From the Sector

SAATI Germany, a leading manufacturer of highly developed technical fabrics, has further optimised its production processes by using innovative measurement and control technology from Mahlo.

The globally active SAATI Group produces filter fabric for blood transfusion devices, aramid fabric for bulletproof vests and functional fabric for mobile phones and tablets, among other things. SAATI is known for its high precision and quality, which is maintained at all stages of production.

The installation of a Mahlo distortion control system Orthopac FMC-15 and a Famacont PMC-15 yarn density meter in the outfeed of a stenter frame was a further step in this optimisation process.

As Saati produces highly technical fabrics, the exact thread count (up to over 300 F/cm) is an essential quality feature. The PMC-15, a camera-based measuring system, can continuously record and log this parameter. At the same time, the FMC-15 records residual distortion and contributes to the elimination of so-called back sheet distortion in the fabric by automatically controlling the take-off roller of the stenter frame. This ensures the consistently high quality of the end products and reduces potential sources of error.

The investment in these systems proved so successful that SAATI initiated the next stage of process optimisation in 2024. „With the installation of an Orthopac GRVMC-15 straightening machine before the infeed of the stenter frame, we have further perfected the control of fabric
quality,“ says Operations Manager Thomas Brockmeier. The heavyweight among the Mahlo straightening systems with a working width of 2,800 mm enables SAATI to correct skew and bow distortions in the raw fabric even before the stenter frame. This is because a weft yarn that is only slightly skewed or curved can render the fabric unusable or visually unfit for use.

By combining the GRVMC-15 with the FMC-15 already installed in the outfeed, SAATI now has a fully automatic system that offers maximum monitoring and control options. The co-operation of these two technologies enables the company to deliver precisely shot-straight items. „I am delighted that we were able to complete the project so successfully,“ says Brockmeier.

International technology group ANDRITZ has inaugurated a new technical center in Montbonnot, France, dedicated to advancing solutions for dry molded fiber production.

Dry molded fiber (DMF) production uses a nearly waterless process to convert cellulose fibers into three-dimensional products for sustainable packaging. Based on its strategic partnership with the Swedish DMF pioneer PulPac, ANDRITZ is now able to offer complete dry molded fiber lines.

The new technical center with its pilot line will support ANDRITZ’s development of industrial-scale solutions for high-speed, turnkey dry molded fiber production plants for the packaging industry. It will also enable customers to conduct trials, receive support on R&D projects, and create new products with customized shapes and barrier properties.

Andreas Lukas, Senior Vice President of ANDRITZ Nonwoven & Textile, states: “Wood pulp processing has been a core competence of ANDRITZ for a long time. Our new pilot line is an important step in advancing our solutions for responsible convenience packaging from wood pulp. By combining ANDRITZ Dan-Web’s airlaid forming capabilities with PulPac’s molding technology, we are striving for the highest capacity, product quality and flexibility in this field.”

UMAC, a member of the EREMA Group, is expanding its ReadyMac product line with a new 60 hertz version. This means that the immediately available plastics recycling solution can now be deployed worldwide. The standardised machine with its particularly attractive price-performance ratio will be presented in its new look for the first time at Plast Eurasia from 4-7 December 2024 in Istanbul.
    
The ReadyMac celebrated its market launch at K 2022. The recycling system, which is produced in stock and therefore available at short notice, has since established itself successfully in the 50 hertz version, particularly on the European market. Based on this success, UMAC is now also offering the ReadyMac 500 in a 60 hertz version. "The ReadyMac is suitable for a wide range of materials and degrees of contamination, processing film, flakes and regrind into high-quality recycled pellets. The fixed price of just EUR 375,000 makes it an attractive proposition," says Michael Köhnhofer, Site Manager at UMAC. The machine is produced in small series at the St. Marien site.

The ReadyMac is based on EREMA's proven TVE technology, in which degassing occurs after filtration. Equipped with a robust SW RTF® screen changer filtration system, the recycling machine processes both printed and contaminated waste. The multipurpose screw handles a wide range of materials efficiently and reliably. With a throughput of up to 500 kg/h for LDPE, LLDPE, MDPE, PP, PS, PC, ABS and up to 450 kg/h for HDPE, the ReadyMac 500 is a true all-rounder. In addition, the two frequency converters on the main drives (preconditioning unit and extruder screw) ensure consistently high throughputs and quality for a wide variety of material types, such as regrind, film or nonwoven, even without changing the screw. This enhances both flexibility and productivity. The frequency converters are now included as standard with the ReadyMac.

October, 30 Rieter has placed a bond of CHF 65 million with a term of five years and a coupon of 3.5%. The net proceeds of the issue will be used for general corporate purposes. “The bond also extends the maturity profile of our debt financing and increases the diversification of the investor base as well as our strategic flexibility,” said Oliver Streuli, Rieter Group CFO.

The bond was issued by UBS, Zürcher Kantonalbank, Commerzbank and Basler Kantonalbank. The bond will be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

ARISE IIP, the pan-African developer and operator of world-class industrial parks, has partnered with African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Rieter, the supplier of systems for manufacturing yarn from staple fibers in spinning mills. The unprecedented partnership will spearhead the “Africa Textile Renaissance Plan” – a transformative initiative aimed at revitalizing the continent’s textile sector. This ambitious project will leverage ARISE’s extensive network of industrial parks to support a new era of textile manufacturing in Africa.

In order to facilitate the implementation of the Africa Textile Renaissance Plan, Afreximbank, Arise IIP and Rieter AG signed a framework agreement on October 14, 2024. The framework agreement outlines the collaboration to establish 500 000 metric tons of African cotton transformation capacity over the next three to five years, supported by USD 5 billion in financing.

The Africa Textile Renaissance Plan aims to achieve the following key objectives:

• establish 500 000 metric tons of African cotton transformation capacity over the next three to five years, with potential expansion of an additional 500 000 metric tons,
• localize machine repair expertise in Africa,
• create up to 500 000 jobs,
• reduce Africa’s annual textile imports,
• boost exports to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), focusing on full value addition within the continent and to export to the rest of the world and
• develop a strong financing structure to support capacity building.

Countries benefiting from the program will be selected based on criteria such as power and gas availability, and textile parks with standard infrastructure or equity contribution. Training centers will be established in selected countries to develop and improve skill levels.

The partnership aims to secure financing of textile projects, streamlining the process through:

• standardized loan documentation and security packages,
• expedited two-month application process and
• standardized business plan templates.

To foster long-term growth, Rieter has committed to gradually establishing a manufacturing presence in Africa subject to commercial viability, including the:

• setup of a repair and maintenance facility in ARISE’s industrial park in Benin,
• establishment of spare parts warehousing and
• phased introduction of machine assembly operations.

Gagan Gupta, CEO and Founder of ARISE IIP expressed his enthusiasm for the project: “The Africa Textile Renaissance Plan represents a significant milestone in the continent’s industrial development. I’m convinced that this initiative will not only boost local manufacturing and create thousands of jobs but also position Africa as a global leader in sustainable textile production.”

Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, stated that the Africa Textile Renaissance Plan is a “game-changer” for African trade. He remarked: “By transforming Africa’s cotton into high-value textile products, we are not only driving industrialization but also reducing dependence on imports while building a competitive export base. This partnership complements our ongoing efforts, such as the transformative change we are spearheading in Africa’s Cotton-4 plus (C4+) countries, alongside other partners. It underscores Afreximbank’s unwavering commitment to industrialization and export development.”

Thomas Oetterli, CEO Rieter Group, said: “We are thrilled to support this important initiative with our commitment, expertise and consulting knowledge. We are convinced that the Africa Textile Renaissance Plan marks an important starting point for the future development of the textile industry in Africa.”

In the third quarter of 2024, the order index for Italian textile machinery, as reported by the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, showed a decline compared to the period July – September 2023 (-19%). In value terms, the index stood at 50.6 points (base 2021=100).

This drop is due to the decrease in foreign markets (-23%), which account for 86% of total orders. Instead, a 15% increase was observed in Italy compared to the third quarter of 2023. The absolute index value for foreign markets was 49.1 points, while in Italy it reached 61 points. In the third quarter, the order backlog amounted to 3.8 months of guaranteed production.

Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, stated: “The order index remains at low levels. The foreign demand is of greatest concern. Investments in machinery remain stalled in some of the major markets for Italian textile machinery, such as India, Turkey, and Bangladesh.”

The growth in order collection in the domestic market is not sufficient to bridge the gap recorded abroad. Furthermore, the increase needs to be compared with the same quarter in the previous year, when orders were already low. Given the weak demand in several key markets, Italian manufacturers are working to seek new opportunities in Countries where the textile industry is still technologically underdeveloped. Marco Salvadè added: “Recently, ACIMIT organized exploratory missions to Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan to assess the local textile market and understand the technological needs of its companies.”

GarmentTech Istanbul, Turkey's comprehensive meeting point in the field of garment technologies, will bring together leading garment machinery manufacturers and representatives of world-famous brands. The exhibition, which will host professional visitors and global buyers in Istanbul for 4 days, will offer important opportunities to change the stagnation experienced in the sector in the recent period, to take strong steps towards the future and to bring dynamism to the sector.  

The Exhibition will be held at Istanbul Expo Centre (IFM) between 25-28 June 2025 and presents all technologies used in garment and ready-to-wear production from sewing to cutting, ironing systems to packaging, embroidery to denim.

Ready-to-wear and garment, which is the 3rd most exporting sector in Turkey, is one of the leading sectors with its employment and export revenues. Despite the general stagnation in the Turkish and global economy, the increase in ready-to-wear and garment exports, especially in September, reveals the sector's resilience and competitiveness in international markets. The sector, which exported approximately 1.6 billion dollars in September, reinforces its contribution to the national economy with its success. This is made possible by companies' innovative approaches and their ability to adapt quickly to global market demands. GarmentTech Istanbul Garment, Embroidery Machinery Spare Parts and Sub-Industry Exhibition is organised to ensure the sustainability of this success and to provide a new vision to the companies in the sector.

Flat knitting technology company SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, is participating in the ITMA Asia + CITME 2024 exhibition in Shanghai, China. In line with its exhibition concept at ITMA 2023 and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 held last year, SHIMA SEIKI continues the concept for this year’s exhibition: “SHIMA SEIKI Reborn".

SHIMA SEIKI Reborn represents a return to origin, for the company and for its products, and a renewal of passion and commitment toward innovation. The concept is manifested in physical form as the long-awaited production version of the SWG-XR® next-generation WHOLEGARMENT® machine, introduced to much acclaim as prototypes at ITMA 2023 in Milan, Italy and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022 exhibits last year.

Of the 5 knitting machines SHIMA SEIKI is exhibiting at its 350 sq. meter booth in Hall 4, Stand F01, 4 are WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, 2 of which are the new SWG-XR® machines, shown. 2 other WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines and 1 prototype computerized flat knitting machine round out the machine exhibit. Approximately 270 knit items are on display as proposals for knitted applications in various fields ranging from fashion to shoes, bags and accessories.

In addition to machine technology, SHIMA SEIKI's computer graphic design system and software are shown with their latest software upgrades that feature significant improvements in knit programming, 3D functions and speed, as well as generative AI functions. Demonstrations are available for a comprehensive fashion tech solutions package based on realistic virtual sampling and supported by various digital solutions and web services.

Based on customer feedback as well as industry and media response at ITMA 2023 and ITMA Asia + CITME 2022, SHIMA SEIKI's exhibit is likely to garner much attention at ITMA Asia + CITME 2024 as well.

With 42 exhibiting member companies, ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 is once again marked by a strong presence of VDMA companies. They cover nearly all different machinery chapters with a focus on spinning and man-made fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & warp knitting, finishing & dyeing as well as technologies for textile recycling and processing of recycled material.
In total, the German participation at the fair is the largest from outside China.

The VDMA team in Shanghai is staffed again with colleagues from the VDMA headquarters in Germany as well as from VDMA China. With these joined forces, the team is well prepared to support the exhibiting member companies on site.

Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director VDMA Textile Machinery Association, summarised: “Although facing a difficult market situation, this year’s ITMA ASIA is an essential showcase for the member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. There is definitely no shortage of chances and opportunities in China and other Asian markets. The exhibiting members will demonstrate their smart technologies that can pave the way to a green textile production and are looking forward to welcoming numerous visitors from various countries to their booths in Shanghai.”

China is aiming at a green and low CO₂ development of its textile industry. At a press conference on the first day of ITMA ASIA + CITME, Georg Stausberg, member of the board of VDMA Textile Machinery and CEO of the Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division said: “Topics, such as energy efficiency and the careful use of resources have become increasingly important for Asian customers in recent years, not least due to stricter legal framework conditions. VDMA members and their technologies are the right partners on the road to a greener and low CO₂ textile production.”
 
Export performance
Already in 2023, the global textile machinery exports decreased by 18.6 % compared to 2022. This was a challenge all major textile machinery producing countries had to face. However, the German exports remained relatively strong and only declined by 3.4 % in 2023. 2024 did not see a change in the global textile industry and thus the German exports have now also dropped significantly. Between January and July 2024, German exports of textile machinery and accessories summed up to 1.2 billion € (2023: 1.6 billion €). The shipping to almost all major markets decreased between January and July: China: 242 million € (2023: 384 million €), Turkey: 140 million € (2023: 180 million €), USA: 118 million € (2023: 152 million €), India: 100 million € (2023: 153 million €).

Sales opportunities in Asia
An economic survey of VDMA in September, to which 20 textile machinery companies replied, reflects the global challenging situation. Around 36 % assessed their current business situation as satisfactory, 54 % said it was bad. Only very few companies expect the global situation to improve in the next six months.

However, looking at the sales opportunities by regions/countries in Asia, most of the responding companies expect a better business situation in the Asian markets except China in six months. The business situation is expected to be on a satisfactory level then. With regard to this, a presence at ITMA ASIA in Shanghai and next year in Singapore is important for VDMA members to continuously show their innovations and to keep contact with the customers in Asia.

About 50 Italian companies will exhibit at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024, taking place from October 14 to 18 in Shanghai. With an area of around 1,400 square meters, Italy ranks among the top exhibiting countries, as in previous editions. 29 Italian exhibitors will show their innovations within the National Sector Groups, organized by ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) and Italian Trade Agency.

ITMA ASIA + CITME show has always been the main showcase for textile machinery manufacturers in Asia, that absorbs over 50% of global exports. Moreover China is the world’s largest market in the sector (the value of imported textile machinery in 2023 was around 2.6 billion euro).

For Italian manufacturers as well, the Chinese market is the top foreign destination. In 2023, Italian sales to China amounted to 222 million euro. In the first six months of this year, exports to China increased by 38%, while the performance of total Italian exports declined slightly in the same period.

“We hope that the recovery of the Chinese market, observed in this first half of the year, may be an early indication of a more general upturn in global demand for machinery,” says ACIMIT President Marco Salvadè. Over the past few years, demand from Chinese companies has turned to technologies that combine savings in production costs and environmental friendliness, as also demanded by brands and end consumers. “Today, Italian manufacturers can offer highly customized solutions that are particularly suited to making textile production more sustainable,” confirms Salvadè. “The Chinese textile machinery market is rapidly evolving, and the level of innovation in the technology requested has risen due to the growing international competition that even Chinese companies face. In Shanghai, Italian manufacturers will display their latest innovations, essential for making textile production more efficient and sustainable.”