Lenzing invests 200 million euros in Asia for group-wide climate neutrality

Austrian fiber producer Lenzing Group is planning to invest more than 200 million euros (around 240 million US dollars / 170 million pound Sterling) in its production sites in Purwakarta (Indonesia) and Nanjing (China) to convert existing standard viscose capacity into environmentally responsible specialty fibers. In Nanjing, Lenzing will establish the first wood-based fiber complex in China that is independent from coal as an energy source. By using natural gas based cogeneration, Lenzing will reduce CO2 emissions at the site by more than 200,000 tons. At the same time, a line of standard viscose will be converted to a 35.000 tons Tencel branded modal fibers line, making Lenzing (Nanjing) Fibers Co., Ltd, according to the group, a 100 percent wood-based specialty fiber site by the end of 2022.  In Purwakarta in Indonesia, Lenzing will reduce its CO2 emissions by increasingly using biogenic fuels. Additional investments to reduce emissions to air and water will make this facility fully compliant with the EU Ecolabel by the end of 2022. That will allow converting standard viscose capacity into Lenzing Ecovero branded fibers for textile applications as well as Lenzing Viscose Eco fibers for personal care and hygiene applications. As a result, by 2023, this site will also become a pure specialty viscose supplier.