About 40 Italian companies manufacturing textile machinery will exhibit in Beijing for 10th China International Textile Machinery Exhibition on next 17th-21st October 2006. In the Italian Pavillion located in Hall 4 CITME’s visitors will find the most up-to-date Italian technologies in the spinning, weaving, knitting and finishing sectors.

For a long time the solutions provided by the Italian textile machinery manufacturers have been succeeding in the Chinese market. China is the leading market for the Italian textile machinery industry, having a share of 17% on the total Italian exports. In the four months of 2006 the Italian sales in China increased of 17% on the same period of 2005.

Knitting machines were largely requested (34% of the Italian sales in China in the first four months of 2006), followed by spinning machines (29%) and weaving machines (26%).

300 Italian companies (with 22,000 employees) that in 2005 produced machinery for a value of Euro 2,500 million, pay the highest attention to the requests of the textile industry to propose new solutions of innovation, productivity, safety with the utmost satisfaction of their clients.

The quality of the Italian textile technology is testified by the high number of Countries where the Italian machinery are sold: about 130. In 2005 exports represented 79% of total sales. Asia (with a share of 42%) is the main destination for Italian sector exports, followed by Europe (40%), Latin America (7%) and North America (6%).

The partecipation of Italian textile machinery manufacturers at CITME 2006 has been coordinated by ACIMIT and ICE (Italian Trade Commission), through its office in Beijing and its headoffice in Rome.

CITME 2006 will also provide a backdrop for the official launching of the new ITMA Asia + CITME 2008, scheduled from July 27 to 31, 2008 in Shanghai, and thereafter every two years.

ACIMIT has already expressed its broad satisfaction with the cooperation agreement reached for ITMA Asia among CEMATEX (the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers), CTMA (China Textile Machinery Association), CCPIT-Tex (Sub Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) and CIEC (China Exhibition Centre Group Corporation).

“The arrival to the Chinese market of the ITMA brand”, commented Dr. Paolo Banfi, President of ACIMIT and Managing Director of Comez, “should be considered a positive note providing a further boost for many textile machinery manufacturers. The partnership with CITME provides added value to the operation. We are confident that the first edition of ITMA Asia + CITME in 2008 will be a resounding success.”

A similar degree of satisfaction comes from the comments of some important Italian textile machinery manufacturers who will be present next October at CITME 2006.

Dr. Daniele Pellissetti of Savio Macchine Tessili - Itema Group - confirms his satisfaction with the agreement: “We are all very well aware of ITMA’s attraction and appeal for textile manufacturers. The shift in location to Shanghai, the two-year scheduling and agreement reached with a recognised event such as CITME is good news for exhibitors who are planning to be in Shanghai in 2008.”

Mr. Rossano Biancalani, General Manager of Biancalani, states: “ITMA Asia’s move from Singapore to Shanghai and the merging of two out of the three main trade fairs in the industry is definitely good news. The Chinese market will continue to be a high growth potential market for a long time to come: ITMA Asia + CITME represents a high-level showcase where we can present our most up-to-date and innovative products to Chinese customers.”

Dr. Roberto Pilotelli, General Manager of Pilotelli Macchine Tessili, comments: “We’re pleased to hear that ITMA Asia and CITME have combined forces to offer textile machinery manufacturers and their customers a high quality event in China. A prominent trade fair organized every two years in the Chinese market will undoubtedly serve to rationalize the trade fair calendar in a country in which the high number of events held in the past has certainly not helped to raise the level of technology proposals offered.”

Finally, Mr. Ettore Lonati, President of Lonati Group, states: "We are looking forward to a very successful ITMA Asia + CITME 2008. We believe that the combined experience of both brands will make a fantastic show. ITMA Asia and CITME are exhibitions organised by the industry for the industry and the organiser understands our needs and the needs of our customers".

For more information, Please contact:
Mauro Badanelli - ACIMIT Economics/Press Office
phone: +39 024693611 - e-mail: info@acimit.it