In process of developing product line of technical sports brand
Textil Santanderina is a cutting-edge textile company located in Cantabria, Spain. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Juan Pares Boj, CEO of the company, gives an overview of the Textile Santanderina, its major competitors in the international market and its new technical sports brand.
Please give a brief on how and when the company was founded, the promoters and the geographies it works in.
Textil Santanderina was established in 1923, in Cabezón de la Sal (Cantabria), located in the north of Spain, by a group of entrepreneurs from Spane who returned from emigration to America.
However, at the end of the 60s a group of Catalan textile entrepreneurs acquired the ownership of Textil Santanderina, giving a total turn to the management of the company, modernising it and creating the bases that have allowed its evolution to this day.
Textil Santanderina has a close relationship with other textile companies located in Galicia and Catalonia. It also has other production plants in northern Morocco, and a wide commercial presence in Europe, Asia and America.
How does your supply chain network work? What regions of the world are part of your supply chain?
Textil Santanderina has a wide supply chain network, supplying products and services necessary for its business and industrial activities, such as raw materials as cotton or other fibres, yarn, fabric, chemical products and others.
These come from Europe, like Austria and, obviously, Spain. From the North of Africa, such as Morocco; Asia, such as Turkey, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Korea, Indonesia or Japan. And, lower, from America.
Which brands & retailers are you currently associated with? Which are your own clothing brands if any?
Recently, Textil Santanderina has added a section for garments production that serve to brands and retailers, but without having our own clothing brand. However, whether through the sale of yarn, fabric or garments, Textil Santanderina has relationships with the most important brands both in the fashion sector, as well as in the technical and protective wear. Both in Spain, with clients such as the Inditex group, Mango, El Corte Ingles, etc, in Europe, America, such us Brasil or US and Asia.
Who are your competitors in the international market?
In a so globalised and changing market as the textile world is today, it isn´t possible to refer to a specific company. Our main competitors are companies from countries like Turkey, and also from China, India, Pakistan, etc.
Which are your major international markets? Are you planning to expand to any other regions in the near future apart from the existing markets?
Our main market today is Europe and Turkey, Morocco or Brasil, however with a view to increasing our presence in these regions, we have expansion plans through collaboration agreements with companies and industries in Brazil, Turkey, China or India, where we have just established a company with the aim of developing our brand.
What are your short and long-term sustainability goals?
Our current actions and future projects are very broad and taking the SDGs or Agenda 2030 as a reference. We have current and future projects in the area of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy sources.
Reducing our environmental impact, by less water consumption, optimising the use of chemical products, improving processes, increasing the scope of the circular economy. Also in the improvement of labour and social conditions, respect for human rights and reduction of inequalities.
And, of course, through training actions in these areas and through collaboration with other associations and NGOs.
Please throw some light on your technical sports brand. Has it already hit the markets yet? What is the specialty of this brand?
We are currently in the process of developing the product line of this technical sports brand that we plan to launch next year.
What role is technology playing in keeping the apparel business relevant during current times?
Technology has always played a decisive role in the evolution of the textile sector, but perhaps today it is even more important.
The technological update allows to improve management and productivity and, therefore, to remain competitive in such a globalised environment.
But in addition, the new challenges that the sustainability objectives demand of us will not be able to be achieved without an important development of technology in the field of energy sources or the circular economy.
Do not forget that we are in the 4th industrial revolution, the Industry 4.0, which is based on the development and application of information technologies.
What have been your business recovery model post the pandemic? Are you back to your pre pandemic levels yet?
We are aware that it isn´t going to return to the pre-pandemic management models. The world has changed radically and it implies that companies and industries must adapt and be ready to move in an ecosystem of uncertainty and constant change. But the pandemic still seems far from over, raising doubts about a short-term economic and demand recovery.
What kind of investment you are looking to make in your company in future? What kind of capacity expansion plans you have?
As we mentioned in a previous question, the sustainability of Textil Santanderina requires ambitious investment projects, but within our possibilities and being realistic with regard to our possibilities and needs. We believe that the availability of European funds will be very important, if we know how to take advantage of them and adapt. (PC)
Published on: 09/12/2021
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.
