VDFI E.V. LOOKS BACK ON 100 YEARS OF ITS ASSOCIATION HISTORY
- From Wilhelm II to the traceable Supply Chain of ethical sourced Down and Feathers
JEC World, the largest international composites show, opened at the new Paris Nord Villepinte venue for the first time. Its content, design and scenery were the object of much admiration. New records have been reached this year, with a total surface of 62,000 sqm, 1,300 exhibitors and 36,946 professional visits in attendance. One of the show’s new features consisted of the “Planets”, four new display areas totalling more than 1,800 sqm.
A World of Difference
JEC Group presents composites in a completely different style
According to JEC Group President and CEO Mrs Frédérique Mutel, the unanimous reaction to the show was pride in the composites industry and delight at JEC Group’s showcasing of it. “The JEC teams have indeed done a wonderful job at presenting composites to the world in the most impressive way,” she said. “An enormous range of products and technologies were presented, shared and showcased at JEC World 2016. Composite materials continue to become more widespread. In a world where energy savings and recyclability are sought, composites seem to stand out as one of the best answers. Innovative solutions must be found for current and upcoming challenges in terms of higher performance, lower weight, reduced costs and processing time, and of course, addressing the pressing matters of environmental concerns.”
This year’s event also featured the launch of four Innovation Planets, each one addressing a specific end-user market (the Aero Planet, the Auto Planet sponsored by Hexion, the Sports Planet and the Sustainable Planet). These areas were very popular ones, where attendees could see, touch and experience Innovative composite parts, observe demos, and ask questions about the innovations.
New name, new venue for the comfort of all attendees
To truly reflect the global dimension of the exhibition, which included participants from more than 100 countries, the event has taken on a more suitable name, “JEC World”. For the convenience of exhibitors and visitors, it has also moved northward from the southern part of Paris, in order to be closer to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, train stations and many other connecting opportunities. The total surface has
increased to 62,000 sqm, offering visitors and exhibitors a bigger show with enhanced features to improve the visiting experience. These include a new mobile application, Internet connections on the entire floor, a concierge service open to all, and digital touch screens.
High-level content delivered by JEC Expertise
Over the three days, participants were able to gather a wealth of information from the 11 top-notch conferences, some of them organized in partnership with Inovev, Cetim, e-Xstream, Stanford University, Onera, Composites Innovation Cluster, AZL and Dassault Systemes. The 30 technical sales presentations and the 40+ presentations on the “Planets” also covered a vast range of current and future composite topics.
A large delegation of Korean visitors and exhibitors showed up to proudly represent the Republic of Korea, the event’s Country of Honour. They showcased their latest advances, particularly in carbon, proving to the world that they have become a key player in the composite industry.
Other noteworthy events included the JEC Innovation Awards with its 29 prizewinners; the Automotive Composites Circle; the Live-Demo zones; the Composites in Action areas; and the 1,950 B2B Meetings that were organized.
The popularity of the event keeps on growing, which is very encouraging for next year’s session. Many exhibitors have already confirmed their participation.
SAVE THE DATE
JEC WORLD 2017 - Paris Nord Villepinte
March 14-16, 2017
More information: www.jeccomposites.com
Textination
The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) organizes from April 07th - 10th a new textile exhibition, the TEXPO in Karachi. This exhibition has been conceived as a whole sector comprehensive trade fair and should help to promote the export business of Pakistani textile and clothing companies. A month before the opening Textination got the opportunity to speak with the person in charge in Germany, the trade expert Mr. Rizwan Tariq from the Pakistani Consulate General in Frankfurt.
T | Mr. Rizwan, you can tell us some figures about the current state? How many exhibitors will take part in the event and how big is the occupied exhibition space? |
RT | There will be around 400 exhibitors and the occupied exhibition space would be around 20,000 sqm. This is the 1st edition of the exhibition and next year the number will double. |
T | How many visitors are you expecting? What is the expected proportion from Asia, the US and Europe? |
RT | All Pakistan Embassies and Consulates worldwide are marketing the event as it is the 1st ever Government sponsored textile & clothing exhibition. So we are expecting visitors from around 50 countries. There will be a large number of buyers from Asia especially China. US and Europe will constitute the remaining half. |
T | From August 27th - 29th 2016, the 14th textile trade show Textile Asia will be held in Lahore. Please explain how complementary or overlapping these two fairs will be and what are the main differences? |
RT | Textile Asia focuses on textile machinery, chemicals and dyes and other technology used by the textile industry of Pakistan. Both the fairs are aimed at different end customer. Texpo is the fair of Textile Industry which will sell its final product to the world while in Textile Asia, machinery and chemical/ dye manufacturers from all over the world come to Pakistan to sell their products to Pakistan’s textile industry. |
T | What is the current reaction of the international textile world to the new TEXPO event? What kind of feedback did you receive? |
RT | As I said earlier, this is the 1st edition of the exhibition but we are hopeful for positive results. Pakistan is already exporting textile products worth billions of dollars worldwide. So we already have a big customer base across the world. The main purpose of the fair is to give a positive message to our valuable buyers that we are a safe country to travel and that they should not have any apprehensions in visiting their suppliers. |
T | Will the generous visitor program be used by German companies - can you give us a few names? |
RT | Yes quite a few German companies have expressed their interest in visiting the event. Polo-Motorrand, Summary AG and a few other big names have already joined the delegation from Germany. Big German clothing retailers either already have their buying agents and Offices in Pakistan or in the neighbouring countries like India, Bangladesh and China. So some of the German representatives will also be coming from Asian countries. |
T | What kind of framework program, company visits, lectures, seminars or any other conference events will accompany the exhibition? |
RT | There will an Inaugural dinner on the 6th of April at the Sindh Governor House. It is a beautiful building built during the 18th Century and speaks of its glory. Then the 1st two days of the exhibition are for the foreign delegates/ buyers only. In the evenings we will have fashion shows where top Pakistani designers will display their design for international audience. The guests/ delegates will be free during the days to visit the exhibition and also plan their visits to manufacturing facilities of the exhibitors. |
T | Since many years Pakistan's textile industry is very active on European and US markets. What caused TDAP to initiate such a big new show in Karachi? |
RT |
Yes, Pakistan’s textile industry is very active in European and US markets but there is always room for growth. Like I explained earlier the event has multiple purposes. First, Pakistan is known in the news/ media for all the wrong reasons like terrorism etc. whereas ground reality is totally different. So one purpose is to promote the real image of Pakistan. Our valuable customers should come and see for themselves and experience our hospitality. Secondly, Pakistan has been granted GSP Plus preferential market access by the European Union for 10 years starting from January 2014. Almost all textile products from Pakistan enter European Union at Zero Customs duty. This is a 10-20 percent cost advantage over our competition. So the Government of Pakistan intends on helping the industry to maximum possible extent to increase their business especially to Europe. This event will also help the new manufacturers to meet international customers at home and learn about new technology and trends in the international market. Similarly our valued customers will have the opportunity to meet new suppliers. So it will be a win win for all. |
T | At many large textile and clothing trade shows - whether in Germany, other European countries or the US - many wellknown Pakistani manufacturers of bedding products, home textiles, cotton fabrics and of course clothing are showing again and again since many years. Will now mostly the same manufacturers or exhibitors be present at TEXPO, or will new, not yet so much export-oriented companies exhibit in Karachi? |
RT | Well! The big companies will ofcourse be there. They would definitely not to forego this opportunity to meet new buyers or loose their old buyers to competition. But there will also be a large number of SMEs and new exporters. |
T | Which visitor groups are you mainly targeting with the new fair - trading houses, purchasing associations, retail-chains, department stores, discount–chains or other businesses? |
RT | We are targeting all kinds of textile buyers. Pakistan produces textiles for all segments of the market. |
T | Karachi was and is considered as being not a very safe city. Several terrorist attacks have happened there. What kind of security measures do you intend and what code of behavior will you recommend to your international visitors? |
RT |
As I have already explained, there is a lot of negative news in the media. Karachi is a city of around 20 million people and people are leaving in peace and harmony. This is Government sponsored event so security of the guests is also being taken care of by the Government. We will advise the buyers to move out of their hotels with known associates and friends and that they should inform the hotel management and the Organisers help desk at the hotel of their plans before leaving. The transport for the registered guests is also being arranged by the Government so all security related aspects are being taken care of. There is no serious security situation in the city but the above care will help the visitors in gaining confidence for their security arrangements. |
Thank you very much for the interview, we wish the entire TEXPO team a succesful premiere.
For further information please contact:
1. Mr. Rizwan Tariq
Commercial Counsellor
Consulate General of Pakistan, Frankfurt am Main
Tel: +49 69-6976970
Mobil: +49 176-31363223
Email: pakcom.frk@tdap.gov.pk
2. Mr. Matthias Theis
Honorary Consul of Pakistan for the state of NRW, Düssseldorf
Tel.: +49 211 4407227
Email: office@pakistan-nrw.de
3. Mr. Rainer Borch
Trade Development Officer
Embassy of Pakistan Berlin
Tel.: +49 30-21244145
Mobil: +49 163-3736036
E-Mail: tdo@pakemb.de oder rainer.borch@aol.de
Textination GmbH
Prague (gtai) - The Czech textile and clothing industry is still on the upswing. Particularly in niche segments and with technical textiles the manufacturers achieve rising revenues since years. The investment climate in the sector therefore has been improved, the equipment suppliers are benefitting. German manufacturers of machinery for the textile and clothing industry were able to expand their exports to the Czech Republic in 2015 by one fifth.
With Czech Crowns 52.4 billion (Kc; EUR 1.9 bn) the Czech textile industry achieved so much revenue in 2015 as not anymore in the last eight years. According to the statistics office the clothing manufacturers output rose by 11%, that of textile manufacturing by 3%. Very good filled are the order books. For companies in the clothing industry the volume of new orders rose by over 13% in 2015, in the textile factories
by 4%.
According to the announcement of the professional association ATOK, the sector would have developed even better, if the growth markets in Asia and Africa would have not weakened. But fortunately the loss became offset by the traditional markets Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Austria and France. According to ATOK the textile segment of the Czech Republic exported goods worth equivalent of almost EUR 2.5 billion in 2015, corresponding to a trade surplus of almost EUR 30 million. In clothing, the country recorded a negative balance. Here goods were imported for Euro 2 billion and exported of EUR 1.3 Billion.
Year | Sales in Kc bn. | Change to previous year (in %) |
2007 | 55.0 | 1.5 |
2008 | 46.1 | -16.2 |
2009 | 41.1 | -10.8 |
2010 | 41.3 | 0.5 |
2011 | 46.2 | 11.9 |
2012 | 45.9 | -0.6 |
2013 | 47.1 | 2.6 |
2014 | 51.0 | 8.3 |
2015 | 52.4 | 2.7 |
2007 | 55.0 | 1.5 |
Source: Association of Textile, Garment and Leather Industry (ATOK, http://www.atok.cz)
Particularly in niche segments the clothing manufacturers can maintain themselves in their position. For example Triola from the northern Bohemia Horni Jiretin specializes in lingerie and successfully with oversizes. Also manufacturers like Timo, Pleas, Upavan or Linia can exist with underwear products on the market. According to reports from the business paper Hospodarske noviny Timo sells 200.000 pc. per year. The company offers among others prosthetic lingerie against breat tumors.In the next two years the family operation will invest more than EUR 700,000 in new technologies at the production site Litomerice (North Bohemia).
Hats and hoods are demanded in 30 countries
Another family company, Kama from Prague, specializes in headwear. With hats, scarves, headbands, gloves or hoods it makes now more than EUR 1 million per year and delivers to 30 countries. In Moravia-Silesia Sky Paragliders from Frydlant nad Ostravici invests around EUR 4 million in a weaving mill including a research center to develop new materials. The company produces emergency parachutes and rescue systems and belongs with annual revenues of EUR 2.7 million (2014) to the top ten manufacturers worldwide. It processes 200 kilometers of fabrics annually.
Thanks to favorable wages and the proximity to areas with good purchasing power smaller suppliers of made to measure products developed well. The company Janek from Roznov in Zlin produces,for example, 30,000 individually tailored shirts per year. Also suits and costumes belong to the assortment. Janes buy the yarn from a German yarn manufacturer which produces in the Czech Republic.
Company/location | Product portfolio | Sales 2013 |
Sales 2014 |
Change 1) |
Webseite |
Borgers CS/Plzen | Nonwovens for automotives |
5.038 | 10.879 | 115,9 | http://borgers.cz |
Juta/Dvur Kralovenad Labem | Nonwovens for automotives |
5.568 | 6.618 | 18,8 | http://www.juta.cz |
Nova Mosilana /Brno | Fancy dress fabrics | 2.952 | 3.285 | 11,3 | http://www.novamosilana.cz |
Pegas Nonwovens/Znojmo | Nonwovens | 2.273 | 2.388 | 5,1 | http://www.pegas.cz |
Kordarna Plus/Velka nad Velickou | Corduroy fabrics Technical Textiles for conveyors |
2.195 | 2.287 | 4,2 | http://www.kordarna.cz |
Veba, textilni zavody/Broumov | Home – and Clothing fabrics, Brocat |
2.124 | 2.160 | 1,7 | http://www.veba.cz/cs/ |
Johnson Controls/ Strakonice 2) |
Seatcovers for automotives |
1.722 | 1.865 | 8,3 | http://www.johnsoncontrols.cz |
Fibertex Nonwovens/ Svitavy |
Nonwovens | 958 | 1.128 | 17,7 | http://www.fibertex.com |
Pleas / Havlickuv Brod |
Under – and Nightwear | 1.073 | 1.123 | 4,6 | http://www.pleas.cz |
Mehler Texnologies/ Lomnice nad Popelkou 3) |
Fabrics for tents, boats, canvas, sunumbrellas |
895 | 975 | 8,9 | http://www.mehlertexnologies. cz |
Nejdecka cesarna vlny/Nejdek 4) |
Processing of rawwool | 800 | 692 | -13,5 | http://www.ncv.cz |
Lanex/Bolatice | Ropes, threats, artificial turf |
627 | 670 | 6,7 | http://www.lanex.cz |
Trevos/Kostalov | Polypropylen- Staple-fiber |
576 | 639 | 10,9 | http://www.monticekia.cz |
Tessitura Monti Cekia/ Borovnice u Stare Paky |
Cotton shirt fabrics | 609 | 568 | -6,7 | http://www.monticekia.cz |
Svitap J.H.J./Svitavy | Tents, canvas, Microfibers, Filtration |
497 | 436 | -12,3 | http://www.svitap.cz |
1) Change 2014 / 113 in%; 2) Fiscal year October 2012, 2013 till September 2013, 2014; 3) December 2012, 2013 till November 2013, 2014; 4) April 2013, 2014 till March 2014, 2015
Sources: Annual company reports, Trade register, Hospodarske noviny, Magazine Ekonom, CzechInvest, Association ATOK
The most actively trading companies in the textile sector are producing mostly for industrial consumers. Largest industry representative is the automotive supplier Borgers from Bocholt, which produces textile moldings, paneling, insulation and curtains for vehicles at four locations near Plzen. The second largest textile company Juta achieves half of its revenue from construction materials such as drainage mats, erosion control fabric or roof insulation. Moreover Juta makes a good business with packaging nets for potatoes or Christmas trees. One other growth area is artificial turf. The company invests nearly EUR 20 million every year, mainly in new production equipment.
Textile Machinery ordered for 250 m Euro
Other companies are expanding too. The manufacturer of workwear Waibel has expanded its site in2015. In Zdar nad Sazavou near Jihlava own collections and custom made programs are being manufactured. Clothing manufacturer Pleas invests annually over EUR 1 million in its equipment. The company belongs to the top 10 of the sector and produces annually 15 million pieces nightwear for the brands Schiesser and Pleas. The German machinery manufacturer Mayer & Cie. builds a factory for knitting machines in Vsetin. The production is expected to comence in summer 2016. The machines are designed for large manufactures particularly in Asia.
Maschinery group / HS-Position | 2014 | 2015 | Veränderung in % |
Jet-spinning machines / 8444 | 177 | 15.369 | 8.583,1 |
..from Germany | 59 | 9.829 | 16.559,3 |
Spinning machines / 8445 | 12.780 | 8.838 | -30,8 |
..from Germany | 6.591 | 5.017 | -23,9 |
Weaving machines / 8446 | 13.357 | 12.778 | -4,3 |
..from Germany | 7.498 | 2.166 | -71,1 |
Knitting machines / 8447 | 10.556 | 11.332 | 7,4 |
..from Germany | 2.872 | 6.092 | 112,1 |
Auxiliary machines / 8448 | 75.082 | 72.178 | -3,9 |
..from Germany | 48.245 | 51.765 | 7,3 |
Machines for felting and nonwovens / 8449 | 3.349 | 16.306 | 386,9 |
..from Germany | 949 | 6.741 | 610,3 |
Cleaning-, dying and ironing machines / 8451 | 83.874 | 105.825 | 26,2 |
..from Germany | 44.671 | 50.234 | 12,5 |
Sewing machines / 8452 | 14.718 | 17.834 | 21,2 |
..from Germany | 4.780 | 6.319 | 32,2 |
Machines for leather and fur processing resp. footwear production / 8453 |
2.867 | 3.704 | 29,2 |
..from Germany | 278 | 347 | 24,8 |
Total | 216.760 | 264.164 | 21,9 |
..from Germany | 115.943 | 138.510 | 19,5 |
Source: Czech Statistical Office
Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Government of Pakistan is organizing the first ever textile exhibition named TeXpo 2016 from 7-10 April 2016 at Karachi Expo Center.
Objective of this exhibition is to present the potential of textile sector exports, especially value added sectors: readymade garments, knitwear, hosiery, bedsheets, textile madeups, sportswear, towels, textile accessories, etc.
The textile sector of Pakistan
Pakistan is the 4th largest producer and 3rd largest consumer of cotton globally. Textiles is the vital manufacturing sector of Pakistan. It contributes nearly one-fourth of industrial value-added, provides employment to about 40% of industrial labour force, consumes 40% of banking credit to manufacturing sector and accounts for 8% of national GDP. Textile products share in national exports is 54%.
The textile industry consists of 11.3 million spindles, 3 million rotors, 350,000 power looms, 18,000 knitting machines and processing capacity of 5.2 billion sqm. It has 700,000 industrial and domestic stitching machines. In addition, it has a strong fiber base of 13 million bales of cotton and 600,000 tons of manmade fibers including polyester fiber. There are 21 filament yarn units having capacity of 100,000 tons. The filament and yarn industry is supported by PTA plant which has 500,000 tons capacity. Thus a complete textiles value chain exists in the country which is rare in the world, unlike many competitors which have only primary base or the finished base.
Source: Ministry of Textile Industry, GoP
Pakistan’s textile exports to Germany
Pakistan enjoys zero customs duty access to European Union including Germany on textile products under GSP Plus Scheme. The scheme started in 2014 and the duty preference to Pakistan will continue for another 8 years. As a result of this incentive, Pakistan’s exports to European Union have increased by almost US$ 2 Billion in two years and the main beneficiary of the scheme has been the textile sector. This increase in exports shows the European buyers confidence in the manufacturers and exporters from Pakistan.
Especially with Germany, Pakistan’s exports in textile products have been increasing by 20% every year. The table below shows Pakistan’s exports to Germany, in textile products:
2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2015 | % Inc/ Dec in 2015 over 2014 - 11 Months |
|||||
(January - November) | (January - November) | (January - November) | (January - November) | ||||||
EUR (‘000) | USD (‘000) | EUR (‘000) | USD (‘000) | EUR (‘000) | USD (‘000) | EUR (‘000) | USD (‘000) | EUR | |
cotton | 115.451,00 | 153.353,00 | 109.190,00 | 145.456,00 | 101.111,0 | 135.491 | 113.799,0 | 126.692 | 13% |
Man-made staple fibers | 16.135,00 | 21.367,00 | 16.959,00 | 22.432,00 | 15.387,0 | 20.499 | 16.432,0 | 18.274 | 7% |
Carpets, floor covering made of textile materials | 11.127,00 | 14.797,00 | 12.545,00 | 16.565,00 | 11.119,0 | 14.807 | 10.919,0 | 12.173 | -2% |
Knitwear | 135.428,00 | 180.080,00 | 176.123,00 | 233.634,00 | 161.014,0 | 215.001 | 206.988,0 | 230.339 | 29% |
Ready made garments (Woven) | 266.450,00 | 353.495,00 | 334.446,00 | 444.604,00 | 311.214,0 | 415.95 | 405.924,0 | 451.166 | 30% |
Home textiles (incl. Bedwear and towel) | 176.440,00 | 234.265,00 | 236.164,00 | 313.190,00 | 214.074,0 | 285.953 | 215.308,0 | 239.699 | 1% |
Total of 6 items | 721.031,00 | 957.357,00 | 885.427,00 | 1.175.881,00 | 813.919,00 | 1.087.709,00 | 969.370,00 | 1.078.343,00 | 19% |
Major Commodities | Value in US$ thousand July-June 2014-15 |
Value in US$ thousand July-June 2013-14 |
|
Textile Group | 13.164,027 | 13.433,644 | |
1 | Cotton Cloth | 2.452,632 | 2.769,986 |
2 | Knitwears | 2.406,488 | 2.293,668 |
3 | Cotton Yarn | 1.849,389 | 1.997,338 |
4 | Bed Wear | 2.103,071 | 2.137,744 |
5 | Readymade Garments | 2.095,089 | 1.909,323 |
6 | Towels | 797,155 | 767,461 |
7 | Art Silk And Synthetic Textiles | 330,584 | 384,964 |
8 | Textile Made Ups (excl. Towels & Bed Wear) | 654,926 | 659,929 |
9 | Raw Cotton | 147,060 | 205,136 |
10 | Kintted or Crochated Fabrics | 36,177 | 34,974 |
11 | Cotton Waste | 51,050 | 79,122 |
12 | Yarn other than Cotton Yarn | 42,828 | 43,873 |
13 | Tents & Other Canvas Goods | 126,575 | 77,759 |
14 | Waste Material of Textile Fibres/Fabrics | 28,042 | 24,451 |
15 | Tule, Lace, Embroidery Etc | 12,515 | 15,567 |
16 | Cotton Bags/Sacks | 13,138 | 11,677 |
17 | TEXTILE FABRICS WOVEN (Other than Cotton & Artificial Fabrics) |
3,726 | 3,698 |
18 | Cotton Thread | 12,259 | 15,123 |
19 | Textile For Machinery | 1,323 | 1,851 |
Source: TDAP R&D Cell
Texpo – An opportunity to expand sourcing and increase Profits
The exhibition – Texpo provides and a unique opportunity for the buyers from Germany to meet new suppliers of the textile products and visit their manufacturing facilities.
The Government of Pakistan, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan will arrange accommodation for the visitors/ guests from all over the world, in the top hotels in Karachi city. Free accommodation will be provided for the guests registered through Pakistan Embassy at Berlin or the Consulate at Frankfurt am Main. A few select guests will also be offered air ticket subsidy depending on the confirmation from the organisers.
Local transport in Karachi city with complete security for the delegates will be arranged by the Government of Pakistan to further add to the comfort of guests from all over the world.
You can also plan your visit to China and other regional suppliers near Karachi right after Texpo.
For further details, please contact:
1. Mr. Rizwan Tariq
Commercial Counsellor Consulate General of Pakistan, Frankfurt am Main
Ph: +49 69-6976970
Cell: +49 176-31363223
Email: pakcom.frk@tdap.gov.pk
2. Mr. Matthias Theis
Honorary Consul of Pakistan for the state of NRW Dusseldorf
Ph: +49 211 4407227
Email: office@pakistan-nrw.de
3. Mr. Rainer Borch
Trade Development Officer Embassy of Pakistan Berlin
Ph: +49 30-21244145
Cell: +49 163-3736036
Email: tdo@pakemb.de or rainer.borch@aol.de
From 18 to 24 January 2016 at imm cologne and LivingInteriors, a total of 1,185 companies from 50 countries presented the trends in furniture and furnishings for the coming year. Buyers from the trade with decisionmaking authority made for a dynamic trade fair during the first five days. With around 80,000 trade visitors from 128 countries, the event recorded a slight increase (4.8 percent) in trade fair visitor numbers compared to 2014. The proportion of visitors from abroad was 46 percent (based on the trade visitor days). The development in the number of visitors from overseas was positive, while the trade fair duo recorded an especially significant increase in the number of visitors from Europe.
"This outcome shows that imm cologne is unmatched as a business event for the global furniture and furnishings industry", said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse, summing up the event.
"This is where the world comes together to do business, which offers a lot of new opportunities for export-oriented companies. At the same time, this fair duo has proved once again that business and creative inspiration are not mutually exclusive", Böse continued. "imm cologne was a wonderful furniture show and has got us off to a very successful start to the 2016 furniture year. With so many new products and ideas, innovations and great models in all price ranges, we are confident that the German furniture industry will achieve another increase in sales this year", added Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM). This was confirmed by Hans Strothoff, President of the Federal Association of German Furniture, Kitchens and Furnishing Retailers (BVDM): "This year's imm cologne really stimulated a keen interest in furniture. Rarely has the mood in industry and trade been so positive as at this fair. Wherever you looked, only smiling faces and great optimism. imm cologne has really catapulted the industry into the new business year with a swing."
The atmosphere among visitors was characterised by business, networking and the search for trends. In the past few years, imm cologne has raised its international profile, not just among exhibitors, but also among visitors. 2016 saw a significant increase in buyers from Europe, primarily from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. The event also registered a clear increase in the number of visitors from overseas, especially from the USA, China and India. Including estimated figures for the last fair day, a total of 120.000 visitors were inspired by the interior design worlds.
In addition to the products on show, the highlights of the 2016 trade fair once again included "Das Haus - Interiors on Stage", a walk-through simulation of a home, which was designed this year by Sebastian Herkner, and the "Smart Home" special exhibition at LivingInteriors, where numerous companies showcased solutions for a cleverly networked home that are already available today.
Trends at imm cologne/LivingInteriors 2016
Homes are becoming homier once again Cosiness and a feeling of security are increasingly important in the home. There is also a clear enthusiasm for new combinations. Along with furniture and decorations, accessories and home textiles that suit people's preferences when used individually are combined freely. The result is homes that are as unique as their inhabitants.
Mid-century design is booming
Across all product sectors, a striking number of furniture designs are reminiscent of those from the 1940s through the 1960s. These designs make efficient use of materials, have delicate features and are lightweight and above all smaller. The trend can be explained by the smaller living spaces available in city homes, though also by a general sense of nostalgia. Like an old friend, sleek mid-century furniture proves its value in uncertain times.
Natural materials are on the rise
Wood, glass, stone and metal: natural materials are particularly popular. In addition to the large proportion of wood used, for example in tabletops, chair and table frames, valuable natural stone is an increasingly common material in tabletops. Popular varieties include the European classic "marble" as well as exotic South American stone with particularly unique veining. The use of tree bark in wall decoration is another trend on the horizon.
The next imm cologne will be held from 16 through 22 January 2017 in Cologne - together with LivingKitchen, the international event for all topics related to the kitchen.
Textination GmbH
Heimtextil in Frankfurt am Main, the leading international trade fair for home and contract textiles, will finish today with a clear increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors. Over 69,000 trade visitors (2015: 67,861) and 2,866 exhibitors (2015: 2,723) from across the world travelled to Frankfurt from 12-15 January to start the economically promising 2016 business and trade fair year together. Detlef Braun, CEO of Messe Frankfurt, was visibly satisified with the outcome: ‘The world world of textile interior design came to Frankfurt and the increase in exhibitors and visitors alike speaks for itself. The positive economic indicators also boosted discussions between suppliers and purchasers. Heimtextil has thus impressively consolidated its position as the top global meeting place for the industry’.
This statement was confirmed by Cristobal Montero Álvarez, purchaser at Europe’s biggest department store chain El Corte Inglés: ‘For us, Heimtextil has been the most important trade fair when it comes to the purchase of home and house textiles for a number of years. No other trade fair offers such an international range of exhibitors. The quality and price of suppliers at Heimtextil appeals to us. This year, we were particularly impressed by the new technical solutions in the sun protection segment’.
More international exhibitors than ever before
Heimtextil in Frankfurt is by far the most international event of its kind. ‘From northern Europe to South Africa, from America to Asia: visitors to Heimtextil come from across the world and all of them want to see the latest trends in the textile market’, summarises Paola Ribera of the décor and furniture supplier Texathenea from Spain. As was the case last year, 68 per cent of trade visitors came from abroad. There was an increased number of visitors from Italy, Spain, Sweden, Russia, Japan and South Korea in particular at Heimtextil 2016.
However, it is not just the visitors, but also the exhibitors that form a microcosm of a global industry. 89 per cent of exhibitors (2015: 88 per cent) come from abroad. This year’s Heimtextil saw a growth in exhibitors from Europe, in particular Turkey, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as global exhibitors from many countries including Brazil and the USA.
Growing product segments
In terms of products, Heimtextil was able to considerably expand its portfolio in various segments. For the fast-growing segment of décor and upholstery materials, hall 4.0 was even equipped with a new, additional hall level, where primarily high-quality exhibitors from Italy showcased their wares. Textile digital printing with all the market leaders such as Epson, Hewlett Packard, Kornit, Mimaki and Zimmer was also considerably expanded in comparison to last year. The product group “bed” with bed linen, bedding, covers, decorative pillows and mattresses was also added to. The increase in mattress manufacturers in particular, such as Rössle & Wanner and f.a.n. Frankenstolz, who were both exhibiting at Heimtextil again after several years’ absence, was warmly received by trade visitors.
Jessica Schwarz, Nena, Guido Maria Kretschmer, Barbara Becker
The glamour factor was once again a major element in 2016. Actress and hotel owner Jessica Schwarz was an honorary guest at the opening press conference on Tuesday, informing the public that she intends to expand her hotel in the Odenwald town of Michelstadt. On Thursday she took the opportunity to go on a purchasing tour through the halls for this very purpose.
Also present on Tuesday was musician and artist Nena, who presented her new wallpaper collection at the Marburger Tapetenfabrik stand and rocked the house in the evening in front of an audience of invited guests.
Ullrich Eitel, CEO of Marburger Tapetenfabrik, was inspired: ‘The collection by Nena was the main focus of our trade fair presence. And Nena herself was of course the absolute highlight. Heimtextil offered the perfect platform for this. We could experience Nena because the affinity to wallpaper was there. We’ve put Nena’s signature on the wallpaper. The Nena collection was very well received by our customers and we had the perfect start to 2016. The fringe event with Nena, i.e. the presentation at our stand, the interview and, last but not least, the concert in the evening, provided the perfect way to round off our presence. Nena garnered the full support of and inspired enthusiasm in our guests’.
On Wednesday, it was star designer Guido Maria Kretschmer’s turn to be honoured in the Frankfurt trade fair halls. At the P+S International stand, he presented his wallpaper collection “Fashion for Walls” and was pleased about being there: ‘For me, Heimtextil is an excellent trade fair because it’s all about interiors and materials. It’s great to see the world coming together here and people bringing new looks and how everything is organised’.
The celebrity guests’ visits were completed on Thursday by regular trade fair visitor Barbara Becker at Kleine Wolke.
Heimtextil goes City
For the twelfth time, the promotion “Heimtextil goes City” will bring trends from Heimtextil to the city centre. On Saturday 16 January at 10 a.m., the needs of all those who want to see the latest trends and products in interior design before they officially go on sale will be met. In cooperation with the Decorator’s and Upholsterer’s Guild, a total of 19 specialist shops, galleries and public institutions will present new materials, on-trend colours and designs to end consumers.
The next Heimtextil, international trade fair for home and contract textiles, will take place from 10-13 January 2017 in Frankfurt am Main.
Each year, trainees from Mehler Texnologies engage in a "Social Week". In December 2015 six trainees were released a week to assist the Tafel in Heinsberg and the SPS Foundation, a non-profit association for refugee assistance.
Support for refugees
Many refugee camps lack not only financial resources, but also volunteers who help active locally. For this reason, the trainees of Mehler Texnologies made the clear decision to support refugees. For one week,
they helped in the emergency shelter in Niederheid and in a refugee shared flat in Lindern and won herewith deeper insight into the everyday life of refugees.
Assisting the Tafel
Even before the rise in numbers of refugees there were people in need in our ranks. This often withdraw from society, so that they remain unnoticed in everyday life. To help these financially and often socially disadvantaged, the trainees supported the Tafel in Heinsberg. For this facility, they collected food in supermarkets to make it available for the Tafel.
Positive feedback
As a global employer Mehler Texnologies is aware of its responsibility towards society and proves good intention thanks to the project "Social Week" for three years. Besides social skills, the trainees benefit from the development of professional skills: the independent planning, implementation and taking charge of responsibility of the project are valuable experiences that have a positive impact on the performance of
future tasks in their work environment. In addition, the social engagement is an opportunity to develop personally in a very different work experience.
Mehler Texnologies is one of the leading international companies in coated fabrics market. More than 53 million square metres of material are produced and sold each year under the brand names VALMEX®, POLYMAR® and AIRTEX®. Over 60 years of development and production experience represents the basis for sophisticated products.
Textination
The significant growth in exhibitor numbers is a clear indication that Heimtextil remains the most important platform in its sector in 2016 and that the themes are very much in line with the sector's current preoccupations. From 12 to 15 January 2016, Heimtextil will assemble more than 2,700 exhibitors at the world's largest trade fair for home and contract textiles. The range of products covers the world's largest international selection of contract textiles for the hotel trade, architectural use and interior design. More than 350 of the Heimtextil exhibitors, who come from all over the world, will be presenting their portfolios under the 'Contract Creations' seal.
The range of contract products and services not only covers a multitude of materials and suppliers of all qualities and all pricing levels; visitors can also expect an exciting mix of new stimuli as well as experienced partners to help with their ideas and projects. Guided tours of the fair and a lecture programme specially dedicated to hoteliers and architects will provide valuable input. Moreover, in its uniquely inspiring showcase for trends, the 'Theme Park' in Hall 6.0, Heimtextil offers an excellent overview of current and future trends, something that is unique in interior design anywhere in the world. The 'Theme Park' also risks a glance into the future of 'Hospitality' and showcases some stimulating and visionary ideas.
As a first port of call and a meeting place for architects and hoteliers, the 'Salon Interior. Architecture. Hospitality' in Foyer 4.0 provides an inviting venue. It not only offers a comfortable atmosphere in which to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair. It is also the meeting point for trend scouts, as well as for the guided tours for architects and hoteliers and it is where attendees of the lecture programme can find out about the subjects to be covered, the speakers and where they can sign up for the lectures.
The enormous range of products at Heimtextil is subdivided into clearly identifiable sections. 'Contract' logos on the stands indicate that the exhibitor carries a range of contract textiles and/or solutions for furnishing hotels, restaurants and other commercial or public spaces. The Contract Guide offers lots of help in finding your way around and contains an overview of all the suppliers of contract textiles exhibiting at Heimtextil. This index is directed at architects, hoteliers, planners and interior designers. The Contract Guide will be available for people to take away at various points throughout the Exhibition Centre and is a service that Messe Frankfurt offers free of charge to both exhibitors and visitors.
Furthermore Heimtextil presents the results of a recent study about the importance of textiles for the high-quality hotel sector in form of a Management Report which will be published at the beginning of the fair. The Management Report will be available on the Heimtextil website.
Lecture programme: Interior.Architecture.Hospitality
In collaboration with the architecture magazine AIT and the IHA Hotel Association, Heimtextil offers a varied programme of lectures for architects, interior architects, designers and hoteliers. All lectures will take place in the Europa Room in the Foyer of Hall 4.0 on 13 and 14 January 2016.
The trade journal AIT offers an exciting programme of lectures and panel discussions, each lasting approximately half an hour and involving internationally renowned architecture firms. On the afternoon of 13 January, all sessions will come under the banner of “compact.good.exclusive – the new luxury in residential construction”. On Thursday 14 January, from 1:00 p.m. onwards, the theme will be: 'Travel yesterday and today – Hotel architecture as a retreat in a foreign environment'.
On the morning of 14 January 2016, the German Hotel Association (IHA) will report on trends and developments as they relate to sustainability in the hotel industry. Specialist speakers such as Martina Baumgärtner (ALEGRIA), Christoph Haub (REMONDIS), Frank Martin (Cofely Deutschland) and Florian Zeitler (Electrolux Professional) will give details of sustainable hygiene solutions and technologies in the hotel trade. They will deal, in their lectures, with the following subjects amongst others: “Outsource or do the cleaning yourself?” and “What challenges does a modern environmental management system bring?” Individual topics range from housekeeping to economical energy provision. The event will be rounded off in the morning by the distinguished tourism expert Olaf Schlieper from the German Tourist Office. He will give a concentrated overview of the challenges of sustainable travel.
Architects and designers select Heimtextil products
Some 30 architects and interior architects will be looking for a new generation of innovative products from the sections on contract textiles, textile room dividers and sunshade systems, wall coverings, wallpapers and furniture that are on display at Heimtextil. The results of AIT's trendscouting activities will be available in the 'Salon Interior. Architecture. Hospitality' in Foyer 4.0. For those with a particular interest in innovation, the trend scouts will be offering a guided tour of the award-winning exhibitors.
In addition, the architecture journals AIT and xia will, in cooperation with Heimtextil, once again be organising the 'Innovation Award Architecture and Textile Contract'. This award underscores the importance of architectural quality in textile products and interior-design solutions. The competition is aimed at architects, interior architects and designers, as well as industrial companies and companies that process textile products, contract textiles and interior-design solutions.
The Award Ceremony for 'Architecture and Textile Contract' competition and the 'AIT Trend Scouting Display' will be held in the Europa Room, Hall 4.0, on 13 January 2016 at 5:00 p.m. The exhibition to accompany the innovation awards can be seen on the AIT stand throughout the trade fair. The nominated products from the AIT's trend scouting exercise will be displayed in Foyers 5.1 / 6.1 and will also be identified on the exhibitors' stands.
Finest Interior Award 2015
Heimtextil is a partner in this year's 'Finest Interior Awards' and, with them, seeks to honour the creative work of interior architects, interior designers, interior decorators and furnishings consultants. The 'Finest Interior Awards' were presented in November 2015 as part of a formal evening event in the Dutch Embassy in Berlin, and were given for particularly individual and professional contract furnishing projects. The Netherlands are the official partner country for this year's 'Finest Interior Awards'. The winning exhibits are there to be discovered at Heimtextil 2016 in a special display in Hall 11.0.
Guided tours for architects and hoteliers
In cooperation with the trade journals AIT and Hotel Design/AHGZ, Heimtextil will be offering guided tours tailored to the needs and interests of architects and hoteliers. The meeting point for all tours is the 'Salon Interior.Architecture.Hospitality' in Foyer 4.0.
From 11:00 a.m. onwards on both Wednesday 13 January and Friday 15 January, the trade journal AIT will present the product innovations for contract furnishings on offer from well-known manufacturers, which they, in conjunction with leading international interior architects, have identified. On the Wednesday, the tour will be led by Ushi Tamborriello (ushitamborriello Innenarchitektur_Szenenbild). On the Friday it is the turn of Sabine Krumrey (bki brandherm + krumrey) to take those with a special interest in this area through the halls. Each tour lasts approximately two hours. On 14 January 2016, also at 11:00 a.m.,
the AIT trend scouts will offer a tour which takes in the 15 products selected by architects and interior designers.
In conjunction with the trade magazine HotelDesign/AHGZ, Heimtextil will be inviting decisionmakers in the hotel industry to a conducted tour of the trade fair. In the company of Corinna Kretschmar-Joehnk from Hamburg architects JOI Design and Ms. Denise Boxler, Head of Design at Pentahotels, participants will get an overview of furnishing trends in the hotel and contract industries. The tours start at 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on 14 January 2016.
Further informationen about Contract Creations on Heimtextil: www.heimtextil.de/contract