SHANGHAI – Sateri, the world’s largest producer of viscose fibre, is planning to expand its Lyocell production in China by up to 500,000 tons a year by 2025.
The first phase of this expansion kicked off recently with ground-breaking works for a new 100,000-ton facility in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. Another 100,000-ton facility will be built in Nantong, Jiangsu province later this year. The Changzhou Lyocell facility is expected to commence production in the third quarter of 2022 and will create more than 800 jobs.
Sateri’s first foray into China’s Lyocell market was in May 2020 when its 20,000-ton Lyocell production line in Rizhao, Shandong province commenced production. The same site houses a 5,000-ton pilot production line dedicated for the development of Lyocell application technology.
“Sateri’s continued investment in Lyocell not only responds to the changing needs of the market and the textile industry but also supports China’s green development plans,” said president Allen Zhang. “It is also very much a part of Sateri’s 2030 Vision commitment to sustainable development where we actively seek to adopt a circular economy model through clean and closed-loop production technology and innovation.”
As a natural and biodegradable fibre, Sateri’s Lyocell is made from wood pulp sourced from certified and sustainable plantations. It is manufactured using closed-loop technology, requiring minimal chemical input during the production process, and utilising an organic solvent that can be almost fully recovered and recycled.
Sateri is the world’s largest producer of viscose fibre for textiles, baby wipes and personal hygiene products. Its five mills in China collectively produce about 1.5 million tons of viscose fibre yearly and it also makes textile yarns and spunlace nonwoven fabrics.
