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The Textile Magazine
MARCH 2012
United States Department of Ag-
riculture (USDA) further accom-
plished their ongoing expan-
sion and replacement plans.
Uster Technologies serves
the world’s textile market, the
third largest market in the global
economy. This dynamic industry
relies on the company’s offering for
testing and quality control instru-
ments. Since consumers are becom-
ing more demanding about the qual-
ity of the textile products they use,
manufacturers have a vested inter-
est in measuring and monitoring all
production processes at every stage
of the textile industry value chain.
Comprehensive expertise and a
constant quest for precision and
perfection position Uster Technolo-
gies as the unrivalled market lead-
er. Uster offers producers unique
know-how and expertise in meeting
current and future industry require-
ments as well as in applying state-
of-the-art technology that enhances
production efficiency, quality excel-
lence and competitiveness.
Operational review
In 2011 all major markets re-
sponded positively to the improving
economic environment, leading to
increased levels of business, even
though the outlook was blurred by
the intensifying debt crisis affect-
ing major economies in the second
half of the reporting period. These
developments renewed fears of an
upcoming inflation cycle and started
to depress consumer spending.
Textile markets worldwide were
not yet affected by these trends and
continued to grow. Producers inten-
sified their focus on improving both
the level and consistency of qual-
ity in their operations and manufac-
tured products in order to maximize
earnings by enhancing efficiency
and minimizing waste. China and
India performed strongly and set the
course within the industry. In paral-
lel, rising labor costs drove a switch
from manual systems to highly au-
tomated and integrated production
processes. The result was increased
demand for automated production
machinery, including automatic
winding machines, further boosting
the demand for the associated qual-
ity measuring and control instru-
ments.
Furthermore, local markets in
China and in other Asian countries
such as Vietnam, Cambodia and
Indonesia grew well above the av-
erage industry rates. In response to
the needs of these emerging mar-
kets Uster Technologies expanded
its offering and services to the mid-
market segment with new quality
control systems featuring the latest
Uster state-of-the-art technology
and expertise.
Record sales
In the financial year 2011, Uster
Technologies posted strong per-
formance levels and achieved new
record sales. The group’s gross sales
grew to CHF 192.5 million, an in-
crease of 44.9 per cent compared
to the previous year result of CHF
132.8 million. Overall sales in the
Asian markets contributed 67.6 per
cent to total gross sales (2010: 67.3
per cent); Europe and Americas
generated 24.1 per cent and 8.3 per
cent of total sales (2010: 21.7 per
cent and 11.0 per cent). This growth
was mainly driven by improved
operational leverage based on the
group’s lean organization. The cash
flow from operational activities
was mainly used to pay down debt
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