Monforts, a leading name in the textile machinery sector, continues to evolve despite global challenges. With a strong legacy, the company remains at the forefront of fabric finishing technology, ensuring sustainability, energy efficiency, and high-quality production. In an insightful discussion with Nicole Croonenbroek, Marketing Manager, and Hans Wroblowski, Head of Denim at Monforts, we explore the company’s achievements, presence in India, technological advancements, and vision for the future.
A Challenging Yet Progressive 2024
According to Nicole Croonenbroek, the textile machinery industry faced significant hurdles in 2024 due to geopolitical tensions, economic instability, and rising energy costs. The global crises, particularly the war in Ukraine and new climate regulations in Europe, created an uncertain investment climate. Furthermore, inflation and increasing tariffs on key products put additional pressure on the market. Despite these challenges, Monforts remained committed to innovation, developing technologies focused on energy efficiency and sustainability.
A Strong Legacy in India
Hans Wroblowski reflects on Monforts’ long-standing presence in India since the 1960s. Over the decades, the company has built successful partnerships with major Indian textile manufacturers, solidifying its leadership in fabric finishing technology.
“Our journey in India has been marked by continuous technological evolution, from mechanical processes to highly modular digital systems,” he explains. “Today, we are actively investing in digitalization to enhance precise quality control and energy monitoring, ensuring customers in India benefit from cutting-edge solutions.
Catering to India’s Growing Textile Market
As the Indian textile industry expands, Monforts continues to offer state-of-the-art solutions tailored to meet its needs. Wroblowski highlights the popularity of MONTEX stenters and THERMEX dyeing and curing lines. These machines are industry standards for denim, home textiles, and technical textiles, offering superior production throughput, durability, and unmatched energy efficiency.
Monforts is also seeing growing demand in India for coating applications.
“We have introduced the MontexCoat, a multifunctional coating line that provides knife coating, magnet roller coating, rotary screen printing, and more,” Wroblowski states. “Additionally, the more cost-effective coaTTex coating line has been launched for customers requiring knife coating alone. There is strong interest in these innovations from Indian manufacturers keen to explore the technical textiles segment.”
Collaborating with ATE for Market Success
The strong presence of Monforts in India is backed by its partnership with ATE, its local representative. Croonenbroek emphasizes the crucial role ATE plays in installing, commissioning, and servicing Monforts machines.
“Their well-trained sales and service teams ensure that our technology is optimized for each customer,” she says. “ATE’s strong local presence and long-standing relationships with customers have been instrumental in our reputation and sustained growth in the Indian market.”
Why Choose Monforts?
When asked what sets Monforts apart from competitors, Wroblowski points to the company’s deep process knowledge, which helps customers improve quality and efficiency.
Additionally, the Monforts Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Germany is pivotal in its operations. Spanning 1,200 square meters, the ATC houses two full MONTEX finishing lines and a THERMEX range, allowing customers to test their technical fabrics under real production conditions. These trials help customers optimize fabric finishes and improve product performance.
Croonenbroek highlights the latest ATC development—installing a Baldwin TexCoat digital spray unit in collaboration with BW Converting and Archroma.
“This partnership will support dyeing and finishing manufacturers in enhancing product quality while maximizing productivity and resource efficiency,” she says.
Sustainability at the Core
As global demand for sustainable textile manufacturing grows, Monforts continues to push the boundaries of energy-efficient technology. Wroblowski explains that the latest MONTEX stenters achieve up to 40% energy savings compared to conventional stenters without heat recovery systems. The THERMEX universal hotflue line also offers cost-effective dyeing and curing solutions, reducing operational costs and environmental impact.
Croonenbroek stresses the importance of machine modernization. “We prioritize upgrades that significantly enhance efficiency,” she explains. “The Monforts Universal Energy Tower, for example, can cut energy consumption by up to 30%, while the Eco Booster, which integrates into the MONTEX stenter, provides state-of-the-art heat recovery.”
Wroblowski adds that these technologies not only save energy but also improve overall process control and product quality.
After-Sales Support and Digital Services
A strong after-sales service network is vital to customer satisfaction, and Monforts has been proactive in this area. Croonenbroek recalls that Monforts recognized the importance of global communication early on, launching teleservices from Germany in the 1990s.
“Today, these services are well-established, providing remote troubleshooting and rapid spare parts identification,” she says. “Customers in India benefit from online service portals for remote support and ordering spare parts, ensuring minimal downtime and efficient operations.”
Looking Ahead: Future Growth in India
India’s textile sector continues to expand, supported by government initiatives and increasing global market share. Wroblowski is optimistic about the future.
“India has tremendous growth potential, and with continued government support, we foresee positive developments in the coming years,” he says.
Despite market uncertainties, Monforts remains committed to research and development, adapting to evolving demands while maintaining its focus on sustainability.
“By emphasizing flexibility, technological advancements, and environmental responsibility, Monforts is well-positioned to support India’s textile industry in 2025 and beyond,” Croonenbroek concludes.
Monforts’ journey in India is a testament to its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer support. With a strong foundation in technology and strategic partnerships and a clear focus on energy-efficient solutions, the company is poised to continue leading the textile machinery industry for years to come.
