ANDRITZ bast fiber lines for flax processing start up at Van Robaeys

With the new lines, Van Robaeys is responding to the growing demand from the French market for cottonized and high-quality textile fibers from natural sources. Europe is the world’s largest producer of flax fibers, showing a 133% increase in flax cultivation areas between 2010 and 2020.

The ANDRITZ teXline bast fiber lines can process up to 800 kg/h of fiber and use state-of-the-art equipment to ensure a high degree of flexibility throughout the fiber processing operations.

These lines are the seventh and eighth ANDRITZ cottonizing lines for Van Robaeys, with the first having been in operation for fifty years.

“It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with the ANDRITZ textile experts again, fifty years after purchasing our first ANDRITZ line. With our new equipment, we benefit from the latest bast fiber processing technology and significantly increase our capabilities in the production of high-quality fibers,” says Pierre D’Arras, CEO of Van Robaeys.

Van Robaeys is a family-owned company producing flax fibers for the spinning industry. Its extensive expertise in flax scutching dates back to 1919. The recent investment supports the company’s efforts toward sustainable and zero-waste fiber production.

ANDRITZ has many years of expertise in technology for the decortication of straw from bast fiber crops, as well as for refining and cottonizing fibers and shives for further processing. This premium quality fiber is ready to be used for nonwoven or spinning processes in the textile industry.

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ANDRITZ GROUP
International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets. Sustainability is an integral part of the company’s business strategy and corporate culture. With its extensive portfolio of sustainable products and solutions, ANDRITZ aims to make the greatest possible contribution to a sustainable future and help its customers achieve their sustainability goals. ANDRITZ is a global market leader in all four of its business areas – Pulp & Paper, Metals, Hydropower and Environment & Energy. Technological leadership and global presence are cornerstones of the group’s strategy, which is focused on long-term profitable growth. The publicly listed group has around 30,000 employees and over 280 locations in more than 80 countries.

ANDRITZ PULP & PAPER
ANDRITZ Pulp & Paper provides sustainable technology, automation, and service solutions for the production of all types of pulp, paper, board and tissue. The technologies and services focus on increased production efficiency, lower overall operating costs as well as innovative decarbonization strategies and autonomous plant operation.

The product portfolio also includes boilers for power generation, various nonwoven technologies, and panelboard (MDF) production systems. With waste-to-value recycling, shredding and energy solutions, waste and by-product streams from production are converted into valuable secondary raw materials as well as into sustainable resources for energy generation. State-of-the-art IIoT technologies as part of Metris digitalization solutions complete the comprehensive product offering.