At ITM 2026, Kohan Textile Journal spoke with Jan Bogaert, CEO of BMSvision, about the company’s 50-year journey in Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), the growing role of digital transformation, and why data-driven manufacturing is becoming essential for textile producers worldwide. During the interview, Bogaert explained how BMSvision helps mills improve productivity, flexibility, quality, and sustainability through intelligent software solutions.
Q: Could you introduce BMSvision and its background?
Jan Bogaert: BMSvision has been serving the textile and plastics industries for more than 50 years as a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) provider.Many companies still know us by our original name, Barco, which became synonymous with MES in the textile industry. We started in the 1970s by monitoring weaving loom performance, and over the years our technology evolved into one of the industry’s leading digital manufacturing platforms.
Today, we help manufacturers connect machines, operators, ERP systems, and warehouse management systems to improve productivity, quality, and operational efficiency.
Q: What solutions are you presenting at ITM 2026?
Jan Bogaert: We provide both software and hardware solutions that digitally connect the entire production environment.Our platform captures real-time machine data while enabling operators to communicate digitally through touchscreens and smart terminals. Operators receive production instructions, machine settings, and planning information, while also reporting quality issues or maintenance requests without paperwork.
We also provide real-time production dashboards that display key performance indicators across the factory. These dashboards encourage continuous improvement by making performance visible to everyone on the shop floor.
However, our real value goes beyond installing software.
Digital transformation is about changing the way people work. After implementation, we continue working with customers for several months to help them understand their production data, improve decision-making, and build a fully digital manufacturing culture.
Q: Why is Türkiye an important market for BMSvision?
Jan Bogaert: Türkiye has always been one of our key markets.As part of the Van de Wiele Group, we have worked with Turkish textile manufacturers for many years across weaving, knitting, and carpet production.
The Turkish textile industry has become increasingly flexible as order sizes become smaller and delivery times become shorter. Digital manufacturing helps companies reduce errors, improve productivity, and respond much faster to customer demands.We already have successful customer references in Türkiye, including Durkar, where manufacturers are fully utilizing digital manufacturing technologies to improve efficiency and flexibility.
Q: What opportunities do you see in the Middle East and Africa?
Jan Bogaert: The textile industry is constantly shifting as manufacturers search for competitive production locations.As labor costs continue to rise globally, countries in the Middle East and Africa have an opportunity to strengthen their textile industries.
However, competing with countries such as China, India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh requires more than lower labor costs. Manufacturers must invest in automation, digitalization, and flexible production systems.Companies that successfully adopt these technologies will be better positioned to compete in an increasingly dynamic global market.
Q: How does BMSvision contribute to sustainable manufacturing?
Jan Bogaert: Sustainability is one of the biggest advantages of digital manufacturing.By improving production accuracy, manufacturers reduce waste and avoid producing defective products.
Our system also monitors machine energy consumption. By comparing current performance with historical production data, we can immediately identify abnormal energy usage, equipment issues, or inefficient machine settings.Combined with advanced quality management, this allows manufacturers to reduce waste, lower energy consumption, improve product quality, and operate far more sustainably.
Digital Manufacturing Becomes a Competitive Advantage
According to BMSvision, the future of textile manufacturing will depend on the ability to combine automation, real-time data, and intelligent decision-making. As manufacturers face shorter production cycles, higher quality expectations, and increasing sustainability requirements, digital transformation is no longer optional—it has become a strategic necessity.
With more than five decades of experience in Manufacturing Execution Systems, BMSvision continues to help textile producers worldwide transform factory operations into smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable manufacturing environments.
