Andritz Focuses on Industry 4.0

Andritz provides a comprehensive product portfolio for special industries all over the world. With its technologies and service solutions, ANDRITZ is the world leader in all major business areas. Customized solutions are the key to success.

Andritz provides a comprehensive product portfolio for special industries all over the world. With its technologies and service solutions, ANDRITZ is the world leader in all major business areas. Customized solutions are the key to success.

The publicly listed technology Group is headquartered in Graz, Austria, and has a staff of approximately over 29,000 employees. ANDRITZ operates more than 280 sites in over 40 countries.

We made in interview with Andreas Lukas, Senior Vice President and Nonwoven Division President at Andritz Küsters GmbH. Lukas, stated that the company’s in machine production focused on the Internet and Industry 4.0.

Can you tell us about Metris, the latest technology brand of Andritz?

Andritz has pooled its relevant expertise to offer attractive digital solutions for existing and new plants under one technology brand: Metris. Metris technologies are the very latest state-of-the-art in the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) or Industry 4.0 sector and can be fully tailored to individual customer requirements.

Andritz joined ITMA with a wide product portfolio…

Here at ITMA, we general have one focus on IIoT solutions with all our nonwoven technology. But with our speciality for needlelooms we show Metris in action with a needleloom in industrial-site on our booth.

So our focus is really on IIoT and Industry 4.0. With this we introduce our latest needling technology for producing veloured felts, mainly for applications in the automotive industry. The long-lasting brush design combined with a needleloom for high production capacities ensure reduced production costs and a high return on investment for the customers.

We also presented the next generation of its cross-layering technology, the ProWin system. ProWin is a further development of ProDyn and ProWid, which have achieved a high level of acceptance on the market with around 200 systems installed. This technology improves the current weight-profiling options and increases the actual production capacity.

What kind of production method do you follow to meet the demands of the customers?

Before we invent something new at first we have to understand our customer’s processes. We have a different way of learning from customers in the direct speech. But we also have several customers, who has an external organization to really understand needs of the industry. We also participate in the worldwide organizations of textile industry and the nonwovens industry to really understand trends and the needs of the customer. And then going back which kind of machinery and equipment we can develop. But always on the focus is total cost of ownership so that the customer can really run the process which has a cost fit for them.

What have been your company’s biggest achievements over the past 12 months?

Over the past 12 months, of course we have the IIoT solution. But we also made good developments in the area of wipes, because sustainability and flushable wipes with our newest technology.

If you assess in terms of export market, what is the importance of Turkey for your company?

Turkey is one of our major focuses in the nonwovens industry. We can really say all processes which are happening in our product portfolio, existing in the Turkey’s nonwovens market, and Turkey is one of our hot spots.

What trends do your customers’ demands show in the nonwoven sector?

More green. Energy saving, sustainability and also what I mean about wipes. Combustability and flushability, reducing of wastes, also using more and more materials of the old products.

What are your plans for the next couple of years?

Our plans for the next couple of years would be even better understanding of the complete supply chain, raw material up to the final product, and that’s also one reason Andritz last year acquired the first time the company more downstream in converting so really closer to the end consumer to understand their needs and develop the process up to the raw material.

Interview: Dilek Hayırlı