The Indian Techtex sector must defend, create and build its markets

Rendezvous

The Indian Techtex sector must defend, create and build its markets

Stäubli is upbeat about the Indian technical textile industry. In an exclusive interview with Textile Excellence, Fritz Legler, Head of Marketing, Sales & Service, Stäubli, advises the industry to invest in market creation, to make the most of the global opportunities.

How important is Techtexil India for you?

Techtextil India is steadily gaining importance and as the organizers put it, "It is getting bigger, better, smarter", offering 50% more exhibiting space than two years ago. We have prepared a special newsflash for our existing and prospective customers, thus giving them first-hand information about our product offerings and support extended to interested parties in the field of technical and industrial textiles. Stäubli`s booth, in area C38 features in its traditional design well known to our global customer base.

What products is Stäubli displaying during Techtextil India?

Techtexil exhibitions are not seen as typical machinery shows as, for instance, ITMA exhibitions. It is with this in mind that we planned not to bring many machines to India, and instead focus on textile applications. Many interesting application samples are on display at our booth. Our main exhibit is our Beam Knotting Machine type MAGMA for very coarse or delicate warp tying operations.

Furthermore, special attention is on our shed forming technologies for active warp control with our latest generation of cam motions (1600 / 1700 series), dobbies (S3000 / S3200 series) as well as Jacquard machines UNIVAL 100 for single end control for 3D-weaving or our LX-series for technical textiles.

Automatic drawing-in of most complex and delicate warps in area of filtration, glass or aramides is another major topic at the show. As a novelty, Stäubli has launched new application opportunities offered with our new weaving machine solutions under the brand of Schönherr. The Alpha 500 TECH with "free-flight" double rapiers expands into new and challenging application areas.

Stäubli products are used in basically all areas of technical & industrial textiles - some examples:

1. Agrotech (e.g. anti-hail nets, crop covers, erosion protection materials)

2. Buildtech (e.g. tarpaulins, awnings, scaffold nets)

3. Clothtech (e.g. interlinings, shoe components)

4. Geotech (e.g. ground stabilization, erosion control, geosynthetics, geogrids)

5. Hometech (e.g. carpet backings, mosquito nets)

6. Indutech (e.g. conveyor & drive belts, bolting cloth, fibre glass, paper making felts)

7. Medtech (e.g. gowns, drapes, wound care, sterile packaging)

8. Mobiltech (e.g. airbags, car-aircraft-rail upholstery, automotive carpets, helmets)

9. Oekotech (e.g. woven filters, automotive insulation)

10. Packtech (e.g. flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), leno & laundry bags)

11. Protech (e.g. ballistics, fire retardant apparel & fabrics, NBC suits)

12. Sporttech (e.g. tents, artificial turf, parachute fabrics, sleeping bags)

How is the Indian techtex market for Stäubli?

Stäubli is growing along with the technical textile market in India. Many companies are venturing into this market segment. General market studies suggest that this market segment is globally growing 2-4% on average per annum.

Our contribution is through active warp control in warp preparation (i.e. beam knotting, leasing and automatic drawing-in), shed formation (i.e. cam motions, dobbies and jacquard machines used on weaving machines of different brands and makes) or weaving machines (i.e. Schönherr brand). On top of this, Stäubli offers local technical support thus enabling our customers to have their peace of mind if it comes to setting up machinery in the field of technical & industrial textiles.

In your opinion, which are the segments that this industry could prosper in short to medium term in India?

Growth projections in this area are massive (i.e. above the global yearly average) - India is gearing up for this expansion and will be ready to fully exploit the potential. Main areas of opportunities are probably to be found under the headings of Geotech, Agrotech, Indutech, Packtech followed by Mobiltech, Sporttech, Oekotech and eventually Medtech.

What are the key points that investors should consider while entering technical textile business?

It is abundantly clear that this market area cannot be entered at anyone`s whim. It takes a lot of doing, preparatory work and resources. Most of the entrants would - by trend - start out from existing cloth manufacturing plants venturing into industrial and technical textiles.

Available resources and manufacturing equipment may not be suitable; yarn, weaving and processing know-how may not be available and the application needs of technical textiles not fully understood. Certain skills may not be available in companies and so forth. Another decisive question for new entrants will be - "Is there an accessible market available to us?"

Stäubli’s advice would be: "defend, create, build!.” Defend current market and customer base in existing field of applications, create new applications in technical & industrial fields (including assessment of the whole process chain from yarn to finished fabric, potential customers and so forth) and eventually build a new market while proceeds from original and defended market would help finance this new venture. This kind of investment is best made on the basis of being self-financed through inherent day-to-day business. In other words - "Learn to walk before you run!"

New entrants face difficulties in marketing their technical textile products because of immature markets within the country, could you point to some suitable solutions?

The best way of a successful approach would be that new entrants should team up with e.g. yarn- and machinery manufacturers. Furthermore, they should talk with academic institutions or science companies or involve governmental bodies who are responsible to foster certain new industries.

Do you believe government supports are enough to stimulate investment in the technical textile sector? What more steps can be introduced?

Governments can certainly stimulate the use of technical and industrial textiles through active regulations in e.g. areas of health and safety, road regulations (e.g. use of geotextiles and geosynthetics, or that car have to be equipped with airbags and so forth). We cannot judge if there is enough support given to the industry - this is up to the Indian government and the industry. One area for intensified support might be marketing support - i.e. institutions or associations should help potential entrants find accessible markets in India.