Unifi with its Repreve line of yarns to expand in Europe and Asia

Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. is a leading producer of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials, through its two new manufacturing and distribution agreements plans to expand its reach in Europe and Asia.

Operating through its subsidiary Unifi Textiles (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Unifi will operate two new agreements that should give the company access to new markets with its Repreve line of yarns, according to a news release. Unifi’s Repreve is a line of synthetic yarns that the company makes from a variety of recycled products, including plastic bottles.

Officials of the Greensboro-based company on Wednesday said that they have signed a licence for a Turkish company to manufacture and distribute Unifi’s products.

Roger Berrier, the president and chief operating officer of Unifi said the move won’t yield instant results. The development cycle of new programs can be 12 months or longer, so they would not expect significant results this fiscal year. Several of their existing customers, and a few potential new customers, are interested in developing Repreve fabrics in various parts of the world that Repreve was not available in the past.

Korteks is the largest European polyester continuous filament yarn manufacturer, the process that Unifi uses. Korteks will manufacture and sell Unifi’s Repreve recycled fiber in Turkey.

Unifi also has named Sun Chemical as its distributor of Repreve in Taiwan.

Unifi’s sales were $175 million at the end of the fiscal year 2015 in June, compared with $181.75 in 2014, and profits increased to $42.2 million, up significantly from $29 million in 2014.

Unifi Textiles Co. will offer new product lines at the Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics show in Shanghai, China, beginning Tuesday.