NEW YORK, New York —Trevira®CS at 30 plus years and $317 million in sales, is continuing its bid to be the first and oldest inherently flame retardant branded fiber/yarn  by increasing its share of the “shrinking” market in Europe; USA and now the growing domestic market in China according to 15 year Trevira veteran, Anke Vollenbroeker, marketing director.

She spoke to an audience of contract fabric designers and manufacturers during the second annual Trevira (CS) Jobber Day at the Bryant Park Hotel here. It is part of an overall plan which includes a match making event in Asia called Trevira CS China Day.

She was joined in her effort by Sabine Schuebel, Manager of Business Development; Svenja Fromm, Business Line Manager and Vicki Bousman, U.S. Representative for TreviraCS.

Vollenbroeker talked about the changes at Trevira over the past few years, but now “we have committed shareholders,” she said.  Trevira GmbH is owned by Sinterama and Indorama Ventures and has a new CEO in Klaus Holz who took the post in July, 2013 after being with Trevira for 12 years. Anke Vollenbroeker

Vollenbroeker pointed to the Euro crises and the bad economic situation of many European economies. In addition, she cited fluctuations in raw material prices; increasing competition, especially from Asia and an ongoing consolidation processes in the textile sector “With our current set-up of company infrastructure and organization we are fit to meet the challenges and look beyond European borders,” she said.

Vollenbroeker says Trevira has the largest assortment of 200 inherently fire retardant fiber types in the textile industry.  Trevira says it is the only European polyester fiber producer offering both staple fibers and filament yarns with the only fully integrated polyester fiber company in Europe Vollenbroeker said Trevira holds leadership positions in bi-component nonwoven applications; low pill apparel applications; fibers and yarns for automotive interiors and flame retardant home textiles applications.

To further streamline these operations, Trevira combined filament yarns and staple fiber production into one facility in Guben, Germany in 2012 following the shutdown of filament spinning in Bobingen and the transfer of texturizing capacity from Poland. Trevira also transferred dyeing facilities from Trevira Neckelmann in Denmark to Sinterama in Italy. Trevira said it has a workforce of 750 employees in six Locations in Europe, Turkey, Brazil and China)

Vollenbroeker said Trevira’s parent company Indorama Ventures/Sinterama are the world’s leading manufacturers of PET, polyester fiber and PTA with consolidated revenue for 2012of US $6.8 billion and a workforce of 9,000 employees.

Sinterama and Indorama have a global footprint of 41 sites in 15 countries across four continents, she said. “Advantages: global business, experience in the polyester sector, strong commitment to investment and process improvement, strong financial power,” she added.

She said the owners are making new investments for infrastructure and production equipment, allowing Trevira to operate at a high level of independence at the same time asking Trevira to build on the established base; to look beyond European borders and continue with new product developments  “Trevira’s strategic intent is to take advantage of opportunities with innovative products driven by global Trends; scout for new products and applications to further differentiate from  competition; gain market share with a strong brand and adequate presence in growth markets; develop partnering concepts,” she said.   

“Trevira (and its customers) are increasingly challenged by emerging competitors, Vollenbroeker continued. “Our business is centered in Europe, gaps exist in emerging market brand awareness and brand values are not perceived in the same way in different regions of the world.”Trevira is trying to expand its business in cooperation with US based partners to supply flame retardant fibers and filaments for local production. Trevira is also offering Marketing Consultants in Eastern Europe, US, Middle East and China to work with the customer. New TreviraCS fabric developments include “sound absorbing properties which are becoming increasingly important, especially in environments where we work, communicate or relax

“Textiles are important sound absorbers, balancing materials like glass and concrete. Today there are very sophisticated products on the market to offer solutions for this issue in many different ways.” Vollenbroeker spoke about Additional fabric function which includes various degrees of fabric stiffening “Trevira CS Pemotex is a hybrid yarn, consisting of a flame retardant yarn and low-melt component (NSK), which have different melting points. The flame retardant yarn (with standard melting point) acts as a carrier, which has a much higher melting point than the low melt yarn. This combination of materials leads to the stiffening of the textile during the finishing process. Due to this stiffening characteristic, the hybrid yarn is suitable for end uses such as vertical and roller blinds, as well as for pleated fabrics like plissé and sliding panels.”

JX Nippon Anci has introduced a new product consisting of decorative nonwovens, made up of filaments for application in: curtains, panels, wallpaper, packaging and technical applications this brand is called MILIFE® / TreviraCS.

Other TreviraCS programs in place for Europe include end user program to (e.g. Hotels) to send back the TreviraCS fabrics at the end of their lifetime. This program may be expanded to the USA, Vollenbroeker said. Preconditions include: Trademark approval to prove the fabrics are Trevira CS; supply of “clean” fabrics which Trevira collects and recycles. In order to develop the project in a sustainable way, Trevira plans to cooperate with local converters in other regions.