Technical Textiles in the Czech Republic: Profiles of a Cluster and Six Major Players

Many Czech textile firms have enjoyed success in recent years by focusing on technical textile production, where the amount of manual labour required is lower, pressure on prices is less intense, and competition from low cost Asian countries is not as strong as in the manufacture of textiles aimed at consumer markets.

Some companies and research organisations belong to a technical textile cluster called Clutex. Members work together on research and development (R&D) projects, leading to innovations and new products for their portfolios. In June 2009 12 members combined to present their product ranges at a stand at Techtextil in Germany. Clutex has 23 members with combined sales in 2008 of Kc4.3 bn (about US$250 mn). But none of the four biggest players?Juta, Kordárna, Pegas, and Technolen?has joined.

Some companies have been badly affected by the downturn in the automotive sector and weakness in the construction industry. However, others have escaped the worst of the downturn by serving highly diversified markets with a wide variety of products. Another challenge which has proved more difficult to overcome is the appreciation of the koruna against the euro and US dollar.

Juta, the largest textile company in the country, makes drainage systems, multi-layer polyolefin roof membranes and nonwoven geotextiles for the construction industry, as well as mesh tree protection, polypropylene bags and twines for the agricultural sector. Other products include artificial grass, belts, and filtration. Mehler Texnologies focuses on tarpaulins, textiles for boats and garden pools. Export destinations include Germany, Italy and the Ukraine. Svitap is Europe?s biggest maker of caravan awnings. It also produces marquees, car ports, camp beds, mattresses, and pouches for banks and postal services. Technolen makes advertisement banners, fire protection products, roof membranes and tarpaulins. Pegas is the second biggest textile company in the Czech Republic and Europe?s second largest nonwovens producer after Fiberweb serving markets for diapers, feminine hygiene and incontinence products. Kordárna ranked in 2008 as Central Europe?s largest manufacturer of technical textiles for the rubber industry and the country?s third biggest textile company industry. In 2009 the company became insolvent but its creditors have provided it with breathing space to reorganise itself.

Technical Textiles in the Czech Republic: Profiles of a Cluster and Five Major Players

• Summary
• Introduction
• Profile of Clutex: A Czech Technical Textiles Cluster
• Profile of Juta: The Market Leader in the Czech Technical Textile Industry
• Profile of Mehler Texnologies: Exporting to Germany, Italy and the Ukraine
• Profile of Svitap: Europe?s Biggest Manufacturer of Caravan Awnings
• Profile of Technolen: A German-owned Maker of Tarpaulins, Fire Protection Products, Roof Membranes and Textiles for Advertisement Banners
• Profile of Pegas: 2008 Was a Difficult Year
• Profile of Kordárna: A Special Case

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Four times a year, Technical Textile Markets provides an overview of the global man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile industries. It provides market data and analysis of new and established markets for technical textiles, and is essential reading for senior executives in (or supplying) the man-made fibre, nonwoven and technical textile sectors ? as well as for those who are not involved in the industry on a day-to-day basis, but who need an authoritative source which helps them to quickly gain an understanding of the key issues facing the companies which are actively involved in this fast-growing sector.
Reports in Technical Textile Markets include:
	company and country profiles ? giving you the opportunity to learn from strategies employed by others, in terms of production, sourcing, import/export, infrastructure and development, and plans for the future.
	profiles of the world's top 40 producers of nonwovens ? updated each year with details of developments from each of the leading producers, including acquisitions, investments and divestments, and analyses of trends which the "rising stars" are using to their advantage.
	statistical reports ? including consumption data, by fibre and end-use applications. Regular updates are published for fibre consumption in Japan, the rest of Asia, the USA, and Western Europe.
	market sector information ? analyses of important commercial end-user applications, and profiles of both established and emerging markets which take into account such innovations and developments as nanotechnology and intelligent textiles.
	regular updates on innovations in fibres, technical textiles, apparel and machinery ? including developments in the following categories: fibres and yarns; technical textile fabrics for industrial applications; machinery; technical textiles for apparel; composites; other technical textile products; and technical textile treatments and finishes.
	reports on new technological developments and other topical issues ? with clear, authoritative comments on their economic and commercial significance. The reports bring to your attention the key issues which you can use to develop your business, and provides contact details of useful organisations.
So whether you are involved in man-made fibres, nonwovens or technical textiles ? in manufacturing, converting, import/export, or end use ? or if you are in education or consultancy or investment or finance ? a subscription to Technical Textile Markets will tell you what you need to know about the key trends in the industry.
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