#Recycling / Circular Economy

2024-06-06

Altor acquires remaining assets of Renewcell, ushering in a new era as circulose

Renewcell, a leader in cotton textile recycling, is pleased to announce that its remaining assets have been acquired by Altor, a respected investment firm based in Sweden. This acquisition marks a new chapter for Renewcell, now renamed Circulose.

With Altor's ownership, there is secure financing for the future of Circulose, ensuring that the company’s pioneering cotton recycling technology continues to thrive on a global scale.

The technology of recycling cotton to make a dissolving pulp for MMCF producers, such as viscose, has been a cornerstone of the company’s operations. CIRCULOSE® pulp, the innovative solution for textile-to-textile circularity, will remain at the forefront to create a sustainable future for the fashion and textile industry. This commitment to innovation and sustainability is further strengthened by Altor's investment, which provides the resources and network needed to scale Circulose’s impact and reach.

The current inventory of CIRCULOSE® pulp and fiber is ready to meet market demands, supported by our dedicated CIRCULOSE® Supplier Network (CSN) partners who continue to provide high-quality materials. This ensures that the market can confidently move forward with the assurance of an uninterrupted supply chain.

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our customers, partners, and stakeholders for their unwavering support and collaboration during this journey,” remarks Magnus Lundmark, Chief Executive Officer at Circulose.

“Together, we will continue to drive positive change, leveraging Altor's expertise and resources to enhance our capabilities and secure a confident future for Circulose and the broader textile community.”

Circulose is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability through the transition into this exciting new phase of building a resilient, innovative, and circular future for the textile industry.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Circular economy offers the EU win-win on environment and economy

Stepping up a circular economy offers the European Union the potential for significant positive impacts on Europe’s environment and poses an untapped and strategic economic opportunity in terms of better access to materials and the creation of new businesses. Three new assessments on circularity, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), also stress the need to accelerate investment in circularity efforts to meet EU climate and environment policy targets.

BB Engineering unveils new, patented “Val-uePack” spin pack at ITM

At the upcoming ITM in Istanbul, taking place June 9–13 at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in Hall 7, Booth 702B, BB Engineering will once again be represented at a joint booth with its parent company, Barmag, and its representative, Tekstil Servis. The German machine manufacturer will show-case its expertise in man-made fiber and recycling technology, presenting its entire product portfolio, which includes compo-nents such as extruders and filters, as well as complete sys-tems for spinning synthetic fibers, air-texturing, and PET recy-cling.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.