ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 is once again distinguished by a significant presence of VDMA enterprises, with 42 exhibiting member firms. With an emphasis on spinning and man-made fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & warp knitting, finishing & dyeing, as well as methods for textile recycling and processing of recovered material, they cover almost every chapter on equipment. Germany is the country from outside China with the greatest overall participation at the exhibition.
China wants its textile sector to grow in an environmentally friendly and low-CO2 manner. Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division and member of the board of VDMA Textile Machinery, stated at a press conference on the opening day of ITMA ASIA + CITME: “In recent years, topics like energy efficiency and the careful use of resources have become increasingly important for Asian customers, not least due to stricter legal framework conditions.” The VDMA members and their technology are the ideal allies for achieving low-CO2 and more environmentally friendly textile production.
Export-oriented performance
Exports of textile machinery fell by 18.6% globally in 2023 compared to 2022. All of the main nations that produce textile machines have to deal with this difficulty. German exports, however, continued to be strong and fell by just 3.4% in 2023. The worldwide textile industry did not alter in 2024, and as a result, German exports have likewise drastically decreased. German exports of textile machinery and accessories were 1.2 billion euros (2023: 1.6 billion euros) between January and July 2024. The shipping to almost all major markets decreased between January and July: China: 242 million € (2023: 384 million €), Turkey: 140 million € (2023: 180 million €), USA: 118 million € (2023: 152 million €), India: 100 million € (2023: 153 million €).
Asia’s sales prospects
Twenty textile machinery businesses responded to an economic study conducted by VDMA in September, which highlights the difficult worldwide environment. 54% of respondents said their present company position was poor, while 36% thought it was adequate. Very few businesses anticipate an improvement in the worldwide scenario during the next six months.
Looking at the sales potential by Asian regions/countries, however, the majority of responding organizations anticipate improved business conditions in the Asian markets, with the exception of China, during the next six months. At that point, the company environment ought to be satisfactory. In light of this, it is critical for VDMA members to be present at ITMA ASIA in Shanghai this year and in Singapore the next year in order to showcase their innovations and maintain a relationship with Asian clients.
Leading VDMA members’ technologies and their contribution to the manufacturing of green textiles:
This year’s ITMA ASIA + CITME features VDMA with the topic “Smart technologies for green textile production.”
The following exhibitors exemplify the industry as a whole:
“China continues to have enormous potential for us, even though it has not been able to match the previous times in terms of large new installations of manmade fiber plants and the associated expansion of production capacity for good two years,” said Georg Stausberg, CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division. But regeneration is still desperately needed, particularly in the context of sustainability. Shutting down old plants and replacing them with new and energy-efficient technologies is the path to a better and lower-emission future for us all. For many years, we have been using our technological solutions to promote sustainability. Either by processing new materials or by improving energy efficiency with every machine generation that comes out. Oerlikon takes pride in the fact that throughout the course of our 20 years of providing cutting-edge solutions under the e-save sustainability label, we have saved over 15 million tons of CO2 via the development and implementation of new equipment and systems.
“Processing recycled and regenerated fibers is becoming increasingly important worldwide,” stated Hailin Xu, CEO of Saurer Group. The shift of the textile industry towards a more circular one is made possible in large part by Saurer. Energy-efficient machinery for spinning and twisting yarns made from recycled fibers is now part of the product line. We’re still working on developing unique solutions that customers may use to process very short fibers; they can also be retrofitted into existing machinery. Furthermore, our machines are designed to minimize energy usage and optimize the utilization of raw materials. The main goal is to save resources.
“Fibre producers are shifting towards recycled PET materials, including post-consumer PET bottle flakes and manufacturing waste, as sustainability becomes more important,” said Dr. Axel Hannemann, head of business unit fiber and pellets at Gneuss Kunststofftechnik. But there aren’t as many reasonably priced, superior flakes available due to the growing demand for PET bottle flakes. Moisture absorption is a problem for polyester recycling as it might weaken the polymer during extrusion. Recycling PET fibres, particularly industrial waste, is also difficult due to low bulk density, residual moisture, and spin finish oils. Gneuss offers tailored solutions to address these challenges efficiently.”
Vice President of Corporate Communications Christine Wolters stated on behalf of Karl Mayer Group: “We are showcasing solutions at ITMA ASIA that support both sustainability and the profitability of our customers.” One of the main areas of attention is energy consumption. We provide an energy-efficient solution in the warp knitting industry that lowers the power consumption of our equipment. We have improved drying procedures for warp preparation to consume less energy. Savings on energy, money, and CO2 may be seen in real time. Another highlight: Our digital products improve processes with positive impacts on both sustainability and costs”.
“Groz-Beckert’s cutting-edge textile instruments save production costs by improving energy efficiency in the textile manufacturing process. The advent of a “pay-per-use” tool pricing model, which enables businesses to match costs with real tool utilization, is a significant breakthrough. This lowers investment risks, helps producers better manage resources, and helps them better handle variations in demand. Eric Schöller, a member of Groz-Beckert’s executive board, said, “Groz-Beckert is advancing both efficiency and sustainability in textile production by focusing not only on product innovation but also on service offerings.”
The most inventive designer and producer of braiding and winding gear, Herzog, has Dennis Behnken as managing director. He stated: “Herzog GmbH relies on smart technologies to make textile production more sustainable.” We use excellent production quality, intelligent automation, and digital solutions to decrease waste and consume less resources. By doing this, we contribute to a greener future without sacrificing the caliber of our output.
“Skilled workers are getting harder to find as customer demands rise. Sensors and control systems are examples of technologies that are becoming more and more crucial for effective operation and quality control. Pleva GmbH’s member of management, Kathrin Pleva, went on to say, “PLEVATEC smart, our process control system, is designed to meet exactly those needs.” Using sensor modules, it enhances stenter and other drying process performance. It makes it simple for our clients to create more quickly, conserve resources, and enhance the repeatability and quality of their products. Similar to this, our weft-straightener SL smart produces flawless straightening results while being simple to use and maintain.
According to Tallen Yang, Sales Director of Erhardt + Leimer China, “many textile firms are going through difficult circumstances right now. There is, nonetheless, opportunity for progress because of the low turnover. How much money may be saved by using appropriate fabric guidance to prevent stoppages brought on by inadequate pinning? How many tons of fabric can an automated edge cutting system powered by AI save? What is the potential energy savings from optimal stenter management? Now is the moment to ask all of these questions. And the place for answers is the booth of E+L, leading in process optimization for more than 100 years.”
Clemens Kaplan, product manager of Mahlo, a German company that makes automation, control, and measurement systems for the textile and finishing industries, states that intelligent, AI-supported process and quality management systems are necessary to meet the rising requirements of quality. As usual, Mahlo is ahead of the curve and has reimagined the idea of weft straightening for a second time, according to Kaplan. The latest straightening technology, Orthopac RXVMC-20, with an AI-supported feed-forward algorithm, paired with a modular process control system, Optipac, revolutionizes straightening from the ground up. Residual distortions and fluctuations in key parameters such as residual moisture, exhaust air humidity, thread density, fabric weight, fixation dwell time, fabric width, liquor pick-up, etc., are now definitively a thing of the past thanks to this new technology.”
Oliver Schermuly, CEO of SETEX, a business that offers control systems for textile machines and MES production management software, said: “Manufacturers need a single source of truth for production data.” We offer clarity and facilitate the improvement of industrial processes by integrating all KPIs, from costs to carbon footprint. Our SETEX controllers guarantee smooth machine-to-machine communication while obtaining accurate real-time KPIs. Through this relationship, machine potential may be used to achieve advanced manufacturing excellence, going beyond typical MES operations. Smart recipes driven by AI cut waste and increase productivity. Unified data enhances productivity, supports digital product passports, and drives digitalisation for smarter, more sustainable production. Together, we’re creating a single source of truth to build a better, greener world.”
Weitmann & Konrad’s management board member Tobias Schurr clarified, saying, “Brands and retailers are putting growing pressure on textile producers to optimize their goods’ water and CO2 footprints without raising prices. From a technological perspective, it was primarily only possible to integrate expensive, brand-new machinery with novel, occasionally unidentified technologies. In the current state of the market, a price rise that results from the whole investment and operating expenditures is not acceptable. What if you could modify your current continuous dyeing or finishing line to significantly lower your water and carbon footprint while increasing production for a significantly reduced financial investment?
There are plenty of opportunities in China and other Asian regions.
Colleagues from VDMA China and the VDMA headquarters in Germany have rejoined the VDMA team in Shanghai. The crew is ready to assist the participating firms that are exhibiting on site thanks to their combined efforts.
“This year’s ITMA ASIA is an essential showcase for the member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association, despite the challenging market conditions,” said Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. China and other Asian markets are undoubtedly full of prospects and chances. The participating members are eager to welcome many guests from many nations to their booths in Shanghai as they showcase their clever innovations that might open the door to a green textile industry.