“Textile Industry is Used to Challenges, We will Master the Current Problems”
Taking over the position of Managing Director of VDMA Textile Machinery Association in January 2023, Dr. Harald Weber gave his first interview in Turkey to our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine. Weber, whom we interviewed for the German Textile Machinery Industry Special Issue, expressed his condolences on behalf of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association to those who lost their lives in the earthquake disaster, the epicenter of which was Kahramanmaraş and caused great destruction in 10 provinces.
First of all, how was 2022 for German textile machinery manufacturers? Can you explain this with machine production, machine sales figures and growth figures?
Most of 2022 was a good year for the German textile machinery sector. The overall exports of textile machinery and accessories summed up to roundabout 3 billion Euro, which was slightly above the good year 2021. But from autumn on, incoming orders have slowed down noticeably and there have been some considerable cancellations. The turnover forecast of the VDMA prepared in October assumes a minus of 5 percent for our industry in 2023/2022 (2022/2021: plus 19 percent).
“Turkey is the Second Biggest Market for German Textile Machines”
What is the rate of exports of German textile machinery manufacturers to Turkey? Which were the most exported machines respectively?
The exports to Turkey reached roundabout 350 million Euros in 2022, which made the country once again the second biggest market for German textile machines after China. The biggest part of it were spinning machines, followed by knitting and warp knitting as well as finishing machines. But business becomes secondary in the face of the earthquake that hit south-eastern Turkey. For the German textile machinery industry, I would like to express my condolences to the families that lost loved ones and their home during this catastrophe.
Energy crisis, Russia-Ukraine War, increase in raw material prices, etc. problems affect the textile machinery sector as well as all other sectors. How are VDMA member companies affected by these crises? What is the roadmap of companies regarding this process?
The general conditions for the mechanical engineering industry are indeed very challenging. Unfortunately, material shortages will continue to have a strong impact on business activity in 2023. The energy crisis is causing great uncertainty in the European customer industries, especially in textile finishing. This whole situation depends on external factors, we as an industry cannot influence it. But the textile machinery sector as well as the textile industry is used to challenges, so I hope that we will also master the current problems.
What innovations, trends and developments are expected in the textile machinery industry in the near future?
Future trends are definitely digitalisation and automation. An increasing level of automation and remote services characterizes the textile industry. Serving these markets, VDMA member companies see themselves not only as machine suppliers but also as competent partners on the technological aspects of digitalisation and the processes of their customers. An intensive relationship between spinners, weavers, knitters or finishers, machine suppliers, chemistry suppliers and other technology providers is the key to future success. Assistance via remote services/teleservice and predictive maintenance software to avoid machine stops are provided by numerous VDMA textile technology suppliers. Digitalisation and Industry 4.0 also help to counter the increasing shortage of skilled workers, and the machines of many VDMA companies offer many useful features to assure reproducible quality results. They include process simulation on a PC to optimise the process parameters before production even starts. Another issue worth to mention is the digital product passport and the efforts in progress to enable this from our side.
In addition, the VDMA members are geared e.g. towards a functioning circular economy. This includes two aspects: machines for recycling of textiles on the one hand and machines for producing new textiles from recycled materials on the other hand.
“We still see good business perspectives in the big volume markets China, Turkey and India”
What kind of changes will occur in the export markets of the world textile machinery manufacturers? Do German textile machinery manufacturers carry out a study on these markets?
The war in Ukraine and the pandemic as well as the disputes between China and the USA showed us, that things we took for granted in international relations have changed or are still changing. The frameworks have become more uncertain. As VDMA, we still see good business perspectives in the big volume markets China, Turkey and India. Bangladesh and Pakistan may perform weaker at the moment, but we are optimistic that business there will also rise again. There is growing potential in Central America due to trade agreements with the US. The EU remains a good market e.g. for technologies for technical textiles. We as VDMA regularly organise business initiation trips to countries and regions that were not the classic destinations for German machines. Last autumn, a delegation of VDMA member companies visited Turkmenistan and in the end of 2023, Guatemala, Honduras and India are on the agenda.
“Technologies of German Textile Machinery Manufacturers Save Up to 30% Energy”
Especially with the energy crisis, the emphasis on sustainable and environmentally friendly production began to gain weight. What will be the priorities of VDMA member companies when developing products in the new period?
In general, the companies organised in the VDMA Textile Machinery Association welcome the ambitions to promote climate protection. Up to now, the increasing textile consumption around the world, due to growing population and purchasing power has been accompanied by a rising use of resources. With our highly efficient technologies we are an indispensable partner in this transition process. Efficiency, energy efficiency has been on the agenda of our member companies for a long time. An expert team of member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association has studied the energy-saving effects across the entire production chain of five textile products: a cotton T-shirt, a functional T-shirt, a textile billboard, an architectural fabric and a hygienic nonwoven. The result of this analysis: in the manufacture of these products, today’s technologies of the VDMA member companies can save up to 30% of energy compared to what was available 10 to 15 years ago. So, real progress has already been made in energy efficiency. The same is true for raw materials like cotton or for water. The optimisation of machines, components and technologies provides a key to energy and resource-efficient manufacturing processes.
What are your expectations about the World Textile sector and especially the textile machinery sector in 2023?
A reluctance to invest can be observed throughout the entire textile chain. Causes include faltering private consumption in China, Europe and North America. Inventories are high, with stocks e.g. at sporting goods manufacturers alone doubling. The situation is better in the technical textiles sector.
2023 will be a year with intense exhibitions. How do VDMA member companies prepare for these exhibitions?
Of course, the highlight of this year will be ITMA in June in Milan. The preparations are in full swing. “Transforming the World of Textiles: efficient – digital – circular”. Under this heading, VDMA technology providers will present their solutions along the value chain in Milan. In the run-up to ITMA, VDMA will continue the “Way2ITMA” webtalk series, that started end of February.
Interview: Dilek Hayırlı
