German textile machinery orders soar in run up to ITMA Asia

6 May 2010, Frankfurt am Main – Germany’s VDMA Textile Machinery Association has reported a 130% increase in orders in the first quarter 2010 for German textile machinery builders compared to the first quarter of last year. The association predicts an overall increase in sales of 30-35% in 2010, compared with 2009.

“After two extremely difficult years, the German textile machinery manufacturers are guardedly optimistic for the future” explains Fritz P. Mayer, Chairman of the Textile Machinery Association and Managing Partner of Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH.

 Order inflow clearly increased

In 2008 and 2009, textile machinery builders were forced to accept a huge slump with its knock on effects on production and exports. After a poor first quarter 2009, incoming orders for the fourth quarter 2009 increased significantly reaching a total of 555 million Euros.

“In January and February 2010 already, textile machinery worth 533 million Euros have been exported so that, even with a conservative estimate, a clear increase of the exports has to be expected for the overall first quarter,” a spokesperson for the VDMA textile Machinery Association said.

Asian sales dominate

According to the VDMA, 55% of overall exports of German textile machinery in 2009, representing 1.8 billion Euros, went to Asia. The two big volume markets alone, China and India, imported German textile machinery and accessories of around 628 and 161 million Euros respectively. In January and February 2010, exports to China rose by 37% to 83 million Euros compared to the same period the year before. Besides China, exports to other Asian countries showed clear stimulation of the market: Iran 6.8 million Euros (+50 %), Thailand 4.1 million (+42 %), Vietnam 1.7 million (+35 %), Bangladesh 2.7 million Euros (+8 %), the VDMA said.

The VDMA says that the favourable economic trend will be reflected by the German participation in ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010; with 105 exhibitors the German companies represent the biggest European group within the CEMATEX countries. All of Germany’s renowned manufacturers will be present at the leading exhibition in Shanghai and will be showing innovative textile production technique ‘Made in Germany’, the association says.

Efficiency in energy, material and resources

According to the VDMA textile Machinery Association, at this ITMA ASIA + CITME, sustainable textile production will be a main topic. As spokesperson for the organisation said:

“It has concrete aspects with regard to economy and politics (prices of energy and raw materials, costs of material, stronger environmental regulations). Not few are the textile manufacturers who are studying their material flow and their production process under the aspect of sustainability with regard to consumer protection, exhaust air and waste water, job security and resource-efficiency. It is not for nothing that China as the biggest textile market has incorporated this subject into its five-years-plan. The German manufacturers at ITMA ASIA will show ways to substantial energy, water and material savings with pioneering technologies.”

VDMA at ITMA ASIA + CITME

The first point of contact for trade professionals, who are interested in technology made in Germany, will be the VDMA info booth at the Association Village, hall E1, booth D61. Among the 26 member companies, who will participate in the fair under the roof of the national sector group, each six companies will be located together in hall W2 (International Spinning Machinery) and in hall W5 (Dyeing & Finishing) respectively. The other 14 member companies will be positioned individually.

Internet-based exhibition guide

Trade professionals, who want to make contacts with German exhibitors ahead of the exhibition can use “Come by and see”, the helpful assistant offered by VDMA. This internet-based exhibition guide lists all VDMA member companies exhibiting at the fair according to their alphabetical order, to the respective branch and the hall. Using the contact form, visitors can arrange a meeting with the respective company at the fair. By a direct mailing “Come by and see” will be distributed end of May to about thirty thousand textile manufacturers in all important Asian markets. A printed version of “Come by and see” will be handed out at the VDMA information booth.

Business directory and buyer’s guide

Also at the VDMA information booth, interested trade professionals can get the updated Chinese version of the business directory “Textile Machinery – Made in Germany – Made for Success”, showing in a neat matrix the production programme of all member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. Those trade professionals, who are particularly interested in nonwoven machinery, will find a compact overview of the VDMA member companies in this field in the new brochure “Nonwoven Machinery – German technology – Products and suppliers”.