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C I R F S
CIRFS - the European Man-made Fibres Association - is the representative body for the European man-made fibres industry. It has member companies in Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. It also has associate members in Belarus, Israel, Japan and South Africa, and a group of major international raw material supplier associates.
Its members account for over 90% of European production of the main fibres within the scope of CIRFS - polyester, polyamide, acrylic, viscose, acetate, elastane and aramid.
KEY FACTS ABOUT THE MAN-MADE FIBRES INDUSTRYIN EUROPE (2008)
Turnover / € 11.7 billion
Production volume / 3.7 million tonnes
Investment / € 260 million
R & D Expenditure / € 200 million
Employment / 27,000
Including Turkey, excluding Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova
The Industry's Products
Man-made fibres account for 75% of all textiles processed in Western Europe. The principal end-uses are in clothing, carpets, household textiles and a wide range of technical products - tyres, conveyor belts, fillings for sleeping bags and cold-weather clothing, filters for improving the quality of air and water in the environment, fire-resistant materials, reinforcement in composites used for advanced aircraft production, and much else. Fibres are precisely engineered to give the right combination of qualities required for the end-use in question: appearance, handle, strength, durability, stretch, stability, warmth, protection, easy care, breathability, moisture absorption and value for money, for example. In many cases, they are used in blends with natural fibres such as cotton and wool.
Man-made fibres come in two main forms : continuous filament, used for weaving, knitting or carpet production ; and staple, discontinuous lengths of fibre which can be spun into yarn or incorporated in unspun uses such as fillings or non-wovens.
Synthetic fibres - polyester, polyamide and acrylic, for example - are oil or gas - based; their characteristics of durability and of low energy usage during treatment and use are positive environmental features. An increasing proportion of polyester fibres are made from recycled PET bottles. Cellulosic fibres - viscose, for example - are made from renewable raw materials such as wood, drawn from regularly replanted forests. Huge amounts of investment are taking place to reduce further any possible ecological impact of the industry's processes, and the industry's products are essential to many environmental improvement programmes such as reduction of air emissions from power stations. Recycling of man-made fibre products - both re-use and mechanical, feedstock and thermal recycling (to produce heat and power) - is steadily increasing.
Further information is found on the CIRFS website: www.cirfs.org.
The Work of CIRFS
CIRFS is active in all areas of common concern to its member companies.
In statistics, it has an extensive data collection and analysis system, providing essential market information for its members on the level of production, deliveries and stocks in the man-made fibres industry in Europe. It analyses import and export data for these countries and also for customer and competitor countries – over 65 countries are covered in total. A unique study is made, on an annual basis, of end-uses of fibre production and the fibre composition of textile products consumed in the European Union. CIRFS publishes, every year, a Statistical Yearbook. It also provides members with available data on production trends for man-made fibres in countries outside Europe.
In the field of technology and the environment, CIRFS provides an essential forum for exchange of information and agreement on common initiatives. Issues covered include:
· co-operation with ISO, CEN and the European Union on development of new standards affecting man-made fibre products, including those relating to burning behaviour of textile products
· maintenance and development of industry standards for use in contracts, through BISFA (the International Bureau for the Standardisation of Man-Made Fibres)
· ecological issues related to clean manufacturing, health and safety and life cycle analysis
· an important contribution to European textile industry work on the environment, for example in waste management and in finding criteria for eco-labelling of products.
· research management issues, including cooperative research programmes.
CIRFS is a sponsor of the International Man-made Fibres Congress, held annually in Dornbirn (Austria).
In the area of economic analysis, CIRFS closely monitors economic developments which may affect the industry. It provides information and guidance to members on the possible effects, and prepares papers for use in contacts with the European Union and national governments. Specific areas of involvement include:
· analysis of developments in European Union trade and, when necessary, preparation and submission of cases on dumping, subsidies or illicit trade barriers
· monitoring of developments affecting the internal market in the European Union including in particular the risk of distortion of competition through government subsidies and through technical barriers to trade
· analysis of the general economic background, including exchange rate movements and price movements of competing natural fibres
· preparation of regular technical and market studies on questions of concern to CIRFS membership technical textiles and fibre developments in China.
In relations with the European Union authorities, CIRFS maintains regular contact with the European Commission at all levels, from Commissioners downwards, and particularly with Directorates General Trade, Enterprise and Competition. Major issues covered include:
· Defence of CIRFS members' interests against dumping, subsidies and breaches of international trading arrangements.
· Provision of information and advice to the European Commission on EU trade policies, notably during the course of international negotiations and preferential trading agreements with EU associate countries. Support for strict control of state aid.
· Involvement in a wide variety of issues affecting the industry and the industries which use its products.
CIRFS publishes a quarterly Activity Report to keep its members fully informed of its activities.
Contacts with Other Bodies
CIRFS maintains close and regular contacts with bodies dealing with related issues, including:
· the national man-made fibre associations in Germany, Italy, Spain and Turkey
· EATP ( the European Association for Textile Polyolefins)
· EURATEX (the representative body for the EU textile and apparel industries)
· Business Europe
· AIUFFASS (the European association representing filament weavers and independent texturisers)
· EUROCOTON (the European association for spinning and weaving of staple fibres)
· CEFIC (the European Chemical Industry Council)
· CIPCEL (the International Cellulose Film Committee)
· Plastics Europe
· AFMA (American Fiber Manufacturers' Association)
· JCFA (Japan Chemical Fibres Association)
· CCFA (China Chemical Fibers Association)
· Fibre association in Australia, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan and Thailand
Members
The following groups are members of CIRFS :
Advansa (Germany, Turkey)
Aksa (Turkey)
Aquafil (Italy, Slovenia)
Cordenka (Germany)
Dralon (Germany)
Dow Fiber Solutions (Spain)
DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems (Spain, UK)
Enka (Germany)
Fidion (Italy)
Fisipe (Portugal)
Glanzstoff-Bohemia (Czech Republic)
Greenfiber International (Romania)
Hyosung (Turkey)
Inacsa (Spain)
Kelheim Fibres (Germany)
Kordarna (Czech Republic)
Kordsa (Turkey)
Korelita (Lithuania)
Korteks (Turkey)
Kuitu (Finland)
Lenzing (Austria, UK)
Montefibre (Italy, Spain)
Nexis Fibers (Germany, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland)
Performance Fibers (France, Germany)
Polyamide High Performance (Germany)
Polyteks (Turkey)
Radicifibres (Italy, Romania, Switzerland)
Rhodia (France)
Silon (Czech Republic)
Sinterama (Italy)
Sniace (Spain)
Teijin Aramid (Netherlands)
Tergal Industries (France)
Trevira (Belgium, Denmark, Germany)
TWD Fibres (Germany)
Wellman International (Ireland)
The following national associations are associated with the work of CIRFS :
· Assofibre (Italy)
· IVC (Industrievereinigung Chemiefaser) (Germany)
· Profibra (Spain)
· SUSEB (Turkey)
Officers
President / Andreas Eule / CordenkaContact Points
Director General / Colin Purvis / Tel : 32/2.676.7460e-mail:
Statistics / Bernard Bruyère / Tel: 32/2.676.7464
e-mail:
Catherine Wagneur / Tel: 32/2.676.7450
e-mail:
Candide Dufloucq / Tel: 32/2.676.7462
e-mail:
Technical/Environmental / Bernard Defraye / Tel: 32/2.676.7468
e-mail:
Economic Analysis / David Morris / Tel: 32/2.676.7466
e-mail:
Finance / Administration / Micheline Verboven / Tel : 32/2.676.7458
e-mail :
Secretariat Meetings and Organization / Tel : 32/2.676.7455
e-mail:
Publications
Ø CIRFS Statistical Yearbook
Ø BISFA Terminology Relating to Man-made Fibres
Ø BISFA Technical Reference Document on Commercial Mass
Ø BISFA Policy on Generic Fibre Names
Ø Guidelines for inter-laboratory tests
BISFA Methods for Testing Fibres:
Ø Polyamide filament yarns
Ø Polyester filament yarns
Ø Viscose, modal, cupro, lyocell, acetate and triacetate, staple fibres and tows
Ø Steel tyre cords
Ø Acrylic staple fibres
Ø Textured filament yarns
Ø Nylon staple fibres
Ø Polyester staple fibres
Ø Viscose, cupro, acetate, triacetate and lyocell filament yarns
Ø Polypropylene staple fibres
Ø Textile glass filament yarns
Ø Bare elastane yarns
Ø Organic Man-made Fibres with Anti-Bacterial activity
Ø Para-Aramid Filament Yarns
Ø Polyamide BCF (Bulk Continuous Filament Yarns)
Available from CIRFS / BISFA on request.
Ø World Markets for Technica Textiles to 2012
Ø World Markets for Nonwovens and other Unspun Products to 2010
Ø World Markets for Textured Yarn to 2010*
Ø Natural and Man-made Fibres in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to 2010
Ø World Markets for Interior Textiles to 2012
Ø India: the Market for Natural and Man-Made Fibres, Textiles and Textiles Manufacturers: Forecasts to 2012
Ø
Available from:
International Newsletters Ltd9 A, Victoria Square
Droitwich
Worcs, WR9 8DG (UK) / Tel. 44/870 165 7210
Fax 44/870 165 7212
email:
Ø World Markets for Spun Yarns : Forecasts to 2010
Ø World Markets for Knitted Textiles and Apparel: Forecasts to 2010
Ø World Markets for Woven Textiles and Apparel: Forecasts to 2010
Available from :
Textiles Intelligence Ltd.International Subscriptions
10 Beech Lane
Wilmslow, SK9 5ER
UK / Tel. 44/1625.536.136
Fax 44/1625.536.137
e-mail: