..textile processing industry has changed over the last decade dramatically triggered by the general transformation of consumer awareness. Industry is going green..
The name ‘Zöbisch’ has been standing for successful activities in textile production for many generations. Year 1978 saw foundation of Textilcolor AG in Switzerland by Mr Hans Zobisch. The company has roots to textile tradition in curtain and lace finishing in Plauen-Germany, founded by great grandfather Mr Heinrich Robert Zobisch in 1855. The company over this period has grown to group- TextilColor Holding AG. There are four subsidiaries under its flagship namely TEXTILCOLOR AG; SEVOTEX CHEMIE AG; TEXTILCOLOR GmbH; TEXTILCOLOR CONSULTING AG. TEXTILCOLOR AG, headquartered in Switzerland, produces approximately 7.500 tons textile auxiliaries per year. The product portfolio of TEXTILCOLOR AG consists of more than 500 textile auxiliaries supplemented with textile dyes and optical brighteners for all substrates and applications. Mr Hans Zöbisch, a descendent of Zobisch family, is the CEO of Textilcolor. Interviewed by Ms Madhu Soni, Sr Editor & Correspondent- Face2Face, Mr Zobisch shares about present state of textile dyes and chemicals industry all over the globe and key markets therein.
Your fore generations since 1855 have been into textile arena. As a descendent of a renowned family of textile manufacturers, how do you see your group’s niche in sector?
TEXTILE COLOR, unlike the factories of my ancestors, is not a producer of textiles, but supplies them with textile auxiliaries, dyes and optical brighteners. Thus, the properties of the resulting textiles are influenced decisively, vice versa, the requirements of the textile industry also influence the development of our products. These requirements are subject to a constant change and the associated demands have risen strongly in the past and will continue to rise. We consider it our task, not only to observe the current trends and respond to it early, but also to help to shape them with innovative products within our possibilities. Thus we want to enable our customers to differentiate themselves in the market and to position themselves firmly. At the same time we want to differentiate ourselves from our competitors with typically Swiss highest quality and best possible environmental compatibility.
What is your say on present faring of textile chemicals all over the globe?
The Swiss textile industry nowadays is only very small. Therefore, we export far more than 95 % of our products and try to follow the production sites of the textile industry. At the same time the pressure on our products in those respective countries increases by competing local producers, as they usually can produce cheaper and do not have to face long transport routes. This is a challenge for us to particularly place emphasis on innovation, quality, environmental compatibility and service.
Besides the challenge you mentioned above, in general story of market is; sky rocketing raw material prices and dearth of feedstock. What solution you enroute to make the situation favor bottomline?
A company has to make profits in order to exist and to be able to invest. Rising raw material prices burn profits and consequently will have an impact on the prices of our products because we have to pay wages, maintenance costs, energy, water and further fixed costs. In extreme situations like the current price explosion austerity measures in all areas have to act and alternative raw materials or alternative suppliers with favorable price and satisfactory quality have to be found. Our commitment to quality must not suffer from this situation as our competitiveness is decisively depending on this. We must try to expand our sales to get into the position to negotiate prices due to larger purchasing quantities. At the same time we have to minimize the amount of work where possible and optimize processes for the production. Mankind needs textiles and therefore the textile industry needs textile auxiliaries - we just have to ensure that our products will be preferred.
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.
