When it comes to textile machinery, the one country that supplies the most to the world is Italy. Italy’s market share of world textile machinery exports is around 11 per cent. It has about 300 companies producing textile machines and related accessories. The value of Italian production was €2.3 billion in 2014, with exports worth €1.9 billion. Since there’s a wide supply base, Italian machinery manufacturers are able to cater to a wide variety of customers worldwide. Of the total sales, exports comprise 84 per cent and it goes to 130 countries.

What has helped the industry grow in Italy is globalization coupled with innovation. This has allowed Italian companies to consolidate and cement their position globally.

Stroking export growth

The first quarter results of 2015 reveal, Italian textile machinery exports was highest to Asia at 42per cent, followed by Europe 41 per cent, Latin America 7 per cent, North America 5 per cent and Africa 5 per cent. China was the largest market for Italian textile machinery in Q1, which imported machinery worth €58 million. Turkey was next with exports from Italy worth €47 million, followed by Bangladesh €31 million and India €25 million.

All classic textile sectors are supplied with Italian machines. The textiles machinery sectors in Q1 was divided into: 22 per cent spinning machines, 8 per cent weaving machines, 14 per cent knitting machines, 29 per cent dyeing, finishing and printing machines, 24 per cent accessories and 3 per cent other machines.

Return of ITMA to Italy

After 20 years, textile machinery expo ITMA has made come back to Italy. Indeed, the domestic industry is keen to strengthen its position in the global market place and wants to use this event as a stepping stone to bigger things. As Raffaella Carabelli, President of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), stated at a press conference held on the 70th anniversary of ACIMIT, Italian machinery manufacturers will occupy 30 per cent of the total exhibition space at ITMA. They will cover about 31,000 sq. m. of exhibition space.

Carabelli further added that not only do statistics place Italy in the number one position across the world, they also testify on the vitality of the country’s textile industry. Meanwhile machinery manufacturers are focusing on innovations and the range to be displayed at the fair. The support extended by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Italian Trade Agency is vital in this as a whole range of activities have been implemented, aimed at promoting Italy’s textile machinery industry and its participation at ITMA. Several initiatives have been planned, one of them is inviting foreign delegations during the course of this year. Nearly 200 textile operators from more than a dozen countries are expected at the next ITMA show in Italy.