EUROPA - Introduction to the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering ...

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machines, machines for preparing, tanning and processing of skins, hides or leather and
shoe-making machines. Laundry and dry cleaning machines are also included in this
sector.
Most of the demand depends on the investment activity in the textile and clothing industry.
Leather and shoe machine manufacturers only command a small fraction of the sector.
In shoe machines there is also the special group of shoe maintenance machines, in
which many shoe repairers appear as buyers, but usually invest in one single machine
only. Industrial laundries, textile cleaners, hotels and restaurants and the health services
are the most important buyers of laundry and dry cleaning machines.
The buyer industries require both standard products and special machines. Spooling,
reeling, winding and twisting machines, but also special leather and shoe-making machines
can be produced in small series. Most sewing machines are produced in large
series.
Not only industrialized but also developing countries concentrate investment on the
most modern technologies in order to be able to offer high quality products on the hardfought
textile market. Buyers from industrial nations demand, apart from high technology
and high volume machines, increasingly more flexible solutions to better meet
changing demand. Here information and communication technology offers opportunities
for product innovations. Thus computer assisted manufacture (CAM) has been introduced
for most machines
In spinning and weaving, data exchange integrated into production planning and control
presents the latest state-of-the-art today. In the development of new technologies, the
reduction of noise and other emissions is paid great attention. The improvement of technical
safety standards also remains on the agenda.
The production of machines for the textile industry in the New Member States is largely
driven by the Czech Republic (€ 445 mn), with a share of more than 80% with respect
to total production within the New Member States (€ 551 mn in 2004). The other remaining
(and rather negligible) parts of total production come from Poland (€ 53 mn or
about 9%), Slovakia (€ 28 mn or about 4%), and Hungary (€ 19 mn or about 3%).
In 2004 the Czech Republic had a trade balance surplus (within this sector) of € 221 mn,
which is almost 50% of total production. The second largest producer (Poland), in contrast,
imports many more textile machines than it sells abroad. As a consequence Poland