Last Update February 22, 2022

Categories

  • Composites, Plastics & Rubber
  • Raw Materials
  • Textile, Individual Equipment, Clothing

ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A., was founded in 1964 and since then has been manufacturing polymers and polyamide (Nylon) as well as polyester synthetic fibres used in the textile, tire and plastics industries. Today, ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. is the largest synthetic fibre manufacturer in the Andean Region.

The Company's manufacturing facilities are located 28 kilometers north of the city of Medellin, where most of the major industrial centers are found.

Since its foundation in 1964, the Company was associated with the AKZO NOBEL group, which in 1999 created ACORDIS. Its cooperation with ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. ended in June 2002, when it was sold to a group of regional investors.

Among ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A.’s local shareholders are companies with a wide experience in the textile, insurance, financial, food, retail and commercial sectors, under the leadership of the Grupo Empresarial Antioqueño, one of the most important business conglomerates in Latin America.

Strategic Orientation

ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A.’s goal is, among others, to maintain high product quality and customer services with a true commitment to its clients, employees and shareholders.

Presence in the Market

ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. is a strong local actor in Colombia. One of its biggest assets is the detailed knowledge of the Colombian textile and industrial markets. Through its foundation it has played an important role in the development and growth of these markets.

The Company is located in Medellin, the country’s heartland, close to major industrial centers, making it the supplier of choice. Other natural markets are found in the Andean Region (Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia), Brazil, Chile and Mexico, among others. These markets are preferentially accessed (zero tariffs) through multilateral and bilateral trade agreements.

The textile industry in Colombia has access to the US market through the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.

Currently, a Free Trade Agreement is being negotiated with the US to widen the scope of ATPDEA. This puts Colombia and ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. in a privileged position, given the advantages of a Free Trade Agreement and its proximity to the biggest market in the western hemisphere.

Colombia also enjoys preferential access to Canada and the European Union, through the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

Technology

For ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A., it’s been a constant endeavor to keep its processes at the highest technical level available in order to offer optimal quality products in terms of market needs and trends.

Contact info #1

Jorge Mario Valderrama Velez
+57 4 405 5106
Chairman of the Audit Committee
+57 4 405 5055
Carrera 37A 8-43, Office 901, Medellin, Colombia

Fibers

ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. manufactures all types of fibres designed with the highest technology available from cotton type spun yarns, wools and nonwovens to abrasives and geotextiles.

COTTON-TYPE CORLEN® FIBER

This cotton fibre is appropriate for cotton, viscose and other blends. These yarns have excellent processability properties in all types of weaving processes (woven, circular knit, etc.).

STANDARD WOOL TYPE - CORLEN® FIBER 112
 
This woollen fibre is semi-dull and can be dyed using dispersed dyes. Its air shrinkage (190°C, 15 min) is considered low, since it ranges between 6 and 10%. Due to its properties, this fibre is recommended for woollen, viscose, linen and acrylic blends. Its processability is excellent.

DOPE-DYED CORLEN® FIBER 412

These fibres are produced with a special polymer and are dope-dyed. Their air shrinkage (190°C, 15 min) is considered low, since it ranges from 6 to 10%. Due to their properties, these fibres are recommended for cotton, wool, viscose, linen and acrylic blends. Their processability is excellent.

Given the intrinsic characteristics of the product and the quality of the master batch chips, they exhibit excellent solidity to washing, friction, sweat, chlorine, light and sublimation. As far as dying is concerned, these fibres have great advantages with respect to batch dying.

CORLEN® FIBER 717, 812 AND 813

CORLEN® FIBER TYPE 714 is a special product with very high shrinkage suitable for the manufacture of needle spun fabrics used in filtering processes where good resistance is required. CORLEN® FIBER TYPE 812 and 813 are suitable for nonwoven, fibrefill and yarn spinning processes with industrial applications. These are low shrinkage fibres. Their properties make them very attractive since they are anti-allergic, odourless, mildew and moth resistant and do not release dust or other unpleasant materials. They are easily washed and have high wearing and weathering resistance. In the nonwovens field, these fibres are used to manufacture interlinings through conventional or randomized carding systems.

CORLEN® FIBER 813

It is a polyester fibre designed for the industry of nonwoven abrasives with very low shrinkage that guarantees an excellent dimensional stability in the curing process. Its properties make it attractive since it is anti-allergic, odourless, mildew and moth resistant and does not release neither dust nor other unpleasant chemicals. It is recommended for the manufacture of items that require a high degree of support. It has an excellent antistatic behaviour with adequate cohesion for the processes of carding and folding of veils. Its harshness and superficial treatment allows for a very good bonding of the vinyl-acrylic self-reactive emulsions with additions of glues and pigments, allowing working with abrasives such as quartz and pumice in important concentrations to obtain the desired level of harshness. In the nonwoven sector it is used with very good results for the processing of high volume wadding.

Product informational files

Filaments

The High technology and design built into CORLEN® filament yarns and NYLON filament yarns, give versatility and functionality in many applications in which they are used, namely for innerwear and outerwear, the automotive upholstery, the covered fabrics and narrow wovens. CORLEN® yarns provide garments with the versatility and functionality required in modern times.

Nylon Filament Yarns

These Nylon Filament Yarns are suitable for innerwear, outerwear, swimsuits, lingerie and hosiery. Nylon 6 textile filaments provide elasticity, resilience and luster.

Covered Elastomeric Yarns

Covered Elastomeric Yarns provide high homogeneity, stability and enough elasticity so that woven fabrics are stretch.

Specialty Yarns

ENKA DE COLOMBIA S.A. has developed new yarns with differentiated touches (wool, cotton, silk - like) and appearance (bright, jasper and rustic - among others).

CORLEN® POY – PRE-ORIENTED YARN

Filament yarns are suitable for processes, such as drawing, draw-warping, and texturizing. For each one of these processes, the yarn is delivered with the required spin finish.

CORLEN® FLAT YARN

All of the flat yarns protect against tangling and the level of tangle knots depends on the end uses.

CORLEN® MICROFIBER

CORLEN ® MICROFIBER is a highly elaborated fabric that provides effective UV protection.

Elastomeric Yarns

Elastomeric yarns have been a highly valued alternative for textile companies that are one step ahead with market innovations. New social trends impose the use of garments with covered elastics.

Product informational files

Industrial Yarns

Industrial nylon’s outstanding specifications make it ideal for applications in yarns, ropes, cords, fishing nets, tire reinforcement and industrial fabrics.

Nylon High Tenacity Yarns: Due to their high strength, break resistance, and other properties, such as their bright luster, dyeability and resistance to humidity and other agents, high tenacity nylon yarns are ideal for the following applications:

  • Highly resistant tows, twisted and plaited cords, and ropes.
  • Fishing nets.
  • Industrial fabrics used as reinforcements in the rubber industry and plastic fabrics for tents and furniture.
  • Sewing thread used in paper and polypropylene bags, leather articles and plastic reinforced fabrics.
  • Safety belts.
  • Geotextiles.
  • Nylon Cords.

Due to its extraordinary resistance to breaks, humidity, fungus and bacteria attacks, nylon cord is the most appropriate material for the following applications:

  • Fishing nets, small dragnets, casting nets and hammocks.
  • Agricultural use, especially as supporting nets.
  • Due to its brightness and dyeability in brilliant colors, nylon cord is also suitable for the manufacture of shawls, shoes, table cloths, comforters, purses and carpets.
  • Nylon Tire Cord Fabric.

Tire fabric is used to enhance the construction of tires for automobiles and guarantees their resistance and safety. The process starts from high tenacity nylon yarns that are woven along with cotton yarns forming a taffeta fabric called tire cord fabric. This fabric is dipped in a latex solution to give stability to the fabric. The fabric’s specifications, such as length, width, cord density and dipping properties are adjusted according to customers’ needs.

Product informational files

Resins

Different types of polyester and nylon polymers are designed for packaging applications, as well as the spinning of textile and industrial yarns. The Company's fundamental priority is to develop and commercialize polyester, PET and nylon resins.

PET RESINS: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), is a saturated polyester copolymer, developed specially for the production of packing materials. PET resin stands out from other thermoplastics as:

  • It is highly transparent and bright.
  • It is ideal for the packaging of products for human consumption.
  • It is highly resistant to industrial washing processes.
  • It has barrier properties, especially against CO2, water vapor and oxygen.
  • It is highly resistant to chemicals.
  • It is highly dyeable.
  • The end product can be shaped in many different shapes.
  • It weighs less.
  • It is environmentally safe.
  • It is 100% recyclable.

NYLON 6 RESIN: This resin is used for textile yarns and industrial yarns to manufacture tire fabrics, continuous filament and staple fibres for carpets, multifilament and monofilament for nets and fishing yarns. This resin is also used for engineering plastics applications.

POLYESTER RESIN: - FOR TEXTILE USE

This is a saturated polyester homopolymer used to produce textile yarns, as well as wool or cotton-type staple fibres. Main characteristics:

  • Easily spun into yarn.
  • Mechanical strength.
  • Wash resistance.
  • Stability during dying processes.

According to the Titanium Dioxide content, two degrees of textile resins are supplied: Semi-dull and Micro-dull. By special order, antimony-free resin can be supplied.

- FOR INDUSTRIAL USE

This is a saturated polyester homopolymer used to produce high strength industrial filament yarns. Its main applications are:

  • Yarns for tents.
  • Fishing nets.
  • Safety belts and slings.
  • Geotextiles.
  • Industrial reinforcement fabrics, mainly for tires.
  • Tows and ropes.

Product informational files

Enka de Colombia S.A.

  • Calle 3 Sur # 43A - 52 floor 5, Medellin, Colombia
  • +57(4) 405 5055
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