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ITMA – INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF TEXTILE MACHINERY
13 – 20 September 2007 | New Munich Trade Fair Centre
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| 1450 exhibitors, innovative set-ups promise big turnout |
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 More than 1,450 exhibitors from 38 countries are expected in Munich -- the previous record of 1,436 exhibitors of ITMA 1995 in Milan has been beaten by a substantial amount. The strong participation not only proves the extreme importance of ITMA as the world's leading trade fair in the textile machinery industry, but also the attractiveness of Munich as a site for trade fairs.
The net exhibition area of Asian companies already has exceeded the area of 2003 by 19 per cent, with more than 11,500 square metres. Suppliers from China, India and Japan have booked substantially larger areas than they did at ITMA 2003. With an increase of more than 10 per cent, Turkey has one of the largest representations of exhibitors outside of western Europe.
ITMA 2007 will occupy the complete exhibition area of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, which has now about 17 halls, which are strategically located for easy accessibility and partially air-conditioned for the comfort of visitors. The 17 extremely modern exhibition halls, 16 of which are column-free offer vehicle access during set-up and dismantling, state-of-the-art technical infrastructure, simple orientation for visitors, efficient transportation links for visitors and fair-going traffic, ultramodern presentation and communications technology, highly flexible facilities and architecture that meets human needs in its 1,80,000 m² of exhibition space in the halls and 2,53,000 m² outdoor exhibition space.
As one of the world's most modern exhibition centres, the New Munich Trade Fair Centre sets standards in functionality, service and communication possibilities. Says A E Roberts, chief executive officer, Vanwyk Systems BV (Netherlands) and President of CEMATEX, on the New Munich Trade Fair Centre:
"The Munich fairground is modern and has been designed with the visitor in mind. All the halls are interlinked and there is a moving transport system to enable people to pass quickly from one end of the site to the other. The venue also has a wide range of excellent facilities, including restaurants, banks, cafes, shops, post office etc, and is easily accessible from the city by metro and from the international airport by a regular and efficient shuttle bus. It is a perfect location too for visitors from European countries as they are only a few hours away by car, making the whole experience very easy and affordable."
There are many firsts in the ITMA. A separate area for research and education, marked areas for technical textile technologies, and focused halls for nonwovens are some of the innovations that are expected to make business visitors comfortable and help avoid tiresome search of their target areas.
Nonwovens and technical textiles growth areas for ITMA
 Exhibitors of machines and accessories for manufacturing nonwovens and technical textiles will have a much increased presence at ITMA 2007 in Munich, Germany.
Show organisers, CEMATEX and Messe München International (MMI), say that 64 exhibitors of machines and accessories for nonwovens production will occupy an area in two halls that is 50 per cent larger than at the last ITMA event held at Birmingham, UK, in 2003. For technical textiles, there will be machines, accessories and technologies in all trade fair halls ranging from fibre manufacturing to making-up.
The growth in exhibition space devoted to nonwovens and technical textiles manufacture reflects the increasing significance of these products in the global market. Production of nonwovens increased by 13 per cent to almost one million tons in China in 2006, and increased by about 5 per cent to 1.5 million tons in Europe. By the year 2010, global production of nonwovens is forecast to reach almost seven million tons with annual growth rates between 6 and 10 per cent (depending on the region and type of nonwovens).
Subsequently, further processing of nonwovens is also becoming increasingly important, so the organisers have positioned the nonwovens machinery halls next to the finishing machinery exhibits.
ITMA broadens innovation appeal
ITMA will feature a 'Research and Education Area' for the first time.
 The leading trade fair of the textile machinery industry is expanding its appeal through the inclusion of section for research institutes for textiles and clothing as well as colleges, universities and other educational institutions to present their services and innovations.
The 'Research and Education Area' will show the latest research results in the manufacturing of textiles and clothing as well as the expansion of the areas of textile use. Research institutes and educational institutions can take advantage of this excellent opportunity to present their range of services and the latest process and product innovations as well as their education and advanced training offers to ITMA trade fair participants from throughout the world, said the show's organiser.
Various research institutes, universities and colleges from Germany, Switzerland and Belgium have already registered.
On a total area of approximately 600 square metres located centrally, visitors can expect a modern mixture of exhibition area and lounge, which will form the centre of the 'Research and Education Area'. Experts from the 'Research and Education Area' will present their current projects and visions for textiles and clothing in the 'Speaker's Corner'.
From India itself, there will be a textile research association (BTRA, Mumbai) and a textile educational institution (DKTE, Ichalkaranji) participating for the first time at ITMA.
Dr C D Kane, principal of DKTE enumerates the following as the objective of his premier institution in participating at ITMA:
§ "To have collaboration with leading academia, and R & D organisations for enriching teaching-learning process and for carrying out quality research work."
§ "To attract the foreign students for pursuing degree, post graduate programmes in textiles at our institute."
§ "To explore the possibility of Industry-Institute interaction at international level."
Says Dr A N Desai, director of BTRA about his research institution's participation: "The aim is to convey our activity profile to the international community, our research activity and soliciting collaboration for contract research/consultancy/testing. BTRA's capabilities and services as a research institution will be the main focus of display at our stall in ITMA 2007 using banners and multimedia presentation."
ITMA 2007 provides students and employees of research institutes in the textile industry with the unique opportunity to obtain a better insight into the latest technical innovations and developments of textile machines. In addition, outstanding works of next-generation scientists and students will be honoured at ITMA in Munich.
Textile engineering is an innovative industry, which traditionally puts a great deal of importance on promoting the next generation. This aspect will also be a focal point of industry interest during ITMA 2007 in Munich, the "Place for Innovation". For example, outstanding works of junior scientists and students will be awarded prizes by the national member associations of CEMATEX.
The official ceremony for presenting these awards will take place on 15 September in the Research & Education Area in Hall B2. CEMATEX President Edward Roberts as well as the presidents of the national textile machinery associations will present the awards to the prize winners. They will then have the possibility to present their research results in brief presentations.
Moreover, there are also attractive offers for students to travel to and visit ITMA. Students receive a one day badge for ITMA 2007 at a discounted price of 19 euros. A permanent badge costs 29 euros. These badges are only available directly on the trade fair grounds in Munich.
In addition to these discounted badges, the official service partner of Messe München, Servicebroker©, is offering special travel packages for students. For example, there is a round-trip train ticket valid from any train station in Germany to Munich or a complete package including round-trip ticket, overnight stay in a shared room in a hostel and two-course dinner in a popular Munich "Bräustuben".
Trends and developments in fibre manufacturing
Global production of chemical fibres increased by three per cent in 2006 to approximately 43 million tons compared to the previous year. Polyester fibres were the most important segment with 27.7 million tons (an increase of eight per cent). More than 70 per cent of chemical fibres in the world are produced in Asia in the meantime, with China as largest manufacturing country.
The leading international manufacturers of man-made fibre machines for staple fibres and filament yarns will be represented at ITMA 2007 in Munich (13 to 20 September). More than 100 exhibitors from this segment will exhibit their latest machines and components in Halls A3 to A6.
While investments are being made in highly productive, large fibre plants in Asia, system modernisations and the manufacture of special machines, especially for technical textiles, dominate in Western Europe. Consequently, components such as spinnerets and filters for achieving increased productivity and product quality as well as more flexible production are primary for European trade fair visitors. Automation and increased process control are the basis for this.
The development of new fibres for use in technical areas requires modified manufacturing and processing systems (eg, for carbon fibres). New market opportunities are also being created with nanofibres. The fibres required for medical textiles are often still in the development stage; German textile research institutes installed the first pilot systems in 2006. Visitors from the whole world can also obtain information in Munich about the latest technologies and processes in this area of use in September.
The markets have moved to Asia in texturing, so that more than 90 per cent of the investments for texturised polyester yarn are made in China and India in the meantime. On the other hand, the USA and western Europe as well as Turkey remain the dominant producers for BCF carpet yarns. A total of 25 manufacturers of texturing, bulking and crimping machinery will present their latest developments at ITMA in Munich.
Energy savings in fibre production and raw material recycling will also be especially interesting topics in Munich due to high polymer costs. The global restructuring of the fibre industry requires a lot of rethinking about fibre production with respect to costs, production and sales markets. The most modern technologies, machines and components are required for this. ITMA 2007 is presenting the leading international manufacturers in this segment.
Germany optimistic
Germany exported textile machinery in 2006 to a value of Euro 3.4 billion, almost double that of its closest rival Japan, which achieved exports of Euro 1.7 billion, followed by Italy with Euro 1.65 billion. The top five markets for German textile machinery last year were China (28.6%), India (11.7%) and Turkey, the USA and Italy with a combined share of 17%.
Broken down into four key areas, 2006 spinning machinery exports were worth Euro 1.35 billion, knitting and hosiery machinery Euro 1.2 billion, finishing machinery Euro 706 million and weaving machinery Euro 344 million.
For 2007, the VDMA is anticipating a sales increase of around 13% and expects such growth to extend to 2008. Speaking at a special press conference held in Frankfurt, Thomas Waldmann (right), managing director of the VDMA textile machinery branch said he was overwhelmed by the impressive figures from the industry.
And VDMA members are sure that ITMA will remain in Europe in the future. Says VDMA textile division President Johann Philipp Dilo: "ITMA will continue to be the place for launching innovations, and events in Asia will be more business based. The pattern for events in the coming years is already set, with ITMA in Europe every four years and ITMA Asia every two. ITMA will be held again in Europe in 2011."
The overwhelming response to ITMA was partly the outcome of the organisers, (CEMATEX) holding round table meetings and press conferences in 13 different countries in collaboration with the Textile Machinery Association of VDMA and within the framework of preparations for ITMA 2007. The objective was to provide the most comprehensive information possible about ITMA, the innovations exhibited there and the site of Munich to disseminators of information such as textile associations and opinion-makers as well as to the daily, business and trade media.
The longest Round Table Meeting Tour for ITMA 2007 - at which a total of 280 participants were welcomed - took the representative of Munich International Trade Fairs, Executive Director, Capital Goods Shows, Katharina Hamma, through eight Indian cities. The events in Delhi and Ahmedabad, which were also the largest with 55 and 60 participants, were additionally supported by the Chairman of the ITMA 2007 Committee, Heinrich Trützschler. India had the sixth largest visitor contingent (1,955 visitors) at ITMA 2003.
The European umbrella organisation CEMATEX, which comprises nine European member associations, is the owner of ITMA. This leading international trade fair of the textile machinery industry takes place at intervals of four years at different exhibition locations and attracts around 1,00,000 visitors and 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world.
Messe München International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International Group) is one of the world's leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America.
CEMATEX (Comité Européen des Constructeurs de Machines Textiles) is the European umbrella organisation of 9 national textile machinery manufacturers associations:
§ ACIMIT, Italy, Tel: (+39 02) 4 69 36 11, info@acimit.it
§ AMTEX, Spain, Tel: (+34 93) 4 15 04 22, amtex@amec.es
§ BTMA, Great Britain, Tel: (+44 161) 7 75 57 40, btma@btma.org.uk
§ GTM, Netherlands, Tel: (+31 79) 3 53 13 51, gtm@fme.nl
§ SWISSMEM, Switzerland, Tel: (+41 44) 3 84 41 11, l.sigrist@swissmem.ch
§ SYMATEX, Belgium, Tel: (+32 2) 7 06 79 74, info@symatex.be
§ TMAS, Sweden, Tel: (+46 8) 7 82 08 60, tmas@teknikforetagen.se
§ UCMTF, France, Tel: (+33 1) 47 17 63 45, info@ucmtf.com
§ VDMA, Germany, Tel: (+49 69) 66 03 17 07, itma@vdma.org
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