“We Hosted Our Customers from North Africa and South America During the Exhibition”
Interview: Dilek HAYIRLI
Astaş Juki Board Member Turgay Aşcı stated that they exhibited both the global brands they represent and their own domestic solutions at the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition. Aşcı said; “Exhibitions offer very good opportunities to introduce our products.”
Participating in the Garment Tech Istanbul Exhibition with a wide range of products from high-efficiency sewing machines to cutting room solutions, Astaş Juki was met with great interest from visitors throughout the exhibition. Astaş Juki Board Member Turgay Aşcı, in an interview with our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine, talked about the products they exhibited at the exhibition, their expectations, and their predictions for 2025 and 2026.
Turgay Aşcı said that as Astaş Juki, they exhibited the latest products of the brands of Japanese and German origin, which they represent in Turkiye, as well as their own brand Astron sewing machines at the exhibition. “At the exhibition, we exhibited all our solutions that can establish an integrated production line from A to Z, from our design programs to spreading machines, from cutting machines to packaging solutions. This also includes the ironing and bagging stages after sewing processes. We work with the German VEIT brand in the ironing field,” said Aşcı, drawing attention to the comprehensive technological solutions they offer to the sector.
“New Generation Cutter BULLMER R90 Attracted Great Attention”
Aşcı stated that they launched of the High Layer, High Performance, Continuous and Endless Automatic Cutting Machine PROCUT R90 Series, one of the innovative products exhibited at the exhibition in December 2024. Aşcı said, “We sold this model, which is 20-25% more efficient than standard cutting machines, to some of our textile customers before the exhibition. It is currently attracting serious attention at the exhibition. There are orders from Bursa and Istanbul, we expect interest to increase after the exhibition.”
“Exhibitions Offer Great Opportunities to Promote Our Products”
Evaluating the impact of global economic fluctuations and wars on the sector, Aşcı drew attention to the difficulties of the post-2022 period in particular: Aşcı said: “We did really great work after the 2022 pandemic. However, when we came to 2023, the market business started to decline slowly with the increase in costs. The textile sector, like all sectors, started to have difficulties due to the effects of the ongoing wars in our nearby geography. Despite this, exhibitions are still very valuable to us. Because they offer the opportunity to introduce our innovations to both local and foreign visitors. As a company, we export to 32 countries in addition to the domestic market. During the exhibition, we had visitors from nearby countries such as Bulgaria and Romania, to which we export, as well as regions such as North Africa and South America. I think exhibitions are a very good opportunity to introduce our products.”
“Demand for Work- Clothes and Military Uniforms Has Increased”
Sharing his observations on new collaborations, Aşcı said that there has been a change in the orientation of customers coming to the exhibition: Aşcı said; “In the past, we used to receive mostly combed cotton, shirt or denim machines. Now, the demand for machines in the fields of uniforms, work-clothes and military clothing has increased. This is an indication that the sector is in a transformation.”
“Everyone is Looking for Systems that will Reduce Costs”
Emphasizing that the future of the textile and apparel sector is in high automation and artificial intelligence-supported systems, Aşcı said, “Due to production costs in Turkiye, everyone is looking for systems that will reduce costs. Now, companies need to save personnel. As Astaş Juki, we are developing systems that can perform the work of four or five people with a single machine. We are making serious investments in this area and will increase our investments.”
“We Expect the Sector to Recovery in the Second Half of 2025”
Stating that 2024 was a difficult year and 2025 would not be an easy year, Aşcı said they were still hopeful about the second half of the year: Aşcı; “We expect interest rates to fall and the sector to recovery, especially in September-October. Turkish textile manufacturers need to have easier access to financing. With the decrease in interest rates, investors with money will invest in this sector rather than investing in interest. In addition, exporters will become more competitive with the movement of exchange rates. I believe that the automats we produce will also find more space in the market in the second half, September-October.”
