Fritz Legler
Chief Marketing Officer Textile Stäubli International AG
Flexibility, Efficiency, and Longevity
Post its successful participation at ITMA 2023 in Milan, Swiss textile machine manufacturer Stäubli’s Chief Marketing Officer Textile Fritz Legler talks to Fibre2Fashion about the response to the company’s innovations showcased at the international exhibition.
What was your overall experience at ITMA 2023 in Milan?
ITMA Milan was a very exciting and interesting experience with a successful number of visitors. As usual, this mega-show was a big challenge, and as a leading provider to the weaving industry, Stäubli was in the spotlight. We were happy to be there with so many state-of-the-art technologies and solutions that bring real benefits to weaving mills.
What kind of feedback did Stäubli receive from visitors at ITMA 2023, particularly regarding the innovations you displayed?
The overall feedback on our exhibits and product range was very positive and gave us a lot of encouragement for the forthcoming months. At ITMA, you make some business deals, but you also generate prospects that have to be followed up over the following weeks and months – in a quite challenging political context. So, let’s see what the next few months bring.
Can you elaborate on the performance of the SAFIR S60 automatic drawing-in system with Active Warp Control 2.0 at the exhibition? How was it received by the audience?
The essential function of the state-of-the-art AWC 2.0 technology in our SAFIR S60 automatic drawing-in machine is to interpret the measured data through image processing and data analytics, using advanced algorithms and software and high-performance processors. This allows the determination of titre, colour, twist direction, and, within certain limits, even hairiness, transparency, and monofilament or multifilament characteristics. For multi-coloured warps, AWC 2.0 can detect a great number of colour nuances per warp. This gives mills expanded capabilities to produce innovative, outstanding, and unique designs.
What were the reactions to your high-speed weaving solutions, namely the 1600/1700 series of cam motions and the S3000/S3200 series of electronic rotary dobbies?
Stäubli has become a global benchmark setter for mechanical shed-motion systems for frame weaving. A recent development is our S3280 rotary dobby, designed for ultra-high-speed operation with a minimum of vibration while ensuring reliable performance. This dobby, coupled with our new e32/33 G transmission, is a must-have solution for frame-weaving mills that demand the utmost in productivity. Reactions from our visitors to the concept shown during ITMA were very positive and the overall interest was high.
Stäubli’s focus on environmental performance has been mentioned, particularly in relation to reduced oil volumes and fewer oil changes in its machinery. Could you elaborate on the other steps Stäubli is taking towards sustainability?
Sustainability has been part of our DNA here at Stäubli since 1892, when the company started out as a workshop for repairing and improving machinery for the weaving industry. Stäubli Textile designs products with extended longevity, and these are well recognised within the textile industry. We are committed to the principle of maintainability, so we provide services to maximise the lifetime of our machinery. Repairability and recyclability are provided by ensuring the availability of spare parts and designing the equipment for disassembly at the end of the life cycle. Furthermore, our R&D team has made significant improvements in reducing the electricity consumption of our newer machine models.
What impact do you expect the new Pro series of Jacquard machines to have on the textile industry, given their proven energy efficiency and ability to produce a variety of fabrics?
The SX PRO, LX PRO, LXL PRO, and LXXL PRO Jacquard machines cover a wide variety of Jacquard applications, as you say. The integrated technology makes for reliable operation with less energy. This fact is a decisive benefit for weaving mills today – and its one reason why we have received so many orders since the PRO line was launched. As stated in our Stäubli Flash magazine published for ITMA, weaving mills are choosing our PRO solutions because these support their ESG strategies so well. This is a significant key point that will influence the future investments of many weaving mills.
How successful was the demonstration of the new ALPHA carpet weaving system at ITMA? What kind of interest did this innovation generate?
A carpet weaving system in operation at a booth is for sure among the highlights in the weaving hall. With our new ALPHA 580 UNIVERSAL weaving system in action on site, we demonstrated the flexibility it offers and proved how easy it is to use. This newly developed weaving system showcases Stäubli’s shedding solutions for the pile and the ground fabric, namely the Jacquard machine and the dobby. Another aspect is that carpet weaving is complex and requires solid know-how. Our dedicated staff is perfectly equipped to optimally support the weaving mills at every stage of the acquisition and start-up process and beyond. Whether consulting about expectations and needs, installation, or after-sale support, our teams work closely together with our customers to meet their every need. At ITMA, our team drew great interest and gained some promising business prospects.
How did visitors at ITMA respond to the MyStäubli customer portal? What kind of insights have you gained from user interactions with this platform?
MyStäubli is our new portal for our customers. It includes an equipment centre that serves to keep the weaving mill staff fit for efficient maintenance and helps the mill get the most out of Stäubli machinery and solutions. It makes it easy to take proper care of machinery, optimally train teams, expand knowledge, and take advantage of our redesigned e-shop for easy management of spare parts. This was the first time we presented the portal to interested customers, and they highly appreciated the services it offers. At ITMA, visitors could observe dashboards showing the real-time performance of automatic drawing-in machines in weaving mills. In this way, we could illustrate various detailed application fields and emphasise the aspect of easy, instant access in case the weaver ever needs urgent support. Note that this technology operates within a secure data-protection environment. The extent to which our customers embrace and use the new portal will become clear over the next few months.
How are you planning to incorporate the feedback and insights gained from ITMA 2023 into your future innovations and customer service strategies?
Stäubli is constantly listening to the market. Our network is in continual and extensive exchange with customers and partners, and we continuously integrate what we learn from the market into our ongoing research and development. ITMA presents a good opportunity to hear whether our solutions are meeting real market needs, and we like to take advantage of all such opportunities.
Considering the wide variety of applications Stäubli systems serve, from fashionwear and home fabrics to technical textiles for future applications, what specific customer needs and industry trends is Stäubli focusing on for its future developments?
Besides covering the many applications you mentioned, Stäubli’s comprehensive range of solutions will continue to include state-of-the-art shedding solutions and solutions for efficient weaving preparation in all of these various fields. Flexibility, efficiency, and longevity are three major customer requirements that every piece of Stäubli machinery is designed to meet – today and tomorrow.
Published on: 07/08/2023
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.
