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IVC - Press release 2 10th May 2017
IVC Press Release 10th May 2017: The Fiber Year 2017 - World Survey on Textiles & Nonwovens
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IVC - Press release 1 10th May 2017
IVC Press Release 10th May 2017: Man-Made Fibres “made in Germany”: Innovation & sustainability in times of megatrends and energy transitions
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IVC - Press release 30th April 2013
IVC Press Release 30th April 2013: The Fiber Year 2013 - World Survey on Textiles & Nonwovens
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IVC - Press release 11th May 2012
IVC Press Release 11. May 2012: The Fiber Year - World Survey on Textiles & Nonwovens
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General Assembly 2008
IVC Press Release 20. June 2008
The annual general assembly of Industrieverband Chemiefaser e. V. (IVC) took place on 20 June 2008. Official figures were announced for the past business year, and an outlook for the current year was given.
In elections held in regular intervals, a new IVC chairman was elected. The outgoing chairman – Dr Heinrich Koch of Kelheim Fibres GmbH (Kelheim) – is succeeded by his former deputy – Dr Hartmut Kratzke of Nexis Faserwerke GmbH & Co. KG (Neumünster). The new deputy chairman is Dr Thomas Roth of Diolen Industrial Fibers GmbH (Obernburg). According to the rules, no new treasurer was elected in 2008 so that the present incumbent – Mr Jochen Boos of Polyamide High Performance GmbH (Wuppertal) – remains in office.The new chairman and his deputy will take office on 1 July 2008.
According to the outgoing chairman, last year focused almost totally on REACH and this focus persists at present. The REACH legislation of the European Union is unparalleled, both in its dimensions and in respect of forthcoming tasks and impacts on European industry as a whole.
Besides the elaboration of test reports for chemicals, communication along the supply chain is a vital element of REACH. The man-made fibres industry was early to contact customers and especially suppliers, in order to ensure an exchange of all items of information necessary for pre-registration and to prevent interruptions of the information flow.
Further intensive activities included an internal analysis of whether and to what extent the man-made fibres industry falls in the scope of REACH and a definition of the role of the man-made fibres industry within the textile chain – in the meaning of REACH. Even though the man-made fibres industry appears to be a manufacturer of articles and would thus not be directly impacted by REACH, the complexity of man-made fibre production results in a situation where man-made fibres manufacturers act as direct importers, downstream users or manufacturers of chemicals. This involves numerous obligations under REACH that can be met only in a targeted approach.
Coping with REACH is made much easier for members of Industrievereinigung Chemiefaser e. V. (IVC), because IVC offers many concrete forms of support. This will also benefit the customers of IVC members, as matters progress. Support from IVC eases the strain on internal resources of member companies, creating a competitive advantage over other man-made fibres manufacturers.
But it must not be forgotten that this advantage applies only inside the European Union. Costs connected with the introduction of REACH do not affect non-EU manufacturers, neither in raw material purchasing nor in fibre production as such. In a global perspective, this makes REACH yet one more factor that puts the ‘industry location Europe’ at a cost disadvantage – additionally to existing levies and taxes.
It is frequently overlooked that the funds for any financial sacrifice imposed by national public administrations or European institutions must be earned, either through efficiency increases in production or through added product value. The prerequisite for the latter is that customers are willing to pay higher purchasing prices for products. Against this backdrop, it is of little comfort that only one third of the customers of the German man-made fibres industry are located outside the EU and can turn directly to competitors who do not have to bear the described extra cost burdens. Obviously, the other two thirds of customers – i.e. those located in Europe – are free to resort to less costly imports, too, even more so as articles like man‑made fibres are impacted by REACH only in special cases. It is high time for a clear commitment of the European Union to a Europe where industry is given great importance and seen as a necessity – not as an evil.
German and Austrian man-made fibres manufacturers have successfully mastered all the challenges of the past. Our industry is also well-prepared for REACH. A chain is as strong as its weakest link. IVC members are very strong links of the textile chain. They are and they will be reliable partners for their customers.
The German man-made fibres industry looks back on a difficult year 2007. Compared with 2006, the output dropped by -3.3 % to 905 000 tons and sales declined by -6.9 %. These falling figures are largely attributable to man-made fibres from polyamide and polyester. Here, it must be taken into account that one production site for polyester was shut down in Germany.
This was not without effect on the employment situation. Back in 2006, sales of 2.9 billion euros were achieved with 11,100 staff – compared with sales of 2.7 billion euros and 10 800 staff (-2.7 %) in 2007.
Similar to the previous year, imports of man-made fibres rose considerably (+13.3 % to 549 000 tons), whereas the downtrend of exports slowed down visibly (‑0.6 % to 810 200 tons).
This is connected, inter alia, with the incredibly fast growth of China's world market share in the man-made fibres sector. For example, in 2007 the output volumes of China increased by ca. 15 % against 2006. Thus 52 % of all man-made fibres manufactured globally are now made in China.
Like in previous years, growth was recorded in the total volume of man-made fibres processed in Germany: with 775 000 tons, there was an increase by +8.7 %. This is by no means due to a "crowding out" competition to the detriment of wool or cotton; it is the result of new applications for which natural fibres are unsuitable. Trends are particularly obvious in the technical, medical and hygiene sector, whose share rose from 55 % to 58 %. While the share of the apparel sector was stable at 15 %, 2007 saw a drop from 29 % to 27 % in the processing of man-made fibres into home textiles. However, in terms of absolute output figures the production level of 2006 in Germany was maintained in the home textile sector, too.
Further details can be accessed in the IVC annual brochure 2007/2008 at http://www.IVC-eV.de in German language.
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Anti-dumping policy of the EU
IVC Press Release 07. December 2006
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"Bamboo"-Textiles
IVC Press Release 28. November 2006
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IVC Press Release 23. June 2006
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IVC Press Release 04. November 2005
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IVC Press Release 21. February 2006
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