Picanol, the expert of weaving technologies, which experienced a successful period last year regarding their machinery sales and the increase it achieved in turnover, showd its interest in the market once more by participating at ITM 2012. The Belgium-based company has an important position in the global markets thanks to its energy-saving and efficient machines that produce less waste. In 2011, Picanol Group, which has business departments as Weaving and Proferro, gained a tunrover of EUR 466,95 million, which – compared to 2010 -corresponds to an increase of 18 percent in the turnover. The group experienced a good year as a result of the increasing demand in weaving machinery. Last year, the group recorded a gross profit of EUR 101,14 million and a net profit of EUR 61,01 million.
Kurt Lamkowski, Manager of Customer Relations Team (CRT) at Picanol, whom we interviewed at ITM 2012, mentioned their market expectations and innovative technologies. Kurt Lamkowski reminded that the 75-year company has already introduced its new airjet and rapier technologies at ITMA Barcelona and stated that they could not bring a new product to ITM since the period between the two fairs were very short. “We’ve already introduced all innovations at ITMA Barcelona,” said Lamkowski and added that they exhibited the innovations in the airjet and rapier technologies. Lamkowski continued by saying; “In addition to OMNIplus Summum air jet technology, the rapier weaving machine Optimax, which accelerate the recycling period by reducing the waste amount in technical fabrics. As a new platform in the air jet segment, the new OMNIplus Summum will gradually replace the IMP800 from the beginning of 2012. Besides, with its new features, Picanol BlueBox system, which we have introduced at ITMA, offers a new electronic platform for Picanol machines.”
Lamkowski stated that OptiMax is a guided positivegripper with rapier technology and it is available in all widths up to 540 cm and offers solutions for the technical segment, such as coating fabrics, primary, secondary carpet backing and geogrids. Lamkowski underlined that Picanol gives weight to the technologies for technical weaving, which is higly demanded and rapidly developing. Lamkowski said that Ecofill waste-less system at the left-side of OptiMax has attracted great interest in this process.
Positive Feedbacks from Barcelona
Kurt Lamkowski underlined that the new machines they introduced at ITMA 2011 attracted great interest. He added that the appreciations they have received from the customers over the world and the sales they performed after the fair give them strength. “We were very satisfied with the 6 months following ITMA. We have received orders especially from the Western Europe for the innovations we have brought in the technical textile market. We have also acquired new customers. Besides there are segments, which we are new on and in which our machines have recently been operated. This positive process continues and now we are spreading our technologies in the other markets outside of the Western European markets.
The airjet machine introduced for the first time at ITMA Barcelona has already been installed in some plants, including one in Çorlu, Turkey. Lamkowski said that the installment has done in the recent period and the Airjet machines have been offered only to the Chinese market. “We are going to focus on this machine at ITMA Asia. Following the European and the Turkish market, which we regard as a part of Europe, the new Airjet machines are being installed also in the West Asian countries such as Pakistan and India. We are talking about a global innovation and Picanol is positioned at the centre of it,” said Lamkowski and added that at ITMA Asia, they are going to exhibit 6 Picanol machines, OMNIplus Summum and OMNIplus-X being at the first place.
A Boom Observed in the Turkish Market in 2011
Kurt Lamkowski stated that in 2011, Picanol experienced a very successful period in the Turkish market and the machinery sales boomed. Lamkowski underlined that Turkey has always been one of the three greatest markets of Picanol. Lamkowski argued that the Turkish market was affected by the crisis between 2008-2009, however he added that they witnessed a ‘revival’ in the Turkish market in 2011. “We broke a record in 2011 by selling as many machines as we had not been able to until then in this market. We even could not reach such a sales figure in 2000 and 2001. Turkey is a traditional market for the raiper technologies. 90 percent of the machines sold were rapier machines. Optimax is in this category. In short, Turkey was a perfect market in 2011,” said Lamkowski.
Lamkowski underlined that due to the record sales figured they achieved in 2011, they are more cautious about 2012. Lamkowski continued by saying; “We had some doubts at the beginning of the year because we thought that if you break a record, you can not break it again. Therefore we expected a decline in this year. Besides experiencing a sudden increase and a decline at the same time is a characteristic of the Turkish market. Fort hat reason we thought that 2012 would be different from 2011. However the market’s performance in the first three months of 2012 proved just the opposite. We’re still receiving big orders from Turkey and the market continued its increase. In consideration of these facts, we believe that in 2012, we will reach at least the last year’s figures. We are will break two records in Turkey, which continues its growth.”
Lamkowski stated that on the global scale, most of the textile production capacity has moved to the Far East in the last 10-15 years. Lamkowski underlined that the China and India-centered market is very strong. Lamkowski also stated that in addition to the European textile industry, the Turkish market has also been adversely affected by the process, however he argued that Turkey has a stong tradition. Lamkowski continued by saying; “We’ve recently witnessed that the measures taken by the Turkish government in order to protect the textile sector have been successful. Besides, the global European and American buyers have started to be affected negatively due to the problems arising from China. For that reason, the buyers turning aways from China returned their traditional markets, including Turkey. The Turkish textile manufacturers are now winning back their customers. This growth in the weaving segment makes Turkey a more important market for us.”
The Turkish Technical Sector is at Its Beginning
Kurt Lamkowski stated that the technical textile segment has not achieved a great development in Turkey. He argued that the sector is at its beginning in the country. However Lamkowski stated that thanks to its strong automotive sector, Turkey will experience a development in the technical textile segment and the other examples in the world prove this. Lamkowski stated that within the next 10-15 years there will be a development in this field and he added that due to the necessity of a supply process, a development will be achieved in technical textiles if there is an automotive industry. “For that reason, as Picanol, we follow the technical textile weaving closely. With the products we introduced at ITMA Barcelona, we showed that we’ve focused on the issue. It will take time for Turkey to achieve a development in technical textiles but it will, sooner or later. As Picanol, we will be prepared for this,”
We Create Difference In Energy Saving
Lamkowski stated that there is an ever-increasing demand for the eco-friendly, cost-cutting and efficient machines in the global market. Lamkowski added that Picanol’s weaving machines include new technologies ensuring energy saving. Lamkowski underlined that Picanol is the first company to realize applications similar to direct drives and to offer machines that ensure savings in air consumption. Lamkowski stated that Picanol has always been the leading company in this regard. “Energy consumption is the priority issue in our R&D studies. For that reason we have a strong position in all markets including Turkey, where the energy costs are very high. We offer solutions with the machines that ensure energy savings and since we have created a difference in this regard, we take the lead in the Turkish market,” said Lamkowski and added that from now on, energy will always be an important cost item. Lamkowski stated that productivity and efficiency is another important point and added that in addition to ensuring energy savings, the issues of increasing the efficiency and reducing the waste amount should be dealt with together.
Kurt Lamkowski reminded his satisfaction with the Turkish market and underlined that they will break a new record this year. “Our market share in the Turkish market has increased considerably and we want to protect our position. We will be very glad if we maintain our position in the market,” said Lamkowski.
