Malkan Machinery exhibited industrial garment ironing systems at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, held in Frankfurt, Germany, on May 9-12, 2017. The fair, one of the international meeting points for garment and textile processing technologies, held its fourth edition in 2017.

The Texprocess 2017 exhibition was the edition in which the company took part in this fair with its own stand for the first time.

Malkan Machinery, founded in 1971, is Türkiye's first domestic manufacturer of industrial-type ironing machines. At the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, the company highlighted its jacket and trouser pressing units, which are especially important in men's and women's outerwear production. The stand's most popular product was a specialty pressing prototype developed with TUBITAK support.

This article examines participation in the Texprocess 2017 exhibition along three lines: the background of the decision to exhibit, the contribution of the own-stand model to exports, and the technical principles of the exhibited presses. Factory Manager Metin Kilic's post-fair assessments and the 2019 target are also covered within this framework.

Texprocess 2017: The Fourth Edition in Frankfurt

Texprocess is an international trade fair where machinery and technologies for processing textiles and flexible materials are exhibited. First held in 2011, the fair takes place in Frankfurt every two years, together with Techtextil, the technical textiles fair. The 2017 edition was the fourth meeting in this calendar.

According to data on the fair, attendance in 2017 rose by around 30 percent compared with the previous edition. Türkiye was represented at the fair by 18 manufacturers, and Malkan Machinery was among these participants at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition. The increase indicated that the machinery renewal agenda of garment manufacturers was active.

Holding the Texprocess 2017 exhibition at the same time as Techtextil allowed visitors to see developments in fabrics and materials together with the processing technologies. Technical textile, garment and supply chain managers could move between the two fairs within the same day. This structure helped purchasing delegations that visited the Texprocess 2017 exhibition to use their time efficiently.

From IMB Cologne to Texprocess: The Decision Process

Malkan Machinery took part in the IMB Fair, held in Cologne, in the period before Texprocess. After its 2009 edition, IMB, which was held every three years, lost the support of the sector associations to the new fair established in Frankfurt. For this reason, Texprocess was regarded in the sector as the successor of IMB.

In his post-fair assessment, Malkan Machinery Factory Manager Metin Kilic recalled the high commercial satisfaction achieved at IMB. According to Kilic, certain hesitations arose at first over the move to Texprocess because of changes in the sector.

The company therefore examined the last three editions of the fair on site as a visitor and matured its decision to take part through these observations.

These three editions were the meetings held in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Watching a fair as a visitor before taking part is a cautious and common method for industrial companies. Visitor profile, hall layout and meeting intensity can be assessed this way before participation.

The decision to take part in the Texprocess 2017 exhibition was also the product of this cautious approach. For participation, not only the size of the fair but also the weight of the target customer group at the fair was considered decisive.

Garment ironing technologies were a natural part of the fair as the last and most visible link of garment production.

First Participation with Its Own Stand: From the Distributor Umbrella to Corporate Identity

For many years, Malkan Machinery was represented in international markets under the umbrella of local distributors and in limited areas.

At the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, however, the company took part in the fair for the first time with its own stand design and its own corporate identity. This change reflected the brand's long-term goal of permanence in the European market.

Exhibiting with its own stand allows the manufacturer to present its products with its own technical team and to answer visitors' questions first-hand. Product presentation, pricing policy and brand language are managed from a single centre. At the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, this approach made it possible to introduce the machines through live demonstrations.

In stand layout, machines are positioned so as not to interrupt visitor flow and to leave a demonstration area around each press. A quiet section set aside for technical meetings makes it easier to discuss detailed offers. This arrangement helps turn short visits into productive meetings.

This model at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition did not exclude distributors; on the contrary, it also increased their commercial effectiveness.

Malkan distributors from different European countries used this area as if it were their own corporate centre throughout the Texprocess 2017 exhibition. They invited garment manufacturers and purchasing professionals from their regions to the stand and continued their meetings there.

In addition to Europe, dealer delegations from other regions also held cooperation talks for the coming period at the stand during the Texprocess 2017 exhibition.

In a period when garment production was being restructured geographically, these contacts offered an opportunity to learn the specific demands of local markets directly. Developing product adaptations according to local needs also became easier in this way.

Demonstrating an ironing press in operation at a fair requires steam, electricity, vacuum and compressed air infrastructure to be set up at the stand.

The steam requirement is mostly met by electric steam generators placed within the stand. Making the connections in line with the technical rules of the fairground is a precondition for the demonstration to run safely.

A live demonstration allows visitors to try their own fabric on the buck and check the result by hand. Hand feel, form and surface quality, which cannot be conveyed by a brochure or video, are assessed directly this way.

For this reason, presses on display in working order at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition were at the centre of sales meetings.

Specialty Presses for Jacket and Trouser Pressing

Before the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, Malkan Machinery invested in R&D in specialty pressing units for jackets and trousers, which are critically important in men's and women's outerwear production.

The product range shown at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition reflected the results of this work. In products such as suits that demand high workmanship precision, specialty presses directly determine final pressing quality.

A jacket takes its form not through a single pressing operation but through successive area pressings. Areas such as the shoulder, collar, front panel, back and sleeve need different bucks and different times. Specialty presses that use a separately shaped buck for each area give a look close to the body form without stretching the fabric.

On trousers, the waist area, the front and back creases, the hem and the inseam lines come to the fore. Symmetry of the crease on both legs directly affects how the product is perceived in the store.

For this reason, on trouser presses the alignment of the buck and the way the fabric is placed on it must be repeatable regardless of operator skill.

The upper part and the legs of a trouser are mostly pressed on different presses. The upper press shapes the waist, hip and pocket area, while the leg press forms the crease along the full length. Running the two operations at the same line tempo prevents waiting between stations.

In series production, thousands of units of the same model must be pressed with the same quality. A specialty press reduces operator-dependent differences, contributes to line balance and lowers the need for re-pressing. The jacket and trouser presses shown at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition were introduced as solutions for this need.

In jacket production, pressing is not done only at the final stage; intermediate pressings spread across the sewing process also determine quality.

Intermediate operations such as seam opening, pocket and flap pressing, and lining and interlining fusing lighten the load of the final pressing. A piece whose intermediate pressing is done correctly takes its form on the final press in a shorter time and more evenly.

Final pressing is the finishing stage of the product before packing and gives the final look the customer will see. In line planning, intermediate pressing stations are placed next to the related sewing steps, and final pressing presses at the end of the line. This layout balances line flow by reducing part-handling distance and intermediate stock.

Heat, Steam, Pressure and Vacuum: The Four Basic Parameters of a Press

The success of garment ironing presses depends on the balance among steam, heat, pressure and vacuum. Steam moistens the fabric and lets the fibres take shape, while heat speeds up this shaping. Pressure sets the form according to the buck; vacuum fixes the form by removing moisture and heat.

Wool and wool-blend fabrics take shape easily under moist heat and keep this form once they cool and dry. For this reason, in jacket pressing the vacuum cooling step that follows steaming is at least as important as the steam. A piece that stays damp on the buck may partly lose its form when hung.

Fabrics with a delicate fibre structure, such as cashmere, alpaca and pure wool, respond to heat and pressure with lower tolerance. On these fabrics, low pressure, controlled steam and sufficient vacuum time are applied together. The aim is to give a lasting form without crushing the fibre surface and to preserve the natural texture of the fabric.

On synthetic and blended fabrics, high temperature and excessive pressure increase the risk of shine and seam marks on the surface. The same defect can also be seen on dark-coloured woollens. Buck cover, pressure setting and suitable temperature are assessed together to prevent these defects.

Inspection after pressing is the last safeguard of line quality. In the check, form, surface shine, seam marks, crease symmetry and remaining moisture are examined together. When a recurring defect is seen, the cause is mostly sought in the buck, the steam quality or the time setting.

Dry saturated steam is a basic condition for pressing quality. Steam that carries water droplets can leave stains and ring marks on the fabric. Correct drainage and sufficient pressure in the steam line are a precondition for the press to reach its design performance.

Verifying and recording the parameters for each fabric and model ensures continuity of production. Keeping the settings constant also eases the transition from sample approval to series production. The presses introduced at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition were presented with an approach that puts balanced management of these parameters at the centre.

TUBITAK-Supported Prototype and Live Demonstration at the Fair

One of the most striking products on the stand at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition was a prototype developed within the framework of national R&D support.

The specialty pressing machine, designed by engineers in the company's R&D team in Türkiye, was built within the scope of TUBITAK R&D project support. At the Texprocess 2017 exhibition, the prototype was examined closely by engineers and manufacturers from different countries.

While the sale of the series-production models shown at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition was completed, the prototype was brought back to Türkiye in line with official and legal procedures.

The purpose of this was to complete the ongoing test processes. The prototype's live demonstrations at the fair, in turn, led to order requests being collected from international garment manufacturers for the coming period.

TUBITAK is the national institution in Türkiye responsible for developing science and technology policies and supporting R&D work. Industrial companies benefiting from project support gain the chance to share part of the cost and risk of product development. The prototype shown at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition was an example of this cooperation model in ironing technology.

In supported R&D projects, work packages, budget items and technical outputs are monitored with periodic reports. The test results of the prototype are also a basic input of these reports. This discipline makes it easier to document the development process and to transfer the knowledge gained to later products.

The target area of the prototype was outerwear that demands high workmanship precision, such as suits, jackets and trousers. In these products, form quality, the hand feel of the fabric and surface appearance must be preserved together. The system, developed with domestic engineering, aimed to strengthen the access of garment manufacturers to a domestic solution.

From Prototype to Series Production: Validation Steps

Moving a press prototype to series production requires a long validation process that continues after the demonstration at the fair. In this process, the machine is tried repeatedly under different fabric, model and shift conditions. The aim is for the design to give the same result in a real production environment as well.

In durability tests, the buck, joints and pneumatic components are monitored over thousands of cycles. Temperature distribution is measured at different points of the buck surface, and sealing in the steam and vacuum lines is checked. The data obtained determines the choice of materials and components in series production design.

After laboratory tests, running the machine as a pilot in a real production environment is a common validation method. In pilot use, cycle time, defect rate and operator habits are observed on real orders. These observations guide final design corrections, from the control layout to buck dimensions.

For machines to be offered to the European market, the safety requirements under the EU Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) are met and the CE mark is affixed.

A two-hand control layout that keeps the operator's hands away from the closing zone, and an emergency stop, are typical examples of these requirements. The risk assessment and the technical file are prepared from the prototype stage onwards.

On the user side, operator training, the maintenance plan and access to spare parts are assessed. Feedback from fair visitors is an important input that guides the design at this stage. The order requests collected during the Texprocess 2017 exhibition demonstrations were also an early sign of the commercial return of this process.

Post-Fair Commercial Assessment and the 2019 Target

Metin Kilic stated that the industrial garment ironing systems shown at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition drew strong interest.

According to Kilic, the direct sale of all the machines exhibited at the fairground showed the market's response to the brand's technological accumulation. Kilic assessed this result as an indication that the decision to exhibit with its own stand was commercially sound.

The effect of exhibiting with its own stand was not limited to sales within the fair. The contacts made during the Texprocess 2017 exhibition also created new meeting opportunities for the regional sales activities of the distributors. This showed that direct brand representation and the local sales network can complement each other.

The contribution of a press sold at a fair to production begins with the installation and commissioning steps after delivery. The machine's steam, vacuum and electrical connections are made according to the facility infrastructure, and settings suitable for the fabric are then determined together. Operator training and the first maintenance plan are also part of this stage.

Kilic also shared the next step to be taken after the Texprocess 2017 exhibition. The company aimed to take part in the next Texprocess, to be held in 2019, with a larger stand area and a wider product range. This target was based on the results achieved at the 2017 edition.

In evaluating fair participation, not only the number of sales but also the number of companies met, the offer conversion and new market contacts are taken into account.

These indicators form the basis of the budget and stand size decision for the next edition. The growth target announced by Malkan Machinery for 2019 can also be read from this perspective.

Press Design for Energy and Resource Efficiency

Sustainability regulations and energy costs in Europe were leading garment manufacturers to pay more attention to consumption values in machinery investments.

The new-generation industrial garment ironing systems introduced at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition were based on a design approach aiming at the highest efficiency with the lowest resource consumption. Insulated steam chambers and vacuum motors were part of this approach.

In heated bucks, good insulation limits heat loss to the surroundings and helps keep buck temperature stable throughout the cycle. Adjusting steam and vacuum times by model prevents steaming longer than necessary. Arrangements that lower the energy consumption of a press on standby also make a difference by the end of a shift.

The steam consumption of a press is directly related to steaming time and the number of cycles. For this reason, the most accurate way to measure consumption is to calculate per product rather than per machine. On a line where steam and electricity consumption per product is known, the effect of setting changes can also be tracked concretely.

Programmable control panels allow verified settings to be stored for each model. When the operator does not change a setting by guesswork, both energy and quality deviations decrease. An ergonomic body design, in turn, supports line efficiency by limiting operator fatigue.

Heavy-duty mechanical components are another factor affecting long-term maintenance cost. Easy access to wearing parts shortens unplanned downtime. In an investment decision, besides the purchase price, the energy, maintenance and spare parts costs over the machine's service life should also be taken into account.

Later Editions: Continued Participation in Frankfurt

Participation in the Texprocess 2017 exhibition grew into a journey that began with the company's own stand and continued in later editions.

The fair became one of the regular meeting points of the company's direct brand representation in international markets. For information on the scope of the fair and its current edition, the Texprocess Frankfurt Fair guide can be consulted.

The company's international cooperation also gained a new dimension in later years. Today the Malkan Indupress strategic partnership is an important part of Malkan Machinery's technology cooperation in Europe. The understanding of direct representation established in Frankfurt was one of the experiences that prepared the ground for such partnerships.

Malkan Machinery exports to 95 countries today. The direct representation step taken at the Texprocess 2017 exhibition was one of the steps that contributed to strengthening this export network. For the company's view of exports, the article on Malkan Machinery's tourism and export vision can be consulted.

Conclusion: Gains from the Texprocess 2017 Exhibition

Participation in the Texprocess 2017 exhibition set an example for the representation of machinery manufacturers from Türkiye at international fairs, through a corporate stance and concrete commercial results.

The decision to move from IMB to Texprocess was the product of a cautious process matured through visitor observation. The sale of all the series-production machines exhibited showed, in Kilic's words, the return on this decision.

The jacket and trouser presses and the TUBITAK-supported prototype brought the company's R&D accumulation together with international buyers. The distributors' use of the stand as a joint centre showed that exhibiting with its own stand can also strengthen the sales network. The Texprocess 2017 exhibition experience also became a guide for later editions.

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