Mr Eric Schoeller Member of the Executive Board Groz-Beckert KG, Germany at ITMA held from June 20-26, 2019 in Barcelona at Fira De Barcelona, Gran Via conferred about all six Groz-Beckert product areas with automation and digitization as the major features of the new attractively laid out booth.
TEXtalks: Looking back at the foundation of Groz-Beckert in 1852, how far has Groz-Beckert come and what are the future prospects?
Eric Schoeller: For more than 160 years, Groz-Beckert has supported the machine builders and end-users in the textile industry. The company has developed from being purely a manufacturer of knitting machine parts into the most important system supplier of precision components in the field of textiles and beyond. Today Groz-Beckert provides the business sectors of knitting, weaving, felting, tufting, carding and sewing.
In Future digitalization will play an important role – and already today. In the last years Groz-Beckert worked intensively to establish a digital textile world with its unique customer portals. The portals make available a continuously growing knowledge data base with a wealth of information on the different textile technologies. In addition to detailed information on products and services from Groz-Beckert, the customer will also find a product catalog and an online shop.
TEXtalks: Which latest technological developments is Groz-Beckert showcasing at ITMA 2019?
Eric Schoeller: Over the years, Groz-Beckert has always been participating in ITMA bringing to the platform its latest innovations and developments. This year too Groz-Beckert is demonstrating the overall diversity of all its products. In the Knitting area new special application needle SAN™ SF for use with large diameter circular knitting machines are exhibited. The dur™ needle offers remarkable technical performance breakthroughs. The Weaving exhibition zone presents the latest generation of drawing-in machine, the WarpMasterPlus and the tried-and-true KnotMaster. In Felting, for spun lace customers, Groz-Beckert has its HyTec®P jet strips. In the area of felting needles, GEBECON® and EcoStar® needles. In the Tufting area, Visitors are using the augmented reality system to gain a completely new perspective on the interplay between unique gauge part systems. In Carding, first and foremost is the Groz-Beckert InLine card clothing series for the nonwovens industry. The SiroLock® plus card clothing was developed as an improvement to the SiroLock® worker and doffer wire. The Sewing exhibition zone presents the SAN® 10 and the SAN® 10 XS. The SAN® 10 combines the requirements for protecting the material and stability.
TEXtalks: What role does TEZ technology and development centre play in improvement along the textile chain?
Eric Schoeller: In 2010 Groz-Beckert established its pioneering platform Technology and Development Center (TEZ) which offers opportunities for trials, laboratory services and co-development including new business fields. Whether optimization, development or new businesses, our customers and partners can choose according to their needs from a wide range of resources and services.
The TEZ offers machines, needles, tools, measuring devices and expertise for each technology – knitting, weaving, felting, tufting, carding and sewing. But the services of the TEZ reach beyond the field of technology: Together with our customers and partners we create future-proofed solutions for the textile world of tomorrow.
TEXtalks: Which unique features does Groz-Beckert knitting needles offer its clients?
Eric Schoeller: With over 160 years of experience and know-how, Groz-Beckert produces, and distributes more than 50,000 products for the knitting industry. Besides high-performance needles and system parts for all kinds of knitting machines, the product range also includes knitting cylinders for large diameter circular and seamless bodysize machines. For the warp knitting industry we offer system parts for tricot, stitch bonding, Raschel, and crochet machines, including individual parts and warp knitting modules. The offer is completed by detailed services including personal application advice, textile testing as well as needle oil and damage analyses.
The overall advantages of our products
• High product quality
• High availability
• In-house mechanical engineering department
• Inter-coordinated systems
• Development partner to machine manufacturers
• A lot of unique patents
• Environmental awareness
TEXtalks: With the increased digitalization demand, which new steps has Groz-Beckert taken for the progress within weaving preparation in terms of innovation and automation?
Eric Schoeller: Automated and digital processes in the sense of Industry 4.0 play an increasingly important role – also and especially in weaving preparation. Groz-Beckert is taking on these challenges and presented at ITMA how innovation and automation could look within weaving preparation with the new WarpMasterPlus and the KnotMaster Series. The WarpMasterPlus delivers optimal flexibility, combined with maximum performance.
Thanks to, the tried-and-true KnotMaster typing system, with its different tying units, the right tie can achieved for any type of yarn.
TEXtalks: In terms of technological advancements, what is the customers demand in the current market?
Eric Schoeller: Customers are currently focusing in particular on high productivity combined with high flexibility. ITMA also showed that when purchasing new textile machinery, the main focus is on technology rather than price.
TEXtalks: How does Groz-Beckert see Pakistani market in terms of growth and are there any plans in the pipeline for Pakistan’s market?
Eric Schoeller: The Pakistani market is a very important market for the textile industry and therefore also for us. The market shows a very stable growth of the textile industry. Groz-Beckert is represented locally with trading partners. However, there are no expansion plans for an own location in Pakistan.
TEXtalks: How has the visitor response been at ITMA 2019? Or What are your expectations from ITMA 2019?
Eric Schoeller: By now a final assessment is not possible, as only preliminary figures are available so far. However, we assume that we will be at the same level as the very good ITMA 2015 in Milan, both in terms of the number and the quality of the visitors.
Due to the current market situation, the machine builders and Groz-Beckert had not expected too much from the fair. All the more pleasing that the fair was a success. The ITMA was not only well attended, but there were also numerous signs of a slight improvement in the market situation. Of course, the ITMA does not lead to a fundamental change of the overall market situation, but Groz-Beckert and also the industry in general were able to take important positive impulses from the fair.
