The Trützschler Group, with headquarters in Mönchengladbach, Germany, and subsidiaries in six countries with about 2200 employees worldwide, is a globally active textile machinery manufacturers specialised in the production of machinery and systems for spinning mills and the nonwoven industry.
Main product of the company is the high-production Trützschler Card TC 03 .It also offers a complete range from bale openers via blenders and cleaners to cards and draw frames. In the non-woven sector, it covers the entire fibre preparation process from the bale opener to the tuft feeder. It is the global market leader in spinning preparation equipments.
With the acquisition of Fleissner, Trützschler is expanding its nonwovens machinery range from bale opening, carding, lapping and web drafting (ERKO Trützschler), all the way to entangling and drying.
Dr Michael Schürenkrämer is the Managing Partner of Trützschler Group. He joined the Group in the year 1986 and by the year 1991, he took up the responsibilities as the Managing Partner of the Group.
In the interview talk with Face2Face team, Mr Schürenkrämer words for his impression about global textile machinery market today.
From tearing machines and carding willows to nonwovens, can you recount Trutzschler’s illustrious journey?
"In 1888, Trützschler started already with the production of special machines for the textile industry. Even today, Trützschler sees its role as specialist. The focus on just a few products makes it possible to concentrate all development efforts. Hence, it is Trutzschler’s goal to be a global market leader in all products provided. During the long history of the company, the product range has been continuously aligned to the market. After the new start in 1948 (following the Second World War), the success story began with blow room machines, and continued in 1967 with cards, in 1993 with draw frames, and in 2003 with clothing production. In 1983, Trützschler launched the production of nonwovens machines. During this time, the first card feeder FBK was introduced at the trade fair in Milan. After this feeder entered the nonwovens industry, the activities were expanded by shares in Erko Trützschler GmbH and the acquisition of Fleissner. The company became internationalised early on, parallel to the expansion of the product range. The subsidiaries in the US, Brazil and India were founded in the 70s. In 2002, the Chinese branch was opened."
What are the latest improvements in terms of cotton contamination reduction?
After futile attempts to implement a reliable detection and extraction of cotton contaminations already at the beginning of the cleaning line, Trützschler came out with the SECUROMAT. In contrast to all other products on the market, the detection of foreign parts occurs on the surface of a roll. Since this roll operates at a precisely defined peripheral speed, the extraction can be performed also in a very safe and selective manner. Advantages are the safe extraction of detected foreign parts and the exceptionally minimal loss of good fibres.
How are your opening lines suitable for superfine cotton?
Trützschler offers a complete range of blow rooms for all conceivable cotton types, from superfine qualities to waste processing. When dealing with superfine qualities, an extremely gentle handling of the cotton is important. The lines are very compact. Cleaning these cottons, which usually are always roller ginned, is relatively simple and therefore, can be performed with one-roll cleaners.
What new products your company is launching during ITMA 2007?
Of course it is too early to mention details of the next machine generation. However, Trützschler will remain true to its product policy, which it has pursued since decades, and introduced improvements and innovations to all products. The emphasis is on improved efficiency and even further increased application-oriented machine design.
What is your impression of the global textile machinery market with focus on Chinese and Indian markets?
"The two largest markets for spinning machines are China and India. However, both markets have fundamental differences. China's focus is traditionally on the mass market. For this purpose it has mainly applied its own textile machines with limited performance. Only the increased export-orientation of the Chinese textile industry during the last years has resulted in a stronger opening, and import of European high-tech products. India has always been more quality-oriented and has an immense know-how in the area of superfine yarns, not least due to the traditional sari production. Currently, India is making a successful effort to modernise and expand the entire textile industry. At the same time, this program is intended to strengthen its competitive position against China. Traditionally, our markets in the spinning sector are located wherever the cotton industry is of importance. In addition to China and India, the main focus is presently on Pakistan and Turkey. The markets with the strongest growth during the last years are Bangladesh, Vietnam and Uzbekistan. The nonwovens market is centred in the US, Western Europe and Japan/Korea. Right now, though, we are experiencing a steady build-up of the nonwovens industry throughout the world."
What is your market position in your industry?
When looking at the market beyond the domestically dominant area of China, we are by far the global market leader in the field of spinning preparation.
How is your company faring in accessories for textile machinery?
"We offer accessories if they benefit our customers in the operation of our machines. This, for example, is the case with sensors for permanent online quality control and special aids for more precise and reproducible machine settings. Naturally, we provide our worldwide customers with sophisticated spare parts logistics through our subsidiaries and additional service companies, thus ensuring timely parts delivery and technical and technological support in case of need."
Can you explain how your company conducts research and development, including testing, prior to any commercial launch?
Trützschler is a very development-oriented company. This is the basis for our long-lasting success. Our investments in product development are higher-than-average. Each new development is thoroughly tested under actual conditions before it is introduced to our customers at international trade fairs. Such tests often last up to two years.
In recent times, a significant rise in demand for low priced textile machines from low cost manufacturing base countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Turkey, has been observed. How does your company cater to such markets where second hand textile machinery is preferred over new one?
"As a provider of high-tech products it is very difficult to compete with second-hand machines. But naturally, the buyers of second-hand Trützschler machines are our customers as well. We use this opportunity to gain the customers’ loyalty by providing good service, thus preparing the ground for new machine purchases in the future. Furthermore, our international orientation - with production sites for instance in China and India - allows us to offer machines that are especially designed for these markets."
Looking ahead, where do you see Trützschler a decade from now?
We continue to see our future as specialists. We will expand our product range when we see an opportunity to enhance and improve our services. The nonwovens market with its strong growth will certainly be of special interest to us in the future as well.
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