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Europe’s greatest strength: deep industry expertise
Europe’s technical textiles industry has benefited from decades of close collaboration with demanding industrial sectors. Whether in automotive manufacturing, construction or personal protective equipment, the industry has developed extensive application expertise alongside its customers.
For Lutz Walter, Secretary General of the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles and Clothing (ETP) - Europe’s largest expert network for applied textile research and innovation - this expertise is one of Europe’s most important competitive advantages: “Over the past 20 to 30 years, we have built up deep knowledge step by step together with our customers.” This technical understanding is now a key success factor in global competition.
Walter also highlights the structure of Europe’s industry as a major strength. Numerous medium-sized companies, many of them family-owned, operate as so-called hidden champions. Their long-term strategic outlook enables them to invest in innovations whose returns may only become visible years later.
To safeguard Europe’s innovation and technology leadership in the long term, the industrial base must be strengthened, while cooperation and connectivity across the entire supply and value chain need to be expanded.
Key takeaways
- Europe’s greatest strength lies in the technical expertise built up over decades.
- Family-owned hidden champions play a crucial role in driving innovation across the industry.
- Healthcare, protection applications, and aerospace are among the most promising future markets.
- The SmartX initiative is developing a European innovation strategy for technical textiles.
- The “Textiles of the Future” programme supports textile innovation at EU level.
- Preserving Europe’s complete textile value chain remains essential for future competitiveness and innovation leadership.
