The second ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010 exhibition opened today with an impressive showcase of the latest textile machinery and solutions. Shrugging off the effects of the economic downturn, the combined show at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC) covers over 100,000 square metres.

A total of 1171 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions are showcasing a wide array of solutions to an expected 100,000 visitors during the five-day exhibition. Organisers say these numbers further attest to the combined strength of the ITMA ASIA and CITME brands, making the combined show Asia’s most important textile machinery show in terms of exhibiting space and technology.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010 is jointly owned by CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers) and its partners in China, the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT (CCPIT-Tex), China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and China Exhibition Centre Group Corporation (CIEC).

Mr Edward Roberts, President of CEMATEX, said: “We are extremely pleased that ITMA ASIA + CITME is able to attract such a sizeable participation at a time when the global economy is still facing uncertainties. It is satisfying to note that we continue to attract a good representation from the world’s most established textile machinery makers, as well as new names offering a diverse range of solutions to the industry.”

Mr Wang Shutian, President of CTMA, said: “The combined show has developed into the leading platform in this part of the world for textile machinery makers to meet Chinese and other Asian buyers. Although business conditions are still challenging, we are very delighted with the response, particularly from Asian participants.”

China fields the biggest number of participants 639 exhibitors and Chinese exhibitors occupy 31,000 square metres of net exhibit space. In terms of Asian participation, Taiwan is the next biggest group, with 57 exhibitors taking up over 3500 square metres of net space. Japan, the show’s special partner country, occupies over 3300 square metres net.

Among European participants, Germany takes the largest exhibition space, totalling over 5000 square metres net, followed by Italy with more than 4000 square metres and Switzerland with 2500 square metres.

By product categories, spinning is the largest sector, occupying 17,000 square metres of net exhibit space. Dyeing, finishing and printing machinery form the next biggest group, with over 11,700 square metres, followed by knitting at 10,300 square metres, and weaving 9,300 square metres.

The combined show features the traditional ITMA rules whereby only manufacturers of textile machinery and accessories are qualified to take part in the exhibition. All exhibitors must display original equipment on their stand. To ensure strict adherence to this regulation, an on-site intellectual property office has been set up to handle any intellectual property rights issues.

At the ITMA ASIA + CITME press conference, the show owners announced their collaboration for a third combined show in June 2012 and an agreement to stage the 2012 show was signed in the presence of the media.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010 is organised by Beijing Textile Machinery International Exhibition Co Ltd and co-organised by MP International Pte Ltd. The show is organised in partnership with the Japan Textile Machinery Association, and has the support of the world’s major textile machinery associations. These include: all the 9 member associations of CEMATEX (ACIMIT, AMEC AMTEX, BTMA, GTM, SYMATEX, SWISSMEM, TMAS, UCMTF, VDMA), American Textile Machinery Association (ATMA), Korea Textile Machinery Association (KOTMA) and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI).