Responsible Production in the Lenzing Group

www.lenzing.com Responsibleproduction Lenzing Group Focus Responsible Production Responsible Production 2019Content Overview 4 Biorefinery – pulp production in the Lenzing Group 5 Biorefinery plant in Lenzing, Austria 6 Biorefinery plant in Paskov, Czech Republic 6 Pulp bleaching in the Lenzing Group 7 Overview of fiber technologies 8 Two-stage production process 9 EU Ecolabel 10 Lenzing’s viscose and modal production process 11 Lenzing’s responsible viscose criteria 12 Closing the loops in the viscose process: best practice 14 Lenzing’s lyocell production process 15 Further technologies 17 REFIBRA™ technology 17 Eco Filament technology 18 LENZING™ Web Technology 18 Fiber types 19 Shortcut fibers 19 Trilobal fibers 19 Incorporation of additives into the spinning mass 19 Definitions/glossary 20 References & suggestions for further reading 22 Focus Responsible Production Lenzing Group 2 Responsibleproduction This focus paper “Responsible Production” describes the biorefinery and fiber production processes. It provides an overview of the Lenzing Group’s manufacturing processes with particular regard to environmental aspects. Lenzing Group Focus Responsible Production Overview Forest Wood Pulp Fiber In recent years, interest in wood-based cellulosic fibers of over 90 percent, lower impurity levels, be bleached to a high- has increased due to their sustainability credentials. er level of brightness and have a more uniform molecular weight When the source of raw material is from sustainable for- distribution. estry, as proven by forest certificates, and state-of-the-art production processes are applied, wood-based cellulosic The Lenzing Group produces more than half of the pulp it requires fibers can have a very favorable environmental footprint. at its sites in Lenzing (Austria) and Paskov (Czech Republic). Suffi- cient quantities of certified wood are purchased for this purpose. In Wood-based cellulosic fibers are produced from the natural poly- addition to its own pulp production, Lenzing procures pulp on the mer cellulose. Production starts with wood or other plant-based global market, mostly within the framework of long-term supply materials, extracts cellulose pulp from them, and then shapes the contracts. polymer into fibers and filaments using different technologies (viscose, modal, lyocell). The final fiber product consists of the natural polymer cellulose, with a chemical structure identical to natural fibers (e.g. cotton, wool). Wood-based cellulosic fibers are biodegradable in and therefore Lenzing contributes to provide an environmental responsible alternative to fossil-based Sustainable Development plastic materials in textiles and nonwovens, but also in packaging Goal (SDG) 12, and other applications. “Responsible consumption and production”, with Dissolving wood pulp is the most important raw material used in sustainable sourcing, efficient use producing regenerated cellulose fibers, including Lenzing’s wood- of raw materials, longstanding based fibers. experience with biorefineries, life- cycle based thinking along the Shaping of cellulose pulp into fibers requires a special quality of value chain and a long pipeline of pulp, referred to as dissolving wood pulp, which has to meet differ- innovative and sustainable products. ent requirements from those for paper pulp. Among other things, dissolving wood pulp must have a higher pure cellulose content Focus Responsible Production Lenzing Group 4 Biorefinery – pulp production in the Lenzing Group Highly efficient use of the raw material wood at the Lenzing Group’s biorefineries Figure 1 LENZING™ Lyocell bers & laments ~40 % Pulp LENZING™ Modal bers LENZING™ Viscose bers Biore nery ~10 % Biore nery products LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased Wood LENZING™ Furfural Biobased LENZING™ Magnesium-Lignosulphonate Biobased LENZING™ Soda Ash ~50 % Bioenergy LENZING™ Hemilye LENZING™ Mother Liquor Xylose* * Purified/marketed by partner company A biorefinery is a facility for sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable biobased products and bioenergy. Lenzing’s biorefinery process ensures that 100 percent of wood constituents are used to produce dissolving wood pulp for fiber production, biobased products, and bioenergy, thereby maximizing value creation from an economic and environmental perspective. Dissolving wood pulp production at the Lenzing and Paskov sites is not only self-sufficient in terms of meeting its own energy de- mand; the process actually generates more energy than need- ed. This surplus green energy is used on site, for instance for fiber production or for export to the local grid. The production of biorefinery products such as acetic acid, furfural and magnesium- ligonosulphonate helps to increase the total yield from wood as well as creating additional economic and environmental value. LENZING™ Acetic Acid Biobased has a carbon footprint which is more than 85 % smaller than that of fossil fuel-based acetic acid. Lenzing’s biorefinery process ensures that 100 percent of wood constituents are used to produce dissolving wood pulp for fiber production, biobased products, and bioenergy, thereby maximizing value creation from an economic and environmental perspective. Focus Responsible Production Lenzing Group 5 Biorefinery – pulp production in the Lenzing Group Biorefinery plant Biorefinery plant in Lenzing, Austria in Paskov, Czech Republic The facility in Lenzing is the largest integrated pulp and The raw material base for the facility in Paskov is spruce wood cellulosic fiber production plant in the world. Integrat- (Picea abies) in form of logs and chips. The dissolving pulp produced dissolving wood pulp and fiber production not only tion process based on magnesium bisulfite is similar to that at the provides exceptional economic benefits, it also offers Lenzing site (Austria). The other two major components of wood – many environmental advantages and savings compared lignin and hemicellulose – are dissolved in the liquor. The insoluble to non-integrated mills. For instance, there is no need for remainder is crude unbleached pulp. This pulp is then washed and transportation of pulp because of the short distances in- screened. Further, deeper removal of lignin and hemicellulose is volved, which itself eliminates the need for energy-inten- performed by means of alkali extraction and a TCF bleaching pro- sive drying and packaging of pulp. cess. After final fine screening, the pulp is dried in sheets, baled, and dispatched. The Paskov site is completely self-sufficient in The Lenzing plant produces dissolving wood pulp required for fiber terms of heat and electricity generation. The plant supplies its sur- production on site. Traditionally, wood for pulp production at the plus electricity to the public grid. Lenzing site consists mainly of beech (Fagus sylvatica). Logs are debarked, chipped and treated in a cooking liquor of magnesium bisulfite. Cellulose is a major component of wood – around 40 percent of the wood substance – and is separated as raw pulp in this process. This pulp is then washed and screened to remove the residual cooking liquor, knots, and impurities. The raw pulp is bleached in a totally chlorine-free (TCF) process and turned into pulp sheets or flakes. The other wood constituents remain within the thin liquor together with other cooking chemicals. Marketable biorefinery products such as acetic acid, furfural, and xylose are obtained in further processing steps. More than half of the wood is Pulp production at the Lenzing site transformed into pulp and other biobased products. The cooking is not only self-sufficient in terms chemicals are recovered and recycled from the remaining liquor of meeting its own energy needs; it and the organic components are converted into bioenergy (steam actually produces surplus energy. This and electricity). surplus energy (steam and electricity) is used on site, for instance for fiber Pulp production at the Lenzing site is self-sufficient in terms of production. meeting its own energy needs. Surplus energy (steam and electricity) is used on site, for instance for fiber production. Lenzing’s All pulp produced at Lenzing pulp expertise in integrated dissolving wood pulp and fiber production production sites is totally chlorine free is the basis for future opportunities to become CO2 neutral and to contribute to the greenhouse gas reduction target. Focus Responsible Production Lenzing Group 6 Biorefinery – pulp production in the Lenzing Group Pulp bleaching in the Lenzing Group Bleaching is necessary to yield a dissolving pulp quality suitable for The technology at both plants satisfies the Best Available Technol- wood-based cellulosic fibers, such as viscose, modal, and lyocell. ogy standards of the European Union.1 Most dissolving wood pulp producers use elemental chlorine free (ECF) pulp bleaching processes. Lenzing’s two biorefineries produce pulp without using any chemi- In addition to its own pulp production, cals containing chlorine, but with oxygen-based substances (total- Lenzing procures pulp on the global ly chlorine free – TCF). market (ECF). Not all fiber types offered by Lenzing can be produced Due to the elimination of chlorine, dissolving wood pulp produced using Lenzing’s own totally chlorine in the Lenzing Group not only has less impact on the environment free (TCF) pulp because they require and human health but also ensures the high quality required for specific pulp qualities. fiber production. Pulp production in the Lenzing Group Table 1 Site Lenzing Paskov

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