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Delta Máquinas, from Pomerode, in Santa Catarina, delivered the first 100% national textile stenter of Brazil, breaking the historical dependence on equipment imported from Germany and Italy. The machine is over 50 meters long, cost R$ 5 million to develop, and is up to 15% cheaper than similar foreign models, which cost around R$ 7 million when imported.
According to information from NSC, the Brazilian textile industry has just achieved a milestone that seemed distant: producing a stenter on national soil, the large-scale equipment used in the processes of preparation and finishing of knits and fabrics. Delta Máquinas, a company from Pomerode, in the Itajaí Valley of Santa Catarina, developed and manufactured the first 100% national stenter in the country, investing R$ 5 million in research and production. The equipment was ordered by Textilfio, from Jaraguá do Sul, and represents a concrete alternative to machines that until now could only be purchased from German and Italian manufacturers.
The significance of this delivery goes beyond a commercial transaction between two companies from Santa Catarina. Until now, the entire Brazilian textile industry that needed a stenter depended on importation, facing high acquisition costs, complex transportation for a machine over 50 meters long, long delivery times, and difficulties in maintenance and technical support due to the distance from the original manufacturers. With the national version, these obstacles are significantly reduced, and the price up to 15% lower than imported counterparts makes the deal even more favorable for Brazilian industries.
What is a stenter and why it matters to the textile sector
(image: NSC)
The stenter is one of the most important machines in the fabric finishing process. It is responsible for carrying out several stages in a single production line, including chemical impregnation, alignment of the fabric structure, drying, and heat setting. Without the stenter, these stages would have to be done separately, on different equipment, taking more time, more energy, and posing a greater risk of inconsistency in the quality of the final product.
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The size of the machine reflects the complexity of what it does. A stenter can exceed 50 meters in length and process fabrics up to 3.2 meters wide, in the case of the model developed by Delta Máquinas. Transporting equipment of this size from Germany or Italy to a factory in the interior of Santa Catarina involves heavy logistics, maritime transport, customs clearance, and specialized assembly carried out by foreign technicians. Each stage adds cost and time to the process, making the national version not only a cheaper solution but also a more agile one.
R$ 5 million investment versus R$ 7 million importation
Delta Máquinas invested R$ 5 million in the development of the national stenter, a value that includes research, engineering, prototyping, and production. According to the company, the equipment has the same performance and productivity as imported counterparts but costs up to 15% less for the final buyer. Importing a stenter manufactured in Germany or Italy costs about R$ 7 million, considering the price of the machine, international freight, import taxes, and installation costs.
The 15% savings are not limited to the purchase price. With the manufacturer in Pomerode and the client in Jaraguá do Sul, the distance between the two companies is less than 50 kilometers. This means that preventive maintenance, technical visits, parts replacement, and operational support can be carried out in a matter of hours, not weeks. For a textile industry that operates in continuous shifts and cannot stop production for days waiting for a European technician, this proximity has value that no cost spreadsheet can fully quantify.
Industry 4.0 technology manufactured in Pomerode
The national stenter is not a simplified copy of foreign equipment. Delta Máquinas equipped the machine with data integration and automation technology aligned with Industry 4.0 concepts, allowing real-time monitoring of the production process, digital control of temperature, speed, and fabric tension, and data collection that feeds production management systems. The machine also meets updated safety requirements.
According to the company, these features help improve the final quality of the fabrics, ensure greater production control, reduce raw material waste, and save energy. For textile industries seeking quality and sustainability certifications, having a machine that automatically records the parameters of each processed batch is a competitive advantage that facilitates audits and proves process compliance. The technology embedded in the national stenter places the Santa Catarina product on the same technical level as European competitors.
Breaking decades of technological dependence
The delivery of the first national stenter is described by Delta Máquinas as a game changer for the sector. Fábio Kreutzfeld, the company’s president, stated that developing a solution of this magnitude in Brazil allows for better meeting the needs of the local industry, reducing dependence on foreign technology, and providing more agility to textile companies. The statement reflects a problem the sector has faced for decades: the inability to purchase an essential piece of equipment for operations in the domestic market.
The dependence on imported machines affects more than just the acquisition price. It creates currency vulnerability, as the cost of importation fluctuates with the dollar and the euro. It generates logistical uncertainty, as delays at ports or customs issues can compromise factory expansion schedules. And it complicates customization, as European manufacturers produce for the global market and do not always meet the specific needs of the Brazilian industry. With the national stenter, all these variables are under local control.
Pomerode and Jaraguá do Sul: the Itajaí Valley as a textile and machinery hub
The coincidence of having the machine manufacturer in Pomerode and the client in Jaraguá do Sul is not accidental. The Itajaí Valley is one of the regions with the highest concentration of textile industries in Brazil, and the presence of machinery and equipment manufacturers in the same region creates an industrial ecosystem where suppliers and clients mutually support each other. Delta Máquinas understands the needs of the local textile industry because it coexists with it in the same territory.
The geographical proximity between those who manufacture the machine and those who operate it is a competitive advantage that European manufacturers cannot offer. When Textilfio needs an adjustment on the stenter, a technician from Delta can be at the factory on the same day. When Delta wants to test an improvement on the equipment, it can do so in partnership with the client who is less than an hour away. This feedback loop between manufacturer and user tends to accelerate the evolution of the national product and make it increasingly adapted to the real conditions of the Brazilian industry.
The first of many: what the national stenter means for the future
Delta Máquinas delivered the first 100% national stenter in Brazil, over 50 meters long, with industry 4.0 technology and a price up to 15% lower than imported counterparts. The equipment proves that the Santa Catarina machinery industry has the technical capacity to compete with manufacturers from Germany and Italy in one of the most demanding segments of the textile sector. The R$ 5 million investment is likely to pay off quickly if the domestic market demand confirms interest in a national alternative.
Did you know that until now Brazil did not manufacture this type of machine and was entirely dependent on imports? Tell us in the comments what you think of this achievement by the Santa Catarina industry, if you believe other textile machines should follow the same path, and how you evaluate the price difference between the national and imported equipment. We want to hear your opinion on the Brazilian industry.
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