Decade-long partnership with Spintex
Bangladesh has been an important market for Picanol for over the last 10 years. Picanol is proud to be the most important weaving machine supplier to the Bangladeshi market. This is made possible, thanks to the combination of a complete and competitive product portfolio and top-class service.
The main investments are being made in denim, bottom weights, shirting and bedsheeting fabrics. Picanol offers both rapier (OptiMax-i, TerryMax-i) and airjet weaving machines (OMNIplus Summum and TERRYplus Summum) for these applications. The company’s valuable and loyal customers are assured of Picanol’s commitment to the market in the future.
For a number of years, Picanol has been represented in the region by Spintex Technology. The agency is very well-organized, ensuring excellent local service via a pool of trained technicians and an excellent aftermarket service for spareparts and weave-up packages. At least once a year all the technicians go to the Picanol headquarters in Belgium in order to receive training on all of the latest developments. Picanol hopes to supply its products and service to Bangladeshi textile mills for many years to come. In fact, it is a wonderful coincidence that Picanol and Spintex recently completed 10 years of successful partnership in the Bangladesh market.
We spoke to Mr. Lieven Engelbeen, Sales Manager of Picanol responsible for the Bangladesh market. He said: “Picanol has been active in Bangladesh for more than 2 decades now. It is, however, in the last decade that the sales numbers started growing fast. Bangladesh is a large market for both new and old weaving machines. In the last 10 years, Picanol has delivered over 5,000 new looms. I believe this number can easily be doubled when adding the second-hand looms”.
Growth in weaving
Referring to the factors driving growth in the Bangladesh market, Mr. Lieven Engelbeen says: “Bangladesh, known as a huge market for garment making, started vertically integrating other steps up the value chain. Weaving is the most logical first step. Rather than buying fabrics from outside, why not weave these fabrics ourselves and create this added value here? One successful example leads to another”.
Picanol is today blessed to have most of the big names in the market as its loyal customers. To name a few, Noman Group, Partex Group, Akij Group, Hameem Denim, Thermax Group, Square Group, Amanath Shah, Argon Denim, Pioneer Denim, Envoy Group, Shasha Denim, Mahmud Denim, Nassa Group, Pakiza, Paramount and Silver Line Group.
Bangladesh is undoubtedly one of the largest manufacturers of knitted fabrics. Companies have started investing in woven application in the last decade. “Picanol is selling machines in most of the woven application. We have customers active in bed sheeting, denim and yarn dyed fabrics. Slowly but surely there is also interest growing for decoration/upholstery fabrics and technical textiles. It is just a matter of time to see growth in these fields as well”, says Mr. Lieven Engelbeen.
Speaking about adapting technology, Mr. Lieven Engelbeen observes: “Our Bangladeshi customers are very proud. They only want the latest technology, and this is the best attitude to have if one wants to remain competitive in the aggressive world market. Only with the latest technology you are ready for the challenges of the future. Energy consumption is an important subject in Bangladesh, seen the shortage of gas connections to generate power. Picanol is continuously innovating, developing solutions to save energy wherever possible”.
Service and spares
Spintex is organized with a pool of 6 dedicated local service technicians, working only for Picanol. At least once a year, all these technicians visit the headquarters in Belgium to get a training about the new developments. Also the spares related-activity goes via the local agency, with the assistance of the headquarters in Belgium whenever needed.
Sounding optimistic about the future growth in the Bangladesh market, Mr. Lieven Engelbeen says: “The combination of a growing world population and a growing ‘middle class’ will be the base of expanding demand for textile consumer goods. Bangladesh has some advantages over other countries to remain an important producer of fabrics and garments and has to claim its share of this increased demand”.
By Md. Ariful Haque & K. Gopalakrishnan