How does the wide world of textiles look from the heart of Europe? Cornelia Buchwalder is Secretary General of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association, headquartered in Zurich. Here she provides insights into the major textile manufacturing markets and describes how association members meet complex and changing needs of the global industry.
What makes Swiss textile machinery stand out on the world stage?
Cornelia Buchwalder: For 13 years in a row, Switzerland has topped official world rankings for innovation. That is according to a study by the United Nations, making Switzerland once again the most innovative country in the world. Our member companies embrace this innovative spirit with their novel and sustainable solutions to the challenges of the industry. Swiss textile machinery firms are truly pioneers of progress in their respective fields – and that’s why they continue to be important partners for textile producers worldwide.
What are the major textile markets for Swiss solution providers?
Cornelia Buchwalder: China, India, the US, and Türkiye are still the four most important markets. Export statistics for recent years show no major shifts in these positions – and Swiss exporters are usually involved in very large projects.
Of these largest markets, how is the business situation with Türkiye?
Cornelia Buchwalder: Türkiye remains a very relevant market for our industry. The export statistics confirm that Türkiye has been one of the three top export markets for Swiss textile machinery manufacturers over many years. However, the difficult economic situation in the country in recent years has seen this ranking change somewhat. So Türkiye is currently in 6th place in these statistics, reflecting a fall in imports from Switzerland last year of over 30%. But we believe the decline is temporary, based on the importance of the Turkish textile industry and the continuing efforts to develop it further. We are convinced Türkiye will remain one of the key strategic partners for our industry.
What is special about business with India?
Cornelia Buchwalder: Swissmem and its Swiss Textile Machinery sector welcome the conclusion of the free trade agreement with India. It will significantly improve the competitiveness of the Swiss technology industry in this important growth market, since customs duties of up to 22% will be abolished. The FTA opens up additional market opportunities in India and will also benefit SMEs that are unable to set up local production facilities.
How would you describe the relevance of China?
Cornelia Buchwalder: China is the undisputed Number One for Swiss companies. Several of our member companies have maintained their own production facilities and service centres in China for many years. And that clearly underlines the importance of the Chinese market. A further proof is the cooperation between CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers and the Chinese Textile Machinery Association in organizing the joint ITMA Asia + CITME trade fair, which takes place every two years in Shanghai.
What makes the US attractive for the Swiss Textile Machinery Association?
Cornelia Buchwalder: The USA is a large and diverse market for textiles and apparel, creating a strong demand for advanced textile machinery. There are more than 1,400 companies in the speciality fabrics sector and technical textiles industry in the US, and this requires the sophisticated technology and solutions that Swiss companies can provide.
From this we see great potential for new relationships to be established and old ones refreshed, so the Swiss Textile Machinery Association will hold a symposium in Charlotte, NC on October 1st, 2024. An informative program will feature presentations from our member companies, as well as the opportunity for networking discussions at the exhibition tables, and a dinner for customers, representatives and guests.
How about other world markets?
Cornelia Buchwalder: The weighting of other markets differs for each member firm, according to their own core competences. The four main markets of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association are characterized by a high concentration of market services in the spinning sector. But our members are very active internationally across all the textile disciplines, which their websites make clear.
Where do you see the Swiss textile machinery industry over the next five to ten years?
Cornelia Buchwalder: To answer this question, I would like to go back in time… Many of the companies in our association were founded in the second half of the 19th century. They may have experienced many ups and downs, but have built up excellent reputations over time. Thanks to their long history, Swiss companies have always managed to anticipate change, develop their business strategies and continue to evolve – and we’re confident that will continue long into the future.
Source: Swiss Textile Machinery