Sioen offers unrivalled quality through vertical integration

We are vertically integrated, which means that we produce all elements of a tensile architecture membrane in-house ourselves. This offers you a major advantage as it implies a quality and delivery reassurance. In addition, we can co-create customised colours, fabrics and even entire complexes with and for our customers. Our flexibility is unrivalled.

Yarns

On our state-of-the-art Sioen extrusion lines we produce 18.000 tons of high tenacity polyester yarns. With our yarns, we serve many applications and markets. We specialise in very technical bespoke yarns, tailored to the requirements of our customers. Our yarns for tensile architecture are engineered and treated in a special way:

  • The yarns for tensile architecture are produced on a dedicated extrusion line. This guarantees continuity and batch control.
  • We use a spin finish that is especially developed for tensile architecture.
  • When our high Sioen quality levels are not achieved, we recycle the batch.
  • Coils for tensile architecture applications are rated triple A quality.
  • All tensile architecture coils are packaged individually to prevent soiling.

Woven fabrics

More than 500 weaving looms operating 24/7 to make your fabric for tensile architecture applications. They are specially treated:

  • We produce the fabrics for tensile architecture on dedicated looms in a controlled atmosphere.
  • Those looms have a higher cleaning frequency.
  • Warping for the tensile architecture fabrics is done according to dedicated procedures.
  • All fabrics for tensile architecture have a special finishing treatment, in order to avoid fluffs.
  • All fabrics for tensile architecture are pre-treated to make them low wick.
  • All fabrics for tensile architecture go through a meticulous camera inspection and a visual inspection by an operator.
  • Rolls for tensile architecture applications never touch the ground.

Pigment pastes & varnishes

We are producing chemical additives used in the processing of pigment pastes and varnishes ourselves at our specialised chemicals plant. Those colouring solutions are engineered for tensile architecture, taking all the special requirements of that market into consideration. The pigments and varnishes are used in our various coating plants and, depending on the coating technology, poured onto the fabric, transferred through a paper or dipped in a coating bath. We have a dedicated approach:

  • Special barrels are used for tensile architecture white pigment
  • The liquid additives used for colouring are called colour master batches and resolve problems that are raised while manufacturing.
  • Our own formulated compounds enhance the physical properties of the polymer.