The current uncertainty across the global economic climate does not seem to have dampened enthusiasm for the third ITMA ASIA + CITME exhibition with organisers now booking all the remaining available space at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) to help them meet the continuing demand for exhibitor space. The ITMA ASIA + CITME 2012 is to be held in Shanghai from June 12th to 16th, 2012.

Confirming the strong response from the global textile machinery industry, Mr Stephen Combes, president of CEMATEX said that response to this year’s combined show was beyond the organisers’ expectations. “The strong demand for space attests to the effectiveness and popularity of the combined show as well as the resilience of the textile and textile machinery industry,” he said. “We already had a long waitlist for space by the deadline for applications, and therefore made the decision to book the remaining space available in the venue to enable us to accommodate around 80 companies on our waitlist.”

With the additional 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, the show will now gross over 1,32,000 square metres, 30% larger than the previous event in 2010. More than 1,230 exhibitors from 27 countries and regions will take part.

Mr Wang Shutian, president of CTMA, said: “Interest in the combined show remains extremely strong, especially from Chinese textile machinery manufacturers. As China’s textile industry continues its transformation, the demand for advanced machinery and technology is on the rise. This is also reflected in the current uptrend in textile machinery trade.”

The latest statistics from China Customs reveal that China's textile machinery foreign trade registered a year-on-year growth of 25.6% to reach US$ 7.6 billion in 2011; of this amount, exports contributed US$ 2.25 billion while imports chalked up US$ 5.36 billion.