SAERTEX and Terre de Lin launch sustainable partnership in the field of flax fibers

Focus on bio-based solutions: SAERTEX® and Terre de Lin launch green partnership

Saerbeck, April 13, 2022 - SAERTEX and Terre de Lin have started a collaboration in the area of fabrics with flax fibers for the boat and shipbuilding and sports & leisure segments. The partnership between the two companies aims to combine SAERTEX's expertise in reinforcement materials with the high capacity of Terre de Lin, one of the world's largest suppliers of sustainable flax fibers.

SAERTEX is known for its expertise in composite reinforcements made from glass, carbon and aramid fibers. Flax is now the second bio-based fiber to expand the range of textile possibilities, alongside the basalt used to date. Flax fibers are renewable and the environmental impact during processing is minimal. They help SAERTEX's partners to reduce the carbon footprint of their composite products and are therefore in line with SAERTEX's corporate vision "Innovation for a resource-saving future", which aims to make a significant contribution to minimizing the consumption of non-renewable resources and fossil fuels.

At JEC WORLD 2022, SAERTEX will be presenting a rudder blade that is part of a sailing boat built by the French shipyard idb Marine mainly from multiaxial flat fabrics. Among the many potential areas of application, the boat sector is a pioneer that is increasingly using flat fabrics and therefore also represents an important market for SAERTEX.

"With Terre de Lin, we have a strong partner with whom we share a common goal: to offer sustainable solutions tailored to customer applications. We are therefore very pleased about the collaboration," says Nicolas Vernin, Team Leader SU Industry EMEA. "We are convinced that Terre de Lin is the optimal fiber supplier for reliable, reproducible and high-quality flax reinforcement materials. The high production capacities ensure maximum availability for our customers who want to improve the environmental compatibility of their composite products."

Terre de Lin is the world's leading company in flax production. Based in Normandy, the company is active in the cultivation of flax and the processing of seeds into fibers. The company is committed to continuous quality improvement and innovation. Terre de Lin strives to maintain its expertise in flax, from seed to fiber, and to continuously improve the environmental impact of flax production and its social responsibility.

In addition to the textile market, Terre de Lin, together with its subsidiary TDL Technique, is involved in the development of flax fibers for technical and composite applications. For 10 years, TDL Technique has been supporting composite processors and end users in the implementation of composite materials made from flax fibers.

"With flax fibers, we have opened up a new path for sustainable composites. We have pioneered the development of flax fibers for composites over the last ten years," says Thierry Goujon, Managing Director of Terre de Lin. "Today, our goal is to ensure the supply of flax fibers to our industrial partners in the composites sector, especially for manufacturers of reinforcement materials. We are therefore very pleased to partner with SAERTEX, the world leader in fabrics. This technical and commercial partnership will enable us to develop applications where flax fiber fabrics make a real difference and increase the use of flax fibers for sustainable composite solutions."

Both SAERTEX and Terre de Lin will present the latest innovations in the field of reinforcement materials and flax fibers at JEC World from May 2 to 5.