Let us begin with a word from you on the niche that A.T.E. Group enjoys today in the national and international markets of textile machinery?
Today, we believe A.T.E. has become something like a “one stop shop” to textile companies in India for their textile engineering requirements. Moreover, as A.T.E.’s team has deep embedded knowledge in textile processes, we are also viewed as a consulting resource by our customers.
With our expertise and our countrywide network of offices and people, we are seen as “solution providers” by our principals. So, we are fortunate that both the best customer and the best principals support A.T.E.!
What does it take to be a favorite junction of the brands like Truetzchler, Fleissner, Fongs, etc?
We believe we can only work with the best as long as we are both “trustworthy” and “competent”. In a nutshell, these two words capture our strategy.
A.T.E. has strongly entrenched values, which we do our best to document explain, and - most importantly – practice. This institutionalises good practices leading to trustworthy behavior.
Competences come from an excellent, carefully chosen team, together with a commitment to training and development, and a long term view to achieving business success. Competency and trust have resulted in our long partnerships - for example, more than 50 years with Truetzschler, Zinser and Karl Mayer.
Can you draw a larger picture of world textile machinery market in present times?
I think the world textile machinery market is going through a very interesting phase, amidst many simultaneous transitions. For example, we have, the shifting of consumption and production eastward. Then we have challenge of ecological sustainability. We have recently also seen huge raw material price swings. And all of this, in the midst of a big economic downturn!
So, the world textile machinery market is going through a rapid adjustment phase. More globally oriented, and at the same time fast-reacting companies, that have an excellent value proposition for their products will emerge from this period much stronger.
In Indian machinery market, how do you see trends in consumers’ preferences?
In the Indian market, we are seeing customers gravitate towards higher technology products. At the same time, they are becoming very careful about spending money. As a result we see demand for over priced or over engineered products reducing, and also demand at the bottom end of the market thinning out, and only good technology and well priced machines being purchased.
What are your comments on technical textile market? How has A.T.E. planned to secure a lion’s share from this sector?
The Indian market for technical textiles is very small, so growth potential is huge. And that is good for consumers too, as technical textiles have proven their worth in many markets.
We will work in technical textile as we have for other products – with a team of highly committed and highly knowledgeable people. We are fortunate that we already represent world leaders for a complete range of products to make technical textile – for example, warp knitting machines, stitch bonding machinery, needle lines, thermobonding lines, spun lace lines, coating and finishing lines etc.
Do you think the ecology conscious era has begun? How is A.T.E. working on this front?
Ecological balance is certainly a great need, given the state of the planet as well as the demands that are still to be met. We have entered so called cleantech space as well. One of our group company's makes comfort conditioning solutions (cooling with lower power and no refrigerants that are usually ozone depleting chemicals). We also have a water treatment company. We are happy to be able to make a difference for the environment, and hope this area will be a big part of our business quite soon.
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Published on: 27/01/2009
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.
