Industry Talk

European textile and clothing companies are looking further afield for growth, according to a new report from the global business information company Textiles Intelligence called World Textile and Apparel Trade and Production Trends: the EU.

According to the latest International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) published this week by the ITMF (International Textile Manufacturers Federation) shipments of new textile machinery fell in 2012 in most segments compared with 2011, although a new record was set for shipments of large diameter circular knitting machines.

Just days after launching its new online Looking for Wool sourcing guide, an online directory which will enable businesses to source wool and wool-rich products for both the apparel and interiors sector, The Woolmark Company has released five new introductory training manuals to assist in educating the retail and trade sectors about the benefits of Australian Merino wool.

IAF President Mr. Harry van Dalfsen has announced that IAF will launch an action plan on global responsibility. Speaking in the opening session of the Fashion Retail Summit in Mumbai celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), Mr. Van Dalfsen emphasized that the IAF is a truly global association representing both buyers and manufacturers and small and large companies.

Karl Mayer’s longstanding managing partner, Fritz P. Mayer, will retire from the company on 30th June 2013 and from the 1st July 2013, he will represent the Mayer family on the Supervisory Board, together with Suzanne Forker. Mayer will be replaced by Arno Gärtner who joined the Management Board of Karl Mayer Holding on 1st March 2013.

Companies involved in the wool production pipeline are being invited to promote their wool-rich products in a new, free-of-charge initiative created by The Woolmark Company. The Looking for Wool sourcing guide is an online directory which will enable businesses to source wool and wool-rich products for both the apparel and interiors sector.

The International Textile Manufacturers Association’s (ITMF) State of Trade Report Q4/2012 reports that although there was a drop in global yarn output in Q4/2012, estimates for Q/2013 and Q2/2013 for global yarn and fabric production are positive.

Indorama Industries, a subsidiary of Indorama Corporation, is to double production of spandex yarn to meet the growing demand for the product in India, The Times of India reports. The company is to expand its Inviya spandex yarn production from 5000 tonnes per year to 10,000 tonnes by the end of 2014.

More than 300 technical experts and decision makers from the Indonesian textile industry met with almost 100 delegates from the German textile machinery industry and their agents at a two day conference in Jakarta on the 16th and 17th April, organised by Germany’s VDMA Textile Machinery Association.

Algodonera del Valle is a vertically-integrated textiles operation with headquarters in Buenos Aires, which has developed into one of the largest textile companies in Argentina by continual investment in spinning, knitting and finishing, over the past few decades. The family-run enterprise is specialized in the manufacture of soft knitting yarns for the domestic market and a good cooperation with textile machinery manufacturer Rieter is an important component for its success.