The textile industry of Iran having started activities about new investments with the recent ending of international sanctions came together with the Swiss textile machinery manufacturers.
At the two day event organized in Tahran, Iranian textile companies and Swiss textile machinery manufacturers came together and made meetings for long-term strategic partnership. The event organized by Swissmem, the Swiss national textile machinery representative body, on April 25 and 26, attracted a total of 350 delegates and featured a strong presence from the leading technology providers, including 40% of the association’s membership.
Maurer; “We are keen to intensify business dealings”
Swissmem president Ernesto Maurer reported that the seminar exceeded all prior expectations, in terms of both the number and importance of the Iranian companies taking part: “Before the imposition of sanctions we enjoyed a very strong business level and a good relationship with customers in Iran. This continued during the period of sanctions, but understandably at a lower level. In the new situation today, we are keen to intensify our relationship and business dealings to pre-sanction levels and beyond.”
Maurer identified problems with transfer of funds between the two countries as one of the major hurdles during the sanctions period. “Therefore this was a key theme at the seminar, with two speeches arranged by experts on international financial transactions,” Mr Maurer said. “We are delighted that the seminar helped to strengthen still further the already strong ties between our respective industries.”
A New Beginning for the Iranian Textile Industry
Christian Lerch, of Jakob Mueller taking part at the event reflected that the Iranian delegates showed genuine appreciation at the partnership efforts of Swissmem: “Many of our Jakob Mueller customers took part, and they welcomed the chance for the exchange of technical and business information, as well as the valuable networking time and pleasant social programme for the evening. We wanted to demonstrate a real personal interest alongside the mutual business advantages”.
Mehran Zehtab, of Kian Sanat Afzar an engineering service company which represents Swiss companies Retech, SSM and Heberlein in Iran: "Swissmem is always welcome and its presence is needed in Iran. Now, right after the removal of the sanctions, it was really necessary to say a new ‘Hello’ to our textile industries, which have in the recent past had to rely on technology from lower-level suppliers in other countries and we made it, he said.
With export sales to Iran in the calendar year 2015 totalling 6.4 million Swiss Francs, Switzerland remains a significant provider of technology to the country and is anticipating the Iranian industry to account for a larger share of its global export sales total of more than 1 billion Swiss Francs in the coming years.
