Bast Fibre Technologies buys German textile processing facility

Bast
Fibre Technologies (BFT), a manufacturer of specialty natural fibres for the
global nonwoven industry, has acquired Faser Veredlung Tönisvorst (FVT), an ISO
9001 certified textile processing facility located in Tönisvorst Germany.

This
purchase enables BFT to immediately increase capacity to meet customer demand
for its sustainable
bast fibres and provides a firm platform for expansion and continued growth.

With
over twenty years of fibre processing experience, FVT is located within close
proximity to major European centres for bast crop cultivation and nonwoven
fabric construction. This

transaction
follows BFT’s strategy of establishing low carbon, regional supply chains by

sourcing,
producing, and selling within specific regions. The facility is currently being
expanded with the installation of specialty refining equipment specifically
designed to optimise natural bast fibres for use in a variety of nonwoven
applications.

“We
are excited to have FVT as a part of our company. FVT has a long history of
working with natural fibres and this acquisition has accelerated our transition
towards becoming a fully integrated manufacturing company. FVT has consistently
produced the highest quality bast fibres for BFT, so it was a logical step to
bring this capability in house. Europe is leading the way on single-use plastic
reduction strategies and the ability to produce these fibres in Europe will
become increasingly important for the production of truly sustainable nonwovens
in wipes, hygiene products and more,” said Jim Posa, President, Bast Fibre
Technologies.

The
Tönisvorst operation is positioned in the heart of the EU nonwoven belt in an
historic textile complex established over 140 years ago. With a rich history of
textile processing, this campus has been renewed and modernized in recent years
and now hosts a mix of manufacturing and service-based industries. In the
coming months the facility will be upgraded to optimise the production of cost
effective, high performance natural bast fibres for customers looking to accelerate
their sustainability goals with BFT’s tree-free, plastic-free alternatives. The
facility is also ideally equipped for rapid prototyping and product development
of novel fibre modifications to develop natural fibre solutions that meet
customers’ specific requirements.

Thomas
Krah, Managing Director and former owner, said, “We are very pleased to be
joining the BFT team of companies. At the core of both our businesses are the
shared values of environmental
protection and quality. We are strong advocates for natural hemp and linen fibres
and we value the opportunity to strengthen these offerings. BFT is an industry
leader in the
production of these fibres for the high-end nonwoven marketplace and we look
forward to playing
an important role in the industry’s growing transition away from plastic
fibre.”

Bast
Fibre Technologies Inc is a triple-bottom line cleantech fibre engineering firm manufacturing
specialty natural fibres for applications throughout the nonwovens industry.
Using advanced fibre processing technology, BFT transforms raw bast fibres from
hemp and flax plants to meet the exacting standards required by nonwoven
customers. Bast crops are a high biomass annual crop that can alleviate the
growing pressure on global forest resources while absorbing carbon,
revitalizing soils, and preserving biodiversity.

Faser
Veredlung Tönisvorst is an experienced and quality supplier of fibre dyeing,
finishing, and blending using environmentally friendly input materials. A focus
on sustainability in production and product designs has allowed FVT to
successfully position itself in the market and forms an important basis for
success at FVT.