Turkey, a major market for combed compact yarn

Lakshmi Machine Works Limited founded in the year 1962 is today a global player and one among the three manufacturers of entire range of textile spinning machinery from blow room to ring spinning. Speaking on the Turkish market, the company’s Senior General Manager – Sales (Global),C Arunachalam, says, “Turkey is the major market for combed compact yarn and our LK69 combers, new LDF3 finisher draw frames and LRJ9/SXL compact ring frames are best preferred in the commodity segment.”

C Arunachalam compares the Indian and Turkish market, and also suggests measures for the industry and the Government to improve its hold in this market for the export of textile-related machinery and goods.

Excerpts..

How long has your company been selling machines/accessories to Turkey? The story till today.
Lakshmi Machine Works has started its activities from 1996 and active in market since 2002. We have a strong customer base and installed around half a million spindles in Turkey. Sales and service offices has been operation since 2013 at Istanbul and Kahramanmaras with a spares hub to ensure faster service.

What are the major products that you have been exporting to Turkey?
We have been supplying complete projects right from blow room to ring spinning including automations. Turkey is unique market and the cost of labour calls for automation in every machine. Our projects include lap transport system, bobbin transport system, roving stop motion, spin connect – software.

Blending line with our new Ultrablend LA9 had a successful launch due to its homogeneous blend output quality and a highly flexible line which is the need of spinner.

Turkey is the major market for combed compact yarn and our LK69 combers, new LDF3 finisher draw frames and LRJ9/SXL compact ring frames are best preferred in the commodity segment.

Denim yarn requirement is picking up in Turkey and our new 2,000 kg blow room line, high production 1.5 m width LC 636 cards, speed frame LF4200/AX (longest speed frame – 280 spl with dual drive), ring frame LR9/SX – with slub and core attachments and options with 75 mm gauge and bigger packages are the machines sold in this segment.

How do you see the scope of the tie-up with Turkey for the future?
The astounding growth of Turkish textile industry is due to the proximity to Europe – increasing demands from countries like Portugal, Russia, the Middle East, and increasing demand from domestic sector. Turkish textile sector also shifted its focus from low value-added commodity items to high value-added segment and fashionable clothing. The spinning industry focuses on investment in technology upgradation, automation, products with value for money to survive in the tough competitive globalised economic conditions is seen as a scope of the tie-up with Turkey.

What are your other export markets? A brief account of them.
Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Mexico, Africa and Uzbekistan are the other export markets.

Can you make a brief comparison of the Turkish and Indian market, and also suggest measures for the industry and the Government to improve its hold in this market for the export of textile-related machinery and goods?
The biggest advantage Turkey has over India and other countries is that it has a reasonably qualified work force, extensive product range, fastest reaction time to changing fashion demands, competitive design capacity, updated know-how, good investment in technology, vertical integration, adaptable production capacity, world class quality and priority to health and environment. Cost of yarn manufacturing is higher than India due to the higher labour cost and hence Turkey concentrates on high value added items with investments in automation and has tough competition with Indian spinners in commodity segment. Geo-political disturbances and currency instability are the challenges met by Turkish industry.

To compensate the high manufacturing cost in the highly risky investment climate, Turkey looks for a low-cost finance options for investment which is supported by European countries. Hence we suggest Indian Government to improve the finance and insurance options for the exporters of textile-related machineries. Now our technology and innovation is far ahead than the competition from western world and Government to take necessary measures to promote “BRAND INDIA” in all the export markets.