ITMA 2019, the world's largest textile and garment technology exhibition, has received strong response since online applications opened in May, with some 25% of the exhibition space booked by more than 300 exhibitors during the first six weeks, according to ITMA Services, the organiser of ITMA 2019.

Mr A.E. Roberts, Managing Director of ITMA Services, attributed the strong demand to the success of ITMA 2015 and the rapid technological developments within the textile and garment industry. “We are delighted with this excellent response. The total space booked to-date is an impressive 150% increase when compared with the same period of ITMA 2015's application launch,” he said.

“ITMA has an excellent reputation and many global industry players are looking forward to using it as a launch pad for their new innovations. Among the sectors that have enjoyed the greatest take-up so far are finishing, printing, spinning, weaving and knitting, and we are particularly pleased with the strong response from Asian countries, particularly India which has already surpassed 60% of the total space it booked in the 2015 show. It is also encouraging to see that manufacturers of raw materials and garment machinery are also applying early, and our exhibitors clearly appreciate the fact that ITMA is a complete, end-to-end solutions showcase, from fibre to finished textile products.”

Exciting new technologies

Mr Fritz P. Mayer, President of CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers, which owns the ITMA exhibition, explained: “There is an enormous amount of research and development in the textile and garment industry, resulting in exciting new technologies and value-added products.”

“Some of the powerful innovation drivers impacting the industry include digitisation of products, processes and supply chains, as well as sustainability. Hence, despite the challenging business climate, the demand for leading-edge products continues to grow, and technology providers are still leveraging on ITMA 2019 to launch their new solutions to global textile and garment manufacturers and brands.”

Last ITMA exhibition

The last ITMA exhibition, held in Milan in 2015, drew the participation of 1,691 exhibitors from 46 countries. A post-show exhibitor survey found that over 90% of them rated their overall experience 'good' or 'excellent', and 93% indicated their interest to return to exhibit at the next ITMA, and that there is a strong competitive advantage exhibiting at ITMA compared with other shows.

ITMA 2019 will be held from 20-26 June 2019 at Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via venue. Featuring the theme Innovating the World of Textiles, it will have exhibits showcasing an integrated textile and garment manufacturing value chain. Divided into 19 chapters, exhibits also include yarns, fibres and fabrics, and solutions for technical textiles and nonwovens, and garment making.

www.itma.com