Disruptions to delay Infinna deliveries
The producer behind Infinna-branded regenerated fibre, Infinited Fiber Company, has announced that its first commercial deliveries of Infinna are now not expected to despatch from its new facility in Kemi, Finnish Lapland, until January 2026 at the earliest.
Previously, the firm estimated that the site, where construction is still on track to commence next year, would be fully operational by 2025.
Due to delays with the supply of equipment and machinery caused by the ongoing impact of covid-19 around the world, particularly when it comes to components, in addition to the surge in European energy prices and raw material costs due to the war in Ukraine, the company has been forced to re-evaluate the project’s timeline. Since the start of the conflict, Finnish electricity prices have roughly tripled, while the prices of some key chemicals needed for the fibre regeneration process have risen around 200-300%, it said.
Co-founder and chief executive Petri Alava suggested that utility and commodity prices could normalise before 2026, based on the advice of experts. “In addition to the likely normalisation of the market, the extended timeline enables us to undertake the necessary measures to develop the profitability of the future factory,” he shared. “The growing demand for Infinna, despite the general turbulence, is an encouraging and clear indication of the fashion industry’s commitment to circularity.”
Basic engineering, human resources plans, vendor selection and site-specific permit processes have all otherwise proceeded as planned since the business expressed its intention to purchase the factory, formerly a Stora Enso paper mill, back in June.
Made from post-consumer textile waste, Infinna is currently manufactured at two pilot facilities in Finland.
Image: Stora Enso.
