B.I.G. Yarns announces major investments in new yarn technology

Wielsbeke, Belgium – December 8, 2021 – Building a strong future. B.I.G. Yarns reveals significant investment in its next-generation Polyamide (PA) technology to help global carpet tile manufacturers meet the demands of the contract market. In addition to this key investment, the company also announces its decision to become a new producer of polyester (PET) yarns for the automotive industry.

The two announcements, made today, reinforce the business’ leadership in yarn innovation and commitment to being at the forefront of supporting changing end-market needs.

B.I.G Yarns is stepping up its focus on developing and producing one-step 3Ply PA yarns using next-generation technology to answer needs for flexibility and broader design options in the carpet tile segment. Total production capacity for one-step 3Ply yarns will increase by > 20% through new lines installed at the plant in France, creating higher output and greater supply security by serving customers from all three of its global plants.

The new lines use B.I.G. Yarns’ cutting-edge PA yarn technology which expands design, contrast and colour freedoms for carpet tile manufacturers, and increases flexibility in lot sizes. These advances enable customers to respond quickly to developments in the contract market. In addition, the new technology features a higher level of automation which improves ergonomics for B.I.G. Yarns’ employees. Importantly, it also optimizes energy use which contributes in energy savings at the French site specifically. The new production lines will be deployed from mid-2022.

To enhance support for a future of more sustainable automotive interiors, B.I.G. Yarns will enter into PET yarn production for the first time and offer a portfolio of PET yarns by the third quarter of 2022. These will be available for automotive applications alongside its EqoCycle^® recycled-based PA6 yarns.

Emmanuel Colchen, General Manager, B.I.G. Yarns, comments: “With the additional capacity in the best-in-class 1 step 3ply PA yarns technology and expanding our portfolio into a new direction with PET, B.I.G. Yarns is taking strategic steps to better serve the evolving needs of its customers. We are opening up exciting new opportunities with a continuous focus on innovation and sustainability. We will generate an important step that will support our goal of reducing our carbon footprint. We want to build a strong future path for our business and our customers, and these investments advance that commitment in full alignment with our vision. We also like to acknowledge and thank the support of the Hauts-de-France region and French “Relance Program” which supported our initiative strongly and selected our French production plant for the industrial investment acceleration fund. We are grateful for this encouragement and belief in the B.I.G. Yarns' endeavors.”

B.I.G. Yarns is proactive in developing new products that better serve customers’ needs in a sustainable way. Its sustainable solutions are at the forefront of industry product design, and it is fully committed to integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals in its operations. Its 2 European plants have this year been granted a first Sustainable Business Charter 2021 and from July both sites ran on 100% on green electricity, reducing its CO₂ emissions for its electricity use by 35% in 2021, and with 75% in 2022.

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