Founded in 1862, by Charles Terrot, Terrot GmbH is the internationally active corporation with a team of seasoned and committed experts turning 145 years of tradition in the construction of knitting machines into innovative products which address the needs of today's marketplace. Terrot machines have proven their outstanding reliability in day-to-day production in knitting factories the world over. The high-quality knits produced are used in the field of fashion outerwear and underwear, functional sports and leisure wear and increasingly also for technical applications. Today, there is endless scope for imaginative design from the latest fashion outerwear through to high-tech textiles, backing material for coatings and roof linings for whole car series. Mr Peter Schüring is the Managing Director of Terrot GmbH, since 2006. He is also the Partner of SCHÜRING & ANDREAS- the investment Group of Berlin, New York. From 1990 to 1995, Mr Schüring had been the Chairman of Deutsche Handelsbank AG, Berlin. Prior to that, for two years, he served as the Group Executive in charge of all Investment Banking activities in Europe and Middle East. From 1980 to 1984, he was Division Executive of all Institutional Banking activities in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. Mr Schüring started his professional career in the year 1962. For the first seventeen years of his professional career, Mr Schüring held several management positions in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Canada and Spain. Presently, Mr Schüring is also active as the Chairman of the Board, Photon AG, Berlin, and member on the Board of Honsel Umformtechnik GmbH, Fröndenberg, Germany. In a talk with Face2Face team, Mr Peter Schüring throws light on the current state of global textile machinery industry and its geographical business potential.
145 years of tradition, a rich experience of over a century in textile arena! In what ways has this accumulated experience helped Terrot to stand unique in today's marketplace?
Not without reason the logo of Terrot is: “Experience makes the Difference”. The survival of Terrot over 145 years is best explained by three key factors: Innovation, Quality and Experience. All three are important when you want to be a successful manufacturer of circular knitting machines. There are indeed very few circular knitting manufacturers in the world today that can unify these three factors. Terrot has been at the forefront of many of the innovations which today make up a modern circular knitting machine. Take for example the striper machine. It was invented by Terrot. When it comes to quality again Terrot is among the manufacturer of high precision and quality machines with a typical lifespan of 25 years. Asian machines have a lifespan of about 5 years. But most important is the quality of the fabric produced by Terrot machines. These are unmatched and give our clients a competitive advantage. The experience factor comes in supporting clients in the ongoing operation of our machines. This is essential for our clients to obtain optimal results. Without this the likelihood is great that the machines are not working at optimal levels. Terrot therefore has excellent technicians available all over the world and always at disposal of our clients.
What is your stance on the current state of global textile machinery industry?
The textile machinery market is moving away from quality. This is fuelled by competitors mainly in Asia who produce cheap machines to manufacture cheap fabrics and garments. Therefore, Terrot concentrates mostly on clients who cater to brand names and by definition have to produce high quality products. Therefore, Terrot´s strategy is to produce a wide range of technically demanding machines and to continue to concentrate on quality and innovation. This is the only way to stay ahead in this very competitive environment. Terrot has no interest to compete in the mass markets. (for example cheap machines from Taiwan and China).
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.
