We constantly work & research to add new features to our existing machines

“We are exporting 70 per cent of our production. Thats why we are planning to participate in the textile machinery fairs organised abroad. In 2020 we will participate in 10 fairs in different countries apart from the ITM 20, in Istanbul,” told Semi Maner, Sales and Marketing Manager of Turkey-based Elteksmak.

Could you tell us about the establishment and partnership structure of Elteksmak?

Elteksmak officially started its activities in 1995 in Denizli under the leadership of Mehmet Poslu. Thanks to his knowledge about the textile dyeing and printing and his long experience in the textile companies and additionally the education of his sons Eyüp Poslu, Ekrem Poslu and Emrah Poslu in the fields of machinery, electronics and international trade as the second generation, the company has been built on strong foundations. The company’s adventure, started locally in Denizli, continues today in the 25th year, fully institutionalised with the participation of professional staff, with 20,000 square metres closed production centre, 140 employees, highest technology production equipment and hundreds of machines running all over the world on five continents in the direction of being a world brand.

Does Elteksmak have any sister companies?

Thanks to our sister companies Polo Automation and Polo Teknik, we really can say with their own slogan that “the control is in our hands”. As they provide all automation, software and service as well as spare parts supply related to our machines, they are specialised in their fields and following the innovations closely, ensuring that the technology in our machines is always up to date. Another group company, MATIAS A.S. is a representative company, which has offices in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, sells Elteksmak machines to Turkic and Russian speaking countries as well as some other valuable domestic and foreign companies’ machines. Being with one leg in these countries is very important for customer satisfaction.

Which kind of machine-brands are in the production portfolio of Elteksmak?

Elteksmak has gained many years of experience and specializes in the production of machines related to drying technologies. These are the third generation POSLU GEN3 stenter, ELNINO and ELMEGO-X continuous tumble dryers, AIRELAX belt dryer and VAPORESSO steaming and fixing machine for printed fabrics. In addition, as a accessory of these machines or as a stand alone item, our high-pressure sqeezing padder are in demand because of the energy savings they provide to our customers.

What are the advantages of your machines over their usage areas and equivalents?

I would like to talk specially about the usage areas and advantages of our continuous tumble dryers. These machines with their starting usage point of giving an excellent quality and soft handle to the pile textiles like towels and velvets are being used today for verious reasons as a result of changing fashion, new processes and new consumer demands. For example, a significant part of the tumble dryers that we sell today are used for cleaning residues such as fluffs,fibers and dust on the fabric. This cleaning process is carried out especially before digital printing and the problem of retouching caused by these residues remaining on the surface of the fabric is eliminated or used to eliminate the raising dust which creates a big problem to the consumer in some raising fabrics. To give another example, it is used in the defibrillation stage in the production of Tencel fabrics which are nowadays fashioned, and the fabric is provided with a clean surface and perfect handle.

In today’s competitive conditions, it is difficult to satisfy the consumer, which puts the producer under pressure to increase the quality in every aspect. Today’s consumers want to wear shirts, blouses, etc. with a perfect silky touch; they want their sweatshirts to not contaminate their white singlet etc… As a result of this, tumble dryers as quality oriented machines are going to be the “sine qua non” machines of textile finishing plants.

Our tumbler machines are working at our customers almost in all fields of textiles such as outerwear, home textiles, knitting, weaving, denim.

As Elteksmak, we are one of the few companies producing these machines in Europe, with our 25 years of experience in this field, we are the only manufacturer in the world who can produce the multi-cabin type, which is production-oriented and mono block type, which is effect-oriented. If necessary, we can combine these two types of machines. Elmego-X model can be produced up to six drying chambers and is the machine with very high production capacity, with EL NINO model, as the name suggests, the desired touche or effect can be taken at the highest level.

I think I would be disrespectful to the reader if I try to explain the common areas of use of other machines we produce, like stenter, belt drying and after-printing steaming machines.

Are there any systems that are sensitive to nature and environment? Do you work on less energy consumption and efficiency?

Today’s technology is already making progress in this direction. Manufacturers who cannot improve themselves on this subject have no chance of surviving. Energy cost is one of the main issues that enterprises cannot control in production costs. More to say, the purchase cost of an engine during its operating life accounts for 1 per cent of the total cost. Being aware of this situation, the highest efficiency class motors are used in our machines. All our motors are inverter-controlled, which also saves energy.

In addition, the other automation equipment, we use is selected from the top segment brands. Energy savings means not only users savings, but also less carbon dioxide emissions to nature. The burners that we use in our gas heated machines are of the highest quality and provide considerable energy savings when combined with the perfect air distribution systems, strong insulation and exhaust air humidity control systems.

Also, if we go back to our tumbler machines, these machines mechanically give the desired touche to the fabrics, reducing the amount of chemicals given as softener by 75 per cent and contributing to less pollution of nature.

Our high-pressure padder, which I mentioned before and which is in great demand, reduce the amount of water in the fabric to 40 to 50 per cent pending on the type of fabric and this provides great savings in evaporation energy.

In Turkey, all kind of textile dyeing/finishing machines are produced in European quality and sold at half the price, so should we just say and pass its the “europe admiration”of our Textile factories who insist on the use of European machine or should we say we still have a lot of work to be done?

First of all, I have to say that Turkish machinery manufacturers have become very important in terms of dyeing and finishing machines. Not only competition in Turkey substantially in overseas markets the competition is between the Turkish machinery. If we go even further the interest in the Turkish machinery abroad is greater than the interest shown in Turkey. Turkish machines, which were previously shown interest due to the low prices, now quality and technical characteristics of the machines are also prominent.

It is true, even if not half, but there is a price difference between European machines and Turkish machines. But another fact is that many European companies have had to reduce their prices in various ways. The next goal should be to lower this price gap further and I believe that this will be achieved through the continuation of this momentum.

Do you export? Which countries are your target markets?

In 2019, we sold 70 per cent of our production to foreign markets. All countries related to textile are in our target markets. Without denying the importance of the Turkish market we walk with firm steps towards becoming an international company.

Can you provide information about your marketing and overseas sales channels?

As I said before, our marketing and sales activities in Turkic Republics and Russian-speaking countries are carried out by our group company MATIAS A.S. based in Uzbekistan. Our activities related to Turkey and other countries are carried out by our regional sales managers with great experience about the countries for which they are responsible and connected to them there are meticulously choosen representatives agencies.

Will you attend ITM 2020 Fair? With which machines will you take part?

ITM Fair is one of the most efficient fairs for us. We will attend this year’s fair with POSLU brand ram, ELMEGO X brand tambler and other tambler machine ELNINO.

Are there any other domestic and international fairs you will attend in 2020?

As a company, we attach great importance to fairs and strive to participate in all fairs, whether local or international, as much as possible. In our 2020 planning, we made agreements to participate in 10 other countries besides the ITM’20 fair.

Do you have R&D studies and new machine projects?

We have a very strong R&D team. In addition to new projects, we are constantly working and researching to add new features to our existing machines. Apart from our routine works, every request or need from our customers is a matter of R&D for us. We believe that the most efficient R&D work can be done in the field.

In 2018, you received the best design award for your Poslu Ram machine. Can you tell us about this process?

I must say that we are proud of our R&D and design team. As Elteksmak, we are striving to break down the main molds and instead of ease realise the innovations that will be our signature and bring sound.

You’re talking about T.C. Ministry of Trade, Turkey Exporters Assembly (TIM) and Industrial Designers Society (ETMK) who organised in collaboration, Turkey’s most prestigious awards organisation for innovation and branding, the Design Turkey 2018 Industrial Design competition where we have received the “Good Design Award” for our GEN3 stenter and high pressure foulard machine.

In this competition, the evaluation was conducted by an international jury and the assessment was not only limited to external design, but also the categories of diversity and renewal, user benefit, health and safety and design quality and sustainability for production.

Did you meet your 2019 targets? What did you do about growth and export?

The year 2019 has exceeded our targets. This led us to enlarge our 2020 targets. Growth is a deep topic. But it can be summarised as “healthy growth” in two words. If growth; your system, vision, quality, service activities are parallel to customer satisfaction, I think then it is a “healthy growth”. When the issues I consider as the conditions of growth are realised, the doors of export opens automatically.

Can you give us an assessment,considering the textile sector, of Turkey’s economy and for the year 2020?

Although from time to time there are fluctuations in our economy due to the slippery geography conditions, but still textile with its high employment force; machinery, textiles and apparel exports share is Turkey’s reality. As Elteksmak, we have made a good start to the year 2020. As I said in the question about our targets, nowadays it is not foreseen which crisis will come out, we see every country which produces textile to fill our production as target market.

Courtesy: Tekstil News Magazine