Textile Briefs

*     World mill consumption of cotton is estimated at 19.7 million tonnes in 1999-00, a rise of 750,000 tonnes compared with the previous season.

*    An agreement has been concluded between DuPont and Unifi to form an alliance to produce POY polyester yarns in the United States. Together the two companies will control a combined filament capacity of 360,000 tonnes p.a.

*    By 2003 it is estimated that world man-made fibre consumption will rise by 5.4% to 37,800,000 tonnes. This is the conclusion of a survey made by the American Economics Research Organisation Freedonia Group, Cleveland.

*     Courtaulds Textiles, which recently was acquired by American company Sara Lee Corp., is closing Courtaulds Knitwear plants in the Nottingham area; Worksop and Heanor. The Closures will mean that some 630 people will lose their jobs.

*    It is now envisaged that 17, 616 tonnes of Australian cotton will be imported by central Java, Indonesia, which, in turn, will ship 70 tonnes of textiles to Australia.

*     Thai exports to Europe and the former Soviet Union in the period 1990-1998 showed the highest growth of 16% followed by a rise of 13% in North American trade.

*    In an attempt to restore the flagging fortunes of Marks & Spencer it is now being proposed to offer its clothing at discounts of some 30% in "factor outlet malls". This is very much in tune with other groups, such as Gap and Next, which use this as a means of selling off excess stock. M&S plans to open three outlets later this year.

*     The current year is likely to see polypropylene fibre production at its highest ever level, according to Jeroen van valen, chairman EATP ( the European Association of Textile Polyolefins) speaking in Prague at the Association's spring conference. It is important that innovations continue in an industry that has pioneered such developments as flexible bulk containers, hygienic non-wovens and, increasingly apparel, particularly specialty wear.

*     Lurgi Zimmer, Germany, is to build yet another polyester plant. This will be a 65,000 tonnes p.a. polycondensation unit to be constructed for Tiepet Inc., Asheboro, NC, U.S.A. and will make granules, using Zommer continuous polycondensation process. The project is scheduled to come on stream by June-July 2002 and already engineering work has started.

*     Following the news that Acordis has brought on line another production unit for its lyocell fibre Tencel, Austrian cellulosic fibre maker Lenzing A.G., has raised its capacity for this new fibre to 20,000 tonnes. Originally the Lenzing plant in Heiligenkreuz had a rated production of 12,000 tonnes.

*     AmFibre, an American nylon yarn producer in Ridgeway, VA, has been acquired by Nylstar S.P.A., Italy. Nylstar, a joint Snia/Rhodia venture, is the second largest nylon maker in the world with a current capacity of 165,000 tonnes of nylon 6 and 6.6.

*     Commercial production of an ultra, high-strength liquid crystal fibre called Zyron has started in Japan. Initially production is in a plant capable of making 180 tonnes p.a. filament and later this year a 200 tonnes staple plant is scheduled to start up. There are, however, plans for a major plant which could be as much as 3,000 tonnes capacity.

*     China's textile and garment exports could reach $ 65 billion by 2005, against $50 billion in 2000, authorities expect. Output value would grow by 6.5% per year to reach $ 132 billion by 2005.

*     Lithuania's textile and garment industries will fully benefit from accession to the WTO this year before planned integration into the European Union on account of accelerated foreign investment and full modernisation of facilities.
*     Taiwan proposes to build a huge textile park in Vietnam.