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First ITMA ASIA + CITME Textile Machinery Show All Sewn Up
2007/08/06
The first two-in-one textile machinery show, ITMA ASIA + CITME, will be Asia`s biggest and most significant exhibition, a title well-deserved as shown by the expected presence of the world`s leading manufacturers. The bubbly optimism was evident at the press conference held in October 2006 at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing as the show organizers publicized the integration of two well-established, world-class events.
ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 will be co-organized by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co., Ltd. and MP International Pte Ltd., who were both present at the CITME 2006 (China International Textile Machinery Exhibition), co-organized by the Sub-Council of Textile Industry under the China International Textile Machinery Exhibition and the Organizing Committee of China International Textile Machinery Exhibition.
 | | The press conference on ITMA ASIA and CITME announced the combination of the two shows. |
The ITMA (International Exhibition of Textile Machinery) is organized by the Germany-based Messe Munchen International GmbH. The exhibition has been held every four years since 1951 at a different venue and is reputed to be the world`s largest exhibition for textile machines and accessories.
The doubling up of capacities at the ITMA ASIA and CITME will have a very positive impact on upgrading the technological and equipment levels for the textile industry in Asia, providing a platform for exchanges and cooperation among both textile and textile machinery circles from different countries, facilitating regional integration of the textile machinery exhibition market and, very importantly, reducing the participation costs for both exhibitors and visitors.
CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and China Exhibition Centre Group Corporation (CIEC) are all confident that the branding and quality of the show will encourage global industry brands to be properly represented in China, and major Chinese and other Asian manufacturers are expected to follow suit.
Only Qualified Exhibitors
Following in the tradition of ITMA and ITMA ASIA exhibitions, only manufacturers of textile machinery and accessories are qualified to take part in the combined show, and exhibitors must display original equipment, creating added interest for visitors.
In response to the current concerns about the protection of intellectual property in China, there will be strict controls on the credentials of companies applying for space, and measures will be taken to prevent the infringement of patents at the show.
Backed by the strong track record of ITMA, ITMA ASIA and CITME, the 2008 show (to be held in Shanghai from July 27-31, 2008) is expected to be a sell-out. The show organizers have projected that the inaugural event will fully occupy the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (over 100,000 square meters). More importantly, it will be the quality showcase of the latest technologies and innovative solutions by original manufacturers for the vibrant Asian market, especially the mega Chinese marketplace.
Commenting on the benefits of the combined show, Du Yuzhou, chairman of CNTAC (China National Textile and Apparel Council), said: "The combination of CITME and ITMA ASIA is a result of the development of the Chinese and world textile industry. It is a symbol that the cooperation between Chinese and European textile machinery industry has come to a new stage. The European textile machinery manufacturers provide the latest technological equipment while the growing Asian textile industry opens the most important market, especially in China.
During China`s 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005), equipment worth about US$18.8 billion were imported and played an important role in China`s development of new textile products, improvement in quality and promotion of efficiency. For the 11th Five-Year Plan (from 2006-2010), China`s textile industry will be focused on technical innovations, development of Chinese own brands and increase in the added-value of products. All these must be carried out with sophisticated equipment. It is China`s demand for advanced equipment and the outstanding achievements by European textile machinery manufacturers that have inspired the integration of the two established events-ITMA ASIA and CITME. This two-in-one event will encourage industrial technical improvement and offer exhibitors and their end-users better service."
China Makes One Third of Global Textiles
Edward Roberts, president of CEMATEX, explained: "China`s textile industry has enjoyed a period of rapid growth and now has one third of the entire global textile production capacity. The country has become one of the largest buyers of textile machinery, which is one of the key reasons why CEMATEX made the important decision to move ITMA ASIA from Singapore to China."
He continues, "The date in 2008 has been chosen in order to enable us to react as quickly as possible to the changing requirements of the Asian market. We have decided to work on this show with CTMA (the owners of CITME) because they share our objective of offering exhibitors and their customers a high quality, cost-effective exhibition, and we are delighted that they will be our partner in the combined ITMA AISA + CITME show."
Against the backdrop of the buoyant textile sector in China, the move to combine the two shows into one mega, high-quality event has already been lauded as an important step forward by the world`s leading textile machinery manufacturers, and it has the full backing of all nine CEMATEX European textile machinery associations and JTMA (Japan Textile Machinery Association).
Bruno Ameline, president of UCMTF (French Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association) and chairman of the France-based NSC Group, enthused: "ITMA ASIA has been a vital part of our show calendar in the past, as it has enabled us to meet all of our existing and potential buyers in the space of five days and in one location. We are sure that ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008 will bring us similar success, providing us with valuable sales leads not only in China but in many of the other developing economies in the region which we would otherwise have more difficulties to reach."
Paolo Banfi, president of ACIMIT (Italian Textile Machinery Manufactures Association) and managing director of ComeZ Co., said: "The arrival to the Chinese market of the ITMA brand should be considered a positive note providing a further boost for many textile machinery manufacturers. The partnership with CITME provides added value to the operation. We are confident that the first edition of ITMA ASIA + CITME in 2008 will be a resounding success."
Perfect Timing
Johann Philipp Dilo, president of VDMA (German Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association) and president of Oskar Dilo Maschinenfabrik Kg., Germany, also welcomed the move to combine the shows: "ITMA is the world`s largest textile machinery show and a truly unique opportunity for visitors to examine and compare equipment from all their potential suppliers. This is very rare in the world of exhibitions. So we welcome the news of ITMA ASIA`s combined show with CITME, and also the frequency of every two years in China-this gives us a show which serves all our needs in this important market-and with the right timing."
Gao Young, vice president of China National Textile and Apparel Council and also the president of CTMA, emphasized: "The recent rapid growth in the Asian textile industry has led to the launch of a number of textile machinery shows of varying status in the region, but such shows have failed to meet the demands of the textile industry`s long term development."
"ITMA ASIA and CITME are different because these shows are owned by textile machinery associations. Hence, they are organized by the textile industry for the textile industry. We understand the needs of the industry, and the principal aim therefore is to offer a high quality and relevant show for exhibitors and customers alike, and finally to strive towards the upgrade of the whole industry`s science and technology level."
Zhang Yankai, vice president of China National Textile and Apparel Council and also the executive vice chairman of CCPIT-Tex, commented: "No doubt, the integration of CITME and ITMA ASIA will bring new opportunities to Asia and the world textile industry and textile machinery industry. It is firmly believed that under the joint efforts of all related parties and the great support of our patents in the textile circle, the combined exhibition will become a flagship textile machinery exhibition in Asia."
Yao Rui, vice president of China International Exhibition Centre Group Corp., one of the leading exhibition organizers in China, said: "The cooperation has positive meaning to the development of both China`s exhibition industry and China`s national economy. The integration of ITMA ASIA and CITME opens up a new way of Sino-foreign cooperation on holding exhibitions."
Mutually Beneficial
While maintaining the respective brands, the integration will be favorable as it draws on the strengths of each of the shows. Domestic exhibitions can improve their organizational skill and service quality with the support of foreign exhibitions, while foreign exhibitions can open up the local market with the aid of domestic exhibitions. With China`s exhibition industry opening to the outside world, such integration represents the direction of future development."
"We can easily imagine that the most well-known textile machinery show in China, CITME, that is organized to the ITMA quality standards will be a great success in 2008," noted Tetsuro Toyoda, chairman of Japanese Textile Machinery Association (JTMA). "We expect to see such synergy and trust that this integration shall be beneficial for both customers and textile machinery manufacturers. We look forward to exhibiting in 2008."
Joan Marty, president of the Spanish Textile Machinery Association, said the ITMA brand is recognized worldwide as the leading textile machinery show. "We are convinced that the show in China in 2008 will draw not only all the world`s leading manufacturing companies as exhibitors, but also high quality visitors, including the top management and decision makers. We are delighted that this show is slated to take place every two years in China, and we are already planning a large-scale participation in ITMA ASIA + CITME 2008."
Stephen R. Combes, chairman of BTMA (British Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association), said that in today`s global market, cooperation between leading brands is essential to deliver maximum benefits with efficient expenditure of resources within minimal time.
(by Ben Shen)
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