Italian textile finishing specialist Biella Shrunk Process (BSP) has spent more than six decades developing advanced finishing technologies for high-quality woven fabrics.
At ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Kohan Textile Journal spoke with Michele Alberto, President of BSP, about the company’s heritage, its latest continuous washing technology, the challenges facing the Turkish market, and why sustainability has become the driving force behind textile finishing innovation.
Driving Sustainable Textile Finishing Through Advanced Process Technology
Kohan Textile Journal: Could you please introduce your company and its background?
Michele Alberto: I am Michele Alberto, President of Biella Shrunk Process, an Italian company specializing in textile finishing systems. We are located in northern Italy, between Milan and Turin, close to the Alps, in the famous Biella district, which is internationally recognized for producing high-quality worsted wool fabrics.
Our company was founded in 1961, and from the very beginning we specialized in one unique technology: the KD (Kessell Decatur) machine, an autoclave decatizing system designed to stabilize fabrics while improving their appearance, smoothness, shine, and handle.
Over the years we expanded our portfolio by developing complementary finishing equipment used before and after the decatizing process. Today our product range includes the Formula One felt calender, the Nanomix Evo steaming and shrinking machine, and our latest innovation, the Cinetica continuous open-width washing line.
What are the latest technologies you are presenting to the market?
Michele Alberto: The most important innovation is undoubtedly Cinetica, our revolutionary continuous open-width washing line.
The machine uses an innovative washing concept based on kinetic energy. Water is delivered through approximately 700 specially designed nozzles operating at pressures of up to 10 bar, while the fabric moves between two permeable conveyor belts. This creates an extremely powerful yet fully controlled washing action.
Despite its compact footprint, Cinetica offers exceptionally high washing efficiency while dramatically reducing both water and energy consumption compared with conventional washing systems.
The market response has been extremely positive because customers are increasingly looking for compact, efficient and sustainable finishing technologies.
We installed the first Cinetica line in Turkey a few years ago at a commission dyeing and finishing company processing polyester, viscose and wool-blend fabrics, and we believe this technology represents the future direction of our company.
Read More: ITM 2026 Results Confirm Global Industry Confidence
How do you evaluate the Turkish textile market?
Michele Alberto: Turkey has enormous industrial potential.
However, everyone knows that during the past two years the market has been facing significant challenges. Currency depreciation, financial instability and political uncertainty have made investment decisions much more difficult.
The country remains an important textile manufacturing hub, but predicting how quickly the market will recover is not easy.
What opportunities do you see in the Middle East and Africa?
Michele Alberto: North Africa has attracted increasing attention in recent years, particularly because several Turkish textile companies have expanded production into Egypt.
For our business, this relocation has had only a limited impact.
We have completed projects in Morocco and Algeria. Algeria is a state-controlled market where investment decisions often depend on lengthy bureaucratic procedures. In Morocco, one customer unfortunately closed operations, while others continue to operate, although business opportunities remain relatively limited.
Egypt certainly has strong long-term potential. We have recently supplied machinery there, but projects often require lengthy negotiations before contracts are finalized.
Looking at the broader global picture, everything is connected to international developments. China is gradually becoming more focused on its domestic market while remaining the world’s manufacturing powerhouse. As Chinese exports gradually shift, other manufacturing countries will have opportunities to expand.
Turkey remains one of those candidates despite its current challenges, while India is undoubtedly one of today’s fastest-growing textile markets.
Sustainability has become one of the industry’s biggest priorities. How important is it for BSP?
Michele Alberto: Sustainability is at the core of everything we do.
Although BSP is not a large company, our philosophy has naturally evolved toward designing machinery that is smaller, more efficient and consumes less water, steam and energy while delivering superior finishing results.
This is not an easy challenge because reducing resource consumption often affects process performance. Our objective has always been to achieve both sustainability and quality simultaneously.
With Cinetica, I believe we have demonstrated that this balance is possible. We developed a compact, highly versatile washing system that delivers outstanding washing performance while significantly lowering utility consumption.
This approach will continue to guide all of our future developments.
