Known for its comprehensive machine range in core product categories like shirts, jackets and trousers, business for Duerkopp Adler in the last one year has been driven by industry in South East Asia and in the Americas, while European business has remained steady. “A solid portion of business is coming from automotive and interiors industry in the Americas, US and also South America,” shares Dietrich Eickhoff, CEO, Duerkopp Adler.
In the meanwhile, the company is keeping a good balance between machines for apparel and heavy duty applications, to serve both industries successfully. “The strategy is to walk on two strong legs and since the apparel industry took a beating over the last few years we reinforced our presence in the heavy duty segment with the HIGHLIGHT introduction of the new H-type series. We are investing in automation for the apparel and heavy duty segment,” informs Eickhoff.
The importance of automated machines is on the rise with more and more garment and industrial manufacturers turning to automation for improving business. “An interesting shift in automated machines is that people are buying automatic equipment not only because of the labour cost but also the quality expectations of their customer and because of the need of being competitive with the emerging markets like Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia. Investments in automatics is what makes us enter the market and pick up speed. Now times have changed and this drives the market not only in Asia but also in the Americas and Europe,” reasons Eickhoff.
An interesting shift in automated machines is that people are buying automatic equipment not only because of the labour cost but also the quality expectations of their customer and because of the need of being competitive with the emerging markets like Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Prepared to take on competition, Duerkopp Adler is now completing its automated shirt line. The range has been extended to single needle lockstitchers, cuff run stitching, cuff top stitching, front placket sewing machines, button hole and sewing machines, “Step by step we will complete this line and as an added edge the optimization is also in line with substantial cost reduction,” informs Eickhoff. He goes on to say that as labour cost increases in China an opportunity has arisen so as to upgrade the technology for modern applications. Further in terms of menswear, apart from the new sleeve setting machine, Duerkopp Adler modified and optimized its pocket welting machine and the eyelet buttonholer in line with substantially improving its cost position. The result of which has been the recent installation of 60 pocket welting machines in one of the largest apparel and textile conglomerate of Bangladesh. Though business over the years has centred on Asia, technology providers do see business slowly resurfacing in the western countries, which is afresh opportunity to sell automation. “In the 1970s when the production was located in Europe and USA, the brands used to install automated machines like the ones we make today, but when the business moved out to Asian countries, they didn’t care how it was been made, so the demand for such workstations dipped. But due to this near-shoring to Mexico, Caribbean, Honduras, Nicaragua and other South American countries, these machines are again back in demand,” shared Eickhoff. “Just two weeks ago, I met with a big US manufacturer, a very well-known apparel company, who will invest further in the US. I spoke to their MD who wants to triple the capacity of the plant within the next 3 years. One of the noteworthy firsts for the fair was the presence of Duerkopp Adler, Beisler, KSL and PFAFF under one roof, raising question about the future strategy and positioning of these competitors of yesteryears. According to Dietrich Eickhoff, all the three companies will maintain their independent businesses, while allowing each to grow on core strengths. “The strategy is to further strengthen the strength, so we will define product portfolio as per the demand of the customer,” says Eickhoff. There will also be a renewed focus on complete utilization of its production sites employing more than 1,200 staff in Europe. Another area which has seen improvement from Duerkopp Adler is the speed to the market which means to accelerate its R&D operations where improvements have already been achieved.
One of the machines which drew the maximum attention at the CISMA show was the DA 971-825 cuff top stitching carousel type workstation. The 971 has stations for feeding, sewing, trimming the protruding edges,double-sided suction unit for cut waste and stacking the finished pieces, all operated by a single operator. The carousel nature of the machine makes possible overlapping work methods leading to high output of 3000 cuffs per 8 hours.
