#Textile chemistry

2024-09-12

New CEO for Beaulieu International Group

Beaulieu International Group (B.I.G.) announces the appointment of its new CEO, Mr. Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck. This important step marks a new era of leadership and stability for the company.

Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck (45) has a solid background in senior leadership roles and international finance. He is moving over from AbrisoJiffy where he successfully transformed the company from a local business to a pan-European leader in protective packaging and insulation. He has a strong track record in profitability improvement, growth and building highly effective teams. Prior to that, he was CEO of food packaging company Omniform. Previously he led a start-up in Latin America. He started his career in Investment Banking in London where he spent more than 6 years executing M&A and financing transactions across Europe. He holds a Master in Business Administration from the University of Brussels, a Master in Finance from Vlerick Business School and completed several Leadership courses at INSEAD.

New CEO for Beaulieu International Group: Mr. Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck © Beaulieu International Group

His appointment as external and non-family CEO highlights B.I.G.'s commitment to professional and independent leadership and provides a fresh perspective on the company's growth strategies.

"We are delighted to welcome Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck as our new CEO," says Dominiek De Clerck, Chairman of the B.I.G. Board of Directors "His experience and fresh perspectives will be essential to identify and capitalize on new opportunities in our industry. With this appointment, we intend to enter a new phase of growth and stability and to continue to implement B.I.G.'s outlined sustainable growth strategy.”

Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck: “I am honoured to join B.I.G. at such a pivotal time. I’m very positive about the future and the opportunities ahead of us. I know periods of change can be unsettling but I’m going to focus my energy on the positive projects and those where I believe there is a huge potential to grow and to improve. Building on strong foundations but looking forward rather than backward. I would like to thank the family and the Board for their trust and I look forward to coming on board and leading B.I.G. to the next chapter of success.”

Jean-Baptiste De Ruyck takes over the torch from Pol Deturck who left the company at the end of June 2024. His official start date is still to be mutually agreed upon, but in the coming months Jean-Baptiste will gradually settle in at Beaulieu International Group.

Alujain Corporation and Beaulieu International Group announce strategic Joint Venture to locally produce synthetic fibres and non-wovens in Saudi Arabia

Alujain Corporation and Beaulieu International Group are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for an envisaged strategic joint venture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This represents a significant milestone in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s industrial development agenda. The partnership, subject to approval by authorities, brings together Alujain Corporation’s established regional manufacturing platform with state-of-the-art polymers and Beaulieu’s globally recognized expertise in synthetic fibres and non-wovens.

Beaulieu International Group announces acquisition of fibre company

Beaulieu International Group (B.I.G.) today announces it has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire all shares of IFG Asota GMBH, an Austria-based fibre company and a key player in the global synthetic staple fibres market. This strategic acquisition strengthens Beaulieu’s Fibres Division (BFI) and marks an important step in its ambition to become the world’s most trusted partner for sustainable nonwoven solutions.

B.I.G. Yarns achieves EcoVadis Platinum Rating, ranking among top 1% of companies worldwide

B.I.G. Yarns, the carpet yarn brand of B.I.G. and a leading manufacturer of polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) and polyester (PET) yarns for contract, automotive, and high-end residential applications, has been awarded the EcoVadis Platinum Medal, placing the company among the top 1% of more than 130.000 companies assessed globally.

SOKO presents low-impact denim finishing innovations at Denim PV Milan

SOKO will present a range of sustainable denim finishing technologies and collaborative projects at the upcoming Denim Première Vision Milan on 20–21 May in Milan. At booth G27 in Superstudio Più, the company will showcase new chemical solutions designed to combine fashionable denim effects with reduced environmental impact.

European Flax-Linen & Hemp step into advanced manufacturing: Enabling filament winding, 3D printing and high-performance composite processes

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp announces a new wave of technological advancements demonstrating how flax-linen and hemp fibres are now being successfully integrated into advanced composite manufacturing processes. These developments mark a transition beyond traditional hand lay-up techniques, positioning natural fibres as credible, scalable solutions for high-performance industrial applications.

SETEX turns dyeing and finishing data into daily production control

At ITM 2026, SETEX will show how textile mills can use machine, recipe, quality and energy data for more reliable daily production decisions — not as another reporting layer, but as part of the running dyeing and finishing process. With OrgaTEX X3 MES, E390x/C390x controllers, CamCOUNT and FabricInspector Portable, SETEX connects planning, machine execution and fabric-related quality insight within existing mill structures.

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.