Italian textile machine suppliers are all set to participate in the ITMA ASIA + CITME exhibition after the gap of a year.
The main Asian trade fair dedicated to textile machinery, originally scheduled for 2020 and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be held in Shanghai from 12 to 14 June 2021.
As reported by ACIMIT – the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers – 66 Italian textile machinery manufacturers from the country will participate in the next ITMA ASIA + CITME at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC).
With an occupied area of approximately 3,200 square metres, Italy is amongst the main exhibiting countries that will be present at the event. ITMA ASIA + CITME is also a first step towards normality for many companies in the sector, after more than a year in which even the trade fair activity has stopped.
According to ACIMIT, Asia is the main destination for Italian textile machinery manufacturers and around 38 per cent of Italian textile machinery exports went to the Asian countries in 2020.
China constitutes the biggest chunk of Italian textile machine exports in Asia, the top in the region, and second in the world behind only to Turkey.
In 2020, exports of Italian machinery to China accounted for 14 per cent of Italian exports in the sector, and valued over € 190 million. Other main destinations for Italy’s textile machine makers are Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
“The prospects for the Asian market remain positive, despite the fact that the demand for machinery has slowed down considerably during 2020 due to the pandemic,” asserted Alessandro Zucchi, President of ACIMIT, adding, “China, before many other countries, has resumed its path of economic growth. In the textile sector, investments have never stopped. On the Chinese market, therefore, there is no lack of opportunities and I believe that ITMA ASIA + CITME will confirm the expectations relating to a recovery in demand.”
Zucchi further commented that while waiting to return to a situation of normality with a larger collective presence at trade fairs, he was convinced that the Italian manufacturers present in Shanghai will be able to testify to the high level of innovation achieved by the Made in Italy offer, proposing some very high expectations, especially in terms of sustainability and digitalisation of the textile production process.
