French interlining company Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies has signed a deal to acquire two strategic business units of Swiss company Cilander. CIlander specializes in high-end textile fabrics and finishing solutions for a range of applications.
According to the agreement, Chargeurs will acquire Cilander’s shirt fabric business, comprised mainly of the Alumo brand, which produces cotton for men’s shirts. The acquisition also includes the Eugster & Huber label, which provides fabrics for women’s fashion brands; Brennet contemporary fabrics; and Swiss Ghutra, which specializes in high-end fabrics and headpieces for clientele in the Middle East.
Chargeurs also will take control of the Lützelflüh, Switzerland, factory of Swiss textile finishing company Geissbühler. The site, which dates back to the late 1600s, is key in the production of Cilander’s Planofil performance textile brand, which offers outdoor fabrics for a number of applications.
Cilander was founded in 1814 and provides textile surfaces and finishing technologies for customers in fashion, interior design, sports and other categories. In addition to its Lützelflüh facility, it also operates in Herisau, Switzerland.
The acquisition will allow Chargeurs to expand into more niche markets while also strengthening its market share in the apparel segment, particularly in shirt-making.
“The project of acquiring the strategic assets and notably the most iconic brands of the Swiss company Cilander will mark a pivotal moment for our business line,” said Gianluca Tanzi, managing director, Chargeurs PCC Fashion Technologies. “The alliance of our French heritage with Cilander’s storied Swiss legacy will redefine the standards of luxury, quality, innovation, performance and distribution in the textile industry. We look forward to seizing these new growth opportunities.”
The acquisition, which is slated to be finalized later this year, is part of the preparation for Chargeurs’ 2025-2030 strategic plan, which will be finalized and presented during the first quarter of 2025.