For 2007, Asia remained the major destination for Italian exports of textile machinery, with sales in all Asian markets attaining 793 million euro, representing fully 43% of Italy’s total exports in the sector. Yet Asia’s textile and garments industry is a very diversified market. Next to China and India, the industry’s global powers, other manufacturing areas are seeking recognition on the increasingly competitive international scene. For these relative newcomers, acquiring greater knowledge of existing technologies is of vital importance.

This is why ACIMIT and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade have scheduled two technology seminars in Indonesia (Bandung, 15 May 2008) and Bangladesh (Dakka, 21 May 2008), two of the main markets in the area for Italian manufacturers of textile machinery. In 2007, Italian exports to Bangladesh reached a value of Euro 31 million. Machinery most in demand included finishing (41% of the total) and spinning machines (35%). In Indonesia, Italian sales for 2007 topped Euro 17.5 million, divided into spinning (37% of the total), finishing (20%), knitting (17%), weaving (14%) and accessories (12%).

Both Bangladesh and Indonesia are two countries with ancient textile traditions, whose modern textile and garment industries require significant upgrading in technology to raise the quality of products destined for foreign markets. In this sense, the technology seminars programmed for next month provide local textile operators with a great opportunity to get to know the primary technology innovations offered by Italian textile machinery manufacturers in a variety of sectors, from spinning to weaving, knitting and ennobling machinery.

The technology seminar in Dakka will be presented by the following Italian machinery companies: Avantec, Corghi, Corino, Crosta, Jaeggli, Marzoli, Obem, Reggiani, Smit, Unitech. The seminar in Bandung, for its, part will be attended by Avantec, Corghi, Corino, Crosta, Marzoli, Promatech, Smit.

These technology seminars fall into the many initiatives already carried out as part of the ongoing promotional activities organized by ACIMIT and Italian Institute for Foreign Trade over the years in these emerging markets. In 2007, a training course was organized in Italy for 20 operators from Bangladesh and Indonesia.