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ITMA birmingham 2003

All roads lead to the NEC

Starting October 22, all eyes in the global textile arena will focus on Birmingham, UK, as the `Olympics’ of textile machinery trade shows opens. This once-in-four-years event, is eagerly awaited by textile professionals worldwide. Even as the textile sector shows signs of recovery and buoyancy, ITMA 2003 will give visitors the unique opportunity to meet all the leading international machinery companies under one roof, to compare and evaluate the various products on offer and discuss future projects - saving a lot of time, cost and effort in making numerous visits to different potential suppliers.

The top 10 exhibiting countries in order of square metres are:

1. Italy
2. Germany
3. Switzerland
4. Spain
5. Belgium
6. Turkey
7. USA
8. France
9. UK
10. Austria

ITMA 2003 is expected to have over 100,000 visitors from more than 140 countries, which is an increase of over 200 per cent on the last ITMA show in 1999. The top 10 countries to date for visitors to the show are:

1. Turkey
2. Pakistan
3. UK
4. Germany
5. India
6. Italy
7. Iran
8. USA
9. France
10. Brazil

Over 54 per cent of the visitors are from Asia and the Middle East/Indian subcontinent, and around 30 per cent of all registrations come from visitors of the status of CEO/managing director (indeed 66 per cent from manager status and above) - clear confirmation that key decision makers will be at the show in force. Organisers expect an encouraging turnout for the new sectors of nonwovens and dyestuffs and chemicals.

Sectors

Up to 150,000 visitors are expected to attend ITMA 2003, from around 140 different countries. ITMA 2003 has over 1,300 exhibitors from 43 different countries covering the following product sectors:

• Spinning
• Nonwovens
• Weaving
• Knitting
• Dyeing and Finishing
• Other Machines
• Making-up
• Testing
• Transport and Handling
• Recycling
• Software
• Dyestuffs and Chemicals
• Colleges and Associated Services
• Publications

Nine new product sectors

For the first time, ITMA 2003 will feature nine new product sectors:

The list of new product areas include:

• Dyestuffs and chemical products for the textile industry
• Trade associations of fibre producers
• Educational institutions for textile and textile machinery industries
• Research laboratories for the textile and para-textile industries
• Engineering and finance companies
• Environmental protection companies
• Industrial building companies for the textile industry
• Design offices for fabrics and colours
• E-commerce companies related to the textile industry.

Maria Avery, exhibition director on the ITMA 2003 organising committee stated, “The additional product categories have been introduced to take into account newly-developing product sectors. Quite simply, ITMA 2003 is the most comprehensive global show ever staged, making it a one point-of-call for every visitor’s textile needs.”

ITMA Forum

This year, ITMA will include a three-day forum - The ITMA Forum - which has been specially designed to coincide with the world’s largest textile exhibition, bringing together industry professionals and providing the opportunity for senior decision makers to discuss the key business issues that are changing and shaping the world of textiles.

For the very first time ITMA is holding an international conference alongside the exhibition - a great opportunity for visitors to network with their peers and give their input. Each session will be hosted in Question-Time style which gives them the opportunity to ask the questions they want answered.

The six carefully chosen topics address the key issues in today’s textile industry :

China - Do you really know and understand the latest developments?

Trade Developments - How can you improve your competitive edge?

Corporate Finance - Are you really maximising your opportunities?

Skills Management - How can you increase your productivity and profits?

Supply Chain Management - How can you maximise your efficiency and reduce overheads?

Technical Textiles - Are you making optimum use of your R&D resources?

Senior decision makers have been chosen to lead the debate in each of the above sessions, and the accompanying panel members have been chosen very carefully to ensure a lively and contentious debate. Minister Du, president of China National Textile Industry Council is the opening speaker on China. He is joined in the debate by leading industry representatives from Europe, USA, India and Japan.

Exhibitors in some of the new product segments

Nonwovens

In the field of nonwovens, Cavitec AG, Switzerland, member of the Santex Group, will introduce the Caviflex modular hotmelt coating machine.

Dell’Orco & Villani Sas, Italy (Stellamcor Inc, Harrison, NY), will exhibit weigh pan blending systems and Dynamix continuous blending systems.

Oskar Dilo Maschinenfabrik KG will show the latest generation of high capacity needle looms, including a hyperpunch needle loom. Since its presentation on the ITMA show in Milan, the hyperpunch technology has been continuously improved and is now setting the standard for efficiency and quality for almost all needling processes.

The upper limits for the high capacity cards from Spinnbau have not yet been reached. This will be demonstrated by Spinnbau, a Dilo subsidiary company, presenting its latest generation of cards. Higher efficiency and better web quality have been demanded by the market and have posed a challenge to the research, design and development engineers. The results are new developments in card design, which will celebrate its premiere at ITMA 2003.

The Dilo System Group has become an integral part of the Dilo group of companies. Due to convincing engineering services it has become the market leader in planning, engineering and integration of complete nonwoven line installations. Therefore, additional and special emphasis is given to this topic as part of Dilo’s show presentations. A ready-to-work installation with equipment components by Temafa, Trutzschler, Autefa, Mahlo and Wiessner, as well as numerous other examples of alternative line configurations, will convey an impression of the effectiveness of Dilo System Group’s engineering work.

Fehrer AG, Austria (Batson Group Inc., Greenville), will show its latest machinery developments, including fully operational needle-punching machines and DREF friction-spinning machines.

Fleissner GmbH & Co, Germany (Fleissner Inc, Charlotte), will show the AquaJet-Spunlace System for hydro-entanglement of nonwovens, through-air dryers and other high-performance lines for nonwovens; manmade fibre production lines for spinning, can-laying, washing, finishing, drawing, heating, heat-setting, drying, crimping, plaiting, cutting, dyeing, winding and bailing; a wool programme for raw wool scouring and shrink-proof finishing; the RT thermosol dyeing line and Rotoswing tumbler for woven and knitted goods; and machines for dyeing, washing, heat-setting and drying tufted carpets.

Groz-Beckert KG, Germany, will show its felting and tufting needles for nonwovens use.

Hastem Transportbender GmbH, Germany (Fi-Tech Inc), will introduce the CC25GN slat transport apron with grained surface and overflow-free surface, as well as the AB series of transport aprons specially developed for the nonwovens industry.

Laroche SA, France, will display a textile waste recycling system for OE spinning and nonwovens, an airlaying machine for nonwoven mats, an opening and blending line with continuous weighing control, NAPCO technology developments, the Hermann Process - a compact line for semi-cured resinated moldable felts, and the Minitrim HSP high-speed edge-trim opener.

Nowo Textile Machinery, Finland, will exhibit the Nowo Q, a new synchronised quilting line designed for every stage of the quilting process including a bale opener, volumetric feeding device and SmartCard.

NSC Nonwoven’s X-Ray Scanning Gauge uses X-ray technology to measure weight distribution in the machine and cross directions of the final products. The NSC Group, nonwoven division, France, comprised of Asselin and Thibeau, will launch the CA12 and CA14 carding machines designed for a wide range of products, and the X-Ray scanning gauge to measure weight distribution. The recently introduced Ouatsys patented system for condensing card webs while maintaining line production speed also will be shown. The Ouatsys can be retrofitted onto existing Asselin Profile and Dynamic crosslappers.

Santex Nonwoven, Switzerland, will highlight the Santex Wavemaker vertical lapping machine for nonwoven webs.

Schaetti AG, Switzerland (Schmid Corp, Spartanburg), will present a live display of the TLM-V flat-bed laminating line, hotmelt machine with engraved roller system, and powder scatter machine with an operating width of up to 5,200 mm.

Struto International Inc, Oak Brook, Ill. (Wise Industries Inc, Kings Mountain), will display a vibration lapping device for vertically lapped structures.

Technoplants Srl, Italy (Allertex of America, Cornelius, N.C.), will showcase a special band saw cutting machine for high-loft wadding.

Software

Among companies showing software solutions, BarcoVision, Belgium, will present the WeaveMaster loom-monitoring system with wireless communication; Knitmaster real-time monitoring and planning system for circular and flat knitting; QualiMaster fabric inspection and optimised cutting system; and Cyclops automatic on-loom inspection nit.

Bespoke Textile Computer Systems Ltd, England (Ford, Trimble & Associates, Cornelius, NC), will show a new recipe system, and automatic dispensing products.

Datatex AG, Switzerland, will highlight its Textile Integrated Management (TIM) solution for textile and apparel businesses.

Dua Graphic Systems Srl, Italy (RothTec, New Bedford, Mass), will highlight the new Ramsete III CAD system for designing, colour separations, and colouring using all major software platforms; MatchPrint II printing software for generating accurate calibration profiles for large-format ink-jet printing; Cromos digital textile printer; and Portrait 2 texture mapping software.

EAT GmbH - The DesignScope Co, Germany, will display DesignScope Victor CAD/CAM software for the design and production of jacquard- or dobby-woven fabrics and knitted fabrics for the home textile and apparel markets.

Informatica Textil, Spain (CIS Graphics Inc, Charlotte), will introduce a new system that allows fabric samples to be viewed, modified, and orders placed online.

Jomar Softcorp International, Canada, will demonstrate its computer integrated manufacturing solutions for various segments of the textile industry.

Pixelart SL, Spain, will feature software for digital printing on textiles, designing dobby fabrics, designing painted and jacquard fabrics, fabric simulation, 3-D simulation, and a variety of other programmes. Porini Srl, Italy, will exhibit various CAD/CAM software, as well as solutions for textile/apparel supply chain management.

ScotWeave Ltd, Scotland (ScotWeave, Charlotte), will introduce Weave 3D and Drape 3D CAD software, as well as the new Fabricator fabric analysis programme. The company also will present information on its Jacquard Designer software, which has an improved Artwork Designer programme; drape and presentation programmes; and velvet designer software.

Unit Trend Srl, Italy, will present INEDIT software programmes for the textile printing sector, including Color sampler software for colour design, Multicomia software for creating films and cleaning designs, and Rapport Pro software for design step and repeat. Unit also will show Electronic Folder Color software for colour reproduction.

Wilcom-Tecos Belgium, Belgium, (Wilcom America Inc, Atlanta), will present the new V4.2 CAD/CAM software for carpets, rugs and jacquard; new design database management software; and an autotuft machine for rug production. Yxendis Software, France, will exhibit the YXPoint Platinum drawing software for jacquard weaving and jacquard and intarsia knitting; and YX PDM Platinum information sharing and data management software. Yxendis also will launch its new YX Weave Platinum jacquard weaving software.

Dyestuffs & Chemicals

Dyestuffs and chemicals exhibitors at ITMA 2003

will include American Manufacturing International Inc (Amitech), Oxford, NJ, which will feature its Pyrozyl flame retardants for fibre applications. BASF AG, Germany (BASF Corp, Charlotte), will offer the new Ecofit pretreatment system, dyexact XP polyester dyeing system, Lurapret textile coating products, Helizarin Soft system, Ultraphor TC liquid, Lutexal DE ECO, as well as new finishing systems, and information on BASF’s Helizarin and Bafixan ink range, and eco-efficiency analysis.

CHT R Beitlich GmbH, Germany, will exhibit its new line of finishing products for polyester, water-based printing pastes for plastisol substitutes, and a new generation of fluorocarbon resins.

Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Switzerland, will show a variety of new developments for colour, comfort and performance suitable for a wide range of end-uses. Ciba SMART PREP short-cycle pretreatment for reactive dyeing of cotton at low liquor ratio is one example.

DyStar, Germany, will highlight its new Innodye/InnoVat jet-dyeing technology. It also will feature the Luft-roto plus, Levafix, Remazol and Procion reactive dyes, and Jettex inks; as well as the Econtrol dyeing solution for a variety f substrates and Fluidyer for carpet and pile dyeing. Information also will be available on DyStar’s electrochemical dyeing process solutions.

Healthguard Europe, Belgium, will showcase the HealthGuard line of multi-functional, anti-microbial products for protection against dust mites, bacteria, yeasts, moulds and algae; and its anti-mosquito treatment.

Recycling

Recycling equipment will be on display from Actea Srl, Italy, which will exhibit air treatment plants for textile fumes, including wet electrostatic precipitators with WESP technology, and wastewater treatment plants. Joseph Egli Italia Srl, Italy, will show its systems for water recycling, wastewater treatment and process water treatment.

Idrosistem Energy Srl, Italy (Fi-Tech Inc), will exhibit a new water recovery system for dyeing and finishing companies.