, such as felt, which are neither woven nor knitted. Nonwoven materials typically lack...
cellulose fiber
Cellulose fiber
Cellulose fibers are fibres of cellulose from any source, either natural or manufactured.-Textile:In the textile industry regenerated cellulose is used as fibers such as rayon, . Cellulose fibers are manufactured from dissolving pulp...
s (such as modal
Modal (textile)
Modal is a cellulose fiber made by spinning reconstituted cellulose, often from beech trees. It is about 50% more hygroscopic per unit volume than cotton. It takes dye like cotton and is color-fast when washed in warm water. Modal is a kind of rayon.Textiles made from modal are resistant to...
and lyocell
Lyocell
Lyocell is a regenerated cellulose fiber made from dissolving pulp . It was first manufactured in 1987 by Courtaulds Fibres UK at their pilot plant S25...
) and also makes some polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
plastics. Lenzing Group is an international group of companies with its headquarters in Austria, and production sites in all major markets.
The company initially focused solely on fiber production, but it needed plastic wrappings for its fiber bales, so Lenzing Plastics was founded to produce them. The plastics division is still active, making 11.7% of total sales in 2009.
The company's history goes back to 1892 when Emil Hamburger, an industrialist, operated a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
in Lenzing, Austria. In 1938 Zellwolle Lenzing AG was founded, starting pulp and viscose fiber production and in 1962 the company's name was changed to Chemiefaser Lenzing AG. The old calcium bisulphite method was used for fiber production until 1963, when the new more eco-friendly magnesium bisulphite method was introduced. In 1975 the company established a department responsible for the environment and introduced a more "green" bleaching process for pulp in 1977. In 1984 the company name changed to Lenzing AG and its shares were listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1986.
Lenzing Group has international branch offices in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Asia (China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
). Its production facilities are located mainly within the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, with the fiber
Fiber
Fiber is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread.They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together....
s being produced in Austria, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the US, China, and Indonesia, while its plastics factories are located in Austria, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Czechia, and the US. The pulp is produced in Czechia and the engineering research is done in Lenzing, Austria which is also the largest integrated pulp and viscose
Viscose
Viscose is a viscous organic liquid used to make rayon and cellophane. Viscose is becoming synonymous with rayon, a soft material commonly used in shirts, shorts, coats, jackets, and other outer wear.-Manufacture:...
fiber production site worldwide.
Total 2009 sales were EUR 1.25 billion, with a workforce of 6,021. The main fiber markets of Lenzing are Asia (52%) and Europe (39%). The majority owner of Lenzing, with 90.15% of voting rights, is B & C Industrieholding GmbH along with its subsidiaries. As of 2007, the corporate group has an annual production of over 500,000 tons of fibers, over 27,000 tons of plastics, and over 80,000 tons of paper. The paper division was sold out in 2008.