The mega machinery show
As expected, ITMA 2011 held at Barcelona in Spain during September 22-
29 turned out to be the biggest ever textile machinery show, with over 1,300
exhibitors from 45 countries joining it and displaying their latest sophisticated
machines and production processes designed specially for the booming textile
industry in Asia. True, Asia is emerging the preferred choice for global machin-
ery manufacturers both for development of new products and for tie-ups with
their counterparts in China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, etc. India this time over-
took Japan and China in the Asian region with over 120 exhibitors and was next
only to Italy and Germany in the West, with the latter having 320 and 210 exhibi-
tors respectively. Another record set at Barcelona was the unprecedentedly high
number of trade visitors, at over one lakh, crowding in and around the different
stalls at the sprawling complex. Just over 90 per cent of them came from outside of Spain.
Variety and attractive designs featured the products on display, and the surging demand from individual
companies for their specifc products was met forthwith. Besides spot bookings, huge trade transactions
are under negotiation and would be fnalised soon. Leading industry events like the World Textile Summit,
Sustainable Textile Leaders Roundtable and the Textile Dyestuffs and Chemical Leaders Forum were all at-
tended by industry professionals in large numbers. The over-enthusiasm both among exhibitors and visitors
confrm the general impression that the next edition of ITMA to be held at Milan in Italy in November 2015
would be much bigger, both in magnitude and popularity. This was based on the optimism among industry
leaders that if the Barcelona show which came when the world economy is passing through a worst-ever
crisis, the 2015 event can’t be any different but be much bigger in size. Why, hectic preparations for the
show are underway even now.
In the emerging scenario, India would do well to successfully tackle the growing competition from its
Asian rivals. The Textile Engineering Industry (TEI) is currently doing pretty well in anticipation of a bet-
ter performance by the textile industry. On its part, the Government has already withdrawn the suspension
of TUFS, which is now extended during the 12th Plan period as well. With the latest policy thrust on tech-
nical textiles, special sops have been announced by the Textile Minister to aid the industry growth. These
include two per cent duty credit for exports to the US and the European Union, and extension of the Market
Linked Focus Product Scheme (MLFPS) to cover more textile items for export. How far these measures
would favourably impact the textile and machinery industries, time alone will tell.
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The Textile Magazine
OCTOBER 2011
R. Natarajan,
Managing Editor & Publisher