Mount Holly, N.C.-based American & Efird (A&E) recently celebrated its 125th anniversary. “125 years of continuous operation is a significant accomplishment for A&E, our customers, and the communities in which our associates live and work,” said Les Miller, CEO. “This longevity has been possible due to our numerous past and present dedicated, hardworking, and charitable associates. In addition, we have loyal and long-term customers who have supported A&E by using our products and services. We are here today because of the success of those who worked here before us, and as we celebrate the past, we are very excited with a bright future for both our company and our associates.”
The company’s industrial and consumer sewing threads, embroidery threads and technical textiles are produced in 23 countries, distributed in 50 countries, and sold in more than 100 countries. A&E owns or operates 27 manufacturing facilities and employees more than 10,000 people globally either directly or through joint venture companies.
An investment group comprised of Darlington, S.C.-based Darlington Development LLC — a unit of International Process Plants, Hamilton, N.J. — and Houston-based ARC Enterprises LLC is making moves to reopen the former Wellman Inc. Palmetto polyester fiber facility located in Darlington.
The facility was shut down in 2008 when Wellman entered bankruptcy. However, key safeguards were taken as the plant was closed down to facilitate a restart at some time in the future, and Darlington maintained the facility with the view that a restart could happen.
The investors recently filed an air permit application with South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control for the facility, which they consider a milestone toward reopening the plant. If the permit is granted, the companies hope to have the plant operational in 2017.
“I am very excited with the achievement of this milestone as it brings us one step closer to restarting the Palmetto facility and producing staple fiber and chip,” said Andrew Rosenfeld, ARC Enterprises partner.
“We believe that, if the air permit is approved, a restarted plant will provide at least 150 direct new jobs for the local community and bring to market a new low cost domestic provider of quality polyester product,” said a spokesperson for Darlington Development.
In this issue, “Yarn Market” by Editor Jim Phillips describes a slowing market for yarn with smaller orders demanding a shorter time frame. Interestingly, that is what Buhler Quality Yarn Corp.’s David Sasso describes in his piece “Responsive Retail” as a strength of the western hemisphere — collaborative apparel supply chains. Responsive suppliers making smaller quantities with shorter lead times, reducing retailer’s markdowns and stock-outs — perpetuating the fast fashion model.
In a near-shored total cost model, it makes sense. Shorter lead-times, lower shipping costs, the right product at the right time and the ability to respond quickly to the whims of the consumer is very possible.
However, it does rely on highly cooperative supply chains — but they are already built and they already exist. If you want to see for yourself, pop in on an Americas Apparel Producers’ Network (AAPN) meeting — and save yourself a lot of legwork. Many AAPN members — from spinners, knitters and weavers to apparel factories and shippers — have collaborated for years. As Mike Todaro, AAPN’s managing director often says, “At AAPN, we compete as supply chains.”
There is an effective way to compete with goods sourced in Asia, but the change requires a review, recosting, and the use of supply chain executives, like Buhler’s Sasso, who can help brands and retailers make high-quality products at competitive prices.
There are some low-cost products that aren’t time sensitive and virtually never marked down that will always chase the cheapest needle. And high-end retailers already are using responsive supply chains — chasing quality not cost.
So the real opportunity may be for mid-tier retailers that followed the herd to source in Asia and achieved a lower cost when the China price simply couldn’t be beaten. Many assume that China still is the answer.
The retail environment has seen incredible pressure, and a look at reshoring and a responsive supply chain that can put less product on the shelf more often may be the solution to reduce the pressure. A total cost model that puts a value on time and minimizes the risk of order quantity predictions may show a way for mid-tier retailers to mimic their high-end peers.
There are great things happening in the NAFTA and CAFTA regions. More yarn spinning has come on line with tremendous flexibility in manufacturing. With a highly developed cotton supply chain and a yarn forward rule in the CAFTA and NAFTA trade deals, conforming product is allowed into the United States duty free. Another competitive win for the regions.
As Sasso points out, communication with all members of the supply chain is key. And there are strategies of a collaborative chain — like pre-staging fabrics — that can cut days out of the cycle.
So if you are feeling the pressure — losing at the cash register and suffering the markdown blues — you may want to consider the total cost that puts a value on time. The quickest way may be to take a meeting with a collaborative supply chain. Take advantage of the work they’ve done and the chains they’ve built.
Sales of commodity yarns continue to be stagnant mid-year, with many spinners reporting results significantly below projections. At the same time, while the downturn has been a disappointment, it does not, at least to this point, compare with the disastrous declines experienced in years past.
“I don’t think you could say we’re disappointed in our sales,” said one spinner. “Certainly, from the perspective of where we were last year at this time, we are well below expectations. But, we haven’t dropped
as far or as fast as we have experienced in the past. Our hope is that this is a temporary correction based on over-ordering in previous quarters and that business will return to normal levels in the very near future.”
“Some weeks have been better than others,” said one spinning executive. “We’ve had some bad weeks and some decent weeks. But it’s been a long time since we’ve had a terrible week.”
Another spinner reported a similar experience. “We’ve done all right some months, not so well in others. It’s almost like one month on, one month off. Our customers are waiting to the last minute to order what they need. And then they buy only what they are sure they can sell. Then the process starts all over. Our customers are getting the same treatment from their retail customers, who are waiting until inventory is very low before restocking.”
Creating Differentiation
Despite the recent slowdown in orders for many spinners, the fact remains that for the first time in many years, U.S. spinning capacity is increasing.
With the announcements over the past few years of expansions and new plant construction, the competition for business among U.S. spinners will only increase in the future.
And that means that all spinners are going to have to approach the market from a different angle than that traditionally used for marketing commodity products. Spinners today should be looking for every opportunity to differentiate their businesses from their competitors.
“We are able to keep our customers happy by having an aggressive delivery strategy,” said one Southeastern spinner. “Our ability to get business often hinges on whether we can get product to our customers, particularly those in Central America, faster than anyone else.”
“Service and the customer experience is everything today,” said an industry expert. “When one product is the same as another and can be had for the same price, the only way to stand out is to make sure your customers are not just satisfied, but happy — and that goes way beyond meeting basic expectations.”
TPP Still A Topic
Despite the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement by all member nations, for the pact to be binding on the United States, it must be ratified by Congress. And, at this point, that is far from certain.
While President Obama and most Republican members of Congress are strongly in favor of TPP, many Democrats oppose, as do Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton says she would like to see changes in the agreement before it is approved, which might require additional negotiations.
The net result is, in the middle of an election year, the TPP is unlikely to come before Congress. And it is just as unlikely that the next U.S. president will send the agreement through Congress without modification.
Cotton Prices Hold In The Low 60s
As of the week ended June 24, spot-market cotton prices for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets measured by the USDA averaged 62.87 cents per pound, up from 61.96 the previous week and 62.47 reported during the corresponding period a year ago. The ICE October settlement prices ended the week at 65.62 cents, compared to 65.38 cents the previous week.
The thirteenth edition of Techtextil and third edition of Texprocess Americas recently colocated with the JEC Americas show at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Over a period of three days, the three-shows-in-one highlighted the technologies and products of 589 exhibitors to 9,357 visitors. These numbers represent an increase in participation compared to the East-coast edition of the three shows held in Atlanta in 2014.
“We are proud to take these events to the next level as we better serve the U.S. sewn products industry, Made-in-America manufacturers and the technical textile industry,” said Dennis Smith, president, Messe Frankfurt North America.
The event covered a broad spectrum of textile technologies from technical textiles, nonwovens and composites to sewn products and the latest in textile machinery for all segments.
Country pavilions grouped companies from Italy, Belgium, China, Germany, Taiwan and France; and the Texprocess Americas side of the show featured a Made in USA pavilion sponsored by SEAMS.
In addition, more than 20 symposium sessions provided attendees the chance to learn, as well as collaborate with speakers and fellow show visitors.
After the show, feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike was positive. “Techtextil Atlanta was a very rewarding experience for our company,” said Kenny Parrish, country manager U.S., Devan Chemicals. “Being located where it is in Atlanta affords not only the U.S. visitors, but those visiting from overseas, an easy and enjoyable venue. The textile industry as a whole really embraces this event and you can see the benefits as it is growing each year with ever increasing involvement and expanded business opportunities.”
“I love the diversity of the different vendors here,” said Lynette Grant, Tranglah LLC. “I’m developing a small business so I’m looking for one hub here I can get a wealth of information to get the business going, so it has been very informative for me.”
In 2017, the West-coast edition of Techtextil North America will be held in Chicago in June. The combined East-coast edition of Techtextil North America and Texprocess Americas will be held Atlanta in May 2018. “We look forward to the next chapter in our journey and would welcome everyone to our 2017 Techtextil edition in Chicago and the joint platform once again in Atlanta in 2018,” Smith said.
July/August 2016
(left to right): Roland Zimmer, president and CEO, Zimmer America Corp.; Bob Patterson, sales manager, Zimmer America; and Tony Guhr, director, Carbon Fiber Remanufacturing
First-time Techtextil North America exhibitor Olbo & Mehler exhibited basalt fabrics for high-temperature applications among other technical fabrics.
Joseph G. Poterala (left), vice president of operations, Mascoe Systems Corp.; and Paul Ledford, president, Green Textile Machine LLC
(left to right): Mark Reese, owner, Measured Solutions Inc.; Thomas Schwing, managing director, Schwing Fluid Technik GmbH; Patrick Raines, Measured Solutions; and David D. Curry, Measured Solutions
Dr. Filippo Lanaro (left), managing director, Lawer S.p.A.; and Erwin J. Holbein, president, Symtech Inc.
A view of the Techtextil exhibitor section of the show floor.
Mark Hatton (left), vice president sales – Americas; and Jacob Blackburn, global marketing coordinator, American & Efird LLC
Victor M. Almeida (left), textile engineer, sales, customer support; and PJ McCord, director of sales, (the Americas), Buhler Quality Yarns Corp.
Jerry F. Simmons (left), senior sales manager, High Performance Yarn Division; and Kim Hall, sales representative, High Performance and Specialty Yarn Divisions, Pharr Yarns LLC
Josh Davis (left), PA Group USA; and Davide Giustina, Gruppo Partners Associates
(left to right): Doug Stowers, sales engineer – technical fibers, EMS-Chemie (North America) Inc.; Andreas Lütscher, vice president, manager division technical fibers, EMS-Chemie AG; Lee Horeyseck, market manager – coatings + additives, EMS-Chemie (North America); and L. Dean Johnson, market manager – technical fibers, EMS-Chemie (North America)
(left to right): Harrell W. Ligon, president; Jim Stephens, technical services; Stephen “Steve” Charron, technical services; and Brian Brimer, technical sales and service, Lang Ligon & Co. Inc.
Carroll Craft (left), technical service & sales; and Henderson Wise, national marketing manager, A.B. Carter Inc.
Despite concerns, INDA hosted the most successful IDEA show to date.
By Jim Kaufmann, Contributing Editor
As the old proverb suggests, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” For INDA — the Association of the Nonwovens Fabrics Industry and organizer of the IDEA16 show held recently at Boston’s Convention and Exhibition Center — this proverb became a rallying cry best exemplified by the refreshing lemonade served at INDA’s booth. Throughout the show, INDA’s booth was lemonade central, and was a comfortable place to meet up with colleagues or take a minute to relax and simply enjoy the lemonade.
INDA has been covering the nonwovens industry since 1970. The association hosts the IDEA show every three years and the 2016 show originally was scheduled at its traditional venue in Miami. That is until the show’s organizers were informed that Miami’s exhibition hall was to be renovated and the show contract would be cancelled. After some scrambling, INDA created lemonade and found the Boston Convention Center, a well-appointed facility in an affable city, to hold the show. “This is a beautiful facility, open, airy and inviting” said Jeff Willis, owner, Nonwovens By Design. “And Boston is a good place to hold a show like this, just wish the weather was better.” Terrible weather all week in Boston, yes, but the lemonade still flowed.
Final Show Numbers Point To Success
A competing trade show unfortunately was scheduled on these exact same dates in a different city. However, INDA created more lemonade in the form of record attendance numbers for both exhibitors and attendees alike. IDEA16’s 555 exhibitors welcomed more than 7,000 attendees from more than 60 different countries during the three days of the show, an indication of the wide breadth of the nonwovens industry. Festivities kicked off Monday evening with a welcome reception held at Boston’s House of Blues, which was sponsored by Velcro Companies. More than 700 people attended the reception, enjoying the southern-style cuisine and live music and, of course, lemonade.”
The show itself was mostly heralded as a big success by participants. “It has been a fantastic show, well beyond our expectations,” said John Schauer, global product manager, Nonwovens, Xerium Technologies Inc., Youngsville, N.C. “The folks who visited our booth knew what they wanted and the conversations they wanted to have. I’m not sure if it had to do with being in Boston, the weather, or what, but it’s been very refreshing!”
Chris Parris, research and development director, Fiber Innovation Technology, Johnson City, Tenn.
First time exhibitor, Chris Parris, research and development director, Johnson City, Tenn.-based Fiber Innovation Technology, felt the show was a great experience. “This is our first time exhibiting at IDEA and it’s really been very positive,” Parris said. “We’ve been able to talk with a wide array of folks about our products and capabilities which has been great. We’re very pleased.”
Alistair Deas, chairman, Allertex of America Inc., Cornelius, N.C., summed it up well by offering: “IDEA is the premiere show for the incredibly diverse nonwovens industry. We’re having a very good show, which allows us to go forward through the rest of the year with a very positive attitude.”
Conference Highlights, Achievement Awards
The IDEA Conference, which focused on the status of the global nonwovens industry, was held prior to the show floor’s opening each day. Each morning’s session focused on a different geographic area. Lemonade flowed because most of the numbers presented indicated a strong and growing global nonwovens industry. Production levels in most of Europe, North America and Asia remains healthy, though South America was off a bit because of Brazil’s ongoing financial slump. According to INDA President Dave Rousse, North America in particular will have at least 14 new manufacturing lines added in 2015 and 2016, with nine or 10 of these installations taking place in the Carolinas. The common theme throughout the presentations was that nonwovens remains a strong growth industry that continues to be driven by technology and innovation.
During Wednesday’s conference session, INDA also announced the IDEA16 Achievement Awards recipients. The awards, which recognized innovation throughout the industry in different categories, were presented to:
For Roll Goods — Switzerland-based Jacob Holm Group’s SoftLite™ lightweight nonwovens;
For Raw Materials — Germany-based BASF SE’s SAVIVA™ SAP Technology;
For Short Life Converted Products — Hong Kong-based WipeMeWorld’s WipeMe® flushable wipe on a roll; and
For Long Life Converted Products — Northbrook. Ill.-based Impossible Objects LLC’s composite-based additive manufacturing (CBAM) 3-D printed pieces.
The highlight of the awards ceremony was the presentation of IDEA16’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Leo Cancio, an advisor for Clopay Plastic Products Co. Inc., Mason, Ohio.During his acceptance speech, Cancio summarized the continued success of the nonwovens industry when he said performance is what matters most. “The individual steps are just a means to an end and it’s fine to change the choreography if this produces a better, more complete performance,” he added.
Exhibitor Highlights
Several companies provided unique changes to the choreography including a first time blood drive sponsored by the Jacob Holm Group and daily recreational morning runs through Boston’s historic areas hosted by Finland-based Suominen Corp. Tours of Boston’s Fenway Park were also among the offerings.
Numerous changes in choreography were found throughout the show floor in the more traditional form of innovative offerings and facility expansions.
Charlotte-based DAK Americas, one of the largest North American producers of polyester resin and staple fiber, announced a new facility scheduled to come on line during the first quarter of 2017 in Mississippi. “This is representative of DAK’s commitment to the nonwovens market segment,” said Antonio Garza, DAK America’s business director. “It will give us a broader reach and better logistics for our products as well as increasing our product range in North America.”
Spartanburg, S.C.-based Auriga Polymers Inc., a division of Thailand-based Indorama Ventures, announced the addition of a new line at its Spartanburg facility, which will be on line by the end of the year.
Clopay Plastics announced a $50 million investment to expand its extrusion and printing capabilities in North America, while also introducing Sof-Flex® — a line of low base weight breathable products targeting hygiene markets.
Germany-based Freudenberg Group is finding commercial success with its inventive Evolon® microfiber technology, a unique blend of polyester and nylon that has been under development for a while, but is now gaining commercial interest and finding new applications because of its unique properties.”
Becky Morel (left), and Kara Hendrick, Velcro Companies
Velcro Companies’ Becky Morel was excited for IDEA16 to be in Boston because it’s close to Velcro’s U.S.-based headquarters, and is “basically a home game for us.” Velcro displayed its flex-zone™ hook and loop fastener technology, where softness is the key attribute allowing for a large assortment of end-uses and customized solutions.”
Bostik Inc., Wauwatosa, Wis., used the show to introduced Brilliance™, a new high-performance olefin elastic attachment adhesive that will be available in October of this year. According to Bostik’s Courtney Korselt: “We’re excited for the formal introduction as this product has exceeded all expectations in our testing and trials. It simply works!”
Representatives with Wauwatosa, Wis.-based Bostik Inc., who were introducing the company’s new Brilliance™ adhesive to attendees.Jennifer Leary (left) and Dr. Behnam Pourdeyhimi representing North Carolina State University and The Nonwovens Institute
INDA offered floor space to The Nonwovens Institute (NWI) at North Carolina State University (NCSU) where 20 students were allowed to present poster sessions depicting their work. Behnam Pourdeyhimi, NWI’s executive director, said INDA had been great to work with, but clarified that all of the papers presented were supported by NWI, but not all were from NCSU. Jennifer Leary, a Ph.D. student at NCSU, offered a uniquely different perspective on the IDEA show. “As a student this show has been valuable in illustrating the scope and breadth of nonwoven applications,” said Leary. “It reminds us of why we’re doing everything we’re doing in the labs and classes. The conversations I’ve had are very encouraging in that there is industry interest in what we’re doing and the exchange with others here is like a brainstorming session. It gives me a genuine feeling that there’s a real creative spark and element to this industry.”
Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open ITM 2016
Recent ITM event attracted record visitor numbers
TW Special Report
ITM 2016 — held recently in Istanbul, Turkey, over a four-day period — hosted 1,200 exhibitors from almost 70 countries. The textile manufacturers occupied 13 halls at the venue — TÜYAP Fair Convention and Congress Center in Istanbul. The show is a partnership between Tüyap Fairs and Exhibitions Organization Inc. and Teknik Fairs Ltd. in cooperation with the Turkish Textile & Machinery Industrialists Association (TEMSAD). According to the organizers, sales totaling in the millions of euros were made and business relationships were established during the event.
Organizers report participation by exhibitors in weaving, yarn, digital printing and knitting halls in particular experienced growth over the past edition of the show. In fact, the digital printing segment experienced such large growth that the 2016 edition of the show featured a hall dedicated to textile printing machinery, digital textile printing machinery, dyes and chemicals, and related auxiliaries.
Visitors
Some 49,700 visitors attended the show traveling from 76 countries, which is a record for an ITM event. Home countries for the attendees included Iran, Egypt, Turkey, India, Pakistan, China, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Algeria, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Libya, Ethiopia, Ghana and Tunisia to name just a few of the 76 countries.
In addition, many official organizations and commercial committees attended ITM 2016. A number of purchasing committees were present from Iran, Egypt, India, Russia, Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Ukraine, Tunisia and Morocco.
ITM 2016 was well-attended as evidenced by the busy check in area (top) and exhibitor halls during the show.
Feedback from ITM 2016 exhibitors was positive. “New opportunities can be attained through exhibitions like ITM,” said Carlo Rogoro, CEO, Italy-based Itema S.p.A. “For us, ITM 2016 is the door opening to the Eastern European and Middle Eastern markets,” said Bastian Fritsch, senior sales executive, Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik, GmbH, Germany. Adele Genoni, general director, Italy-based Reggiani Macchine S.p.A. also valued the opportunity to participate in a show like ITM in Istanbul: “Having an importance not only for Turkey, but also for the entire region, ITM 2016 is an unparalleled opportunity for us to meet our business partners.”
Held every three years in Istanbul, expect ITM to return in 2019.
BOXMEER, Netherlands — July 19, 2016 — SPGPrints launches its new range of NEBULA Acid HD (High Density) inks at Febratex 2016 (Hall 1, Stand 18), 9-12 August, Parque Vila Germanica, Blumenau, Santa Caterina, Brazil. The exhibition also marks the first showing in the Americas of the JAVELIN® digital inkjet printer for companies printing up to two million metres of textiles annually.
High density colour for swimwear and silks
The NEBULA Acid HD inks, which can be used with any printer using Kyocera print heads, are a whole new formulation, developed and produced by SPGPrints, offering increased colour depth and improved runnability. The new ink range is ideal for Polyamide (PA) Lycra swimwear, luxury silk items like fashion scarves and neck ties, and wools.
NEBULA Acid HD inks meet all industry standards for colour and water-fastness, and the specifications for all major swimwear manufacturers. NEBULA Acid HD inks will be available from September 2016, initially in CMYK, orange, red, blue and grey.
Commentating on the launch of the inks, Jos Notermans, commercial manager digital textiles, SPGPrints, said:
“The swimwear industry puts high demands on textile printers with requirements for high performance, enduring bright colours, and complex designs with increasingly fine detail. NEBULA Acid HD inks rise to that challenge, setting a new benchmark for inks for active-wear.”
“These inks are such a major step forward in their chemistry that SPGPrints will be phasing out its current acid ink range. However, we will support customers making the transition, and help them recalibrate their colour profiles to run the new high density inks.”
Introducing the JAVELIN® digital inkjet textile printer to the Americas
Designed for annual production up to two million metres, the JAVELIN printer features the same innovative Archer® print head technology used in the recently launched, high-volume PIKE printer, which won the 2016 EDP1 Award for Best Industrial Textile Solution. PIKE’s nozzle plates are 4mm from the substrate, compared with the more usual 1.5mm nozzle-fabric distance. This means a wider range of substrates can be run, and the chance of print head damage is reduced. Using only six colours, Archer technology enables a wider gamut than the HD-gamut of other digital textile printing solutions.
Fine line details, smooth gradients, blotches and geometrics can be accurately printed thanks to JAVELIN’s variable drop-size capability (2pL – 10pL) in resolutions up to 1200 x 1200dpi. The JAVELIN uses multi-pass scanning action with an array of Fujifilm Dimatix Samba print heads to cover the 1850mm width with sharp image production.
JAVELIN is ideal for companies wanting to take the first step into digital textile printing, or with a need to supplement their existing capabilities. JAVELIN complements SPGPrints’ PIKE digital printer that is capable of printing up to 13 million metres per year. Its fixed array printing bar contains 43 print heads for single-pass printing in a width of 1850mm.
“The launch of the JAVELIN printer provides another powerful tool for companies operating in this highly competitive market. With the colour range and print quality combined with digital’s fast-turnaround, fast time-to-market, this technology delivers what brand-owners want and what textile printers need for a competitive edge,” Notermans concludes.
The fifth edition of the combined ITMA Asia + CITME show moves to a new venue.
TW Special Report
The new National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai will host ITMA Asia + CITME for the first time. Photo courtesy of chinaexhibition.com
ITMA Asia + CITME returns to Shanghai October 21-25, 2016, at a new location – the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC). Despite some controversy within the industry about the show’s decision to run on a biennial schedule rather than the expected four-year cycle, and therefore coming on the heels of a successful ITMA 2015 in Milan, Italy, the show is shaping up to be a well-attended event. As of TW’s press time, organizers reported approximately 1,600 exhibitors from more than 27 economies are expected to participate in October. At the close of space applications for exhibitors, more than 90 percent of the 180,000 square meters (m2) of exhibition space had been sold. In addition, organizers hope to attract more than 100,000 trade show visitors from around the globe.
The combined show is owned by the European Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association (CEMATEX), and its China-based partners the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex); China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA); and China Exhibition Centre Group Corp. (CIEC). The event is organized by the Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co. and co-organized by MP Expositions Pte. Ltd. In addition, the Japan Textile Machinery Association (JTMA) is a special partner of the show.
“The high level of interest from exhibitors has reaffirmed ITMA ASIA + CITME as the leading marketing platform for textile machinery manufacturers seeking to tap the China market,” said Charles Beauduin, president, CEMATEX. “We are pleased to provide them with a recognized platform for their strategic promotion and will ensure that the combined show continues to be a relevant and effective platform for sellers and buyers to transact business and to take advantage of the vast potential that China offers.”
Exhibitor Make Up, Organization
More than 65-percent of the total exhibition space was reserved by Chinese exhibitors. Other countries that will be well-represented according to the organizers are Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Taiwan.
“We have seen a greater number of Chinese manufacturers signing up to exhibit at the combined show this year,” said Gu Ping, vice president, CTMA. “Interestingly, nearly 30 percent of the applicants are first-time applicants,” Gu added.
Exhibits will be organized by sectors that are based on manufacturing processes to aid visitors to find the machinery and other products they are seeking. Spinning machinery represents the largest sector, followed by finishing, knitting and weaving. Organizers report the nonwovens sector has grown by 20 percent since the show in 2014.
Organizers also promise that there will be stringent controls in place to protect intellectual property.
New Venue
The new facility, situated in the Hongqiao business district, offers easy accessibility and state-of-the-art amenities. This national center was co-built by the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Shanghai Municipal Government, and is operated by the Shanghai Exhibition Co. Ltd. The venue features 16 halls totaling 500,000 m2 of exhibition space — 400,000 m2 of which is indoor space, and 100,000 m2 comprised of outdoor display areas — a commercial center, office buildings and a hotel. The four facilities are linked by an 8-meter-high elevated pedestrian walkway.
Continuing Development In China
China’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) continues to encourage infrastructure construction, accelerates urbanization and is increasing environmental awareness in China. It is likely there will be high demand for technical textiles and nonwovens in China over the coming years.
“As China’s textile industry continues its transformation, the demand for advanced machinery and technology is on the rise,” said CTMA’s Gu. “For textile manufacturers to keep ahead of the industry, they need to readjust their strategy to enhance overall production efficiency. They should adopt a longer-term outlook to focus on the quality of their products, which will ultimately contribute to their company’s bottom line. This will lead to a demand for new machinery and technology to modernize and upgrade their existing textile equipment,” Gu added.
According to CTMA, there were a total of 15,235 projects completed in 2015, which amounted to an investment of 1.09 trillion yuan.
“In view of these positive trends, which will spawn demand for better technologies, and the resounding success of the 2014 combined show, we are confident that participation in the upcoming show will be outstanding,” Gu said.
Each day, the show floor will be open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Visitors currently can receive a pass discount of 40 percent when registering online. Registration online will close October 18, after which time visitors may purchase passes on site during ITMA Asia + CITME.
For more information about ITMA Asia + CITME 2016, visit itmaasia.com.
