THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW TOGETHER
Driven by a constant spirit of innovation, VOSSEN has risen to become Europe's leading terry towel manufacturer in a very short space of time - always with a focus on the region and its people!
VOSSEN can look back on a long history. In the 100 years of its history, the company has experienced highs and lows and has been able to develop to its peak form in recent years. Driven by a constant spirit of innovation and guided by visions for a better future, the VOSSEN brand shines like no other in the home textiles sector.
The two managing directors Michael Unger and Marco Talasz talk about the present and future of the traditional Austrian company.
VOSSEN is one of the leading textile companies in Austria. What accounts for the success of the VOSSEN brand even 100 years after it was founded?
MU: I believe it is our promise of unconditional quality, which we have been making to our customers for decades. It's the kind of quality you can always rely on. For me, it's always special to hear that the choice of towel brand is passed down in the family from one generation to the next. VOSSEN is something you are practically born with. If you buy VOSSEN products, you can be sure that they will be with you for the rest of your life - day after day.
How important is the production site in Jennersdorf for VOSSEN now and in the future?
MT: VOSSEN is one of the last remaining textile manufacturers in Austria with regional production. We are proud of our plant in Jennersdorf and the quality of our towels. Producing in Austria means that the quality controls are much stricter than in international comparison. All our products are of course OEKO-TEX® certified and medically tested. During production, we also make a conscious effort to involve regional companies as much as possible in order to ensure maximum added value for the region. However, the regionality of our products is not limited to Jennersdorf. By sourcing raw materials from Europe, we ensure short transportation routes and thus save a lot of CO2. Sustainable fibres, for example from Austria and Germany, ensure that our production is even more environmentally friendly.
What measures does VOSSEN take to protect the environment?
MT: We at VOSSEN decided a long time ago to take the path of sustainability, because for us, sustainability is not a goal, but a path. All of our measures are bundled under the WE CARE concept, which is constantly being developed and expanded. Among other things, we only use energy-efficient production machines with heat recovery for our production, have developed our own environmentally friendly and gentle dyeing process and a sustainable recycled yarn. By purchasing our own waste compactors, we can avoid long transportation routes and save CO2. We have also switched completely to LED lighting and e-mobility in the VOSSEN vehicle fleet and have dispensed with paper in many areas. This has already enabled us to save a large amount of paper.
MU: Our most valuable resource is water. We take it from the nearby river Raab. The river water is purified and treated without the use of chemicals and can be fed back into the municipal wastewater system after it has been used for operational purposes. This is a special and unique process in the textile industry.
MT: We use heat and cold efficiently. Our in-house heat recovery systems collect the excess heat from various production machines, convert it into energy and use it to operate other machines. We also use the water from the Raab river to keep the air in the weaving mill constantly cool and humid. Thanks to this "natural air conditioning", we can process our yarns more efficiently and further strengthen their high quality. The weaving mill is also heated without additional energy input: the exhaust air from the weaving machines makes this possible.
MU: WE CARE, which expresses our actively practiced responsibility towards people and nature and has long been an important cornerstone of our company philosophy. Our company is located in the middle of the Raab-Örség-Goricko transnational nature park, which covers around 14,700 hectares. We feel a special connection to this region and the people here and want to offer the best possible working environment in harmony with nature. VOSSEN is one of the most important employers here in the region. We are grateful to have so many employees from the region in our team. After all, it is precisely these people who have always driven our innovations and made our company what it is today: a pioneer in sustainability in the textile industry!
MT: Our employees really are our most valuable resource. VOSSEN sees itself as an inclusive and equal opportunities company that offers prospects to everyone. We support equal rights and focus on initiatives that make it easier to combine family and career. A high proportion of women in the company confirms the success of this strategy.
The measures mentioned above show that it is also possible in the textile industry to set an example of sustainability and adopt new production methods. What visions does VOSSEN have in this regard?
MT: As an award-winning leading company in the region, it is part of our self-image to produce as environmentally friendly as possible, because it is important to protect and strengthen our region. That is why we are not resting on our laurels, but want to invest in further sustainability measures over the next few years to ensure a future worth living for our children and grandchildren.
