ITMA ASIA + CITME 2023 marked a triumphant success for VDMA member companies, with Germany leading the pack in booked square meters among foreign exhibitors. Despite challenging market conditions, the event surpassed expectations in terms of both visitor numbers and the quality of discussions, as noted by Dr. Janpeter Horn, Chairman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. The fair showcased solutions for sustainable textile production, with VDMA members presenting technologies under the banner of "Smart technologies for green textile production."
Notable sentiments were shared by industry leaders, including Dr. Uwe Rondé of Saurer Intelligent Technology AG, who highlighted satisfaction with visitor turnout and discussions on recycling, automation, and digitalization. Benjamin Reiners of Reiners + Fürst expressed exceeding expectations, with a positive spirit prevailing despite the current challenging market. Trützschler, Oerlikon Group, and Lindauer Dornier also reported successful engagements with both Chinese and international visitors.
The VDMA Textile Machinery Association and VDMA China were actively present, offering support on intellectual property rights (IPR). An instance involving a complaint application for patent infringement disputes showcased the effectiveness of their intervention. Dr. Harald Weber, managing director of VDMA Textile Machinery, emphasized Asia, especially China, as crucial markets for VDMA members, with ITMA ASIA + CITME serving as a unique platform to exhibit technologies directly to Asian customers.
Looking ahead, the VDMA member companies anticipate the next edition of the fair in Shanghai in 2024. A hopeful outlook is supported by a VDMA survey indicating potential improvement in the economic situation of the Chinese textile industry in the second half of the year. European textile machinery manufacturers are encouraged to remain a presence in this key market, providing advanced technology to meet Asian customers' evolving challenges.
