Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN), a global specialty chemical company, is expanding its production capacity for Avra Performance Fibers, a family of fibers enabled by a proprietary spinning technology.
The additional capacity will be situated at the Unifi Manufacturing facility in Yadkinville, NC. “The construction work at Unifi is now complete and we are proceeding with our plan to start up the new lines this month,” said Dawn Allen, Eastman business director. “This capacity will be used to satisfy current and anticipated demand in the North American performance apparel market.”
“We’re excited about the potential for the Avra platform as the next generation of fiber technology,” said Tim Dell, Eastman vice president. “We launched our first commercial Avra product in August – a small flat fiber developed for base layer applications. But that only scratches the surface of what this technology can do. The fiber technology enables the production of fabrics with unique combinations of performance and feel that are also desired in other textile applications. We can tune the size and shape of the fiber, which provides a great deal of design versatility in other applications.“
Avra fibers are made in the U.S. in collaboration with Unifi Manufacturing, which enabled a physical plant expansion at Unifi. “We are pleased to add Unifi’s fiber manufacturing expertise to Eastman’s innovative spinning technology,” said Mark McNeill, vice president of technology and business development at Unifi. “Combining the technical capabilities of both companies will keep the industry well supplied with Avra fibers in 2017 and beyond.”
Photo courtesy Eastman Chemical Company
