Refashioned EU Has Fabric Folk Wondering: What's Next?
May 11, 2004
CHIASSO, Switzerland - The addition of 10 countries to the EU roster May 1 has generated speculation world over regarding the impact the new arrangement will have on business. While results may not become tangible for months, or even years, exhibitors at the Scoperta tradeshow here May 4-7 were already anticipating how the refashioned EU would affect their companies.
"We're hoping it's gonna open up some new markets," said Len Fisher, export manager for Flocktex Industries, an Israel-based manufacturer. "But it's gonna take a few years for these countries to develop."
Because exports generate a significant amount of revenue in most fabric firms, any political change could hugely affect the financial stability of a company. With Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Hungary joining the EU, the potential impact on global trade is enormous. While some exhibitors here predicted only positive changes, others said they expected a turn for the worse.
"I don't hope so," said Sebastian Steinhoff, a sales representative for Furnitex Fabrics, a German firm, when asked whether the new EU would influence his business. Steinhoff said he anticipated Polish firms to lure a vast following in their homeland, which currently comprises Furnitex's second largest market. "It can only lower the cost [of my fabrics]," he said.
Still others predicted little to no change.
"We're already exporting to these countries anyway," said Annie Maes, a sales representative for Romain Maes, a Belgian firm.
"They won't have the purchasing power for this kind of material," said Stefano Saracini, a sales representative for ta-bru, an Italian manufacturer whose wares range in price from $15 to $35 a yard.
But whether excited, anxious or indifferent, most exhibitors expressed an anything-is-possible attitude and an eagerness to see how the new state of affairs would play out.
"Maybe yes, maybe no; it's a new world," Saracini said of the possibility for grand change. "Anyone with any bit of intelligence will tell you that adding more countries to the EU can only be a good thing. I'm optimistic, but who can say?"
"We're hoping it's gonna open up some new markets," said Len Fisher, export manager for Flocktex Industries, an Israel-based manufacturer. "But it's gonna take a few years for these countries to develop."
Because exports generate a significant amount of revenue in most fabric firms, any political change could hugely affect the financial stability of a company. With Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Hungary joining the EU, the potential impact on global trade is enormous. While some exhibitors here predicted only positive changes, others said they expected a turn for the worse.
"I don't hope so," said Sebastian Steinhoff, a sales representative for Furnitex Fabrics, a German firm, when asked whether the new EU would influence his business. Steinhoff said he anticipated Polish firms to lure a vast following in their homeland, which currently comprises Furnitex's second largest market. "It can only lower the cost [of my fabrics]," he said.
Still others predicted little to no change.
"We're already exporting to these countries anyway," said Annie Maes, a sales representative for Romain Maes, a Belgian firm.
"They won't have the purchasing power for this kind of material," said Stefano Saracini, a sales representative for ta-bru, an Italian manufacturer whose wares range in price from $15 to $35 a yard.
But whether excited, anxious or indifferent, most exhibitors expressed an anything-is-possible attitude and an eagerness to see how the new state of affairs would play out.
"Maybe yes, maybe no; it's a new world," Saracini said of the possibility for grand change. "Anyone with any bit of intelligence will tell you that adding more countries to the EU can only be a good thing. I'm optimistic, but who can say?"
