Interview with Keyur Panchal, Executive Director, Rabatex Industries, at Techtextil North America 2025
As India’s textile machinery manufacturers continue to make their mark globally, Rabatex Industries has steadily emerged as a trusted name for material handling and warping solutions—especially for the growing technical textiles segment. At Techtextil North America 2025, The Textile Magazine caught up with Keyur Panchal, Executive Director at Rabatex, to discuss the company’s global strategy, recent innovations, and how it’s adapting to the evolving needs of customers across India and the North American market.
Positioning for Visibility in a Strategic Market
Rabatex approached Techtextil NA with a focused strategy: rather than exhibiting machinery, the company showcased its capabilities through detailed product catalogues and one-on-one interactions.
“For us, this show is about networking and brand establishment,” said Panchal. “It’s not practical to display capital equipment here, but we are seeing rising interest in our material handling and sampling solutions. Our presence is about starting conversations and building relationships.”
A Culture of Constant Innovation
Rabatex is known for its agility in R&D, with three to four innovation projects undertaken each year. One recent standout is a carbon creel developed for a leading Indian conglomerate. While details remain confidential, the development underlines the company’s strength in customized, high-precision solutions for technical textiles.
“We constantly take on projects that challenge conventional processes,” Panchal said. “This year, one of our major innovations is the split sectional warping machine, designed for monofilament yarns. It splits a mother yarn into 12 ends, reducing process complexity and improving efficiency drastically.”
This 2024 innovation has already begun generating commercial traction and is contributing significantly to the company’s revenue momentum.
Reading the North American Market Right
Rabatex sees strong long-term potential in North America, especially in sampling systems and material handling solutions for technical textiles.
“There’s already a presence of Indian manufacturers in this space, and we see Rabatex earning a solid face value in the U.S. over time,” Panchal noted. “Sampling solutions, in particular, are a niche we are well-positioned to lead.”
He acknowledged that while machine operations and workforce support are more limited in the U.S., there’s a growing need for intelligent, automated, and compact equipment that aligns with local capabilities.
Mixed Signals from the Indian Market
While Rabatex has seen exciting breakthroughs in R&D, the Indian market experienced headwinds in 2023–24, especially for standard sectional warping machines. Panchal attributes this to budgetary uncertainties and delays in government-backed incentive schemes, which held up capital investments.
“Despite this, we’ve seen resilience through our innovation-led projects. It’s not uniform growth, but it’s strategic and targeted,” he said.
Making Sustainability Tangible
Sustainability is a core principle for Rabatex—particularly impressive for a company operating heavily in steel-based machinery manufacturing. Panchal shared that Rabatex has invested in STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) installations at its new unit and is continuously working to reduce its carbon footprint.
“We know it’s challenging in our segment, but we’re actively working towards carbon neutrality wherever possible,” he emphasized.
Reflections on Techtextil North America
While Panchal appreciated the platform that Techtextil provides, he also offered a candid assessment: “The footfall from deeply technical or operations-level professionals—the ‘grey-haired’ experts of the industry—was lower this year compared to the last. But we understand there were factors like the weather and timing at play.”
Nevertheless, Rabatex views the event as a success in terms of brand building and market exploration. “It’s not always about closing deals; it’s about being seen and being part of the global conversation,” Panchal concluded.
Conclusion
With a solid base in India, growing international recognition, and a sharp focus on R&D-driven customization, Rabatex Industries is steadily carving its place as a global partner in material handling and sampling solutions for technical and industrial textiles. Techtextil North America was not just a trade event for Rabatex—it was a platform to reaffirm its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and global partnership.
