#Yarn & Fiber

2022-11-03

Nico Reiner appointed new Chief Financial Officer of Lenzing AG

The Supervisory Board of Lenzing AG, a world-leading provider of sustainably produced specialty fibers for the textile and nonwoven industries, has appointed Nico Reiner as its new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Reiner will join Lenzing’s Managing Board led by Chief Executive Officer Stephan Sielaff on January 1, 2023. He will succeed Chief Financial Officer Thomas Obendrauf, who is leaving the company of his own volition after seven years.

Nico Reiner has held several positions in his professional career to date, including CFO at globally operating companies such as Schüco Group, AL-KO Group and Pfleiderer Group, as well as management consultant roles. His most recent appointment was as CFO of Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG, a global player with headquarters in Hanau that specializes in the development, production and marketing of magnetic materials. Born in Günzburg (Germany), Mr. Reiner graduated from the University of Regensburg with a degree in business administration and has a doctorate from HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management.

“We are delighted to welcome Nico Reiner to the Managing Board of Lenzing as he is a proven financial expert with substantial international experience. After successfully implementing the latest capacity extensions, the Lenzing Group will accelerate its profitable path to growth and has set ambitious financial targets for 2027. Nico Reiner will play a vital role in this process and in implementing our corporate strategy,” comments Cord Prinzhorn, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Lenzing AG.

Chief Financial Officer Thomas Obendrauf notified the Supervisory Board in March that he would not be extending his contract when it came to an end in June 2022 as after seven years at Lenzing, he is leaving to pursue a career change. Until Mr. Reiner joins the company, Stephan Sielaff will continue to assume the role of CFO on an interim basis, with Mr. Obendrauf supporting the company in an advisory capacity.

“Thomas Obendrauf has performed the role of CFO in an exemplary and prudent manner since 2016. He has successfully implemented the company’s strategy together with his colleagues in the Managing Board. He was also responsible for the construction of the new lyocell plant in Thailand during his tenure on the Managing Board. We would like to thank him for his consistently trustworthy and professional approach in working with us and we wish him all the best for the future,” comments Mr. Prinzhorn.

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.

Better, faster, bio-based: Functional new Plastic alternatives

How can new bio-based and biohybrid materials with improved features be developed faster? Six Fraunhofer institutes are jointly exploring this question in the SUBI²MA flagship project, using an innovative bio-based polyamide developed by Fraunhofer researchers as a model. Its specific properties make it a promising alternative to fossil-based plastics.

T-CAN – Revolutionizing can transport

In virtually all spinning mills, transporting sliver cans is still done manually. Rising labor costs, lack of operators and increasing quality requirements make this a growing challenge. With T-CAN, Trützschler introduces a practical solution: a fully automated can transport system that will be presented live at ITMA ASIA 2025 in Singapore.

Francois Guetat joins Suominen as COO

Francois Guetat brings over two decades of global experience in operations, supply chain, and manufacturing excellence. Most recently, he served as SVP of Integrated Supply Chain at Kalmar, where he led business across sourcing, manufacturing, logistics and strategy. His leadership has been shaped by 22 years at Volvo, where he held key roles in Sweden, USA, and Poland.

DuPont™ Nomex® plant in Asturias receives ISCC PLUS certification

DuPont announced today that its Nomex® production facility in Tamón, Asturias, has received International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) certification. This achievement underscores DuPont's commitment to advancing its sustainability goals and building capabilities to provide reliable Nomex® solutions from sustainable raw materials worldwide.

From concept to stage: Submit presentations for the Techtextil Forum and Texprocess Forum 2026 now

Anyone who wants to contribute to shaping the future of the textile industry can submit a presentation for the Techtextil and Texprocess Forum by 15 December 2025. Both stages represent innovation and practical solutions and promote exchange between research and industry. An international Programme Committee selects the contributions and curates a programme on key future topics in the textile sector. From 21 to 24 April 2026, the two leading trade fairs will once again be the centre of global business dialogue in Frankfurt.