The Rupp Report: ITMA Asia + CITME 2010 Is Open
Jürg Rupp, Executive Editor
In spite of all the rumors among the global textile industry, and the textile machinery industry in
particular around the textile world, the second ITMA Asia + CITME 2010, with more than 1,100
textile and garment machinery manufacturers exhibiting, opened its doors yesterday.
According to the organizers, the show, with its 100,000 square meters of fairground at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, is sold out, and they expect some 100,000 visitors. We will see. Chinese exhibitors have the biggest share of a country group at the show, some 50 percent. Exhibitors from Europe booked 35 percent of the floor space. Many questions remain open.
Too Many Exhibitions?
No other event has been the focus of constant arguing and discussion as has ITMA Asia + CITME since the show was confirmed some 12 to 15 months ago. After the last ITMA Asia in 2008, most of the exhibitors said that they would not be back in two years' time, but now, they are. The rhythm of two years was questioned, mainly among members of the European textile machinery industry. Many people argued that there are too many exhibitions in general, and in Asia in particular. Another questionable issue is the next ITMA in Barcelona next year. ITMA 2011 will be held at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía in the beautiful city of Barcelona, Spain, September 22-29, 2011.
Another Rhythm?
Even Asian exhibitors don't agree that there should be an ITMA in Europe every four years and an ITMA Asia every two years. The initial idea from the CEMATEX members to start ITMA Asia was to reduce the number of exhibitions, namely to stop the competition among the Osaka International Textile Machinery Show (OTEMAS) in Japan, and the China International Textile Machinery Exhibition (CITME) and ShanghaiTex in China. But the result is different. Many professionals argued that an ITMA Asia alternating with an ITMA in Europe, each every four years, would be enough to have a rhythm of two years.
Seldom has the Rupp Report received so many opinions that this rotation of the European and Asian ITMAs is wrong. May one say that the music is playing in the Asian-Pacific Rim? Yes -- however, the companies are still the same. Today, most of the European machinery manufacturers have their own production in Asia, but the machinery they offer is in most ways the same because Asian people don't want copies -- they want the originals to be competitive in terms of quality and not only price wise.
New Products?
With this decision, technical and marketing aspects are not taken into consideration. Manufacturers are asking the question, how is it possible to present new products almost every year? The expenses are enormous, especially after the events of 2008 and 2009. And the visitors, who are the customers, are getting exhausted with too many exhibitions, not only from a monetary standpoint but also with respect to time.
A Local Show?
However, even Asian exhibitors expect mostly local visitors. Based on statistics, most of the visitors will be from Mainland China. And CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers and the owner of ITMA and ITMA Asia, should ask the question: Is an event with a local orientation the right venue for an exhibition called ITMA?
Do You Agree?
Time will tell. At least by the end of this week, we should know the answer. But the Rupp Report would like the answers to the following questions:
June 22, 2010
According to the organizers, the show, with its 100,000 square meters of fairground at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, is sold out, and they expect some 100,000 visitors. We will see. Chinese exhibitors have the biggest share of a country group at the show, some 50 percent. Exhibitors from Europe booked 35 percent of the floor space. Many questions remain open.
Too Many Exhibitions?
No other event has been the focus of constant arguing and discussion as has ITMA Asia + CITME since the show was confirmed some 12 to 15 months ago. After the last ITMA Asia in 2008, most of the exhibitors said that they would not be back in two years' time, but now, they are. The rhythm of two years was questioned, mainly among members of the European textile machinery industry. Many people argued that there are too many exhibitions in general, and in Asia in particular. Another questionable issue is the next ITMA in Barcelona next year. ITMA 2011 will be held at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía in the beautiful city of Barcelona, Spain, September 22-29, 2011.
Another Rhythm?
Even Asian exhibitors don't agree that there should be an ITMA in Europe every four years and an ITMA Asia every two years. The initial idea from the CEMATEX members to start ITMA Asia was to reduce the number of exhibitions, namely to stop the competition among the Osaka International Textile Machinery Show (OTEMAS) in Japan, and the China International Textile Machinery Exhibition (CITME) and ShanghaiTex in China. But the result is different. Many professionals argued that an ITMA Asia alternating with an ITMA in Europe, each every four years, would be enough to have a rhythm of two years.
Seldom has the Rupp Report received so many opinions that this rotation of the European and Asian ITMAs is wrong. May one say that the music is playing in the Asian-Pacific Rim? Yes -- however, the companies are still the same. Today, most of the European machinery manufacturers have their own production in Asia, but the machinery they offer is in most ways the same because Asian people don't want copies -- they want the originals to be competitive in terms of quality and not only price wise.
New Products?
With this decision, technical and marketing aspects are not taken into consideration. Manufacturers are asking the question, how is it possible to present new products almost every year? The expenses are enormous, especially after the events of 2008 and 2009. And the visitors, who are the customers, are getting exhausted with too many exhibitions, not only from a monetary standpoint but also with respect to time.
A Local Show?
However, even Asian exhibitors expect mostly local visitors. Based on statistics, most of the visitors will be from Mainland China. And CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers and the owner of ITMA and ITMA Asia, should ask the question: Is an event with a local orientation the right venue for an exhibition called ITMA?
Do You Agree?
Time will tell. At least by the end of this week, we should know the answer. But the Rupp Report would like the answers to the following questions:
- Do you agree with the actual timing of the ITMA between Europe and Asia?
- What would be the alternative?
- Should ITMA Asia always take place in Shanghai or rotate as in Europe?
June 22, 2010
Advertisement