Editing Lyocell (section)

==History==
The development of Tencel was motivated by environmental concerns; researchers sought to manufacture rayon by means less harmful than the [[viscose]] method.<ref name=chen>{{cite book |doi=10.1016/B978-1-84569-931-4.00004-0 |chapter=Synthetic Textile Fibers |title=Textiles and Fashion |date=2015 |last1=Chen |first1=J. |pages=79–95 |isbn=978-1-84569-931-4 }}</ref>

The Lyocell process was developed in 1972 by a team at the now defunct [[American Enka Company|American Enka]] fibres facility at [[Enka, North Carolina]]. In 2003, the [[American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists]] (AATCC) awarded Neal E. Franks their Henry E. Millson Award for Invention for Lyocell.<ref>{{cite web |title=Millson Award for Invention |url=https://aatcc.org/millson/#tab-1 |website=AATCC }}</ref> In 1966–1968, D. L. Johnson of Eastman Kodak Inc. studied [[NMMO]] solutions. From 1969 to 1979, American Enka tried unsuccessfully to commercialise the process.<ref name=chen/> The operating name for the fibre inside the Enka organisation was "Newcell", and the development was carried through a pilot plant scale before the work was stopped. 

The basic process of dissolving cellulose in NMMO was first described in a 1981 patent by Mcorsley for Akzona Incorporated<ref name=chen/><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=4246221|title=Process for Shaped Cellulose Article Prepared from Solution Containing Cellulose Dissolved in a Tertiary Amine N-oxide Solvent|status=|pubdate=1981|inventor=Mcorsley, C.|url=|class=}} New York, New York, Akzona Incorporated.</ref> (the holding company of Akzo). In the 1980s the patent was licensed by [[Akzo]] to Courtaulds and Lenzing.<ref name=merge/> 

The [[fibre]] was developed by [[Courtaulds]] Fibres under the brand name "Tencel" in the 1980s. In 1982, a 100-kg/week pilot plant was built in Coventry, UK, and production  increased tenfold (to a ton/week) in 1984. In 1988, a 25-ton/week semi-commercial production line opened at the [[Courtaulds, Grimsby|Grimsby, UK, pilot plant]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tencel-lyocell.com/p/introducing-tencel.html|title=Introducing Tencel lyocell}}</ref><ref name=chen/>

The process was first<ref name=chen/> commercialised at Courtaulds' rayon factories at [[Mobile, Alabama]]<ref name=nyt/> (1990<ref name=chen/>), and at the Grimsby plant (1998).<ref name=chen/> In January 1993, the Mobile Tencel plant reached full production levels of 20,000 tons per year, by which time Courtaulds had spent £100 million and 10 years on Tencel development. Tencel revenues for 1993 were estimated as likely to be £50 million. The second plant in Mobile was planned.<ref name=nyt>{{cite news |last1=Ipsen |first1=Erik |title=International Manager: Freed of Textile Business, Courtaulds Is Doing Fine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/25/business/worldbusiness/IHT-international-manager-freed-of-textile-business.html |work=The New York Times |agency=International Herald Tribune |date=25 February 1993 }}</ref> By 2004, production had quadrupled to 80,000 tons.<ref name=merge/> 

Lenzing began a pilot plant in 1990,<ref name=chen/> and commercial production in 1997, with 12 metric tonnes/year made in a plant in [[Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal]], Austria.<ref name=chen/><ref name=merge/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Lenzing Group |url=https://www.lenzing.com/lenzing-group/history |access-date=28 July 2022 |website=www.lenzing.com |language=en-US}}</ref> When an explosion hit the plant in 2003 it was producing 20,000 tonnes/year, and planning to double capacity by the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beacham |first1=Will |title=Explosion and fire halts 'Lyocell' output at Lenzing's Heiligenkreuz, Austria plant |url=https://www.icis.com/explore/resources/news/2003/09/23/521175/explosion-and-fire-halts-lyocell-output-at-lenzing-s-heiligenkreuz-austria-plant/ |work=ICIS Explore}}</ref> In 2004 Lenzing was producing 40,000 [[ton]]s [''sic'', probably metric tonnes].<ref name=merge/> In 1998, Lenzing and Courtaulds reached a patent dispute settlement.<ref name=merge/>

In 1998, Courtaulds was acquired by competitor [[Akzo Nobel]],<ref name=Europa>{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/bulletin/en/9806/p103050.htm|title=Bulletin EU 6-1998 (en): 1.3.50 {{!}} Akzo Nobel/Courtaulds |work=Europa|access-date=13 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922035918/http://europa.eu/bulletin/en/9806/p103050.htm |archive-date=22 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> who combined the Tencel division with other fibre divisions under the Accordis banner, then sold them to private equity firm [[CVC Partners]]. In 2000, CVC sold the Tencel division to [[Lenzing AG]], who combined it with their "Lenzing Lyocell" business, but maintained the brand name Tencel.<ref name=merge>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fibersource.com/F-Info/More_News/lenzing-050504.htm |title=Lenzing Acquires TENCEL®, 2004 |access-date=13 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323063249/http://www.fibersource.com/f-info/More_News/lenzing-050504.htm |archive-date=23 March 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They took over the plants in Mobile and Grimsby, and by 2015 was the largest Lyocell producer at 130,000 tonnes/year.<ref name=chen/>