At a virtual launch for the event held on 28 January, Ernesto Maurer, president of CEMATEX, the show organiser, spoke of planned innovations and new approaches that will serve as “catalysts to inspire and help textile and garment manufacturers grow their business and scale and sustain their transformation journey”.

“We are in the midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution that is filled with business and technological advances,” he said. “Transformation is even more critical for the continued success of the textile and garment industry. Speed and agility are also of the essence to effectively tackle the ecological and medical challenges that we face today.”

“At ITMA 2023 you will see radical changes in technology and far-reaching digitalisation allowing the seamless integration of processes and products,” added Charles Beauduin, chairman of ITMA Services. “As the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected the business environment, we will be monitoring the situation closely, mindful of the importance of the health and safety of all participants and staff. At the same time, we will be launching several initiatives to create additional opportunities to help our exhibitors better connect and do business with potential customers. We will be announcing these new initiatives and enhancements to ITMA 2023 very soon.”

“We are now really in the digital world and everyone accepts it, but I think when we return to Milan, people will value it much more than ever before,” said Regina Brückner of Germany’s Brückner Group and member of the ITMA Services board. “Digitalisation will bring a lot of positive moves forward to our industry, but in the end it’s always about personal contact.”

 ITMA was successfully held in Milan in 2015 and the last exhibition, held in Barcelona in 2019, drew a record-breaking participation of 1,717 exhibitors from 45 countries and attracted almost 105,000 visitors from 136 countries.

www.itma.com