Fibre2Fashion November Issue'17 | Page 86

ADVERTORIAL FENC, Diversified products in global leading position Far Eastern is one of the biggest conglomerates in Taiwan spanning over ten major industries. Far Eastern New Century Corporation, the group's core textile business, was established in 1949, and accounts for one-third of the group's total revenues. One of world’s five largest polyester manufacturers, the company’s products include PTA, polyester chip, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, PET films and polyester fibre, knitting fabric and garment. Four top officials of Far Eastern New Century Corporation speak to Fibre2Fashion about their competitors and future expansion plans. Eric Hu President, Textile Industry Eric Huang Se nior Vice President, Filament Division, Polyester Industry How does your supply chain network work? Which regions of the world are part of your supply chain? Polyester being our main business, we have our own manufacturing facilities for its raw materials purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG). We polymerise polyester, which can be used in manufacturing of large containers, test dyers and sheets for packaging. Our annual capacity is 1.7 million tonnes and we rank among the top six companies in this field. We cover all types of fibres for spun yarn, staple fibres filament, and industrial fibres for high strength goods. We are among the top 3 producers of nonwovens in the world, especially in the hygiene and diaper sectors. We also have a high reputation in the lining market. China is our competitor in the filament market. That is why we are focusing on functionality as well as sustainability to reach out to global brands. We are ranked fifth globally in the staple fibres market. We integrate high denier industrial (HDI) yarn from raw material to fibres and make fabrics with unique features. We are working on a yarn to make air bags. We have incorporated sustainability into our operations. Our products include materials ranging from virgin polyester to recycled polyester. We are the second best in recycled polyester, which we supply to companies like Pepsi and Coke with quality certification from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Our spinning units are in Taiwan and China, while procurement is done from China. We are expanding in Vietnam. We began manufacturing textile and garments this year. Please elaborate on the various products of the company. Are there any new products in the offerings? We normally work directly with brands, the final buyers like Nike and Adidas. They both dominate sportswear, activewear and athleisure wear and we have a close business relationship with them. We have also worked with Columbia Sportswear, one of the topmost US outwear brands globally, the Canadian activewear brand Lululemon Athletica, and innerwear brands like Victoria’s Secret.