In global business, not even the latest communication systems can replace personal relationships. To members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association, it’s vital making contact with customers old and new. “That’s what motivates our members to take their latest innovations right into the biggest textile manufacturing markets — along with a friendly handshake,” said Cornelia Buchwalder, the association secretary general.

Who to meet

The Swiss Textile Machinery Association warmly invites textile professionals to a special symposium in the heart of the North American textile sector. A total of 16 association member firms will be on hand to answer any questions about the technology, the products and more. Participating companies are:

• Autefa Solutions;
• Benninger;
• Bluesign Technologies;
• Bräcker;
• Heberlein Technology;
• Jakob Müller;
• Luwa Air Engineering;
• Maag Brothers;
• Retech;
• Rieter;
• Rotorcraft;
• Saurer;
• SSM – Schärer Schweiter Mettler;
• Stäubli;
• Uster Technologies; and
• Xetma Vollenweider.

North America is a well-chosen tour destination, because it has become an increasingly interesting market for Swiss textile machinery and component manufacturers, as well as service providers. “North America has a large and diverse textile market, with a strong technical textiles sector, covering a vast range of applications. This means demand for advanced textile machinery is at a high level,” Buchwalder said.

What to expect

The event will start with insights into the latest developments from the Switzerland-based companies, as the delegates showcase their innovations for the U.S. manufacturers. There will also be the chance for networking, at the exhibition tables and at a joint dinner for customers, representatives and guests. The free-of-charge event takes place at the Charlotte Westin Hotel.

Please visit https://www.swissmem.ch/en/swiss-textile-machinery-symposium-usa-2024-customers.html for further information and registration.

The host at the event will be Cornelia Buchwalder, secretary general, Swiss Textile Machinery Association (part of Swissmem). Ralf Heckner, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States; Charles Poston, chairman, Southern Textile Association; and Ernesto Maurer, president, Swiss Textile Machinery, will also welcome the guests.

Posted: September 13, 2024

Source: The Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem)

The global textile industry will converge on Milan in June for the 19th edition of ITMA.

TW Special Report

Since 1951, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) has organized what is generally regarded as the largest and most comprehensive textile machinery trade show in the world. Held once every four years, ITMA has become a platform for emerging trends and innovative solutions, new knowledge and best practices, and establishing relationships with textile industry leaders. The next edition of the show will be held June 8-14, 2023, at the Fiera Milano Rho fairgrounds in Milan, Italy. Milan is hosting ITMA for the sixth time since its inception at the now 19th edition of the show. ITMA is owned by CEMATEX, and is organized by ITMA Services.

The overall theme for ITMA 2023 is “Transforming the World of Textiles.” Four sub-themes under this umbrella title include advanced materials, automation and digital future, innovative technologies, and sustainability and circularity.

ITMA’s quadrennial schedule somewhat insulated the event from pandemic-related effects. The last show took place in 2019, and now, 4 years later, the 2023 event is on track to occur with minimal disruption for organizers. CEMATEX President Ernesto Maurer noted in a recent interview with Textile World that the industry has been very supportive of the event and strong participation is expected in June (See sidebar on page 10).

As of TW’s press time, exhibition space is almost sold out and more than 1,570 exhibitors from 42 countries have booked exhibit space. Italy, Germany and Spain form the top three countries based on the number of exhibiting companies; and the top sectors are finishing, spinning, weaving, printing, knitting, winding and nonwovens.

“We are also pleasantly surprised that a number of exhibitors have taken up larger stand surface,” Maurer said. “On average, we see a more than 10 percent increase in the space booked by exhibitors.” Companies with the largest exhibit space include Epson, Groz-Beckert, Karl Mayer/Stoll, Lonati, Muratec, Oerlikon, Pai Lung, Picanol, Reggiani Macchine, Rieter, Saurer, Savio, Stäubli, Trützschler and Vandewiele.

“After weathering over two years of the pandemic, the global business community is eager to get down to real business,” noted Charles Beauduin, chairman of ITMA Services. “Businesses are looking at long-term investments in key technologies to remain competitive. As the world’s most established showcase of its kind, ITMA is the quintessential platform for the industry to buy and sell, and to collaborate face-to-face.”

The Venue

Fiera Milano Rho is one of the largest fairgrounds in the world, spanning 345,000 square meters of covered gross exhibition space over 20 pavilions. The venue is well equipped with conference rooms, as well as a host of restaurants, bars and coffee houses. The fairground is located in the west of Milan and connected to the city center via a metro station, Rho Fiera. It is also served by railway and there are 14,000 parking spaces for visitors.

What’s New?

ITMA has added one new category to its list of exhibit “chapters” for 2023 — Chapter 11, which is focused on machinery for textile reinforcement structures for composites. This brings the total number of chapters to 20 (See Table 1).

CEMATEX has also launched the Start-Up Valley, a new initiative featuring companies in early stages of developments “with new and game changing solutions and technologies to support and inspire innovation for the textile, garment and fashion industry.” Sixteen start-ups were selected by an expert panel from a pool of applicants. Successful companies received a grant to help cover the costs of exhibiting at the Start-Up Valley during the exhibition, and also are invited to participate in the Innovator Xchange, ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award and Innovation Showcase. See the March/April 2023 issue of TW for more information about these show features and other events and education offerings for participants during the 2023 exhibition.

“CEMATEX is excited to launch the Start-Up Valley initiative to attract innovative, young companies to ITMA 2023,” Maurer said. “As the largest textile technology exhibition attracting leading textile and garment manufacturers from around the world, ITMA offers start-ups a useful platform to put their innovations in front of a global audience, to find investors and collaborators, and to leverage industry connections and professional networks.”

Visitor Incentive

Visitor registration is currently open. To encourage visitors to register ahead of time, ITMA is offering an early bird rate through May 7, 2023, on its website. Visitors may purchase a one-day pass for 40 euros and an eight-day pass for 80 euros. Students are welcomed June 10-14 at a discounted rate of 25 euros for a five-day badge.

Beginning March 8, registered visitors will gain access to ITMAconnect, an online platform that connects visitors with exhibitors and industry partners to make appointments for in-person meetings during the show, as well as enable discussions before and after the event.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been exploring ways to add value to our participants in the digital space,” Maurer remarked. “We are excited that with the launch of ITMAconnect, we now offer the global textile community enhanced opportunities that extend beyond the physical exhibition. We hope exhibitors will make full use of this online platform to keep their contacts engaged while generating new leads to grow their businesses.”

The show is open June 8-13 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. each day. On June 14, the show opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m.

About Milan

Located in the northwestern section of the Po Valley, Milan is the second-largest city in Italy with a population of approximately 1.3 million. The city is the main financial, industrial and commercial center of Italy, housing the Borsa Italiana — Italy’s main stock exchange — and the headquarters of major banks and corporations.

The city has a long history as a fashion, clothing and textile producer and is widely recognized as one of the world’s fashion capitals, making it the perfect backdrop for a textile machinery trade show.

Famous must-see sights while in Milan include the Duomo di Milano, La Scala, and Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper mural.

The Duomo di Milano,— or Milan Cathedral — took nearly six centuries to build. It is the largest church in Italy and the fifth largest in the world. The Duomo is dedicated to St. Mary of the Nativity and acts as the seat of the Archbishop of Milan.

Teatro alla Scala, or La Scala as it’s more commonly known, is an opera house opened in 1778. Throughout its history, many great operatic artists and singers have appeared at the venue, which is still considered one of the leading opera and ballet theatres in the world. The La Scala Theatre Chorus, La Scala Theatre Ballet and La Scala Theatre Orchestra are all housed at the opera house.

For ITMA visitors interested in a little shopping during their time in Milan, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a can’t miss stop. This four-story double arcade connecting the Duomo and La Scala, is one of the world’s oldest shopping malls built between 1865 and 1877. Today, the arcade features a variety of luxury retailers, restaurants, cafés and bars.

The Last Supper, da Vinci’s late 15th century mural, can be found in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. The painting has seen better days after enduring repeated damage, years of neglect and various restoration attempts over time, but it is still a very popular tourist attraction.

Traveling around Milan is easy thanks to the city’s extensive transportation system comprising an underground metro, trams, buses, link lines and taxis. The underground lines offer cheap and quick movement around the city, and bus routes follow the four metro lines M1, M2, M3, M4 as well as the most popular routes between the city center and outskirts. Bus service also runs all night on Friday and Saturday nights.

Textile World Interview With CEMATEX President Ernesto Maurer

ITMA is owned by the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX), an organization that represents Europe’s national textile machinery associations.

Ernesto Maurer, president of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem), currently is serving a four-year term as CEMATEX president.

Textile World recently had the opportunity to speak to Maurer about ITMA 2023.

TW: A lot has changed in the world since the last ITMA show held in Barcelona in 2019. Has the COVID-19 pandemic affected ITMA 2023 at all in terms of planning and organizing the event?

Maurer: We are fortunate that the COVID-19 pandemic started after we had successfully completed ITMA 2019. Since ITMA is held every four years, the pandemic has minimal impact on the organizing of the exhibition as preparations only intensify two years before the exhibition. By the close of our space application, many countries have lifted COVID-19 restrictions and companies are eager to take their business back on track.

Nevertheless, the pandemic has a vast impact on the global economy and disrupted supply chains, which has affected our participants adversely. Despite this, we are grateful for the support of the industry which has helped us secure a strong participation rate for ITMA 2023.

TW: Barring any unforeseen issues, what is the outlook for the show in terms of exhibitors and visitors?

Maurer: We are very optimistic about the outcome of the exhibition, as everybody — exhibitors, visitors and organizers alike — are really enthusiastic.

Our exhibitor promotions have yielded favorable response and virtually all exhibition space has been fully booked. Although we may not reach the number of exhibitors as in 2019, many exhibitors are booking more space. In terms of exhibition space, we have already surpassed the 2019 size, and this is what counts in the end.

Generally, the industry is looking forward to having face-to-face interactions again and we are positive that there will a good turnout of visitors from around the world, barring unforeseen circumstances.

TW: What are the areas of strength in technologies and markets for machinery?

Maurer: The world is pivoting to digital and there are also urgent demands for sustainable and circular solutions. Textile machinery that will help textile manufacturers transform digitally and automate processes to increase productivity will be in great demand. On the sustainability front, green technologies that reduce carbon footprint or use less water and energy are currently trending.

The pandemic has also spawned demand for machinery for the manufacturing of nonwovens, especially for hygiene and medical uses.

TW: Are there any emerging areas of interest for the textile industry?

Maurer: There are two broad areas the industry is interested in: digitalization and automation; and sustainability and circularity. These are the main forces shaping the future of manufacturing for many industries, including the textile and garment industry. Both digitalization and sustainability require a long-term commitment that reshapes the entire approach to business. At the same time, they need to have mind-changing inputs at a technological, as well as economical level. Increasingly, digitalization can be used as a powerful tool in the journey towards sustainable manufacturing.

TW: Does the show’s Milan location offer any benefits in terms of international travel?

Maurer: A cosmopolitan city, Milan is a very popular destination for exhibitions and conventions. As it has three airports, it is extremely well-connected to Europe and the rest of the world. Participants can make the most out of their ITMA 2023 experience by combining business with leisure. They can also take the opportunity to explore nearby picturesque cities and towns, art and culture, and gastronomic delights.

TW: Are there any new show features visitors should be aware of?

Maurer: For this edition, we have value-added to the ITMA experience by introducing ITMAconnect, a one-stop sourcing platform and knowledge hub. The platform connects the global textile community before ITMA, and extends the engagement after the exhibition.

Our exhibitors will be setting up digital spaces to showcase their exhibits, and registered visitors will be able to learn more about these products and schedule onsite meetings with them from March 8. With this platform, both exhibitors and visitors can plan their participation more effectively and be more productive during the exhibition.

Another new initiative is Start-Up Valley which spotlights companies in its early stages of development with game changing solutions. Sixteen companies have been awarded a CEMATEX grant to defray their participation costs. You can find out more about these start-ups and their innovative solutions from www.itma.com.

Last, but not least, we have expanded our index of products by introducing textile composites. Visitors will be able to source machinery for textile reinforcement structures for composites, auxiliary machinery and accessories.

TW: Please give a quick synopsis of ITMA 2023. Tell readers what to expect and why they should attend.

Maurer: ITMA 2023 will be the first major exhibition for the textile and garment industry to be held after the coronavirus pandemic. The industry is looking forward to the face-to-face interactions with their industry colleagues and customers in Milan.

The theme of ITMA 2023 is “Transforming the World of Textiles.” It is underscored by four trending topics: automation and digital future, advanced materials, sustainability and circularity, and innovative technologies.

Well-known as the launchpad for innovative products, you can expect many exhibitors to take advantage of the largest industry gathering to showcase the latest innovations from across the entire manufacturing value chain.

With greater emphasis on collaboration among various stakeholders, ITMA 2023 will present great opportunities for dialogues and sharing of knowledge among industry groups.

For more information about ITMA 2023, visit itma.com. Textile World will
continue its pre-show coverage in the March/April 2023 issue complete with an A-Z exhibitor list and show floor plan.

January/February 2023

ZURICH — July 20, 2020 — When an organization reaches its 80th anniversary, there is a strong chance that it has survived several crises over those years. In the case of Swiss Textile Machinery, the association was actually born out of a crisis situation. Looking back over its history today inspires optimism that current and future challenges will be met with equal success. Past experience provides hope for the future…

In 1940, a year after the start of World War II, events far away from the battlefields began to impact on the local machinery industry in Switzerland. One problem was a lack of skilled workers — through military service call-ups — and another was a shortage of raw material, much of which was diverted to weapons production.

Solidarity grown out of a need for steel

Leaders of the textile machinery industry were increasingly concerned about their operations, especially the need for non-ferrous metals and high-quality steel. The situation became serious and some companies in the industry wanted to request the Swiss Government to secure the required raw material needed to maintain production. The established principle of ‘united we are strong’ led representatives from 22 companies to join forces in forming the first textile machinery group. This was the origin of what today has grown into the Swiss Textile Machinery Association.

The members of the new Swiss Association of Textile Machinery Manufacturers — including well-known brands such as Rüti, Sulzer, Rieter and Saurer — were not actually manufacturing machines from the start, but that was just another crisis to be overcome.

Machinery manufacturing as a self-help solution

Making textiles was good business for many companies in Switzerland, including the ones mentioned, before 1806. That was the year when the continental blockade imposed by Napoleon created major problems. Machines from Great Britain — the highly industrialized home of machinery development pioneers — were in high demand by Swiss textile manufacturing companies. But suddenly they were no longer available — and nor were the vital spare parts.

Many Swiss textile companies responded by starting to produce the urgently needed machines and components for themselves. And soon it became apparent that the production and export of machines was far more lucrative than their previous textile manufacturing activities. The Swiss textile machinery industry was born.

Over the years, there were numerous periods of great difficulty for the industry: world wars, global economic slumps and other crises of varying degrees of seriousness followed one after another. The profile of the world textile industry also changed. Mass production has long since migrated to the East and South-East. Despite this, or perhaps precisely because of this, Swiss textile machinery today holds a leading position in the high-quality segment of special machines and top-quality materials.

Emerging stronger from another crisis

Who would have guessed that the year of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association’s 80th anniversary would see a pandemic crisis resulting in the biggest challenge of recent industrial history? “This crisis has hit the textile industry hard, and in my opinion the full impact will only become apparent towards the end of this year,” said Ernesto Maurer, president of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association.

The required skills for the present situation are the same as previously: adaptability and flexibility. Experience through history provides grounds for some optimism for Swiss producers today. “On one hand, I rely on innovative solutions and the confidence that Swiss Textile Machinery members will emerge from the crisis stronger than ever. On the other hand, I am convinced that we will also pass this crisis in a Darwinian manner — just as we did when our association was founded,” Maurer added.

“Some of our members might choose to relocate abroad, while others could join larger groups. Maybe some companies or activities will not stay in the market. Still, I am sure that Swiss Textile Machinery will be successful and maintain its leading position in post-corona times, demonstrating that ‘united we are strong’ applies as truly today as ever.”

Posted July 21, 2020

Source: Swissmem

The appetite for progress in these segments was demonstrated at a recent two-day symposium in Tashkent, staged by the Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem), showcasing the technology and know-how of 14 leading textile machinery manufacturers from Switzerland.

The event was opened by the Swiss Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Olivier Chave, and Bakhodir Alikhanov, the First Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan Textile and Garment Association. It was attended by hundreds of delegates from the Uzbek textile and clothing sector, as well as a large contingent of students from the textile faculty of Tashkent University.

Welcoming the delegates, Ernesto Maurer, president, Swissmem, said it was clear that recent actions by the Uzbekistan government signalled its intent to foster advances in both the technology level and the extended range of textile-producing activities by its textile manufacturers.

“The fact that the Uzbek currency is now convertible for international exchange is the foundation for a significant increase in foreign trade,” he said. “And the presence at the symposium of many important representatives of the Uzbekistan textile industry is proof that there is great enthusiasm to take advantage of the new opportunities, especially in the development of business in the value-added areas of textile production, downstream from the established raw cotton and yarn sectors.”

The member companies of Swissmem taking part in the symposium were: Amsler Tex, Benninger, ITEMA, Jakob Müller, Loepfe Brothers, Luwa, Maag Brothers, Rieter, Rieter Components (Bräcker, Graf, SSM), Saurer, Stäubli Sargans and Steiger.

According to Cornelia Buchwalder, secretary general, Swissmem, the machinery manufacturers presenting their technology at the event were gratified at the level of interest shown: “As well as the industrialists, it was especially pleasing to welcome many textile students to learn about the Swiss companies and their products,” she said. “After all, we are planning to create new partnerships and project for the future, and these are the people who will be involved in this process in the years to come.”

Further positive reactions came from the individual Swiss company representatives. Boyd Higgins, Uzbekistan sales manager for Jakob Müller AG Frick, said the organisation of this event helped to create the right impression among attendees: “There was a very distinct recognition of Swiss quality and precision from the industry delegates present. This will certainly help us all in convincing customers that investing in Swiss Textile Machinery is always the right decision.”

Posted March 26, 2018

Source: Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem)

In Tehran, SSM joined the booth of the Swiss Textile Machinery association (Swissmem). Together with other high quality textile machine producers from Switzerland, the local industry could profit from their experience and services. SSM, known as innovative leader in yarn processing and winding – Swiss developer, leader and inventor of the electronic yarn traverse system, impressed their visitors with a wide range of solutions and applications.

For CAITME, Textima (SSM representative for Uzbekistan) was the host. The 11^th edition of the exhibition was well visited. The visitors had been keen about the latest technology from SSM.

A detailed overview about SSM machinery and supported applications of the textile process chain can be found under Winding Solutions at www.ssm.ch

SSM would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody that visited the booth and looks forward to future partnerships and collaborations.

Posted October 3, 2017

Source: SSM

The exhibition, at the Tehran fairgrounds from September 4-7, attracted wide international participation, and Switzerland’s special pavilion — its first for a decade — helped its companies to make a strong impression on trade visitors. Business contacts were enhanced, and the Swiss exhibitor group was able to report that some notable project negotiations were finalized at the event.

“Feedback was very positive,” said Cornelia Buchwalder, Secretary General of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association. “Our companies valued their participation and the quality of business contacts, and the exhibition provided an excellent follow-up to our Iran symposium in 2016.”

Swiss firms exhibiting were: Jakob Müller, Benninger, Willy Grob, G. Hunziker, Stäubli, Norsel, Retech, Heberlein, SSM, Luwa, Steiger Participations, Saurer, and Drop Chemicals. A highlight was the visit of Switzerland’s ambassador to Iran, Markus Leitner, to the pavilion. He met with the Swiss exhibitors and discussed the opportunities and challenges of doing business with Iran.

The reaction to the show from Benninger area sales director Peter Vormbruck typified the enthusiasm of the Swiss exhibitors: “We found that customer interest in high-quality and technology-driven machinery was very positive,” he said. “There was even a strong desire to overcome the financial complexities to enable the Iranian industry to take advantage of the imported products. We were pleased to have some very open discussions on technology and opportunities in this important market of Iran.”

Following the ending of most international sanctions on Iran at the start of 2016, there was a need to reintroduce and expand the financial and trade frameworks, to allow the Iranian textile sector to upgrade its technology levels. The 2016 symposium provided guidance on this issues via experts in the field, and this progress was continued at Irantex.

In this context, consultant Verena Utzinger attended the show to support both Swiss and Iranian partners. She outlined the work of SERV, the Swiss Export Credit Insurance organisation, which secures exports of Swiss companies against political and transfer risks, as well as payment losses, and provides additional liquidity for specific export deals.

She commented: “SERV has many years of very positive experience with Iranian buyers. At Irantex we were able to present the available services for transactions between Swiss and Iranian companies, and facilitate talks about the markets, politics and customs of Iran.”

Posted September 26, 2017

Source: Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem)

The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) was founded on Oct. 20,
1952, to concentrate the textile machinery market at one trade fair venue. The first attempt to
hold an international textile machine exhibition had been in Lille, France, in 1951. The show had
floor space of approximately 12,000 square meters (m2), and some 280 exhibitors took part. Since
that time, ITMA has been held at different sites in Europe every four years
(See Table 1).

Over the years, ITMA has gained importance and today is the most important meeting place for
the textile machinery industry. ITMA gives an overview of innovative technology and the latest
information available. It is owned by CEMATEX, which in turn hands over responsibility for
organizing each trade fair to one of its member associations. ITMA has very strict rules: It is one
of the few machinery exhibitions in the world that demands exhibitors bring a new exhibit. This
rule guarantees a high standard of new technology at ITMA shows.

In view of the booming markets in Asia, ITMA inaugurated its sister show, ITMA Asia, in
Singapore in 2001. This venue was chosen for its easy access by visitors around the globe. The
event became an instant success. After two consecutive shows in Singapore in 2001 and 2005, the
next ITMA Asia will be held in Shanghai in 2008. CEMATEX made the decision to change the show’s
venue, and also to combine it with the biennial China International Textile Machinery Exhibition
(CITME) show held in Beijing, to underline the importance of the Chinese market.

aim is to show new exhibits that answer upcoming challenges in the textile chain — from fiber
preparation to apparel. More than 1,400 exhibitors have already booked more than 100,000 m2 of
exhibition space, an increase compared to ITMA 2003 numbers. Of great value for the show and the
visitors is the fact that producers of knitting and warp knitting machinery — totaling more than 70
exhibitors — are back at ITMA.

The net exhibition area of Asian companies already surpasses the value of 2003 by 19 percent
with more than 11,500 m2. Suppliers from China, India and Japan have booked substantially larger
areas than at ITMA 2003. Registered exhibitors from Turkey have increased approximately 10 percent.
Seventy-five percent of total floor space is booked by companies from Italy, Switzerland and
Germany.

As the textile industry grows and changes, European textile machinery manufacturers face an
increased demand for high-performance machines and systems. Substantial need for replacements and
modernization, especially in newly industrialized and developing countries, strengthen this trend.

On the other hand, energy costs have a significant impact on production costs and
competitiveness in the textile industry. Energy savings, reduced consumption of water and
chemicals, low maintenance, and recycling are just a few key concerns. These issues are at the top
of the priority list for European textile machinery manufacturers. In this context, CEMATEX member
countries Switzerland, France and Germany recently invited journalists to press conferences with
the purpose of unveiling ITMA highlights. Italy’s Association of Italian Textile Machinery
Manufacturers (ACIMIT) also shared information about Italian exhibitor innovations that will be
displayed at ITMA.

Traditionally, Switzerland has been among the leading global producers of textile machinery.
Forty-three suppliers are members of the Swiss Mechanical, Electrical and Engineering Industries
(Swissmem) Textile Division, a founding member of CEMATEX.

President Christian Kuoni opened Swissmem’s recent pre-ITMA meeting, which was organized by
General Secretary Dr. Lukas Sigrist and his team. Swiss textile machinery means innovation to
Kuoni, and not only because this is the slogan for ITMA 2007. He mentioned that all important
developments in the last 40 years were made in Switzerland. “ITMA is the place for innovations,” he
said. “And today and tomorrow you will see a lot of innovations.”

Tables 2 and 3 show the importance of Swiss textile machinery exports in 2006 — the export
share is 99 percent.

Asia is still the most important market for most Swiss companies. China and — more and more —2
2 s s 2 s s 2 s 2 s s 2 s 2 s 2 s 2 2 s 2 I ndia are playing very big roles as contributors to
turnover. However, for technical textile applications, the United States and Europe remain the main
markets.

Swiss textile machinery manufacturers’ exports rose by 10 percent in 2006 compared with
2005, and reached a total volume of CHF 2,112 million
(See Editor’s Note for $ exchange rate). Forty percent of all exports go to Asia. While
exports in the first half of the year already were 8 percent above 2005, this positive result was
topped by another 11 percent in the second half. The most significant impact again came from the
Asian markets, which enjoyed a gain of 17 percent, resulting in a market share of 53 percent.

To remain cost-competitive, mainly in Asian markets, most Swiss manufacturers have their own
production sites in China. What was considered to be a negative aspect in the past is today
communicated as a price advantage.

The rising market share of machinery for technical textiles and nonwovens was apparent in
most of the Swissmem presentations. Some companies already achieve 40- to 50-percent of turnover in
the technical textiles sector. Also featured in many presentations was the goal of reducing energy
costs and waste. With rising raw material costs, almost every ounce of material needs to be
reclaimed and brought back into the production process. Swiss companies will show some new
developments at ITMA that aim to save on raw materials.

Another key point brought up at the Swissmem meeting: The markets are requesting more and
more turnkey installations, driving each machinery manufacturer to become a system supplier.
Strategic alliances on all levels — and cooperations between companies to supply and build turnkey
installations — are in demand. Many acquisitions in the past few years were executed based on this
market need.

After company presentations at the Swissmem event, the trends were very clear: quality,
flexibility and service are no longer sales arguments, but prerequisites for success. Included in
the service package is the possibility to conduct extensive trials for new products in the
supplier’s laboratory. This is very important; the market is constantly demanding new products,
mainly for industrial applications. All Swiss suppliers are expecting a lot from ITMA, and all
agreed and are convinced that the European textile industry is strong and will remain strong. The
actual positive sales trends underline this fact and will support the Swiss manufacturers’ market
share.

France is a country with a long-standing textile tradition. Today, it ranks fifth on the list
of the world’s top exporting textile machinery manufacturers. On the occasion of a presentation at
this year’s Techtextil in Frankfurt, the French ITMA exhibitors declared themselves to be ready for
the trade show in Munich.

The French textile machinery builders are integrated in the French Association of Textile
Machinery Manufacturers (UCMTF). Approximately 8,000 people are directly or indirectly active in
this industry. Bruno Ameline, UCMTF president, said French textile machinery manufacturers spend 8
percent of their turnover on research and development. In 2006, the 35 French producers achieved a
turnover of 1.2 billion euros
(See Editor’s Note for $ exchange rate). This is a global market share of approximately
6.5 percent that continues to rise. The export breakdown in regional markets is shown in Table 4.

Japan, with 11.4 percent of market share, is the largest market; followed by Belgium, 10.8
percent; Turkey, 9.7 percent; Italy, 9.1 percent; China, 7.5 percent; the United States, 6.5
percent; and Germany, 6.2 percent. Ameline mentioned that many machines become re-exports to Asia.
India, with 3.2-percent market share, and Russia, with 2.1-percent, also are promising markets. The
breakdown by sectors in 2006 is shown in Table 5.

Ameline also referred to rising energy costs and growing concerns about the environment.
Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) regulations of the European Union,
adopted in December 2006, are still the talk of the town. In accordance with a German study, the
energy costs from 1998 to 2006 roughly doubled from 5 percent to 10 percent.

The French machinery manufacturers also see a rising demand for technical textiles. “Also in
this sector we have specialists who operate in very successful ways,” Ameline said. “For many
years, NSC nonwoven and Rieter-Perfojet have been producing machines and lines for the production
of accurate nonwovens. And on recycling lines from Laroche, nonwovens are produced for all types of
technical textiles for applications such as felts, mats and geotextiles.”

The French manufacturers have invested a lot of effort in the forthcoming ITMA in Munich.
“We want to show the world that we can offer high-tech machinery for high-tech markets,” Ameline
said. “In France, we don’t have any large machinery groups, but there are very active and
specialized small and medium-sized enterprises that operate very successfully in the global
markets. We are ready, and are looking forward to ITMA 2007 with great expectations.”

The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) Textile Machinery Association held a lively
discussion among the VDMA committee and journalists present during a pre-ITMA meeting. One thing
became clear: One can see a lot of new products from German companies. Those present at the meeting
gave some hints, however, that most companies aren’t ready to unveil their new machinery until the
show.

Germany has been the world’s number-one supplier of textile machinery for a long time. After
a weak year in 2005, the German textile machinery industry is back on the road to success. “With
exports worth 3.6 billion euros, the industry reached an increase of 6 percent compared to last
year,” said Johann Philipp Dilo, chairman, VDMA Textile Machinery Association’s Executive Board.
“We are also expecting an increase of some 13 percent for the current year.”

Approximately 310 German companies will exhibit at ITMA 2007. This represents an increase of
34 percent when compared to ITMA 2003. The area booked by German exhibitors totals 29,567.5 m2, an
increase of 25 percent over 2003. Everybody agreed that Munich is an ideal location for ITMA.

Top export markets for Germany are China, with a 28.6-percent share; and India, with 11.8
percent. China and Hong Kong accounted for shipments worth 929 million euros, leaving China as the
undisputed top market for German textile machinery. For additional 2006 VDMA textile machinery
export statistics by country, region and sector, please see ”

Textile World
News,” this issue.

For the first time since 1991, Germany will host ITMA. “Our goal is that everybody can come
to ITMA in Munich,” said Thomas Waldmann, managing director, VDMA Textile Machinery Association.
“For this, we have prepared all information in 10 languages. Many people would like to see the
Oktoberfest after ITMA — that’s another challenge. Not to be forgotten is Ramadan. Many exhibitors
and visitors are Muslims, and we take this fact very seriously and will do everything to meet their
requirements. To make an easy access to Munich for everybody, we informed most of the countries
around the world that we are expecting a lot of visitors and we kindly requested all authorities to
issue visa applications in a very easy way.”

All companies at the VDMA meeting agreed that ITMA is still very important because visitors
can compare the machinery in one place. That’s why ITMA is still the top event for sales. “We show
three complete lines,” said Dilo, who is also managing director of ITMA exhibitor Oskar Dilo
Maschinenfabrik KG. “For this reason, our customers can see not only machinery, but also products.”

Producers of knitting machinery are back exhibiting at ITMA after their absence in 2003. “We
have had a very good response that the knitters are back at ITMA,” said Gerhard Berger, director,
advertising and communication, H. Stoll GmbH & Co. KG. “Many customers came back, from Europe
and Asia too. And we, as Stoll, must show our presence.”

Everybody wants to show faster and better machinery at ITMA. According to Peter Dornier,
owner of Lindauer Dornier GmbH, his company will show a so-called concept machine, which should be
a center point for discussions about the future for textile machinery.

It’s vital for Heinrich Trützschler, managing partner, Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, that
the exhibition is taking place in a country where production is still an important factor of the
gross domestic product. “There must be an ITMA in Europe,” Trützschler said. “Europe is still the
place for innovation. All new developments are still made with European customers.”

“The finishing companies in Europe are very successful today,” said Regine Brückner,
managing director and co-owner, Brückner Trockentechnik GmbH & Co. KG. “With our new machines,
one can save up to 35 percent in energy. This is a lot if the actual energy costs are taken into
consideration.”

“All present companies here at this table are market leaders in their sector,” Dilo said,
wrapping up the VDMA event. “The machines become more powerful, and a lot of money is invested in
research and development. But there is still a lot of education needed. For example, we as a
manufacturer of needling machines know that needling is the most cost-efficient technology to form
a textile substrate. With an annual increase in our turnover of 6 percent, we can see that many
customers already know this fact. However, we have to keep the pace so ITMA and our companies
remain at the top of the list.”

The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) Textile Machinery Association, responsible for
organizing ITMA 2007 in Munich, held a lively discussion among its committee members and
journalists present during a pre-ITMA meeting.

The number of Italian companies attending ITMA 2007 is approximately 355 — 13 percent more
than attended ITMA 2003. Italy ranks second in the world in exports of textile machinery,
outweighing countries that have a long tradition in the manufacture of textile machinery, such as
Japan and Switzerland.

Moreover, the Munich edition is taking place at a time that is expected to confirm the
recovery of the whole textile machinery sector worldwide — and, in particular, of the Italian
sector, which closed 2006 with quite positive results.

In 2006, Italian textile machinery production recorded an increase of 4 percent over 2005
figures, for a total of 2,680 million euros. A similar increase occurred in exports, which reached
a value of 2,100 million euros — 3 percent higher than in 2005. The Italian market saw a rise in
orders of 33 percent.

Export figures reported by ACIMIT confirm the consistency of the major Asian markets,
especially China and India. These two countries are the main destinations for Italian machinery,
accounting for about 30 percent of all exports. The year 2006 was also characterized by a global
increase in sales to Latin America and Africa.

Italy also saw a recovery in 2006 in its domestic market, where the demand for textile
machinery exceeded 1,150 million euros — an increase of 4 percent over 2005.

“The ITMA in Munich will offer the opportunity to display the Italian machine sector with
its highly competitive production, which succeeded in maintaining its leadership worldwide,
notwithstanding the difficult economic conjuncture, thanks to its appreciated peculiarities such as
quality, creativity, reliability, and to the high level of the offered technology,” said Paolo
Banfi, president, ACIMIT.

The Italian textile machinery industry is claiming a leadership position, partly because of
its constant cooperation with the Italian textile and fashion industry. This relationship plays a
particular role in the finishing machinery sector, which realized a turnover of some 560 million
euros in 2006 — 21 percent of total turnover. More than 78 percent of turnover is generated by
exports, which in 2006 totaled about 440 million euros. Main export destinations for Italian
finishing machinery are India, with 39 million euros; China, with 31 million euros; Turkey, with 31
million euros; Germany, with 22 million euros; and the United States, with 22 million euros.

“Within the sector of machines for processing semifinished materials, the open-width lines
manufactured in Italy in the last decade for the continuous washing of woolen fabrics are of
particular interest,” Banfi said. “These lines established themselves worldwide, and their
manufacturers attained the leadership in the field of solvent washing thanks to their sophisticated
technologies.

“Our sector underwent in the last years a deep transformation, but could find inside itself
the motivations and the resources from which to draw the strength for resuming a winning course,”
he added. “It is an irrefutable fact that the textile machinery industry, with a favorable balance
of trade amounting to 1,520 million euros, is the feather in the cap of the instrumental mechanics
of our country and is at the same time a sector of strategic importance for the future of our
economy.”

Editor’s Note: As of
Textile World‘s press time, exchange rates were as follows:

1 CHF = $0.83

1 euro = $1.38

July/August 2007

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