ShanghaiTex Review
Textile World Asia Special ReportPicanol Group Continues Growth In AsiaBelgium-based Picanol
Group is no stranger to the Asian market’s demand for advanced weaving technology. With the recent
announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Vietnam-based 8 March Textile Co. for 150
weaving machines, last summer’s celebration of the manufacture of the10,000th OMNIplus air-jet
weaving machine — a weaving machine sold to Chinese customer Jiangxi — and the sale of 126 rapier
weaving machines last December to Vietnam-based Vinatex, Picanol continues to expand its presence
in the marketplace.Patrick Steverlynck, chairman, commenting at Shanghaitex on the growing weaving
machinery market, said, “We are looking to the Chinese market to understand its needs. An
emerging-style machine for an emerging market. China is estimated to have 200 rapier loom
manufacturers with approximately 30 [at a] high-technology [level] (300-400 picks per minute), and
an additional five water-jet and five air-jet [manufacturers] of reasonably high-technology
[looms].”
Patrick Steverlynck, chairman of Belgium-based Picanol Group,with the OMNIplus-2-P280 air-jet
weaving machine on display at ShanghaiTexBut Picanol’s interest goes beyond sales analysis. It
established Picanol of China in 1992, which has offices in Beijing and Guangzhou, and a technical
service station in Shanghai. Additionally, Picanol has established Picanol Korea and Picanol Turkey
to grow and support the region.“China and Asia are growing,” said Steverlynck. “But we at Picanol
believe in a world market and the whole situation will develop a commercial balance overtime. This
is the middle of a growing process. The machinery today reflects the execution of today’s
technology — as intellectual property protection improves, more technology will follow and more
companies will invest in new ideas.”Picanol Group states a strategy based on the three pillars of
systems, services and technology. Picanol has equipment in 2,600 weaving mills worldwide
represented by some 80,000 individual weaving machines.
Spring 2004