Lenzing has upped its stake Czech pulp producer Biocel Paskov from 75% to 100%. Since acquiring the 75% stake in the company from Heinzel Group in April 2010, Lenzing has been restructuring Biocel Paskvo to become a swing capacity producer of pulp. These adjustments have cost about €100 million and by 2013, the company will be able to completely product paper and pulp as well as high quality dissolving pulp for use in the manufacture of cellulose fibers. Last year, 60,000 tons of dissolving pulp were made and about 115,000 tons will be made this year.
 
By the end of 2013, Biocel Pascov will become one of the world’s highest performing and most advanced manufacturing plants for this type of pulp thanks to a further debottlenecking program and increased recovery of facilities. By that time, the plant wil be able to make 260,000 ons of dissolving pulp, most of which will be used by Lenzing for its fiber production operations. The vertical backward integration represents an important means for Lenzing to safeguard its raw material base, in terms of prices and volumes, according to executives.