#Sustainability

2022-10-06

Lenzing reaches further milestones in photovoltaic and e-mobility expansion

Lenzing x Verbund: First expansion stage of the largest free-field photovoltaic plant in Upper Austria ceremonially put into operation - f.l.t.r. Lenzing Mayor Rudolf Vogtenhuber, Provincial Councillor Markus Achleitner, CEO Stephan Sielaff (Lenzing), Chief Pulp Officer Christian Skilich (Lenzing), Provincial Councilor Stefan Kaineder, CEO Michael Strugl (Verbund) © 2022 Lenzing

The Lenzing Group, a world-leading provider of wood-based specialty fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, and VERBUND, Austria’s leading energy transition company, are celebrating today’s launch of the first development stage of the largest ground-mounted photovoltaic system in Upper Austria. Together with its energy partner VERBUND, Lenzing is also paving the way for the transition to zero-emission mobility. The installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the company’s premises underlines Lenzing’s commitment to the energy transition process.

Thanks to the ground-mounted photovoltaic system at the “Ofenloch” landfill site, Lenzing, in conjunction with VERBUND, is consistently moving forward on the path to a carbon-free energy supply and has commissioned the first half of the new photovoltaic system with a peak power of 2,780 kWp. Full commissioning of the system with a peak power of 5,560 kWp is envisaged in mid-October. Annual electricity production will amount to 6,000,000 kWh, which is expected to cut CO2 emissions by some 4,400 tonnes per year. The Austrian pioneer in fiber production already commissioned three rooftop photovoltaic systems in spring/summer of 2022, with a peak power of 1,454 kWp and annual electricity production of some 1,508,000 kWh. The electricity flows directly into the company’s on-site production and will also power electric charging stations in future. In the first development stage, 16 wallboxes are set to be installed by the end of the year. A further 32 charging points are planned for 2023. The charging stations will be accessible to staff, visitors and the company’s own vehicle fleet.

Sustainability as a driver of innovation

Sustainability is a precondition for every new development at Lenzing. “Sustainable management forms the basis of our long-term economic success. This is why we are working with strong partners to become more independent of the turmoil on the energy market and to ensure greater planning reliability. Due to our consistent expansion in the field of photovoltaic and the transition to e-mobility, we are playing a pioneering role in Upper Austria and providing an important contribution to the region’s photovoltaic strategy for 2030,” comments Stephan Sielaff, CEO of the Lenzing Group.

“VERBUND’s photovoltaic operator model allows us to make the transition to solar power without incurring investment costs or risks. Thanks to the constant expansion in renewable energy, we remain on course to ecologize the value chain, while optimizing our carbon footprint, cutting costs and reducing the load on the grid, as we are using nearly 100 percent of photovoltaic power in our production,” explains Christian Skilich, Chief Pulp Officer of the Lenzing Group.

“We welcome this strategic partnership with Lenzing. Thanks to our electricity production, which is mainly derived from hydro, wind and solar power, we are making a key contribution to the energy and climate targets of Austria and Europe. We are also consistently investing in securing a future based on renewable energy. VERBUND invests some EUR 1 billion annually in the development of electricity production, storage and networks. But VERBUND also acts as an energy partner, supporting industrial companies with our solutions on their path to a green energy future. Because working together is the only way to manage the energy transition,” says Michael Strugl, Chairman of the Board of VERBUND.

Lenzing confirmed as global leader in Canopy sustainability ranking

Lenzing AG has once again taken first place in this year's Hot Button Report published by the Canadian non-profit organization Canopy. With 34.5 out of 40 points and no known risk of sourcing from ancient and endangered forests, Lenzing remains one of the most sustainable companies in regenerated cellulose fiber production – setting a benchmark for responsible business practices in the textile and nonwovens industries.

Lenzing AG refines strategy and strengthens competitiveness for a challenging environment

Lenzing AG, a leading provider of regenerated cellulosic fibers, refined its strategy to strengthen its global positioning and competitiveness. With this step, the company responds to the ongoing challenges in the global textile and nonwovens markets as well as geopolitical changes. Cornerstones of the refined strategy include focusing on high-performance fibers, enhancing operational efficiency and asset footprint optimization, which should further unlock the company’s full value creation potential.

Lenzing AG accelerates energy transition with expanded renewable energy portfolio

The Lenzing Group, a leading provider of regenerated cellulose fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, is setting another milestone in the energy transition by expanding its photovoltaic capacities at its Lenzing site. Together with VERBUND, a new PV plant with a capacity of 1.3 megawatts peak (MWp) has been commissioned, increasing the total capacity of the PV plant park to 8.3 MWp. Lenzing is thereby investing in a stable and diversified energy supply and is also making an active contribution to the energy transition.

Pioneering open-source framework shows how early innovation drives a just and net-zero fashion future

The non-profit H&M Foundation, in collaboration with Accenture, has unveiled From Signals to Systems Change, an insight report calling on the fashion industry to rethink its role in transformation. At its core is the Reimagined System Map, a pioneering open-source framework that visualises how early-stage innovation could drive a just and net-zero textile future.

Nike unites innovation, design and product teams to accelerate athlete-centered innovation

Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse are joining forces under a new, athlete-focused creation structure aimed at accelerating innovation and driving growth across NIKE, Inc. The new setup unites the Innovation, Design and Product teams from all three brands into a single “creation engine” that will enable greater sharing of insights, technology and manufacturing methods throughout the innovation process. This integration is part of Nike’s new Sport Offense strategy and is designed to enhance the creation of products that help athletes perform at their best.

DORNIER celebrates its anniversary at ITMA Asia + CITME

To mark its 75th anniversary, machine and plant manufacturer Lindauer DORNIER will be presenting the latest developments in its rapier and air-jet weaving machines at ITMA Asia + CITME in Singapore (Hall 2, Stand B401) from 28 to 31 October 2025. The focus will be on energy-efficient weaving technologies, new IoT solutions for networked textile production and systems for the series production of modern fibre composite components.

BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.