Being included among the most important machinery manufacturer associations of the world, Swissmem gathers more than 40 active textile machinery, spare parts, accessory and service manufacturers under the same roof throughout the world. Having served the textile sector until today as of 1940 when it was first established, Swissmem is one of the organisers of ITMA and ITMA Asia fairs as a member of CEMATEX.
Cornelia Buchwalder, General Secretary of Textile Machinery Department of Swissmem, answered the questions of our Magazine Group in relation to the activities of the association. Expressing that Swissmem which celebrates its 75st anniversary this year is one of the oldest textile machinery organisations of the world, Buchwalder stated that the association has a rooted history and accordingly, one of their most significant objectives is to increase the market shares of the association members. Saying that they organise various events to this end, Buchwalder added that: “Although Switzerland is considered as the place where the highest number of innovative activities are held in the global analyses, we launched an innovation program for our members last year. With this program, we provide support to the SMEs operating for the textile sector in the fields of service and marketing processes. Through the workshops held within the scope of this program, we help SMEs adapt to the new markets as well as in terms of the maintenance services.”
Factor +
Stating that one third of their members take part in the workshops, Buchwalder expressed that they also offered the Additive Manufacturing workshop related to manufacturing to the use of their members. Saying that: “As Swissmem, we aim at providing our members with new perspectives to the developing Technologies and new application areas. In this way, new Technologies will be manufactured and developed”, Buchwalder stated that all these Works made significant contributions to Factor + which was launched in order to support the textile machinery industry. Saying that: “With Factor +, we are promoting five fundamental factors of the Swiss textile machinery industry which are quality + permanent value creation, power + common values, creativity + success, advanced technology + reliability and performance + sustainability”, Buchwalder stated that all these values are important factors affecting the purchasers to prefer the textile machines manufactured by their members and as of last year, Factor + gained brand new features.”
2014 was fruitful
Stating that 2014 was fruitful for the members of Swissmem, Buchwalder expressed that export figures rose by 8.9 % compared to the previous year and reached 1 billion 339 million CHF. Saying that their sales increased in every quarter in 2014, Buchwalder added that: “When we look at the quarters of the previous year, we see that our export volume increased by every quarter.”
Turkey is the Biggest Market of Swissmem
Stating that the volume of export made to Turkey, the biggest market of Swissmem, in 2014 amounted to 317 million CHF with an increase of 27.9 % when compared to 2013 and constituted 23.7 % of Switzerland’s total textile machinery export alone, Buchwalder stated that the volume of export to Turkey is increasing year by year and added that: “While the volume of our export to Turkey amounted to 132 million CHF in 2010, it now amounts to 317 million CHF. In the light of this information, the importance of Turkey is increasing day by day for us.” Saying that “The volume of textile machinery export to Turkey increased by 12.7 % in the first quarter of 2015 as well”, Buchwalder added that their export volumes to Uzbekistan, Russia and Vietnam increased by 250.4 %, 109.4 % and 110.1 %, respectively.
Expressing that the export volume of Swissmem to China, second biggest market following Turkey, reduced by 6.3 %, Buchwalder stated that export volumes reduced by 4.3 %, 9.6 %, 6.3 % and 1.4 % in Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia and Hong Kong, respectively. Saying that the volume of export to India which is the third biggest market increased by 2.6 %, Buchwalder added that they, as Swissmem, increase their activities in the markets of Uzbekistan, USA, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Turkey continuously.
Exchange Rates Disturbed the Balance
Touching upon 2015 targets of the Swiss textile machinery sector, Buchwalder added that: “Currency fluctuations and fluctuations seen in CHF have recently affected us negatively. Especially the abandonment of the exchange rate balance between CHF and euro by Swiss Central Bank on 15 January made a significant pressure on long term sales agreements and profit margins. We expect a decrease in our sales figures due to the fact that exchange rate policies have not been put on the right track yet.” Expressing that export to Turkey increased by 20 % in the first three months of 2015, Buchwalder added that they, as sector, would leave these negativities behind in a fast manner.
Stating that they will take part in ITMA 2015, the biggest textile and garment production technologies event of the world, to be held in Fiere Milano Rho in the city of Milan of Italy on 12-19 November with more than 60 participants, Buchwalder said that they will organise a very significant event in their stands during the fair.
