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Interview with Peter Stahlecker

Peter Stahlecker
Peter Stahlecker
Managing Director
Suessen GmbH
Suessen GmbH

Genuine free trade is probably the most important ingredient to continued growth...
Peter Stahlecker is the Managing Director of Suessen, a very reputed textile machine parts manufacturer. He throws light on some interesting topics during an interview with Fibre2fashion Correspondent Manushi Gandhi. Synopsis: Suessen was established in 1920 and recently the company has celebrated 92 years in the industry. It provides innovative spinning technology with products like TwinDisc for OE-Rotor SpinBoxes, the SpinBoxes SE-Series for Autocoro Rotor Spinning Machines SE 7 - SE 10 etc. It also provides after sales services to its customers. Mr. Peter Stahlecker is MS in Applied Mechanics from CALTECH, California. He joined Suessen's subsidiary American Suessen in 1981 and worked there for nine years. In 1990, he joined Suessen - Germany and was appointed Joint Managing Director in 2001 when Suessen was acquired by RIETER. Today the company is achieving various heights under his charismatic leadership. Excerpts:

Suessen is 92 years old now; it must have built good number of loyal costumers. Do you feel their expectation, at times, is too high from the company? Does it become difficult to match up to their expectation?

YES, we are fortunate in that we do have a large and loyal customer base in India, and elsewhere! We must strive continuously to earn this trust – and we know this very well. We are grateful for the high demands our customers put on us and on our products: Only this helps us to improve our products continuously to satisfy their demands.
 

How about starting SUESSEN’s Textile Mill or investing into any other new business?

I believe, we best stick to what we know, that is developing, producing and marketing products for the spinning industry. We have no desire to become a competitor to our customers.

Which are those regions that are growing in terms of opportunities?

India continues to be our best market. Other growth areas for Suessen are Bangladesh, Indonesia, maybe in future also Vietnam.

Installing machines in industries is a one time cost as well as it is a non recurring demand. Also, the clients think and research a lot before buying a machine. In such a situation how difficult is it to achieve client satisfaction as well as profits?

Please note, that only customer satisfaction will bring profits to us! An unsatisfied customer is not profitable. It is our job to satisfy our customers – then profits for us will come automatically. Hence, I do not see any contradiction.

The demand for used machines has increased in developing countries. Do you feel it has any positive dimension? Will this help their development?

I see it like this: The customer who buys used machinery has his own reasons to do this; he needs no advice from the Government – or anybody else. A country develops if it has successful companies. The owner knows best what is suitable for him/her, so let them take their decisions without official interference. This will be the best for the country.

What are the efforts that need to be geared up to achieve sustainable development?

For Suessen (or any other company) to continue to grow and prosper it is necessary that we maintain and even enlarge our existing customer base. The only way to achieve this is to continually offer products and services needed. Hence “all” we have to do is to work hard to achieve this. I can assure you that we are doing exactly this.

What is that one thing that you feel is lacking in the global textile market?

This is a difficult question for a practical man like me. Listening to what my customers tell me on my frequent visits, I feel that genuine free trade is probably the most important ingredient to continued growth. Think back, when the government first banned the export of cotton, then the export of yarn. Did this help our industry? No! It hurt our industry.

After a client buys a spinning machine from Suessen, what about the technical assistance required by him?

Technical assistance is required and given by Suessen. I personally put lot of emphasis on good after sales service! A good salesman may sell the first machine, subsequent orders are made by the service, so to speak! Giving good service has another dimension: By doing this, we learn about the problems of our product and thus can improve it.

Do you feel that machines have eaten up many jobs in the textile industry?

No, it is the other way round! You know that our industry experiences acute labor shortage. Modern machinery alleviates this problem – and at the same time offers new jobs for higher skilled workers. This is called progress in my understanding.

How can the performance of a spinning machine be increased? Any tips?

The designers of spinning machines hardly need my advice. Talking about what we know a little bit, it is VERY important that only the best components, such as spinning rings, drafting systems, card clothing etc., be used on production machinery. The same is true for value adding components such as slub devices, compacting systems, etc. Machines seem to become closer and closer to one and other, hence it is most important that the best quality components be used.Our customers know this very well – this is one reason they are successful!
Published on: 28/03/2013

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.