Page 31 - TEXtalks International May/June 2022

issues as automation and digitalization. Vision has
always been part of it.
Vision is also a requirement of globalization. Was it
not its early global orientation that made Barmag a
market leader?
Stausberg: We would undoubtedly not be a market
leader without global expansion. By the way, Barmag
was supplying equipment to countries such as the
Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, the US, Austria and
Japan even before World War Two. We then actively
set our sights on other foreign markets. And it is
figures that demonstrate the result of this: the foreign
share of sales rose from 7 to 311 million
deutschmarks between 1955 and 1975. Barmag
always wanted to go where the music was playing.
Oerlikon Barmag can proudly look back on 100 years
of history – in a sector that has experienced the ups
and downs of a turbulent century. What is the secret
When we entered the US market in 1965, the country
to this company and its fiercely-fought success,
was the world’s largest producer of synthetic fibers
which has made it a leading manufacturer of
has contributed to our economic stability. Furthermore,
with one-third of all global output. We have actively
manmade fiber spinning systems and texturing
we are able to better support our customers through
accompanied the increasing shift of the textile
machines? In an interview, CEO Georg Stausberg –
markets to Asia from the very beginning, traveling to
our local employees and service centers as well as our
who has had the privilege of shaping 33 of these
long-standing network of suppliers.
China for the first time as far back as 1959,
100 years in various positions – goes in search of
Stausberg: An innovative, successful company is, of
undergo fundamental training to start with, has
establishing a company representation in Hong Kong
the answers.
proved itself – from 1922 through to the present day.
course, very appealing to employees. But that is not
How important is service for machine
in 1973 and setting up a first joint venture in China in
the only factor. Employees have always felt a close
Of course, learning has changed dramatically over
manufacturers?
1984. Today, we are present outside Germany with
Mr Stausberg, Barmag was a pioneering machine
the past century. Industrie 4.0 and digitalization are
bond with Barmag and have supported the company
Stausberg: The pandemic has clearly underlined the
1,200 employees, ten sales and service sites and
manufacturer during the time the manmade fiber
transforming apprenticeships, with further training
even through difficult times. Why? Because social
huge importance of service. We initiated our hybrid
seven production and R&D centers in the primary
industry was born.
responsibility has always been, and remains, a
and career development for talented recruits further
customer service as a way of solving problems –
markets of China, India, Turkey and the US.
important topics.
determining principle of our corporate policy. And
with video streaming to Germany, temporary
What were the reasons for the company’s success
there are many examples of this. Barmag established
recruitment of additional staff locally, online
Is globalization no longer a problem with regards to
during the first decades?
the name of progress, we also occasionally question
Digitalization has been mentioned in several of your
a housing association in 1927, providing
the pandemic?
consultation and training, remote analysis and
Stausberg: Success came, on the one hand, with the
established processes and change conventional
statements. How much is it shaping the future of
company-owned homes to employees at low rents.
Stausberg: Globalization is less of a problem, it
optimization. To this end, we have been able to
rapid rise of artificial silk and synthetic textile fibers,
procedures and ways of thinking. This was
Oerlikon Barmag?
World War Two saw the initiation of the Barmag
maintain almost all services and once again prove
actually helped us during the pandemic. Because
with the manmade fiber industry swiftly expanding at
demonstrated in the development of the at the time
Stausberg: Digitalization is a major trend. There is no
pension fund – a pioneering voluntary company
that we will not let our customers down! And we
countries such as China initially overcame the crisis
the beginning of the 20th Century. On the other hand,
revolutionary WINGS technology, among other things.
area of the company it does not impact. We were one
pension. Also acquiring legendary status were our
have a name for this: Partnering for Performance.
more quickly, becoming economic driving forces,
Barmag set a clever course following World War Two.
of the first systems builders worldwide to implement a
Family Nurses, an institution that was the contact
Our aim is to make the customer’s production and
The advance of purely synthetic fibers such as nylon
fully-networked smart factory for a yarn manufacturer.
point for a wide range of employees’ social concerns,
business ever more efficient, competitive, profitable
and perlon demanded more research and
All processes within the production chain are
as were the Christmas parcels full of goodies that
and sustainable. It all kicked off in 1969 when
development along with other machine technologies.
digitalized. Artificial intelligence is being used in initial
brought joy to employees for many decades. Both in
Barmag established its own service department with
Barmag launched its innovative grate spinning
products. Our company and its organization have
the past and today, Barmag has always set social
six technicians recruited from the development
machines back in 1948, entering the texturing market
been oriented on digital transformation and the
standards – ranging from the company health
division. Today, we have more than 18 service
in 1954 and introducing extrusion technology in 1958.
requisite agility for the past few years. Basically, we
insurance fund, our HSE (Health, Safety,
stations and offices and in excess of 60
have been working towards this since the 1960s –
Environment) program all the way through to work-life
The desire to develop new products continues to
representations in all important textile centers across
initially with our own electrics and electronics
balance measures.
make Barmag strong to this very day. Where did this
the globe, with more than 400 experienced service
department, then with our entry into process control
strength of innovation come from?
engineers and employees and 24/7 hotline support.
engineering and later with the development of our
What role does in-house training play in recruiting
Stausberg: Innovation and technology leadership
The Service business is one of the key cornerstones
Plant Operation Center (POC), one of the first
staff?
have always been Barmag’s guiding stars. There is a
of the corporate strategy for achieving customer
manufacturing execution systems (MES) for the
Stausberg: From the very beginning, the skilled
strong entrepreneurial spirit behind this, even during
loyalty throughout the entire lifecycle of the sold
manmade fiber industry. Today, around 80 percent
workers and their talents have formed the backbone
the early years. This resulted in the consistently close
our spare parts business is conducted online using
machines – and hence for boosting new sales as well.
of our company. Even today, the in-house
cooperation with customers, market-oriented
our myOerlikon.com customer portal. These highlight
apprenticeships and supporting skilled workers are
innovations, interdisciplinary, team-oriented
Service, along with all the progress made by your
the importance of digital applications, as well as
cornerstones of the Oerlikon Group. Currently,
development work and the creative utilization of the
company, cannot be provided without competent
remote support, video conferencing and webinars.
Oerlikon Barmag is offering apprenticeships in 14
employees. How has Barmag consistently been able to
We have developed our own IT infrastructure solution
different professions in Remscheid. Here, our training
30 full scope of experience and knowledge potential. In And we also quickly focused on such growth and future while other regions were still recovering. Overall, this 31 recruit, and retain, qualified people over the years? workshop model, in which all trade apprentices
for the textile industry. The data from all work, materials and freight space. This reduces transport
production and service processes flow together on distances, resources and helps the environment.
our ‘Common Service Platform’. But we are not alone
here: the entire textile world is on a digital journey. Sustainability and climate protection are major Oerlikon at the Techtextil 2022
One-off items of apparel can already be configured trends as well. When did Oerlikon Barmag start
and ordered online and delivered in the shortest time. focusing on these? Cover Story
Stausberg: We have had comprehensive Cover Story
Digital concepts have undoubtedly become part of environmental management at our main plant in
your own manufacturing environment? Remscheid since the 1980s. Environmental Sustainable infrastructure solutions, road safety
Stausberg: Our Oerlikon Barmag production sites in protection is one of our company’s declared strategic
Remscheid and Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, and targets. And ecology also helps us save. We operate,
Suzhou and Wuxi, China, are also in the process of for example, two high-performance cogeneration and health protection
transforming themselves into smart factories – with plants for supplying in-house energy. Furthermore,
digitalized information flow for predictive production direct benefits are generated by our intensive HSE At this year’s Techtextil, Oerlikon Polymer
planning and steering, with automated continuous (Health, Safety, Environment) activities. To this end, Processing Solutions will be presenting the trade
flow production and with CNC technology. But we were able to halve the number of annual audience with new applications, special processes
digitalization is not an end in itself, it is more about accidents over the ten years leading up to 2021. and sustainable solutions focusing on the
greater efficiency. Our production is therefore based Although, compared to other sectors, the textile production of industrial textiles. Among other things,
on lean management principles, ensuring optimized industry is not particularly energy-intensive, the company will be showcasing new technology for
throughput and manufacturing times and low customers have been trying to optimize their charging nonwovens that sets new standards with
inventory costs. Virtually all parts are delivered to the operations for many years now with the aim of cutting regards to quality and efficiency. Between June 21
conveyor belt ‘just in time’. Our competence and one energy costs. This is why we introduced our own and 24, the discussions in Hall 12.0, Stand C60 will
be concentrating on airbags, seat belts, tire cord,
of the most decisive success factors now lie in the e-save label for particularly energy-saving technology geotextiles, filter nonwovens and their diverse
optimum manufacturing of special core components as far back as 2004. And recycling is also an applications.
and precision parts such as pumps and chucks – important topic: our Oerlikon Polymer Processing The hycuTEC process easily achieves filtration efficiencies in excess of 99.99% in the case of typical filter media
consciously also as a way of protecting our Solutions division is the only manufacturer offering More polyester for airbags The new Staple Fiber Technology Center in Neumuenster - with yarns offer outstanding properties for the demanding The focus during the planning and the design of the
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know-how. In the past, we had a high manufacturing the entire mechanical PET recycling chain – from Airbags have become an integral part of our everyday around 2,100 m one of the largest in the world tasks carried out by geotextiles; for instance, as Technology Center was on optimizing components
depth with the associated huge demand for space, processing the recycled materials and the melt automotive lives. The yarns used in them are made geogrids in the base course system under asphalt. and processes. Here, special attention was paid to
material flow and highly-challenging intralogistics. through to the textured package. There is, of course, predominantly from polyamide. As a result of Normally, geotextiles have extremely high yarn titers ensuring the process and production parameters in
Today, we purchase parts, modules and electronic a benchmark here: sustainability is one of the increasingly diverse airbag applications and also the of up to 24,000 denier. Oerlikon Barmag system the Technology Center system could be simply and
components that others can manufacture better or permanent mission statements of our parent increasing size of the systems used, polyester is concepts simultaneously manufacture three filament reliably transferred to production systems.
less expensively. today used as well, depending on the application yarns of 6,000 denier each. Due to the high spinning
corporation. Here, the guiding principles are the 17 titers, fewer yarns can be plied together to the “We are not only able to run all standard products
But logistics have also become more demanding in UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We at requirements and cost-benefit considerations. required geo-yarn titer in a more cost- and energy available on the market at our Technology Center, it
Against this background, the Oerlikon Barmag
other areas, haven’t they? Oerlikon are endeavoring to make all our sites technologies make an invaluable contribution. In efficient manner. also offers us the perfect prerequisites for the
Stausberg: Absolutely! Our logistics specialists are carbon-neutral by 2030 and to acquire our energy addition to high productivity and low energy development of new processes and products”, explains
fighting on many fronts in the age of free trade and exclusively from renewable sources. consumption, they particularly excel in terms of their hycuTEC - technological quantum leap for filter Tilman Reutter, Technology Manager - Head of Staple
punitive tariffs, increasing delivery speeds and stable production processes. In the case of its hycuTEC hydro-charging solution, Fiber Process. Here, the fiber tape processing line is
pandemic-related slowdown. Challenges include You yourself have helped shape 33 of the 100 years Oerlikon Neumag offers a new technology for modular in design. All components can be combined
seamless documentation, transparent supply chains of Barmag. Why are you optimistic that Oerlikon Furthermore, they comply with every high quality charging nonwovens that increases filter efficiency to with each other as required. And comprehensive set-up
Barmag will have a further 100 years of success?
and cross-border inventory planning. For this reason, Stausberg: When reading our anniversary volume, standard for airbags, which – as in the case of more than 99.99%. For meltblown producers, this options supply detailed findings for the respective
we are optimizing many aspects of our logistics: our you will discover that the stories and comments of virtually all other textile products used in vehicle Vehicle occupants firmly in position and thus enables other means material savings of 30% with significantly process for various fiber products.
Global Logistic Execution System networks all various contemporary witnesses have many things in construction – must provide the highest level of safety protective technologies to unfold their full function superior filter performance. For end users, the
production sites worldwide, including warehouses, common. Their statements and our history converge for vehicle occupants. And all this without any loss of “With our unique, patented Single Filament Layer consequence is noticeably improved comfort The Technology Center is also equipped with two
internal and external suppliers, and allows to form the very core of our corporate culture. This function in any climate and anywhere in the world for Technology, we offer a sophisticated and resulting from significantly reduced breathing spinning positions for mono- and bi-component
transparent, real-time tracking of goods transports, constant is showcased by the will and the ability to the lifetime of the vehicle. simultaneously gentle high-tenacity (HT) yarn process resistance. With its considerably lower water and processes. The same round spin packs are used for
including consignment and automated dispatch of always adapt to social and economic change and to for manufacturing these lifesavers and other energy consumption, this new development is also a both processes, characterized by excellent fiber
delivery documents. Another software solution is Buckle up! applications made from industrial yarn”, explains Dr. futureproof, sustainable technology. quality and properties and meanwhile very
predicting spare parts orders 18 months in advance, change ourselves. It is tangible in many decades of Seat belts play a decisive role in protecting vehicle Roy Dolmans, Technology Manager IDY and R&D successfully deployed in all Oerlikon Neumag
making inventories at sites across the world visible consistent innovativeness, striving towards occupants. They have to withstand tensile forces in Filament Processing. New high-tech Staple Fiber Technology Center production systems. Furthermore, the spinning plant
and accessible. Because delivery advantages have technological leadership, in-house social excess of three tons and simultaneously stretch in a Extending to around 2,100 m , Oerlikon Neumag in is complemented by automation solutions such as
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become increasingly important – also with regards to commitment, stable jobs and long-standing controlled manner in emergencies in order to reduce Invisible, but essential – road reinforcement using Neumünster is home to one of the world’s largest spin pack scraper robots, for example. “In future, we
environmental friendliness and preserving resources. relationships with our customers. This is something the load in the event of impact. A seat belt comprises geotextiles staple fiber technology centers. As of now, these will be able to focus more strongly on the special
For this reason, Barmag is committed to purchasing, that all former and active employees can be proud of. approximately 300 filament yarns, whose individual, But it not just inside vehicles, but also under them, state-of-the-art staple fiber technologies are also requirements of our customers in the development of
manufacturing and delivering as closely to the And that makes me extremely confident when looking high-tenacity yarn threads are spun from around 100 that industrial yarns reveal their strengths. Low available for customer-specific trials. our product lines”, comments Tilman Reutter.
customer as possible and minimizing packaging at the future. individual filaments. stretch, ultra-high tenacity, high rigidity – industrial
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