The VDMA-member companies are extremely satisfied with ITMA 2015 in Milan. Almost 96 per cent of them stated that both the quantity and the quality of visitors to their booths were good to very good, and 87 per cent evaluate the prospects for post-exhibition business to be good to very good. This is based on a VDMA survey to which 53 exhibiting member-companies responded.
In expressing her satisfaction with the show, Regina Brückner, Chairperson, VDMA Textile Machinery, and CEO, Brückner Trockentechnik, said: “We were very pleased with ITMA 2015 in general, especially with the great number of visitors that were not only looking but were discussing real projects – some will be realised in the short term, some in the medium term”.
Winning new customers
The acquisition of new customers was the major target of the VDMA members in Milan, and 89 per cent of them reached this goal. Three out of four German companies (74 per cent) were able to close contracts and negotiations during the showtime in Milan. This also shows the high confidence of textile mills worldwide in German technology.
Roland Hampel, member of the board of VDMA Textile Machinery, and Managing Director, A. Monforts Textilmaschinen, said: “What a success for ITMA 2015! The quality and the number of visitors, the commercial success for our company and the new contacts being generated during the show exceeded our expectations. ITMA proved again it is the leading exhibition place for textile machines.”
Johann Philipp Dilo, Member of the Board of VDMA Textile Machinery, and Managing Director of Dilo Group, added: “Numerous projects are very promising and we expect further contracts to be concluded in the short term. All in all, ITMA in Milan has been a great success. Milan confirmed again the importance of the European ITMA.”
High interest in energy and material efficiency
ITMA proved that sustainable textile production continues to be a major issue for the industry. According to the VDMA survey, energy and material efficiency were the topics to which customers showed the highest interest. Asked about energy efficiency 72 per cent of the responding VDMA members said that it was a topic of high to very high interest for the customers. Material efficiency ranked number two in the list: 63 per cent of the member-companies evaluate it to be of high to very high interest for customers. VDMA and Blue Competence members fulfilled ITMA’s performance promise “Master the Art of Sustainable Innovation”.
“We felt for the first time a real understanding and interest in energy efficiency and green technology. It seems that German machine builders again strengthened their positive image of producing sustainable machines which will help us look forward to some very exciting years!”, commented Regina Brückner.
Markets more globally distributed again
The visitor structure reflects that customers are more globally distributed again and the dependence on individual markets is decreasing. The comeback of many markets with a longstanding textile tradition is a positive sign for the years to come.
“The exhibition by far exceeded our expectations. For us, especially visitors from Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey showed high demand”, said Heinrich Trützschler, member of the Board of VDMA Textile Machinery, and Managing Partner of Trützschler.
Arno Gärtner, CEO, Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik, added: “This year’s ITMA exceeded all our expectations. We were very happy to welcome many international customers.”
VDMA activities abroad in 2016
Since local presence is essential for a meaningful dialogue between machine manufacturers and textile producers, VDMA is continuing its series of conferences in dedicated markets. The next stop will be Vietnam. VDMA is planning a forum themed “German Technology meets Vietnamese Textiles” to take place in Hanoi (July 5) and Ho-Chi-Minh-City (July 7 to 8). Well-known VDMA member-companies will present their updated technologies to Vietnamese textile producers and separately also towards textile students in HCMC. B2B Matchmaking and a gala dinner will enrich the programme. More details will be announced soon.
Furthermore, VDMA initiated official German pavilions at INDO Intertex in Jakarta (April 27 to 30) and Techtextil North America in Atlanta (May 3-5). For the leading textile machinery show in Asia ITMA Asia + CITME 2016 (October 21 to 25, Shanghai), VDMA again expects a strong participation from Germany.