Lenzing Pushes Heiligenkreuz Closure Into 2027 as Roughly 30 Parties Circle the Site

Lenzing has pushed back the shutdown of its Heiligenkreuz facility, confirming that the site will now close in the first quarter of 2027 rather than at the end of 2026. A company spokesperson cited the transfer of production to other locations as the reason for the delay, according to media reports. Around 285 employees are affected by the closure.

The plant's fate is drawing commercial interest. Roughly 30 prospective buyers are in talks over a possible takeover of the site, as reported by ORF.

Ownership Map Holds Steady After Cash Call

The operational news comes as Lenzing works through the aftermath of a capital increase completed about two weeks ago, which raised gross proceeds of around EUR 301.2 million. The company intends to channel the funds into its "Grow Nonwovens, Reset Textiles" strategy and to shore up its capital structure. A total of 34,756,362 new shares were issued at a subscription price of EUR 8.65 apiece, with 99.0% of the offered shares taken up; the consortium banks were lined up to place any remainder.

The change in voting rights took effect roughly two weeks ago, bringing the total number of voting rights to 73,374,542, as detailed in the company's mandatory notification on Friday. Share capital now stands at EUR 76,204,702.90.

Lenzing disclosed the post-transaction shareholder register on Thursday. The syndicate of B&C-Gruppe and Suzano S.A. continues to hold approximately 52.25% of voting rights, while Suzano Holding S.A. picked up an additional 0.80% directly. Goldman Sachs Group holds 5.86% of Lenzing shares, according to the company.

Quarterly Figures Set for November 5

Investors now turn to Lenzing's third-quarter 2026 results, scheduled for release on November 5 between 15:00 and 16:00 CET, per the company's financial calendar. It marks the next reporting milestone following the capital increase and the shifts in the shareholder base.

The stock slipped 2.5% on Friday, closing at EUR 10.80. Broader pressure on the Vienna exchange came from rising oil and gas prices and weak overnight cues from international technology shares, APA reported.