Egypt’s weaving industry offers long-term potential for automated warp preparation as foreign investment increases and manufacturers place greater emphasis on fabric quality and production efficiency, according to Patrick Zuppiger, Area Sales Manager at Stäubli.
Speaking with Kohan Textile Journal during EGY Stitch & Tex 2026 in Cairo, Zuppiger discussed Stäubli’s warp-knotting and automatic drawing-in technologies, the outlook for Egypt’s textile sector and the company’s longstanding cooperation with NobelTex.
Patrick Zuppiger Discusses Warp Preparation and Egypt’s Textile Potential
Kohan Textile Journal: Could you introduce Stäubli’s product range for the Egyptian market?
Patrick Zuppiger: My name is Patrick Zuppiger, and I am Area Sales Manager for Egypt at Stäubli in Switzerland.
Our weaving-preparation portfolio ranges from warp-knotting machines for filament, spun and technical yarns to automatic drawing-in systems.
These technologies help weaving mills prepare warps and harnesses for style changes on weaving machines. They are designed to reduce dependence on manual labour while improving preparation quality and the consistency of the final woven fabric.
Stäubli’s portfolio includes automatic drawing-in systems and warp-knotting machines for applications ranging from standard yarns to fine filament and technical yarns.
Kohan Textile Journal: How do you assess the potential of Egypt’s textile market?
Patrick Zuppiger: The Egyptian market is currently challenging, as is the global textile market. Nevertheless, we see considerable potential for the future because foreign investment is entering the country.
Egypt is well connected to international export markets and continues to offer competitive labour costs. Its investment environment and industrial framework are also encouraging manufacturers to consider the country for new projects.
For these reasons, we believe Egypt remains a promising textile market over the longer term.
Kohan Textile Journal: How would you describe Stäubli’s cooperation with NobelTex?
Patrick Zuppiger: We have a longstanding relationship with NobelTex and Mrs. Naila. Before working with her, we also cooperated with her mother.
We are very pleased with this partnership. It has been productive for both companies and continues to support Stäubli’s activities in the Egyptian market.
Local market knowledge and close customer relationships are particularly important when introducing technologies that can change established production processes.
Kohan Textile Journal: What role does automation play in weaving preparation?
Patrick Zuppiger: In our area of the textile industry, the principal alternative to automation is manual labour.
Our automatic drawing-in machines are used to improve the quality of the harnesses prepared for weaving machines. Better preparation can reduce errors that may otherwise result in faulty fabrics, supporting higher and more consistent fabric quality.
Automated drawing-in can also help mills keep labour costs under control. Over the longer term, labour costs are likely to rise, making automation increasingly relevant to weaving manufacturers.
For mills seeking to improve quality while reducing their dependence on manual preparation, automatic drawing-in is a logical direction.
Kohan Textile Journal: What is your outlook for the global textile industry?
Patrick Zuppiger: The textile market is going through a challenging period. Manufacturers are facing rising energy costs, while higher oil prices can contribute to increased prices for synthetic raw materials and yarns.
Consumer demand for clothing has also weakened, adding further pressure across the textile value chain.
However, textiles remain an essential industry because people will always need clothing and other textile products. We are confident that the sector will overcome the difficult period it has experienced during the past few years.
Better times will come, but companies must remain active, continue improving their technologies and stay close to their markets and customers.
Read more: Why Textile Manufacturers Continue to Trust Stäubli After More Than 130 Years
Quality and Labour Costs Could Accelerate Automation
Automated warp preparation can become increasingly important as Egyptian weaving mills target higher-value products and more demanding export markets.
Errors during manual drawing-in or warp preparation can affect weaving efficiency and fabric quality. Automated systems can help create a more controlled process, support faster style changes and reduce the possibility of preparation faults reaching the weaving stage.
Although Egypt currently maintains a competitive labour-cost position, investment decisions are generally based on the long-term operating life of machinery. Manufacturers must therefore consider how wages, quality requirements and workforce availability may develop over the coming years.
For Stäubli, combining automation technology with NobelTex’s local market experience provides a foundation for supporting Egyptian weaving mills as they modernise their production operations.
