Lenzing has almost doubled its earnings before interest and tax in the first six months of 2015, thanks to healthy demand in the second quarter, more savings and a weaker euro. Lenzing is the world’s biggest maker of cellulose fiber. It also hopes to improve full year operating results compared to 2014 and reduce its net financial debt further.

Its specialised fibers such as Tencel and Modal, often mixed with cotton, are used in bed linen for clients like furniture giant Ikea as well as clothes for international fashion brands like Zara and in face wipes sold across Asia. The company is banking on China, which it considers an important market. It expects demand in China to stay strong. Lenzing generates about one-third of its sales in the world’s second largest economy. About half of what it sells in China ends up in products earmarked for export.

First half results also benefited from prices for viscose in China rising at the end of the second quarter as several plants had shut there, providing relief to a global market swamped by cheap Chinese and Indian viscose. Lenzing expects weaker Chinese yuan to change the dynamics between competitors in the sector.