The trade volume of supply of Swiss textile machinery, which showed an increase of 20 percent during 2004, is set to register a further 25 to 30 percent increase during 2005. This was stated by textile machinery division of Swissmen chairman Christian Kuone at a press briefing here on Monday. He is leading a 30-member Swiss delegation on a visit to Pakistan. The delegation held a symposium on Monday to present Swiss textile machinery to Pakistani textile sector.
"We are hoping to hold an exhibition of Swiss textile machine products in Karachi sometime in April this year," Kuone told APP later. He said their current visit is aimed at helping Pakistan's textile industry to use the most advanced technology in a right way.
"We strongly believe that it is not only the supply of business machinery, but also provision of training and service to Pakistan's textile industries to produce far good quality products for world markets."
Swiss manufacturers of textile machinery are of the opinion that Pakistan would play an important role as a major textile exporter.
He remarked that Pakistan ranked third in Asia after China and India as far as the textile sector was concerned. There is great potential for the country to enhance its exports for which it needs latest state-of-the-art machinery, he added.
Speaking at the briefing, Swiss Consul General at Karachi Julius F. Anderegg told reporters that today Swiss textile machinery is regarded as the most advanced in the world.
He pointed out that Pakistan is too important in the textile sector and the best way for textile export promotion for Pakistan is to use latest machinery for a better place in the global market.
Representatives from 15 Swiss textile machinery manufacturers gave presentations of their technological expertise.
Swissmen is an association of Switzerland's Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (MEM) industries and represents business, social and training policy interests of some 1000-member companies.
In the first nine months of 2004, exports from Switzerland were up by 2.4 percent compared with the year-back period.
Up by 18 percent, Asian markets absorbed nearly 46 percent of all Swiss shipments.
China and Turkey are undisputedly in the first place in world-wide ranking while sales to China are currently slowing down.
India and Pakistan are on an impressive upward trend and with a striking plus 19 percent. Pakistan takes now third place among top Asian markets.