“Yarn Manufacturers in Türkiye will Reduce Waste and Improve Quality with Uster FiberQ”

Interview: Dilek HAYIRLI

Uster aims to enable spinners in Türkiye to implement data-driven, risk-controlled raw material planning, reduce waste, and ensure quality through FiberQ. “The use of imported cotton in Türkiye creates an ideal environment for Uster FiberQ bale management.” says Stratos Fragkotsinos, Vice President Business Area Mill Management Solution at Uster Technologies.

Fluctuations in raw material prices and quality are constant headaches for spinners. And volatile market demand for yarns adds to the pain. Market conditions are unpredictable, so the big challenge is to implement reliable planning for cotton sourcing to cover all scenarios.

Uster FiberQ, developed by Uster for raw material management. It works with powerful softwaer, analyzing fiber data from available inventories and creating consistent and reliable laydowns for optimum quality and performance every day. This ensures consistent yarn quality and reduces waste.

Having achieved particularly successful results with Uster FiberQ in the Indian market, Uster Technologies is preparing the complete offer of the solution to the Turkish market. We interviewed Stratos Fragkotsinos, Vice President Business Area Mill Management Solution at Uster Technologies for our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine.

The interview addressed the impact FiberQ, which has achieved a 0.3 to 0.5% increase in productivity and a three-month payback period in pilot applications in India, could have on Turkish spinning mills. Stratos Fragkotsinos emphasized that FiberQ can be applied to each spinning mill through customized analyses, optimizing inventory and costs while improving quality. He also detailed how the algorithm integrates with domestic, imported, and organic cotton supply chains, how it prevents end-product problems like barré, and its contributions to sustainable production.

“We Perform Special Analysis for Each Spinning Mill”

Pilot applications in India reported yield increases between 0.3 and 0.5% with three-month payback periods, thanks to Uster FiberQ. What impact does FiberQ have on low cotton system variations in Türkiye (e.g. Ne30 or Tex40 mills)?

We conduct per mill analysis to demonstrate FiberQ’s benefits, as savings and quality depend on each spinning mill’s processes. While we use a standard calculation method, we believe Türkiye may have even greater potential than India.

How does FiberQ prevent end-product issues like barré? Can the success of the Indian experience be replicated in Türkiye?

Uster FiberQ considers key fiber parameters, along with cotton growing conditions and varieties. Its algorithm ensures consistent mixing and keeps fiber variation within established textile limits, as defined by Uster over decades. Modern technology now enables easy integration of these standards into customer solutions.

How does the FiberQ algorithm address the Turkish supply chain, which integrates domestic, imported, and organic cotton? Do you have any specific setup recommendations primarily for users in Türkiye?

FiberQ is designed to handle any type of cotton. For classified cotton, our bale management option uses fiber parameters from each bale to maximize benefits for spinners. With domestic or organic cotton, a representative sample test allows us to use the lot system with FiberQ. The setup is tailored to each spinner’s specific needs – not just Türkiye’s specialties. Our goal is consistent quality at the right cost, using the right fibers.

In markets like Türkiye, where cotton prices are highly volatile, how can FiberQ users make their supply planning more data-driven and focused on ‘risk control’?

First of all by reducing their inventory. As FiberQ takes care of the usage, spinners can really optimize their raw material sourcing. At ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 we’ll launch a mixings forecasting feature for the laydowns which further supports long term inventory planning. Finally, FiberQ enables higher bale participation per fiber lot, so eventually this leads to fewer lots to be required as inventory. The whole combination reduces the overall number of lots or containers of cotton required, which is an important financial benefit for the spinning mills.

“Maintains Quality and Reduces Waste”

What strategic advantages does FiberQ offer regarding sustainability goals such as waste reduction, the use of recycled cotton and maintaining quality standards?

With FiberQ, spinners can use either virgin or recycled cotton – as long as they have reliable data for the fiber parameters. The consistent quality achieved from process optimizations also means waste from the spinning process is reduced. To maintain quality, FiberQ is the perfect solution, as we have implemented a real-time connection with the Uster yarn clearers, allowing for the time gap in the spinning processes. So now, the improvements at mixing will be directly related to the final quality produced. With this input-output connection offered from Uster Fiber2Yarn spinners can easily apply data-based raw material utilization, in parallel with maintaining the desired yarn quality levels.

What tangible benefits does FiberQ bring in Türkiye in terms of efficiency, inventory costs and quality stability?

Türkiye’s use of imported cotton creates an ideal setting for Uster FiberQ bale management, allowing fiber parameters to be optimized for each laydown. This can reduce waste by up to 2% while maintaining or improving quality consistency.

“We Offer Annual Subscriptions and a Complete Package to Customers in Türkiye”

Is the subscription model you use for both the HVI 1000 measuring device and FiberQ software accessible to spinning mills of different sizes in Türkiye (e.g. small-medium-sized, Ne30 or Tex40 manufacturers)?

Uster FiberQ provides a comprehensive solution, offering customers in Türkiye access to a complete package through an annual subscription. This package includes the HVI 1000, FiberQ software, and the expertise of our renowned Uster experts. With the subscription model, all necessary spare parts and maintenance for the HVI 1000 are covered, ensuring peace of mind and maximizing value for our clients.

How long does the expert technologist stay on-site after FiberQ installation, and how do you transfer training to local teams?

When a customer subscribes to FiberQ, we provide a complete support package to enable a fast and successful transition from its current processes to FiberQ. Our team will stay up four to five days physically at the customer site. And of course, as Uster has a very well-established service team globally, we can follow up at any time whenever more support is needed.