Unique challenges, special solutions

18 Feb '10

3 min read

How USTER can contribute to the Bangladesh spinning industry's need to protect its most precious resource.

Producing high-quality yarns at the lowest possible cost and with minimum waste levels is the challenge facing spinners everywhere. For cotton spinners in Bangladesh, this goal is even more critical, as they have the potential for significant profitability gains if they can overcome a unique set of challenges, for which Uster Technologies AG is proposing effective and unique solutions.

The special situation facing the Bangladesh spinners arises from a combination of contrasting factors. On the positive side, demand for yarns is high, and although raw material costs are increasing, good-quality yarns attract higher prices from an eager fabric-making sector – especially in knitted end-uses such as t-shirts. There is also plenty of potential for new investment in the industry, so that, in theory, spun yarn capacities could rise to meet domestic and international demand. The Bangladesh textile industry also benefits from able and knowledgeable leadership from its management, while both labor and energy costs are currently said to be lower than those of China. It all points to a strong sector with lots of opportunity for growth and increased profitability.

So what's the problem? In a word, energy – or rather the lack of it in sufficient quantities to allow the industry to power its spinning machines to anything like full capacity. Most spinners are able to run their machines at only 80% of potential, and the required licenses are difficult to obtain for new energy users wishing to buy gas and electricity.

The Bangladesh spinners are, naturally, keen to take advantage of the great potential for improved profitability presented by the strong demand levels for yarn from downstream processors, and the consequent possibility of selling their yarns at good prices. The restricted possibility to increase actual output, either in existing or new mills, in the current situation means the spinners must focus on the twin aims of good quality yarn and lowest-possible production costs. The quality control processes they employ must also ensure that waste of cotton fiber and yarn is minimized by allowing mill management to set and monitor accurately the most effective parameters for achieving the ideal quality-cost profile to suit the needs of the yarn end-use.

That's where USTER can help, with its unrivalled global reputation for expertise in textile quality control and its 'Total Quality' approach to the supply of both laboratory and in-process equipment and technology.

USTER is, of course, already well-known and appreciated in Bangladesh, where its products can be found in virtually every spinning mill, and its world-famous USTER STATISTICS benchmarking data is universally used. At an upcoming USTER seminar, in May 2010, close to 400 participants will hear USTER technology specialists provide vital information on process optimization and profitability.

More Uster Technologies AG News... More Textiles News - Bangladesh...