With viscose staple fibre gaining momentum with demand coming from segments like apparel, home textiles and technical textiles, Grasim Industries has commissioned its fourth line and completed the last phase of its greenfield viscose staple fibre (VSF) plant at Vilayat in Gujarat. Now the company’s VSF capacity at Vilayat is enhanced to 120,000 tonnes per annum, while its overall VSF capacity stands enhanced at 498,000 tonnes per annum.

A leader in the segment, the company through the greenfield project at Vilayat and brownfield expansions at Harihar in Karnataka, at 36,500 tonnes per annum, has increased capacities by 50 per cent to 498,000 tonnes per annum. Demand for viscose fibre has been on the rise in China, where cellulosic staple mill consumption in 2014 totaled three million tonnes and India is said to be following the suit.

According to experts, more than 80 per cent of the world’s dissolving pulp is converted to viscose rayon fiber, which is used in suits, dresses, socks, and other garments. In 2013-14, demand for polyester staple fibre (PSF) and polyester filament yarn (PFY) remained subdued due to a rise in demand for cotton yarn. However, demand for viscose staple fibre (VSF), viscose filament yarn (VFY) and acrylic staple fibre (ASF) remained strong in the year ended March 2014, wherein production of VSF and VFY grew by 7.7 per cent and 4.2 per cent, respectively.

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