With the textile and garment making industry undergoing tremendous change in the light of globalisation and current economic challenges, CEMATEX is making a concerted effort to support manufacturers with a solutions platform that will help the industry stay focused and competitive.

 In line with this value proposition, the expanded product index of ITMA 2011 includes a dedicated chapter on garment making technologies and machinery. Embroidery and braiding equipment will also have their own separate chapters.

CEMATEX Secretary General Ms Maria Avery, said: “The ITMA brand was established in 1951, and is very well known and respected in the classical textile machinery sector. Although we have always showcased garment making machinery, we have greatly enhanced its profile for the 2011 show, adding many new categories to our Index of Products and featuring the sector in our Forum which will take place during the show.

 “With the industry keen on exploring end-to-end solutions, our ITMA show provides a one-stop business platform for buyers and sellers to meet and discuss exciting opportunities.”

 “In the past, sewing machinery and accessories were grouped together under the making-up sector. With this re-classification, we are now ramping our efforts to engage major garment industry players from around the world,” explained Ms Sylvia Phua, Chief Executive Officer, MP International which is organising ITMA 2011.

 Lauding this move, Mr. Rahul Mehta, President of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI), stated: “In the midst of a more challenging global business landscape, CMAI is very concerned about building the competitive advantage of our sector. Investing in more advanced technology and more efficient solutions is the best way to boost our members’ productivity and competitiveness.

  “Hence, an important objective of our association is to help Indian garment manufacturers keep abreast of the latest technological developments in garment-making. Established industry platforms like ITMA are very important and we are delighted to know that ITMA 2011 will focus its attention on garment and textile processing machinery. We hope to encourage a large contingency of our members to attend the show to source the latest machinery, and to meet and interact with thought leaders.”

CMAI has been the leading pioneer and most representative association of the Indian apparel industry for over four decades. It represents over 20,000 companies, including readymade garment manufacturers, exporters, retailers and ancillary industry.

 Mr Benny Soetrisno, Chairman of Indonesian Textile Association and Vice Chairman of ASEAN Federation of Textile Industries, said: “While automation is not the primary answer to staying competitive, the impact of new technology on industry development is not to be ignored. There is a wealth of resources available to help the garment industry advance its level of technology. These resources include machinery manufacturers, technology centres, educational institutions, and research organisations.

 “Every ITMA showcase attracts leading machinery makers to launch their latest products, as well as high-level industry professionals and researchers from all over the world. Therefore, it is a useful one-stop shop for our industry members to know about new industry trends, and discover new innovative solutions to help drive their business forward.”

 ITMA 2011 has the support of all the world’s leading textile and garment machinery associations.  Exhibits are classified into 17 separate chapters, including machinery and accessories from the following sectors - spinning, winding and texturing, web formation, weaving, knitting and hosiery, embroidery, braiding, garment making and textile processing, dyeing and finishing, dyestuffs and chemicals, testing and measuring, software, recycling, logistics, plant operations, research and education and other textile services. Some of the highlights of the show are being launched as part of ITMA’s 60th anniversary celebration.

 The event will be held at the modern Fira de Barcelona Gran Vía venue in Barcelona, Spain from 22 to 29 September 2011.  The 100,000sqm net exhibition is expected to attract over 1,400 international exhibitors and over 120,000 trade visitors.

 To apply for space or for more information on the exhibition, please visit www.itma.com