After a sharp reduction in global shipments of new textile machinery in 2008 and 2009 as a result of the global financial and economic crisis in 2008-2009, deliveries of new textile machinery jumped in 2010 and 2011, in most cases to new record highs. In 2012 shipments of new textile machinery fell in most segments in comparison to 2011. Looking at the past few years shipments remained relatively high.
In comparison to 2011, global shipments of new short-staple spindles and open-end rotors decreased by 27 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, whereas shipments of long-staple spindles increased by 29 per cent. Shipments of new draw-texturing spindles declined by 13 per cent, of new shuttle-less looms by 44 per cent, and of new electronic flat-knitting machines by 34 per cent. On the other hand, worldwide shipments of new large circular knitting machines increased in 2012 by 27 per cent.
These are the figures given in the 35th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) just released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers six segments of textile machinery, namely, spinning, draw-texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing machinery. The 2012 survey has been compiled in co-operation with some 122 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world production.
Spinning machinery
After shipments of new short-staple spindles plummeted in 2008 (33 per cent) and 2009 (17 per cent), they soared in 2010 (75 per cent) to pre-crisis levels and increased in 2011 by a further 15 per cent, touching 14.33 million, an all-time high. In 2012 shipments of short-staple spindles fell by 27 per cent to 10.51 million spindles. In 2012, 94 per cent of all shipped short-staple spindles were destined for Asia (9.91 million), with China alone absorbing 6.39 million or 65 per cent of global shipments, followed by India as distant second (1.97 million spindles or 19 per cent), Indonesia (594,000 or 5.7 per cent), Turkey (441,000 or 4.2 per cent) and Bangladesh (231,000 or 2.2 per cent).
Global shipments of long-staple (wool) spindles soared in 2012 by 29 per cent to 146,400. Europe was the main recipient (77,000 or 53 per cent), followed by Asia (65,600 or 45 per cent), the Americas (3,300 or 2.3 per cent) and Africa (430 or 0,3 per cent). The single biggest investor in long-staple (wool) spindles was Turkey (60,300), followed by Thailand (29,100), China (27,300), Italy (9,400) and Iran (6,800).
Investments in open-end rotors fell in 2012 by 21 per cent to 451,200. Asia was once again the biggest investor in this spinning technology installing in total 408,260 new rotors or 90 per cent of global shipments. China was again by far the biggest single investor in rotors, absorbing 363,950 or 81 per cent of global shipments. India was again a distant second with a total of 19,400 new open-end rotors (4.3 per cent), followed by Turkey with 17,500 rotors (3.9 per cent), Brazil with 11,100 rotors (2.5 per cent), Uzbekistan with 8,900 rotors (two per cent) and Malaysia with 6,800 rotors (1.5 per cent).
Texturing machinery
In 2012, there were no shipments of single heater draw-texturing spindles (mainly used for polyamide filaments). Shipments fell from 13,200 in 2010 to 1,824 in 2011.
In double heater draw-texturing spindles (mainly used for polyester filaments), investments dropped from an all-time high of 826,500 texturing spindles in 2011 to 717,800, a decrease of 13 per cent. Almost 90 per cent of all shipments went to Asia. By far the biggest single investor in this type of draw-texturing machinery was again China where 489,600 new spindles or 68 per cent of global shipments were installed, followed by distant second India with 44,400 or 6.2 per cent, Thailand and Japan with 36,500 or 5.1 per cent each, and Turkey with 17,000 or 2.4 per cent.
Weaving machinery
Worldwide shipments of shuttle-less looms plummeted in 2012 to 86,450 machines, a fall of 44 per cent from the previous year’s record 153,750. The main reason behind this development is the decline in shipments of water-jet looms. After a skyrocketing jump of 537 per cent to 73,250 in 2010 and to 112,930 in 2011, which was partially due to the fact that more weaving machinery manufacturers reported for the first time in 2010, global deliveries of water-jet shuttle-less looms dropped by 65 per cent to 39,920 machines in 2012.
In the shuttle-less loom segment of rapier/projectile looms shipments increased from 19,250 in 2011 to 23,250 in 2012, a rise of 20 per cent. Also deliveries of shuttle-less air-jet looms increased from 21,500 to 23,300.
As in previous years, the main destination of shuttle-less looms was Asia where 80,600 or 93 per cent of all new shuttle-less looms were installed. Country-wise, the biggest global investor was again China with 58,900 looms (68 per cent), of which 34,400 were water-jet looms, 16,000 air-jet looms and 8,500 rapier/projectile looms. With 10,200 looms (12 per cent) of global shipments, India was the second biggest investor, followed by Indonesia with 3,730 (4.3 per cent), Turkey with 2,570 looms (three per cent), Bangladesh with 1,600 (1.9 per cent) and Korea with 1,350 looms (1.6 per cent).
Circular & flat knitting machinery
Global shipments of large circular knitting machines increased by 27 per cent from 28,900 in 2011 to 36,650 in 2012, which set a new record. Also in this segment Asia was the main regional investor in this type of machinery absorbing 33,600 units or 92 per cent of all machines shipped in 2012. The biggest single investor was once more China with a total of 28,280 (a global market share of 77 per cent), followed by Turkey with 1,420 (or 3.9 per cent), Indonesia with 1,350 (or 3.7 per cent), India with 1,200 (or 3.3 per cent) and Bangladesh with 735 (or two per cent).
In the electronic flat knitting machines segment, global shipments in 2012 dropped by 34 per cent to 46,100 machines. The bulk of global shipments of electronic flat knitting machines was delivered to Asia (40,940 or 89 per cent), while Europe’s share (including Turkey) reached 10 per cent (= 4,670 machines). The biggest single investor in 2012 was again China where 33,040 new machines (72 per cent) were installed, followed by Bangladesh with 4,360 (9.5 per cent), Turkey with 2,660 (5.8 per cent), Hong Kong with 1,090 (2.4 per cent) and Italy with 826 (1.8 per cent).
The 2012 edition of ITMF’s International Textile Machinery Shipments Statistics also included for the eighth time data on finishing machinery (wovens and knits continuous machinery).