Italy’s RadiciGroup has announced a new investment at its production site in Casnigo, which is engaged in the production of polyamide 6 and 66 BCF yarn sold under the Radifloor brand name.

The investment of about Euros 10 million will go towards the installation of new spinning lines for the production of polyamide 66 and polyamide 6 solution-dyed BCF yarn.

The new lines are expected to be put into operation in the middle of 2011 and will complement the existing production lines, allowing RadiciGroup to considerably expand its Radifloor portfolio of PA 66 and PA6 coloured yarn, while ensuring the quality level needed to meet the requirements of the major carpet manufacturers in the contract and residential sectors.

“The investment we are making is an important one,” said Stefano Loro, managing director of the Casnigo production site.

“It has been driven by our determination to be a reliable supplier for our European customers. We want to give the best support from the point of view of both the quality of our products and the service provided. We are committed to making our service increasingly more efficient and targeted at satisfying, in short order, the specific requests coming from our customers and their need to obtain the most innovative product proposals from us. We have over thirty years of experience in the textile flooring sector, from residential to automotive, upholstery and contract. And the contract market is where we want to strengthen our presence.”

“Over the three year period 2006-2008, we recorded an increase in sales of over 50% in the contract sector,” said Maurizio Radici, vice-chairman of RadiciGroup.

“This is an industry that requires flexibility, quality and customization capabilities from all operators. Thanks to the new production lines at the Casnigo site and the vertical integration of our nylon 66 production chain, which is a hallmark of our Group, we will be in the best position to meet these requests."

"In Europe, we are the only supplier for the contract sector with a vertically integrated polyamide 66 production chain. We have control over the entire production chain, from chemical intermediates to adipic acid, polyamide 6 and 66, engineering plastics and spinning polymers. This is one of our strong points, a competitive advantage that, together with our know-how and acquired experience, allows us to be a reliable partner for our customers and to guarantee the best support for their efforts.”

“After the global economic crisis of the past year, which has inevitably affected our target markets,” continued Mr. Radici, “the major world economies are now sending out signs of recovery. We are seeing a steady, albeit slow, strengthening trend in all industrial sectors, including chemical fibres, the industry in which we operate. We are optimistic about the future and we intend to continue to invest in securing and strengthening our market position.”

Radici Fil SpA, a company belonging to the RadiciGroup Fibres Business Area and based in Casnigo (BG), Italy, was created during the early 1960s as a nylon yarn producer for the furnishings and apparel sectors.

Later on, in 1974, the company diversified into the production of carpet continuous filament (BCF). Over the years, Radici Fil has managed to evolve, transform and improve the efficiency and the quality of its products, so as to be able to meet the needs of a market requiring more and more specialization.

Radici Fil’s production activities are supported by Logit Sro, a RadiciGroup company located in the Czech Republic and equipped with innovative yarn processing technologies, where Radici Fil yarns are heat set and twisted to guarantee excellent performance and aesthetic characteristics.

RadiciGroup has also diversified into polypropylene yarn. Through subsidiary Deufil GmbH (Bergkamen, Germany), RadiciGroup sells raw and solution-dyed heat-set polypropylene BCF yarn.