Setting talk in motion, we would request your outlook on global textile machinery industry?
Whatever you do these days; talking to business partners, reading the newspaper, watching television, listening to the radio its juts all about the financial difficulties we are in. The impact on the textile machinery industry is unavoidable and already shows first signs. Since our valued customers receive less orders from their main customers located mainly in US and Europe it affects the industry. Having less income means for them they will postpone necessary investment with the result that apart from a decline in order-intake competition for the projects left will increase. That certainly is a very challenging situation for the whole industry. Cyclical ups and downs have always been there but the current one seems to be different.
So, how do you find your company doing in this global scenario? What is global market size of your sector and share that your company enjoys?
Till now we have mastered the situation relatively well. The next half year could be a little bit bumpy. When the topic comes to singeing Osthoff Senge is certainly the market leader having a good portion of the market in many countries around the globe.
If you have to pick specific countries globally, where you think opportunities for your business line are the most right now, which all would they be?
We always try to increase our market share even in countries where this share is relatively high. We regard this policy as a basic pillar of our business concept. This applies for countries like Turkey, Pakistan, China and India.
To Visit Virtual Stall Of Osthoff-Senge at Fabric Expo 08: Click HereWhat effect do market situation like today- currency and raw material prices fluctuations to consider, can cause on businesses of your type? To what extent does Osthoff Group go affected by this?
This certainly affects our business as it makes the investment for our customers more expensive. In the case of currency fluctuation it can lead customers to postpone the planned investment until its more favourable for them.
With the fact that your company’s main focus is on fabric singeing sector, how do you find competition in your sector, and what strategies helps ensure your monopoly?
Competition in our sector is there, so you can’t say we have a monopoly. What can be said is that we do occupy in many parts of the world a good share of this particular market. It might be of advantage that we can concentrate all our energy on our singeing machine which is our main product. We do have an active R & D department with experienced engineers which helps us to stay ahead of competition.
Amongst Conventional and Non Conventional textiles market, which one do you read as more lucrative one?
The non conventional textile market (Non Woven) is certainly lucrative simply because there are less players and the field of application is huge.
Any news from your R&D division?
On the last ITMA 07 in Munich we have presented our new online hairiness tester. For the first time its possible to measure and influence the singeing result which is reflected in the remaining hairiness of the fabric online – during the singeing process itself. That tool allows customer to set a hairiness value according to their quality requirements and this value will be the same from the first to the last meter of the singed fabric.
In your opinion, what role has trade fair got to play today in successful promotion of machinery?
Within the last years in our view too many fairs have been coming up. The value for established companies and products is only limited. That’s why we only join the biggest fairs.
To Visit Virtual Stall of Osthoff-Senge at Fabric Expo 08: Click Here----------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
