MASON, Ohio — August 10, 2022 — In preparation for the fall markets, Downlite Outdoor, a division of Downlite — a down and feather processor, and a supplier of responsibly sourced performance fills in outdoor, home and hospitality — along with guest speakers from IDFL – Laboratories and Institute, will sponsor an Outdoor Retailer education webinar on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 1:00 pm EST.

Down is a luxurious, natural byproduct that is widely used to provide insulation and comfort in the home, outdoor, and hospitality segments. This natural fiber maintains an optimal temperature to weight ratio and provides flexibility for product designers in terms of aesthetics, warmth, and sustainability. Unlike other fibers, down’s longevity and mono-composition make it the insulation of choice. Understanding what specification to use, when to buy, treatment options, and certifications, can be challenging, especially today.

The webinar is presented by Down industry experts who continue to evolve the industry standards in sourcing, designing, testing, recycling, upcycling, and circularity. Join Downlite Outdoor, with IDFL- Laboratory and Institute, and as they walk you through the benefits and economic gains and inspiration for designing with Down.

What you’ll learn:

• How to prepare labeling/certifications in advance for global down garment/sleeping bag sales;
• Quick facts about down;
• Buying down, working with a supplier and your factory;
• Can you achieve the same warmth with a lower fill power down?;
• Can you achieve the same loft with a lower fill power down?;
• Are there ways to save money on down, when designing a garment?;
• Down tests: Which is going to be warmer? Why?;
• Down innovations: New ideas and designs in the marketplace; and
• Sustainability is … building products that last!

With more than a 100 years of down processing experience, Ohio-based Downlite is a trusted partner to many of the most recognizable apparel and sleeping bag brands in the outdoor industry. Downlite has pioneered breakthrough innovations in performance down technologies and has emerged as a leader in traceability and transparency through its global supply chain.

IDFL – IDFL Laboratory and Institute, is the largest down and feather testing laboratory in the world with over 8,000 clients in 80 countries. IDFL provides testing services for fill textiles like: down and feather material and products, textiles, synthetic fills, and natural fills.

Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T1_wQsCETkCfldO-cE9JDQ

Posted: August 10, 2022

Source: Downlite

BANGKOK, Thailand — August 10, 2022 — Indorama Ventures Public Co. Ltd. (IVL), a global sustainable chemical producer, today reported record 2Q22 earnings as the company’s global integrated model continues to benefit from strong consumer trends and management responded effectively to market disruptions.

IVL posted a record Core EBITDA of $758 million in the second quarter, up 17 percent QoQ and 59 percent YoY. Sales revenue rose by about 11 percent QoQ on a same-store basis, supporting a Core EBITDA margin of 14 percent. The combination of strong sales and improved margins helped offset higher energy costs in the United States and Europe, while management leveraged the company’s leading position in local and regional markets to ensure uninterrupted customer service levels as higher crude oil prices impacted raw materials costs.

The strong second-quarter performance extends the record profit achieved in 2021 as the company’s differentiated product portfolio grows in line with long-term macro-consumer trends. Most of IVL’s products are used in daily household necessities and are resilient against short-term economic headwinds. This innate stability allows management to continue focusing on the company’s long-term growth strategy of developing its unique global leadership position across its integrated petrochemicals value chain. For example, IVL completed two strategic acquisitions in LATAM and Vietnam in the second quarter, which contributed an additional 12 percent in revenue growth.

D K Agarwal, CEO of Indorama Ventures, said: “IVL enjoys market leadership in each of our key business areas in industries that have stable long-term growth prospects. As we demonstrated through the peak pandemic period, our global platform’s unique attributes of resilience and growth means we can stay focused on our long-term plan while at the same time responding quickly to short-term market fluctuations such as the heightened energy costs and supply chain disruptions that have continued into 2022. This, coupled with our continual focus on cost management through transformation programs such as Project Olympus allowed us to improve on our performance in 2Q.”

Combined PET (CPET), the largest of IVL’s three business segments, delivered strong Core EBITDA of $431 million, up 35 percent YoY and a 1-percent decrease QoQ, on high margins driven by seasonally strong demand, supply chain constraints and overall market tightness. Sales revenue increased 13 percent QoQ on a same-store basis. In April, the company acquired Ngoc Nghia Industry, a leading PET packaging company in Vietnam, expanding IVL’s integrated offering to customers throughout Asia.

Integrated Oxides and Derivatives (IOD) segment achieved Core EBITDA of $250 million, up 98 percent QoQ and 152 percent YoY. Strength in Home and Personal Care and Crop Solutions end-markets drove upside in IOD’s Integrated Downstream vertical, while the Integrated Intermediates vertical was hindered by low ethylene crack margins, historically low integrated MEG margins, and the planned turnaround of two EO units. The acquisition of Brazil-based Oxiteno in April added $85 million to IVL’s Core EBITDA in Q2 on robust demand for its surfactants and management’s ability to pass on cost increases.

Fibers segment posted Core EBITDA of $55 million, a decrease of 35 percent QoQ and 15 percent YoY, as sales declined 11 percent QoQ. The segment was impacted by lower demand in the Lifestyle vertical amid the China lockdown while higher freight rates restricted exports. The Hygiene vertical was impacted by volumes at Avgol’s Russia site along with increased polypropylene prices, while strength in the replacement tires market partially offset the ongoing semiconductor shortage, resulting in a stable performance for Mobility.

Posted: August 10, 2022

Source: Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited (IVL)