Global shipment of new short-staple spindles and open-end rotors increased 1.5 per cent and 13 per cent respectively in 2018. The number of shipped draw-texturing spindles rose by 50 per cent and deliveries of shuttle-less looms improved by 39 per cent. Shipments of long-staple spindles, circular knitting machines and electronic flat knitting machines decreased 27 per cent, four per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Most of the new short-staple spindles were shipped to Asia and Oceania. The most dynamic destinations recorded in 2018 were Korea, Turkey, Vietnam and Egypt with increases of 834 per cent, 306 per cent, 290 per cent and 285 per cent respectively. The six largest investors in the short-staple segment were China, India, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

China, the world’s largest investor in open-end rotors, increased its investments by seven per cent in 2018. The main destination for shuttle-less looms in 2018 was Asia and Oceania with 93 per cent of all worldwide deliveries. Almost 92 per cent of all water-jet looms, 83 per cent of all rapier/projectile looms and 99 per cent of all air-jet looms went to that region. The main investors were China and India in all the three categories.