Mario Kuster on sustainability, challenges and trends
Mario Kuster, Development Engineer, and Member of the Executive Board at CREALET AG
Mario Kuster plays an important role at CREALET AG as a development engineer and member of the executive board. In his role, he is responsible for the development and implementation of new technologies and products. He also makes strategic decisions that contribute significantly to the successful development and success of the company.
At the pre-ITMA media conference last March in the Kursaal Bern, Ernesto Maurer, President of Swiss Textile Machinery, asked what CREALET understood by sustainability in its products. Can you please explain to us in more detail what he meant by this?
Well, I wasn’t at the press conference myself, but all of CREALET’s developments for optimized yarn feeding have always been aimed at making our customers’ production processes more efficient.
CREALET has prioritized the development of energy-efficient systems that reduce energy consumption without compromising performance. This philosophy is firmly anchored in our corporate culture and is at the forefront of all our developments.
If the systems can be used more efficiently thanks to improved warp feed systems and better quality is achieved at the same time, a step towards sustainability has definitely been taken.
Correct and constant warp thread tension
in the selvedge area is crucial.
A decisive factor is the correct and constant warp thread tension in the selvedge area. Finishers, both internal and external, do not like fabrics with wavy edges, for example. Poor quality, especially in the selvedges, leads to unnecessary waste material, new production, loss of time and other problems. This is not sustainable.
This can be avoided or at least greatly improved. Correct and constant warp thread tension in the selvedge area is also crucial. CREALET products are used for this purpose.
CREALET is best known for its electronic warp feeders. Can you give us a brief overview of the individual feeding solutions?
It is no secret that CREALET specializes in electronic warp feeders for the textile industry. We have been setting standards in the industry since 2003 and offer customized solutions for broad and narrow weaving machines as well as warp knitting machines. Our goal is always to improve the efficiency and precision of weaving processes.
We are particularly proud of our
state-of-the-art solutions for narrow weaving.
We are particularly proud of our state-of-the-art solutions for narrow weaving, which ensure uniform warp tension from full to empty warp beams. Our expertise covers the entire spectrum of warp feeding, from creels and warp beams inside, above and outside the weaving machine to selvedge bobbins for catch selvedges.
Our solid market position in the textile industry is strengthened by our partnerships with COMSAT from Spain and AEI from the USA.
COMSAT’s product range includes direct and sectional warping machines, creels, fabric foaming machines, batch winders, edge winding machines and customer-specific projects. Appalachian Electronic Instruments develops and manufactures products for quality assurance in the fields of tafting, warp knitting and warp preparation.
Can you imagine entering new markets with CREALET AG?
It is quite possible that other markets are of interest to CREALET. However, this requires in-depth knowledge of the respective industries in order to understand the specific requirements and challenges. One obvious option would be to extend our expertise in the textile industry to other areas of application.
There is a market for the customized manufacture of textile components with eyelets, hooks and buckles, etc. If these processes can be carried out directly by the textile manufacturers, additional added value can be generated. However, these assemblies require optimized processes and special machines. Thanks to our network, our experience and our technical know-how, we are able to offer such services.
What distinguishes CREALET from other manufacturers on the market? What are the unique features of your warp feeders and what feedback do you receive from your customers?
CREALET’s systems differ significantly from the standard products developed by weaving machine manufacturers specifically for their machines, as well as from those of competitors in this field. Our specialty lies in finding the optimum solution for special applications.
We specialize in finding the optimum solution for every application.
An outstanding feature of our systems is their modular design. This modularity enables easy adaptation to different weaving machine types and production requirements. We offer solutions for very low warp thread tensions, as required when processing fine yarns, through to extremely high warp thread tensions, which are necessary in the production of woven synthetic fabrics.
The feedback from our customers is extremely varied and reflects the various challenges that we solve for them. One particularly meaningful piece of feedback is the number of repeat orders, which clearly show that our products meet the needs and expectations of our customers.
In addition, our long-standing presence of over 20 years on the market is clear proof of our customers’ appreciation of our products.
Finally, a personal question. What do you enjoy about your job?
Since my youth, I have been fascinated by classical engineering. This passion had a decisive influence on my educational path and ultimately led me to CREALET AG.
For me, the role of a developer means understanding the needs of customers and the market and translating these into innovative and functional products. In doing so, it is essential to always keep an eye on both cost-effective manufacturability and appealing design.
Electrical engineering, microelectronics and mechatronics
are becoming increasingly important.
The technology landscape is constantly evolving and specializations in areas such as electrical engineering, microelectronics and mechatronics are becoming increasingly important. We are specifically looking for partners who are prepared to find creative and unconventional new solutions.
The diversity and variety of the daily challenges in my work are what inspire me every day. This work gives me the opportunity to contribute directly to the further development of our company and to create innovative products that enrich the market. The combination of technical know-how, creativity and collaboration with committed partners makes my job an extremely fulfilling and exciting task.