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The Textile Magazine
MARCH 2012
to CHF 70 million, underlining the
group’s strong cash generation abil-
ity.
Management remains committed
to investing around 10 per cent of
total sales in R&D, thereby ensur-
ing continued sustainable growth
of the organization’s operations. In
2011 expenses for R&D amounted
to CHF 18.2 million, which corre-
sponds to 9.4 per cent of total sales
(2010: CHF 14.9 million; 11.2 per
cent).
Increased sales of all product
groups contributed to the solid re-
sults in 2011 and clearly exceeded
the levels achieved in the prior year.
Sales to textile machinery manufac-
turers and producers of automated
winding machines were strong,
thanks to the launch of the new third
generation of USTER QUANTUM
3 clearer. This innovative device hit
the markets at a favorable time when
the textile industry was shifting
back into a growth gear and new in-
vestments in quality returned to the
focus of textile machinery manufac-
turers as well as textile producers.
In order to meet the high demand,
the Uster teams successfully organ-
ized an efficient use of all available
resources. This included the com-
missioning and fast ramp-up of new
automated manufacturing systems, a
major step forward in operations that
allows for significant improvements
in productivity and flexibility, along
with assuring yet further improve-
ments in the level and consistency of
quality, performance and reliability
of our own products. A further posi-
tive impact arising from the group’s
lean and flexible business model is
an inherent expertise in supply chain
management and working with out-
sourcing partners.
The group specialists managed to
rapidly build up a completely new
supply chain as well as tooling and
quality processes for the new prod-
uct group. This was achieved in
spite of some challenges early in the
year with the supply of electronic
components resulting from ‘empty
supply streams’ after the crisis along
with some disruptions following the
Tsunami in Japan.
These challenges were mitigated
through the diligent and systematic
focus of manufacturing and supply
chain teams to resolve issues and to
ensure minimal impact on the sup-
ply of products to customers. They
deserve special congratulations for
their outstanding efforts.
In customer markets, high raw
material prices supported demand
for quality measurement and cer-
tification products. In the classing
business, Uster further intensified
its dedicated support to the expan-
sion and replacement programs of
USDA and the China Fiber Inspec-
tion Bureau (CFIB). Besides, the
company teams secured additional
business in further cotton growing
markets such as India, Africa and
Central Asia, thereby diversifying
the customer base and confirming
the trust in Uster as the authority in
cotton classing.
Demand for testing systems, both
in textile laboratories and in the
manufacturing process, continued
to increase during the reporting pe-
riod as textile producers expressed a
need for efficient manufacturing at
optimal and consistent quality lev-
els.
In the customer service business,
the Uster Group strengthened its
strong relationships with its wide
textile retailer base, enhancing inter-
est in a number of value-adding serv-
ices, including Intelligent Sourcing,
USTERIZED certification and Uster
Statistics.
The after-sales service business
was maintained in line with instru-
mentation sales.
Demonstrated leadership
Uster Technologies continued to
offer extensive promotional and ed-
ucational programs for its products
groups. These programs have been
specifically designed to enhance
customers’ understanding of how
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