Could you provide us with a short overview of Starlinger and its areas of operation?
Currently, we are seeing strong growth in terms of FIBC production equipment in China, India, South America and Russia. In general, Southeast Asia, Latin America, the USA and many of the CIS countries are strongly growing markets for Starlinger at the moment. The advantages of woven fabric for end-consumer packaging such as pet food sacks or packaging for ready-mix and other building materials are more and more recognised.
How competitive do you consider the market you operate in?
Our sector is a very competitive one. Especially for a turnkey equipment provider like Starlinger it is a continuous challenge to stay ahead in all areas of woven packaging production technology. There is a clear trend towards high-quality packaging producers on the one hand, and suppliers to the commodity industry on the other. Starlinger pursues a 2-model strategy so that we can provide to both: Industry leaders in high-end packaging opt for our latest technology developments, while commodity packaging producers benefit from the continuously high efficiency and fast ROI of our machines.
[pullquote]There is endless discussion about the sustainability and environmental impact of plastics[/pullquote]
How do you try to build customer loyalty?
The success of Starlinger is based on good customer relations – they have been our focus since the early days. Our customers are our partners. We want to develop and grow together, and we want to be successful together. We have many customers who bought their first Starlinger line over 35 years ago.
Are there any upcoming changes to regulations that you would like to see to benefit the packaging industry?
An objective consideration and fair judgement of plastics is one of my biggest concerns. There is endless discussion about the sustainability and environmental impact of plastics, but given the recyclability of plastic, and a considerate use of it, it is very often the most sustainable and least impactful solution compared with other materials.
How do you relax in your spare time?
I think in this fast-living and challenging business world it is necessary to use the spare time to recharge and draw new energy. For me, the best thing is to feel the peace of nature and be with my family and friends. What I especially enjoy is to create things – be it new sales strategies, packaging concepts, or a wood cabin in the forest. Maybe that’s why I like my job so much – it gives me plenty of room to create.