Today, Switzerland is the leading manufacturer of textile machinery all over the world and the major players themselves consider its outstanding quality and innovative potential. The Swiss play a leading role in the textile machinery world with an estimated global market share of 40%, of which 10 percent is now produced in Switzerland and the rest 30 percent outside the country.

With the most liberal and competitive economies, Switzerland gained economic importance in the world. Switzerland stands among the top 20 states in the world family of 190 nations. In certain sectors Switzerland competes with some of the European and global leaders.

Switzerland occupies a leading position in terms of economic indicators such as competitiveness, expenditure on research and development. In cross-border direct investment, the Swiss economy is among the top, and Switzerland is one of the countries with the highest export rate as a percentage of gross domestic products (GDP).

Switzerland's highly developed economy is largely because of its well-built interlinking with the economies of other countries. The technologically progressive industrial sector is differentiated by highly specialized, internationally experienced, and flexible small and medium-sized companies. The services sector, with world-renowned banks and insurance companies also play an important role in making significant global standards. Purchasing power stability received through low inflation, low long-term capital costs, a good investment climate, as well as sound public finances gives further promise to its success.

Switzerland's major machine industries initially developed by the basic needs of the textile industry; the journey from labor-intensive to mechanized production in spinning and weaving workshops which determines that the machine industry developed through the areas where the workshops existed.

At present, the Swiss textile machinery industry covers some 70 companies - amongst 48 are members of Swissmem, the Swiss textile machinery industry occupies with 8,100 employees.

It gained exports worth Sfr 2,177 billion in 2004 (98.5% of total turnover).In the first half of 2004; exports from Switzerland were increased by 3.5%, but in the second half of the year declined by 3.3% in contrast to the same period in 2003.

In the last decade, the most crucial disparity observed, the decline of the US textile manufacturing industry with the Swiss textile machinery exports to the US experienced a drop by two thirds, while China's appeared with more than threefold, apparently in advantages, however what the figures don't make known is to what extent machines have maintained their prices in the migration from West to East.

Exports from Switzerland observed a setback of 15 percent in the first half-year 2005, in against the above-average first semester 2004 and gained a total volume of CHF 927 million. The most noteworthy harmful setback came from the European markets (-29%). While the respected growth in Asia arrived at a decline (-3%), for the first time in years the American markets observed a positive figure (+ 1 %).

In fact, the Asian markets stay hovering. Almost 51 percent of all merchandise exported from Switzerland reached to this state, while the contribution of the European markets set to 36 percent. By country-wise list, India is positioned now on first place (CHF 107 million), followed by China (CHF 93 million), Turkey (CHF 84 million), Italy (CHF 69 million) and Germany (CHF 64 million). More over in the top ten position ranking covers Pakistan, Iran, USA, Japan and Hong Kong.

The largely notable upsurge in compared to the last year semester observed, Iran (+ 139%), India (+ 131 %), Pakistan (+58%) and Brazil (+18%). Noteworthy setbacks had to be recorded in Turkey (-57%), China (-51 %), Thailand (-47%), Hong Kong (-26%) and Indonesia (-19%).

Due to a very low volume of new orders at the end of last year, in the first half of 2005 the overall decrease of exports was anticipated. Though, it has to be observed that the figures are tremendously changing from sector to sector. However, information from the sales front point out that business already bottomed out. Concluding on budgeted level, the growing figure of receiving new orders provides a chance for a pleasing outcome at the end of this year.

The leading manufacturers of textile machineries in Switzerland

Uster Technologies

Uster Technologies, the world's market leader in textile quality controlling, provides systems and services that enable the textile industry to manufacture optimum quality and competitive products "from fiber to fabric". They have a long history as the Leader in textile electronics. For more than 60 years, their testing and monitoring solutions have enabled the production of high quality yarns and fabrics.

Their proud heritage dates back to 1944 when the large local textile industry contacted the Zellweger Uster Company for help to improve the quality of yarns. The response of USTER was the development of the first yarn evenness tester. Since then, the company has introduced a steady stream of new, market-leading testing and monitoring systems for the worldwide textile industry, covering a variety of testing requirements from fiber to yarn. The beginning of 2003 was an important milestone for USTER: USTER Managers together with financial investors acquired Zellweger Uster and Zellweger Uster, to become Uster Technologies AG. A new company continuing the tradition of standards, leadership and innovation for the textile industry was born. They set the standards for quality control in the global textile industry. USTER provides the benchmarks that are the basis for the trading of textile products at assured levels of quality across global markets. They have emerged as a highly flexible and efficient company, maintaining our position as a respected and trusted partner to the industry, as the leader in quality monitoring systems.

60 years of experience and success - this not only provides their strong position as worldwide leader in textile electronics, but also the creation of the USTER trademark, which is unique in the textile industry. USTER stands for innovative total solutions within the textile chain and has established itself worldwide as the standard in quality control and monitoring. Long-term investments in research and development have contributed considerably to this success, ensuring the availability to their customers of measuring and monitoring systems that are robust, accurate and reliable, essential requirements for monitoring and optimizing quality in textile products. Their staffs, many of whom are acknowledged experts, possess a great potential of ideas, knowledge and ability.

Speaking with fibre2fashion regarding USTER STATISTICS, CEO of Uster Technologies AG, Dr. Geoffrey Scott said "USTER STATISTICS are quality benchmarks, which permit a classification of fibers, slivers, rovings and yarns with regard to world production. USTER STATISTICS are the recognized standard for quality benchmarking worldwide and represents the basis for the specification of yarn trade contracts, for the definition of fiber and yarn quality characteristics in connection with textile machine sales, as well as in all other commercial textile transactions. Companies may improve their production and setting new objectives according to the USTER STATISTICS." It is evidence that the spinning mills have extensive rate of return through the Usterized certificate.

"Within the textile industry there was and still is a clear move towards Asia. 80% of our actual market is concentrated to China, India, Pakistan and Turkey. One very stable and strong business relation is our relation to the Cotton Classing Offices in the United States, Uzbekistan and also in China. We just recently announced the purchase of 40 USTER HVI CLASSING systems for the 2005 cotton season to the USDA and confirmed that the Fiber Inspection Bureau of China is planning to extend its operation by purchasing a substantial n