VDMA members companies played a vital role in the development of Pakistan’s textile sector over the years.
With more than 3,300 members, the VDMA is the largest network organization and important voice for mechanical engineering in Germany and Europe. The association represents the common economic, technical and scientific interests of this unique and diverse industry. We are pleased to present an exclusive interview of Thomas Waldmann, Managing Director, VDMA Textile Machinery Association, Germany for the interest of our readers.
TEXtalks: Germany and Pakistan are celebrating 70 years of Friendship, what would you say?
Thomas Waldmann: 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Germany are indeed a reason to celebrate. Many VDMA companies can also proudly point back to decades of close customer relationships which are based on mutual trust.
TEXtalks: How German technology is contributing to the advancement of the textile industry in Pakistan?
Thomas Waldmann: Several German companies played a key role in the development of the Pakistani textile sector. The production portfolio of the VDMA member companies covers machinery-wise the entire textile value chain from spinning, knitting, weaving, nonwovens, finishing and processing for apparel, home textile and technical textile manufacturing. Pakistani textile manufacturers already relying on technology from VDMA member companies are aware of the long-term advantages: Due to low maintenance charges and reliability in production, the initial investment for a machine from VDMA members pays off after some years.
TEXtalks: Pakistan is a potential market, how do you see to increase the outreach of German products to the local industry?
Thomas Waldmann: A good way to present products to the local industry are e.g. business initiation trips. The last event of VDMA in Pakistan took place in November 2019, only a few months before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic. 16 well-known German textile machinery manufacturers (VDMA member companies) presented their latest technologies for the benefit of the Pakistan textile industry.
The event was supported and organised by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs, the German Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and VDMA Textile Machinery Association.
Due to the pandemic and the travel restrictions, such events are impossible at the moment. As an answer to the travel restrictions, VDMA started a series of “Textile Machinery Webtalks”. They are now carried out via the customer portal “Textile Machinery Newsroom” on the IndustryArena platform (https://de.
industryarena.com/m4t). With up to 300 participants the Textile Machinery Webtalks have been very well received. Participants include staff from textile and nonwovens producing companies, universities and research institutes.
TEXtalks: Any special comments / messages to the readers on the 70th Friendship Anniversary?
Thomas Waldmann: The Pakistani textile sector as well as the machinery producers from VDMA have always benefited from free trade. Protectionism becomes more and more and issue. Unfortunately, we see these tendencies in many regions. What need to be done? Let us stand together for what made our business successful: for free trade and against protectionism.
VDMA and its member companies hope to meet many friends and experts from the Pakistani home textile industry at the show Heimtextil, 11-14 January 2022 in Frankfurt.
