Itema, the Italian textile machinery major, hits the spotlight once again. An international company supplying the best-in-class textile machinery to the world market has undertaken major restructuring at the organizational level and has recently announced the appointment of its new Managing Director for Indian operations, Mr. Updeep Singh. He succeeds Mr. Tapas Nandi.
Everyone in the textile vertical is aware of the merger wherein the group incorporated the best of its revered brands – Somet, Sultex and Vamatex – behind the one single brand “ITEMA” in 2009. Since then, the brand has been offering only the finest in air-jet looms, rapier looms and projectile machines from its manufacturing facilities located in Italy, Switzerland and China. These hi-tech machines are the result of the flawless integration between optical, mechanical and electrical elements.
Itema has a tradition of almost 200 years with an installed base of over 300,000 weaving machines in operation. With its presence in more than 100 countries, it ensures a fast and reliable service and guarantees the right weaving machine for any type of woven fabric. From commodity to high-end fashion or industrial fabrics, Itema has the right weaving machine for any application.
Speaking to The Textile Magazine, Mr. Fulvio Carlo Toma, Group Sales & Marketing Director of Itema – Global, observes: “With more than two centuries of experience, Itema has always had a rich history of developing the best technology for the weaving industry. Now, with the recent changes within the management, Itema endeavors to achieve the global leadership position within the next few years.”
With the widest application range, the R9500 is the backbone of Itema. Highly versatile, it enables the customer to take advantage of the new opportunities and quickly penetrate new markets. The Alpha PGA is the most flexible machine with regard to inserting different weft materials and yarn counts into the same fabric (e.g., upholstery). The Silver DynaTerry (or SilverDT) rapier weaving machine is the best among the lot for production of high quality terry products.
The P7300HP V8 projectile weaving machine is a further development of the P7300HP and is targeted towards future marketing needs.
The sum of technological advances once again confirms the superiority of the projectile weaving machine technology. Low energy consumption, its versatility and the outstanding adaptability to the ever-changing market needs make the projectile weaving machine a safe investment with an unparalelled return on investment. The projectile weaving machine is by far the best and most suitable for technical fabrics.
The Itema manufacturing facility located in Colzate (Bergamo) in the north of Italy has recently undergone a major upgrade with the implementation of lean production and other cost-effective systems to double the annual production capacity without any increase in the workforce. A further reinforcement of the company’s ability to respond quickly to growing global demand is the new program entitled Itema Academy designed to recruit and retain promising young graduates from universities around the globe to strengthen the talent pool of future engineers, sales area managers and other dedicated human resources of the company.
Globally, Itema has grown by more than 50 per cent in 2013 in terms of the number of machines sold when compared to 2012. In terms of overall revenue, including from the sale of spare parts, the company has grown by 25 per cent in 2013 compared to the previous year.
Moving to the Indian operations, Itema Weaving (India) Private Ltd. was formed on January 1, 2008, by merging Sultex (India) Private Ltd. with Promatech Division of Itema India Ltd. to look after sales, service and spare parts business of its various products. The company has offices at various locations all over India.
China plant inaugurated
March 2014 turned out to be a milestone month for Itema as it was the star attraction for the second time in the same month for opening a new office-cum-assembly plant near Shanghai. The grand opening ceremony held on March 6 was well attended by delegates and customers.
The company is present in China since 2003 with sales and after-sales teams, assembly and technical support in order to ensure the highest possible standard of weaving solutions, with a complete offering and service to its valuable customers in the Chinese market.
Furthermore, the new facility in Shanghai will cover a wide range of activities, from factory automation with a global perspective regarding the production environment to computer-integrated manufacturing. From automation to futuristic computer-controlled weaving plants, Itema endeavors to provide the new streamlined production environment for the new era.