The 2006 ITM trade fair will be held from 27^th June to 2^nd July 2006 in Istanbul. ITM will play host to over 160 Italian manufacturers exhibiting their latest technology innovations applied to the textile industry.

The significant number of Italian exhibitors on hand attests to the solid relationship which has been created between Italian textile machinery manufacturers and Turkish companies operating in the textile and garments industry. The trust the local textile industry has placed in Italian technology is confirmed by the value of Italian exports to Turkey, amounting to 232 million euros in 2005, making Turkey the second major market for Italy’s textile machinery industry.

Italian machinery most in demand by Turkey are for weaving sector (27% of the total), knitting one (26%) and finishing one (25%).

In the current post-quota era, following the end of the Multifibre Agreement, Turkish textile manufacturers too must face competition from Far East producers. To free themselves from competition based solely on price, the entire Turkish textile and garments sector have shifted their production to the mid-high ends of the market, further increasing the quality of their products so as to assert a “Made in Turkey” trademark on international markets.

This enhanced qualitative level in textile products has required an upgrading in existing production capacity, and Italian textile machinery manufacturers have proven ideal partners in supplying the right solutions for this modernisation process.

In the textile machinery sector, very few countries possess textile tradition, know-how and professional expertise, necessary factors in excelling in the production of textile machines. Italy is one these few, and its machinery manufacturers continue to face up to this international challenge with a constant commitment to research in new technology solutions suited to the needs of its customers.

A long-standing tradition of machinery building, high versatility and flexibility originating from an Italian system comprising small and mid-sized manufacturers, along with close contact with customers, all are factors contributing to Italy’s position as a global leader in textile machinery and as partners earning the appreciation of textile operators the world over.

In Italy, these factors are also enhanced by daily contact with creativity, and the quality generated by what is Europe’s most important textile manufacturing industry, striving constantly towards the evolution of existing technology.

Over the course of the past few years, the Italian textile machinery sector has positively strengthened its position among major exporters in the industry. However, excellence achieved in terms of the quality of products offered is not of itself sufficient in maintaining a global leadership position. Italian machinery manufacturers therefore focus their attention on singling out the specific needs of their customers, knowing fully well that their customers’ needs are also their own. Italian firms don’t simply sell machinery, they collaborate with textile manufacturers to create solutions which guarantee greater production efficiency.

Italy numbers roughly 300 firms producing textile machines and correlated accessories, employing a work force of around 23,000.

In 2005, production in the sector amounted to about 2.5 billion euros, while the value of exports attained 2 billion euros.

Asia absorbed 42% of Italian exports in the sector in 2005, followed by Europe (40%).

The largest contributing force to Italy’s exports of textile machinery is China, where sales of Italian technology in the industry reached 316 million euros, followed by Turkey, India and the United States.

The machinery industry’s competitiveness and leadership position certainly derive from profound motivations, which can differ from one manufacturer to the next, and from sector to sector. However, we can highlight some common characteristics which have accounted for the success of Italian firms, a success which largely derives from the special make-up of Italy’s production system.

The majority of companies producing textile machines in Italy are concentrated in areas where the textile industry has been present for a great length of time. These areas can be considered an excellent workshop for a fruitful exchange of ideas and experiences aimed at improving previously existing textile machinery or at developing new solutions.

Yet another decisive element is the size and number of Italy’s manufacturing firms, traditionally mid to small companies, but very numerous. This business model, typical of Italy’s manufacturing system, facilitates a constant and focused attention on individual customers, with the creation of custom-built machinery.

Add to this the fact that the majority of Italian machinery manufacturers are highly specialised in their production output, a sign of specific know-how in their area of production and of the problem issues customers’ face in every phase of the production cycle.

Each customer thus finds a wide range of products in the proposals put forward by Italian machinery manufacturers, with a variety of technical solutions and various levels of innovation, automation, and flexibility even on the same type of machinery, but from different companies.

ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) brings together the majority of Italian textile machinery companies (which account for 80% of Italian turnover).

The Association, which is a private non-profit making body, has the main objective of promoting the Italian textile machinery sector and supporting its activities, mainly abroad, through the most up-to-date and innovative promotional means, which have been constantly improved during its 60 years existence.

In order to promote knowledge of Italian textile machinery throughout the world, ACIMIT provides information on Italian manufacturing products and organizes a wide range of promotional activities (such as exhibitions, technical seminars, missions in Italy and abroad, etc.) usually in collaboration with ICE (Italian Trade Commission).