Whose Crystal Ball Are You Using?

Those of you who know me, or have read or heard my reports or talks, know that I am upbeat and positive about the technical textiles industry. It's my passion and I believe in it. In my many (45+) years in this industry, I have seen things fluctuate wildly, and our current economic crisis is one of the biggest swings most of us have ever seen. But the industry is still here and for many, thriving. There's still "gold in them thar hills.” You just have to work to find it.

Just so you know I haven't had my head in the sand, yes, I know we are in a tough economic situation; it is a very difficult time to be sure. The problem with writing something like this ahead of the curve is that we don't know how things will be resolved – good or bad – in the coming months. I don't have a crystal ball, nor do you – at least not one we can rely on. And the "big black 8-ball" is giving me mixed messages. We have elected a new president; what's he going to do? All kinds of bailout plans have been proposed and some enacted; will they work? Many industries are pleading for some type of assistance. And the world economy is following suit. But one thing I do know, and I don't need a crystal ball for this, is that the technical textiles industry will survive and prosper. It may take a dive for a while, but it will come back. It may be different, but it will still be with us; an important, vital industry helping us to make and improve existing products, make possible new ones, and making use of amazing new technologies – some we know of and others we haven't yet seen.

A number of our major customers are having a hard time, that's undeniable. But at a recent trade show, I did not hear woe or gloom. In fact, most attendees and exhibitors were positive and upbeat. Who knows what the situation will be like a few months from now, but if people are scared of the economy, scared of losing their jobs, or find their investments in the tank, they don't buy things like houses and cars, which are major industries for technical textiles, just to name a couple. The automotive area is a prime example. It seems apparent it will slide into producing 10-12 million cars per year, down from 17 million. They are shutting down and curtailing plants and that hurts a lot of people and businesses. The suppliers to the auto industry are not making seats, airbags, interior materials, tires, and a host of other things vital to the modern automobile. When these suppliers are hurting, their textile suppliers are also hurting. So are the fiber suppliers, the chemical suppliers, and on and on.

To be honest, we are scared and have done a good job of talking ourselves into an even worse situation. But I am not an economist, and I realize there is much more to the problem. So I will leave it up to the politicians and big-money people to fix things.

Doom and gloom? Not by a long shot. There are still opportunities out there for companies willing to commit and do what is necessary to supply customer needs, to compete, and to develop new products, applications and markets. Why gear up to develop new products or get into the business in such difficult times? Because the business WILL come back (remember, you heard it here). And one must be prepared to compete and be ready to take advantage of the needs of a growing population, ongoing improvements in the infrastructure, growing needs in the medical area as our population ages, and the wondrous application of new technology. Will you be prepared?

What to do? Use this slow time to learn, to network, become more efficient, study customer needs, explore new techniques, and take a look at emerging applications and technology. Attend, and yes, exhibit, at industry shows such as Techtextil North America 2009 in Las Vegas. Techtextil North America is taking a bold step to highlight and showcase the industry to a new audience in the western part of the U.S. Take advantage of it. Get your message out to an eager-to-hear audience. Attend the Symposium to learn about new technology and applications – things that are shaping our industry or will in years to come. Get ready. Be prepared. Don't just be an onlooker, be a participant.

See you in Las Vegas. I'm looking forward to working with you to make a better, healthier technical textile industry. To show my confidence, I just bought a new car (it is a good time).



William C. (Bill) Smith is principal of Industrial Textile Associates and a leading product/market development consultant to the technical textile industry. He worked 25 years with J. P. Stevens & Co. before founding ITA in 1986. He is a graduate of Georgia Tech and resides in Greer, SC. Bill has been the Symposium Director for Techtextil North America since its inception in 2000. For further information, visit his website at www.intexa.com. Bill may be reached at 864-292-8121 or bsmith@intexa.com.