The American Textile Machinery Association, Falls Church, Va., and Greenville-based Textile Hall
Corp., co-sponsors of the American Textile Machinery Exhibition-International® (ATME-I®) 2004,
report that its co-location with the Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based American Association of
Textile Chemists & Colorists’ (AATCC’s) International Conference & Exhibition (IC&E)
has prompted increased participation at ATME-I by dyeing, finishing and printing machinery and
equipment suppliers.

As of

Textile World
‘s press time, 431 companies from 25 countries have registered as exhibitors at ATME-I 2004,
to be held Sept. 13-17 at the Palmetto Expo Center in Greenville. Of these companies, 79 are
first-time exhibitors.

“The ability to make and deliver quick style changes to the US marketplace has kept the US
dyeing, printing and finishing industry strong despite a downturn in other areas,” said Butler
Mullins, ATME-I director. “We are seeing considerable exhibitor interest from manufacturers and
suppliers to those textile manufacturing processes.”

Organized since 1973 as two events – one targeted to the fibers, yarn and nonwovens sectors
of the textile industry, as well as plant engineering and maintenance; and one to the weaving,
knitting, dyeing, printing and finishing sectors – ATME-I this year will bring all sectors of the
industry together at one event. This year’s show also will present the Knitted Arts
Exhibition-Fabric, sponsored by the Boston-based National Textile Association and AATCC’s IC&E.

IC&E activities also will include technical and Consumer 2 Consumer educational programs
such as roundtable discussions covering a range of topics including color communication, dyeing,
finishing, flammability, information management, international business, preparation and product
improvement.

AATCC also will host an opening night street festival, a student textile bowl, an awards
banquet and its annual AATCC Foundation golf outing.

July 2004

Global shipments of textile machinery remained strong in 2003, especially for Asian markets,
according to a report by the Switzerland-based International Textile Manufacturers Federation
(ITMF). The report, which includes data from about 120 textile machinery manufacturers, covers
spinning, texturing, weaving and knitting machinery.

Shipments of short-staple ring-spinning machines in 2003 totaled 8.2 million, representing a
133-percent surge from 2002 levels. Of all spindles shipped, 88 percent went to Asia, with China
topping the list. Shipments to India, Pakistan and Turkey were also substantially higher than in
the previous year. Because of weakened Chinese and Turkish investment, shipments of long-staple
ring-spinning equipment, at 240,000 spindles, saw an overall decline of 32 percent in 2003. The top
buyers in this sector were China, Turkey and Iran. Shipments of open-end rotors declined by 5
percent from 2002 levels, to 346,000 in 2003. Shipments were concentrated in China and Turkey,
which together accounted for 81 percent of global shipments. Shipments of single heater
drawtexturing spindles totaled 14,500 in 2003, a 300-percent increase from 2002. Double heater
spindle shipments improved strongly as well totaling 216,000 units and representing a 49-percent
increase. Asia’s share of the total double heater spindle market was 92 percent, with China and
India as the main buyers.

In 2003, the weaving machinery market contracted slightly. Global shuttleless loom shipments
fell by 11 percent to 62,600. Key markets in Asia were China, Pakistan and Turkey. Of the total
number of machines shipped, rapier/projectile looms accounted for 44 percent; air-jet looms, 33
percent; and water-jet looms, 23 percent. More than 10,000 large circular knitting machines were
shipped in 2003, representing a 10-percent increase over 2002 levels. Among the deliveries, 66
percent went to Asia and 24 percent to Europe. Machines equipped with electronic needle selection
made up 5 percent of all deliveries.A total of 9,300 electronic flat knitting machines were
shipped, providing an annual gain of 4 percent for the sector. Asia absorbed 58 percent of the
total shipments, while Europe accounted for 40 percent.



July 2004

Greensboro, N.C.-based International Textile Group (ITG) subsidiary Cone Mills LLC has announced it
will build a denim plant in Guatemala. The new plant will expand Cone Mills global production
capacity by 30 million yards.

ITG acquired Cone Mills after the denim manufacturer emerged from bankruptcy earlier this
year. Cone Mills maintains production plants in the United States and Mexico, and participates in
joint ventures in India and Turkey.

“Favorable customer reaction to our acquisition by ITG and our design initiatives has created
more demand than we can produce,” said John L. Bakane, CEO, Cone Mills. “Supplying Central American
customers locally will increase supply elsewhere and position us for the eventual adoption of a
Central American Free Trade Agreement.”

“This project will benefit from Guatemala’s realistic wages, highly skilled workers,
transportation infrastructures and exemption from import tariffs and from value-added and income
taxes for 10 years,” said Wilbur L. Ross, chairman, ITG. “Guatemalan President Oscar Berger and I
[have] signed a protocol of mutual support for an appropriate CAFTA and for the development of the
Guatemalan textile industry. This completes our hemispheric strategy and enables us now to focus on
a major strategy for Asia.
”

July 2004