“Our Strategy is Exactly Same Than Our Turkish Customers’ Strategies”
Besides France has significant role in history of Europe and World, is one of the most important countries of European Union. France, is the fifth largest economy in the World and taking the first place in many different industries and also the leading country of textile industry and fashion. France shows succesfull rate on Functional and Technical Textile Production in recent years and with that, Textile Machinery Production sector has remarkable reputation all over the world. As well as France Textile Endustry has three main section as yarn, weaving and fabric finishing, France is making production of Technical Textile Products increasingly.
French Association of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (UCMTF) has a significant role at regional export markets in Europe, North Africa, Middle East and America and also Asia which has rapidly developing textile industry with 30 textile machinery manifacturer whose are expert on their field. These firms, who are member of UCMTF, has 1 billion Euro Financial Turnover per year and they export 91% of their products and they are allocating fund from 8% of their annual income for R&D.
French machinery manufacturers has 6.5% share of global market and France is sixth biggest country on Textile Machinery Export in the world. Hong Kong and China is leading together in markets of these firms and Belgium, Japan,Turkey, USA, Germany and Italy follows them. Around 40 percent of exports 40 % of is going to Asia and 35% to Europe. Turkey has a share about 8 or 10% among the total sales of French Machinery Manufacturers.
Madame Evelyne CHOLET, General Secretary of UCMTF, has been a guest to our magazine and replied our questions.
- Could you give us some information about UCMTF’s approach to the Turkish Textile?
To put things into perspective, let me remind your esteemed readers that our association groups about 30 companies, with a total annual consolidated turnover of 1 billion Euros. We are the sixth textile machinery exporter worldwide.
Concerning our approach to the Turkish market, it is quite natural for us because our strategy is exactly the same than our Turkish customers’ strategies. It is to be reliable long term solution partners for our customers. Both, we are not looking for short term profits but to make our companies stronger and stronger, to seize the markets opportunities and be able to absorb the difficult years. We are mainly SME’s, often family owned, leaders or co-leaders in their markets. This why we understand each other so well with our Turkish customers who are long-term minded entrepreneurs.
The stability of our teams (owners, sales managers, technicians, agents and local representatives) allows our companies to go well beyond the purely technical and address the objectives of our customers. As we are machinery and technology solution partners, our Turkish customers are very interested to work with us to implement innovative, “couture” solutions; they know that we deliver and erect the machines on time, give an excellent after sale service and deliver spare parts very efficiently.
- What kind of promotions and activities does UCMTF offer to meet the French Textile Machinery with the Turkish textile market?
As an association, UCMTF is very active on the Turkish market. We promote the French exhibitors at ITM in Istanbul, the most important machinery show in Turkey. In Gaziantep, we have been the first association to organize a national pavilion; it was back in 1995, more than 20 years ago!
In Gaziantep and in Izmir, we have regularly, about every 3 years, organized seminars to meet our Turkish customers and show them our latest developments. We have helped our members to be more proactive to fight counterfainted spare parts and set up a customer oriented, very effective, logistics to deliver the original spare parts the customers need. It is very important because, for our customers, the costs of having an iddle machine is huge. Last but not least, we have very close relationships with the Turkish textile press, with you particularly.
- What is the importance of Turkey market for the French textile manufacturers?
Turkey has been for many years our second or third most important market. We are particularly strong in the carpet manufacturing processes, that is why we have such a presence in Gaziantep.
- What is the position of the French Textile Machinery in the global market?
As SME’s we work very closely with our customers who face an array of challenges and opportunities: open new markets, design new products, produce them in a reliable, cost effective and sustainable way. They need strategic partners such as providers of innovative industrial solutions and cutting-edge technologies. The French machinery manufacturers are well positioned to be such partners. We have a recognized expertise in finding solutions for critical projects, whatever their scope, whatever their geographic localization. In fact, what we like is to be challenged by our customers to offer them the machine or the process they need. R&D and service are our DNA.
- Could you tell us about the areas dominated by the French Textile Industry? Which areas are more intense relations with Turkey?
We are particularly strong in long fibre spinning (wool, acrylic …), yarn twisting and control (including technical yarns), space-dyeing, heat setting for carpet yarns, carpet systems, dyeing and finishing, felts and belts for finishing processes, nonwovens, air conditioning of textile plants, and recycling processes of textile materials. Just a few examples:
-In long fibre spinning, N. SCHLUMBERGER is the world leader for, combing, recombing spinning preparation, tow to top and semi-worsted for wool, acrylic, silk, linen, precious fibres and technical fibres.
-In carpet manufacturing processes, SUPERBA, member of the Vandewiele family of companies, is the world leader in space dyeing and heat setting for carpet yarn,
-In dyeing and finishing ALLIANCE Machines Textiles is offering round-shape and long-shape, rotating beam dyeing machines.
-For the dyeing and finishing industrialists, DOLLFUS & MULLER supplies textile dryer belts and endless special felts.
-In air conditioning, AESA Air Engineering supplies complete textile air engineering systems in order to maintain the required temperature and humidity adapted to each type of fiber (cotton, rayon, polyester, blends, wool, acrylic).
-In the fast-growing recycling processes LAROCHE is a world leader in many applications fields: from fibers or “Post-Consumer” garments to nonwovens recycled products.
-In converting equipment for web form products SPOOLEX offers slitting, rewinding and spooling solutions (Calemard brand) and continuous ultrasonic cutting and welding (Decoup+ brand).
-Last ITM, PETIT brought a lot of interest with its permanent storage capacity of spare parts.
What are French Textile Manufacturers doing today where sustainability is gaining importance? What kind of support do you provide as an institution?
Sustainability has become a major demand by the final customers, then the retailers and the major brands have been asking our clients to offer products with the least possible impact on our planet. The raw materials used are impacted, the recycled products are very much in demand as well as products made from natural raw materials which have not too much environmental inprints. The production process must also be very efficient not to waste raw material, to save energy and water.
We have been very active in promoting savings of each machine but also from the whole production line. To achieve this goal, cooperation are needed between two or more machinery producers. We have been active to promote such cooperations
- How was the year 2018 for the UCMTF?
We have not yet the final results for 2018 but we know already that it was a near record year. The unfortunate drawbacks, for our customers, are the delays to deliver the new orders.
Geographically there have been changes, for example the Chinese market, our most important market, is still contracting, but the US market is booming. In Turkey, after a short lived slowdown in 2016, orders have picked up again in 2017 but slowed again in 2018. In India, some of our companies are doing extremely well but other think it is still a little slow. There are also changes in the type of products made with the machines. Sales of machines to produce traditional textiles (apparel) have slowed but sales of machines to produce technical textiles, carpeting or to recycle textiles have soared.
- What are your goals and expectations in the light of the expected recession of textile ındustry in the world in 2019?
The worst is not always sure and we have reengineered our companies to face ups and downs, to be resilient to macroeconomic turbulences. First of all, we start this New Year 2019 with very good backlogs. Then our deliveries will be good. The uncertainty is about orders intake. The textile consumption is very stable with low single digit growth, and then the production is also very stable globally. But big changes may happen in the geographical location of the production. The United States and China are discussing on tariffs and trade. What will the outcome be, it is very difficult to know.
These uncertainties have very clear effects on the investments decisions. They are now in a very destabilizing postponement state but the need to modernize the production process is still there to improve the production costs, to have more flexible processes and offer high quality products with zero defects.