Textination Newsline

• Competition from the Far East increases modernization pressure

Turkey is an important market for German manufacturers of textile machinery. However, the textile and clothing industry has a problem: exports have been stagnating for years.

The Turkish textile industry is broadly based: Companies manufacture all intermediate products in the country, including yarns, fibers and fabrics. Production along the entire textile value chain means great sales potential for German suppliers of textile machinery. In fact, Turkey is the second most important export market for German spinning, weaving, textile finishing machines and the like after China, as it can be seen from the figures of the Federal Statistical Office Destatis.Nevertheless, the sector is not a growth market. Apart from a few outliers upwards and downwards, Turkish textile machinery imports have remained at the same level for several years. This is due to the fact that Turkish exports of textiles and clothing are also stagnating. Particularly noticeable: companies benefited only marginally from the weak lira last year.

Source: Turkish Statistical Office TÜIK (http://www.tuik.gov.tr)

Increasing pressure from the Far East
Turkish clothing manufacturers are increasingly feeling the effects of competition from the Far East. Despite the high number of informal workers, wages in Turkey have risen to such an extent that they cannot keep up with the low wages of Asian sewing factories. The geographical advantage of Turkish companies over Chinese competitors is at stake because of the new Silk Road and the development of faster transport routes. Free trade agreements that the European Union is currently negotiating with India and South Korea will further increase the pressure on Turkish producers.

Slump in 3rd quarter 2018
In addition, there is the difficult economic situation in the country: the Turkish lira reached a record low, especially in the months of August to October 2018, and commercial banks raised their lending rates. As a result, financing costs for machinery from abroad suddenly increased, orders from Turkey failed to materialize, especially in the third quarter. The German knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie has also noticed this, as Stefan Bühler, who is responsible for the Turkish business, reports: "In the last three months of 2018, the market was virtually dead. In the meantime, however, the industry is gradually recovering.

Akar Textile plans new factory
Announcements about new investments cannot yet be heard at this time. As early as June 2018, Akar Textile (http://www.akartextile.com) announced that it would build a new factory for 47 million Turkish lira (TL) in the municipality of Savur in southeastern Turkey. 3,000 employees are there to become employed. Akar Textile produces for companies such as C&A, Mango and H&M. Only a few months after the announcement of the project, the economic crisis in Turkey deepened in September. The extent to which the turbulence has affected the project implementation is not known.

Technical textiles as a driving force for growth
Far Eastern competition is increasing the pressure to modernize the Turkish textile industry. In the future, industry will have to compete primarily with high-quality products. Growth impulses are currently coming from the sector of technical textiles. According to industry reports, more than 200 small and medium-sized enterprises are already producing technical textiles and nonwovens in Turkey. These textiles and fabrics are being used in the automotive, packaging and cosmetics industries.

In June 2018, the Turkish METYX Group (http://www.metyx.com) invested in its machinery parc. The company is manufacturing technical textiles and has ordered a line of warp knitting machines from the German textile machine manufacturer Karl Mayer. The manufacturer of composite materials is thus increasing its capacity by 12,000 tons of glass and carbon fibers. In recent years, more and more research and development centers have emerged to promote the necessary technology transfer in the industry. The Institute for Technical Textiles at RWTH Aachen University (ITA) founded a research center in Istanbul in October 2016. In the Teknosab industrial zone in Bursa the BUTEKOM research and development center for textile technology was established in 2008. The institute offers training as well as research and development cooperation to and with companies.

However, many medium-sized textile companies often lack the money to invest in modern machinery. The short planning horizon makes an access to research and development more difficult. As a member of the management board of the German-Turkish Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Frank Kaiser has been observing the Turkish business landscape for eight years. He points out that the textile manufacturers, like other medium-sized companies in the country too, often plan in short terms. "In view of the volatile business environment, this is rational," Kaiser explains.

¹⁾ the slump in the 3rd quarter is not yet visible in the annual figures for 2018; it will not become noticeable until 2019
Sources: UN-Comtrade, TurkStat ²⁾, Bundesbank

Austria's most important public exhibition in the high-quality furniture and furnishing sector, "Wohnen & Interieur" at Messe Wien, is in the starting blocks for the coming spring. From 9 to 17 March 2019, organizer Reed Exhibitions will once again open the four exhibition halls, A to D, for the 18th edition of the fair. Structured subject areas and a focus on design worlds refresh the established exhibition format.

It is said that the personality of the people is reflected in their own four walls. One is aware spending the majority of the time indoors. And here we should feel comfortable, quasi "native", relaxed - and some even speak of a "therapeutic" effect of the living environment on the individual. Inspira tions and trends for your own four walls can be seen in a wide range at Austria's largest interior design trade fair, Wohnen & Interieur, including advice, trade fair offers and immediate purchase.

At home connected with nature
The more hectic the world appears out there, the more important becomes an oasis of peace in your own four walls. And as people become more and more aware of themselves, concepts such as sustainability and environment gain in importance.
Everyone is talking about "Natural Living" this year - natural materials are very much in vogue, wood dominates the popularity scale. Pollutant-free tanned leather, cork, natural fibers from coconut and sisal to cotton and linen are in demand. Also, in the spirit of a "green stamp", preference is given to local products, a topic in which Austrian manufacturers with top-quality and likeable products are on top and present themselves accordingly at the W & I.    

Trend colors convey a sense of life
Life-affirming, happy coral red - Living Coral - radiates warmth and brings energy, comfort and security. Also important are delicate Ice Cream Colors, which can be ideally combined with each other and especially with natural wood tones. But also, exciting wall colors as well as striking statement wallpapers and wall tattoos are new favorites. Alternatively: wallpapers with a touch of vintage. Fabrics in gold, honey and brown tones correspond to blue nuances of turquoise, royal and petrol as well as pink and red shades.

Little space - plenty of room for ideas  
"Mindful architecture" addresses mindful design that harmonizes body and mind. And "Slow Living" brings peace to mind, this is based on clear forms, preferably universities and dispenses with unnecessary frills. Flows from the fields of design, fashion, society, politics and anthropology are expressed in the living environment - practical furniture increasingly plays a role: intelligent furniture solutions, foldable furniture, from the dining table to the bar table, from the stool to the side table and stackable shelf variants are used in urban scenes, Where living space is becoming more and more precious and therefore more limited, the challenge for planning professionals and interior design professionals. Furniture becomes multifunctional applicable and versatile, without much effort, of course.

Upcycling to „Smart Living“
And again, the topic of sustainability emerges, a consciousness without a warning finger: Recycled materials come to life or old furnishings are "revamped" and shines in new splendor.
"Smart Living", the digitization in your own household, from safety and comfort through to energy management, is entering all generations - this market is rapidly expanding worldwide.

• Online sales increase

Warsaw (GTAI) - More and more clothing and shoe companies are merging in Poland. Demand is growing, but the price pressure is increasing. Customers appreciate the quality of German brand products.
Sales of clothing and footwear in Poland are rising steadily. However, the price war is becoming increasingly fierce: off-price shops offering branded goods at low prices, online shops and outlet centers are putting pressure on retailers and lowering the average returns.
Demand will receive an additional boost at the end of the year, as clothing and shoes are popular Christmas gifts. According to a survey by the consulting firm Deloitte, Polish families want to spend an average of EUR 271 on the occasion of the 2018 season, - 6 percent more than in 2017. German branded products are highly valued for their quality.

Source: Euromonitor International

The US chain TK Maxx already operates 43 off-price stores in Poland. The assortment includes various goods - from household goods to clothing - which are greatly reduced. Neinver from Spain currently operates four outlet centers under the name "Factory" in Poland. There are two in Warsaw and one each in Krakow and Poznan.
Neinver plans to use the commercial park Futura Ursus in Warsaw commercially in the future. In total, there are a good dozen outlet centers in Poland. On the site of the Galeria Rumia shopping center in the town with the same name northwest of Gdynia, the Pomerania Outlet center is planning to open at the end of 2019 with 80 shops.
The German online retailer Zalando is with its shopping club Zalando Lounge for special offers present in Poland, It has set up a logistics center in Olsztynek (Hohenstein), primarily for further expansion in Europe with this concept. Discount chains such as Biedronka and Lidl are also offering inexpensive clothing.

Sector consolidates
The growing pressure of competition and prices is leading to further consolidation among domestic companies in the sector. Various mergers are emerging. The Vistula Group will take over its competitor the men's outfitter Bytom already in 2018. The antitrust authority UOKiK has already approved the merger. From 2020 on the Group expects this to generate additional revenue of around EUR 1.9 million to EUR 2.3 million annually.
The acquisition of the apparel company Simple Creative Products S.A. (Gino Rossi Group from Slupsk) with its brand Simple for upmarket women's clothing by Monnari Trade S.A. cracked in November 2018. Simple is represented with 63 salons and Monnari with 163 stores in Poland.
OTCF, a company specializing in sportswear, owns the sports brand 4F with over 200 stores in Poland. OTCF has a strong presence abroad. Gino Rossi owns a total of around 90 shoe salons in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Market leader LPP expands
The largest clothing company, LPP from Gdansk, continues to expand. It opened its 20th store in September 2018 with the name of its largest brand Reserved in Germany. The LPP's shops are located in the capitals of the federal states and other commercial metropolises. LPP has set up its latest store in the Zeil shopping mile in Frankfurt. According to its deputy chairman, Slawomir Loboda, LPP with Reserved generated higher revenues abroad than domestically in the second quarter of 2018.
LPP not only wants to open further stores in Western Europe, but is also aiming for other markets. In November 2018, first sales salons of the LPP brands Reserved, House, Mohito and Sinsay followed in Almaty in Kazakhstan. These brands can be purchased in Germany via online trade. The German market is LPP's fifth largest foreign market in terms of turnover.

¹⁾ without Simple; ²⁾ in Poland
Source: Company data according to daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita

CCC does not rely on the online segment only
The country's largest shoe company, the CCC Group, which is also expanding strongly abroad - including Germany - already achieved a fifth (19.8 percent) of its turnover with its online trade in the first half of 2018. The online sales were very successful: In the first three quarters of 2018 the revenues on a zloty basis rose by 59 percent compared to January to September 2017 to EUR 150.3 million.
An important platform for CCC online trading is eObuwie.pl, in which CCC holds a 75 percent stake. There are plans to place eObuwie.pl at the Warsaw Stock Exchange. eObuwie.pl intends to use the result to expand and strengthen its logistics. At its location in Zielona Gora (Grünberg), eObuwie.pl is building a modern, automated warehouse.

Online shoe trade relies on 3D models of feet
According to eObuwie.pl chairman Marcin Grzymkowski, who holds 25 percent of the shares the platform wants to use the esize.me scanner in order to motivate more Poles to buy shoes online. This scans feet and creates accurate 3D models of them. Based on these, virtual shoes will be selected that guarantee the best possible fit. It is planned to place such scanners at around at 40 locations in shopping centers. So far, according to estimates by eObuwie.pl, only 10 percent of Poles buy shoes online, as the daily Rzeczpospolita reports. In spring 2019 eObuwie.pl plans to establish an e-shop for high-quality clothing.
CCC already ordered shoes from Gino Rossi to distribute them through eObuwie.pl. Now the group wants to offer these articles also in stationary shops at home and abroad. Therefore CCC intends to acquire approximately 120,000 pairs of shoes from Gino Rossi in 2019 and approximately 180,000 pairs in 2020. After all, orders are expected to increase to around 500,000 pairs per year. Gino Rossi has factories in Slupsk and Elblag.

CCC will also acquire the license to use and sublicense the Gino Rossi brand name. The group may design its own shoe models under this brand name. Special collections are to be sold in around 200 selected CCC stationary stores among other countries in Poland and the Czech Republic. Through the agreement with CCC, Gino Rossi plans to earn an additional EUR 3.5 to 4.2 million in 2019 and EUR 8.4 to 9.3 million in 2020.

• Exports rise in the country's most important industrial sector.

Phnom Penh (GTAI) - Cambodia's clothing exports are growing steadily. However, two factors cloud the prospects for the future.

Cambodia's garment industry is the backbone of the Kingdom's export-oriented economy. Industry exports account for around 40 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). More than 800,000 Cambodians are employed in over 800 companies. That is more than 85 percent of all factory workers in the country.

Apparel and footwear exports reached USD 8.0 billion in 2017, according to Cambodian customs. This represented an increase of 9.6 percent compared with 2016. Proud growth rates between 7 and almost 15 percent were already achieved in previous years. GTAI estimates on the basis of partner countries' imports an even higher export volume of around USD 12 billion.

More than 70 percent of the country's total exports of goods regularly come from the sector. Shoes accounted for exports of USD 873 million (+14.4 percent) in 2017. Foreign business with shoes has been improving for some years now and has been able to increase its share of exports to over 10 percent. With an unchanged share of 46 percent compared to the previous year, the EU continued to play a major role among the customers in 2017, followed by the USA with 24 percent.

The value-added volume of the sector is low and the road to an integrated textile industry in Cambodia is still long. Machines, raw materials and design come from abroad in the form of a CMT model ("Cut Make Trim"). Fabrics, yarns and haberdashery have to be imported in order to keep the local clothing industry "on the runway". In 2016, according to the United Nations Comtrade Database, USD 4.1 billion worth of textiles came into the country for processing - about 60 percent of which came from China. Textile imports have risen proportionally to clothing exports in recent years.

The garment industry is dominated by foreign companies, mostly from the Asian neighborhood China, Hong Kong (SVR), Singapore, Malaysia or South Korea. Many manufacturers produce to order for multinational brands such as Adidas, Puma, Gap, H&M, Marks & Spencer or Uniqlo. In principle, the complete contract manufacturing is intended for export.

Rising wages fuel fear of competition
After years of growth the sector is looking to the future with concern. The country is increasingly in danger of losing market share to its competitors - for example in Myanmar, Vietnam or Bangladesh - primarily due to rising wage costs. In January 2018, the monthly minimum wage for workers was raised to USD 170, up from USD 153. Compared to 2013, when a minimum of USD 80 was required by law, there has now been more than a doubling.

The annual agenda included regular increases of around 10 percent. According to the Cambodia Garment and Footwear Sector Bulletin of the International Labor Organization (ILO), workers who worked the full month, including overtime payments and incentives, were paid an average wage of just under USD 243 in 2017. Last year, it was USD 225.

In the past, low wages were mainly responsible for the attractiveness and competitiveness of Cambodian industry. This advantage is crumbling year after year as a result of the increase of minimum wages. An end to this politically motivated development is not in sight. The government can imagine, referring to expert recommendations, that minimum wages will be raised to USD 250 per month by 2023.

If the trend continues, companies are likely to migrate and not too many new investors will pitch their tents in Cambodia, critics warn. In 2017, sector companies invested nearly USD 270 million in 55 projects. This represented 5 per cent of the Kingdom's total investments. In the previous year, this share had been 9 percent.

Industry representatives complain that the costs grow faster than the productivity. Automation of production processes is becoming more and more urgent in order to keep up with productivity. However, both the lack of skilled workers and an infrastructure in need of improvement are serious bottleneck factors. There are also critics who are generally pessimistic about a possible automation in the sector. Cambodia could only score points through low labor cost advantages. Automated mass production is reserved for countries that have a reliable and cost-effective power supply and are closer to the sales markets.

Will the trade routes to the EU remain free?
Even more worrying would be the EU's cancellation of the preferential trading system EBA ("Everything But Arms"). Finally, the exemption of Cambodian clothing from customs duties is at stake on the main market. A discontinuation is likely to trigger a wave of migration of the clothing industry. Quite a few companies have taken the EBA initiative alone as an opportunity to establish themselves in the Kingdom.

In addition, the view wanders across the border to Vietnam. Manufacturers there could soon benefit from a free trade agreement with the EU. Vietnam is also participating at the Asia-Pacific Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), while Cambodia remains outside. If the trade arrangements remain unchanged, Cambodia may get off with a black eye. However, the other factors should not be ignored. Transport and general export costs are also considered comparatively high compared with Vietnam or China.

Cambodian exporters are currently benefiting from the trade dispute between the USA and China. The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) semi-annual report supports this assumption. According to the study, apparel and footwear exports rose by 11 percent in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period of last year to reach a volume of USD 4 billion. Since July 2016, clothing, shoes and travel goods (suitcases, bags, etc.) can be delivered duty-free to the USA. According to the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC), shipments of travel goods to the USA in the first half of 2018 reached an amount of around USD 160 million - three times the previous annual exports.

Cambodia's imports of textile machinery amounted to USD 127.3 million (SITC 724) in 2017 according to the UN Comtrade database. This was 11.4 percent more than in the previous year. About 60 percent of the capital goods came from China; the remaining deliveries are relatively evenly distributed among other Asian countries. German deliveries only appear very sparsely in the statistics. Used machines from abroad are more likely to be in demand, but are not recorded statistically.

• AUTOMATION AND STRONGER FOCUS ON THE DOMESTIC MARKET

Beijing (GTAI) - The Chinese apparel industry is repositioning itself. Increased wage costs force more automation, more customers demanding more quality.
Nowhere else in the world so much clothing is being produced as in China. According to the sector portal http://www.ask.com, alone 22.9 billion pairs of socks were being produced in 2017. This was 4.8 percent more than in the previous year, and the production of jeans amounted to more than 0.6 billion pieces according to information from http://www.chyxx.com, an increase of 5.0 percent.
China is not only the world's largest production nation, but also by far the world's largest export nation in the sector. However, countries such as India, Vietnam, Bangladesh and Cambodia are catching up enormously due to lower wages. As a result, China - measured by its share of world clothing exports - has lost around 5.5 percentage points since 2013, down to only 32.4% in 2017.

¹⁾ SITC Pos.84; ²⁾ Partially estimated on the basis of information provided by the ITC
Source: UN Comtrade, GTAI calculation.

By contrast, Bangladesh (+3.7 points), Vietnam (+2.0 points) and Cambodia (+1.3 points) in particular recorded gains in the period from 2013 to 2017. In absolute terms, Chinese apparel exports fell by 15.6% to USD 157 billion since the record year of 2014 (USD187 billion). No improvement is in sight as exports are stagnating in 2018.

¹⁾ SITC Pos. 84; ²⁾ partly estimated on the basis of ITC data; 3) excluding Laos and Brunei
Sources: UN-Comtrade; ITC; GTAI calculation

Rising wage costs as investment driver
Due to rising personnel costs throughout the country, manufacturers were and are under considerable cost pressure. With an average hourly wage for a Chinese worker of the equivalent of around USD 5.2 (2017), China has not only left classic emerging markets such as Thailand (USD 2.3) or Mexico (USD 3.9) behind - not to mention India with USD 0.8 - but is already approaching individual European countries (e.g. Greece 2016: USD 6.0).

Companies have met and continue to meet this challenge through increased automation. Between 2015 (9.1 million) and 2017 (7.8 million) alone, the workforce of the textile and clothing industry shrank by 14.3 percent - according to the Chinese statistical office. More and better machines make it possible to say goodbye to the previous labor-intensive production - and thus lower cost pressure with more precise and faster execution. Imports of textile machinery are also benefiting from this. These rose in 2017 by a whopping 34.1 percent year-on-year to nearly USD 3.9 billion.

Germany no longer number one textile machinery supplier
Although Germany lost its position as most important supplier country for textile machinery to Japan, it was still able to increase its deliveries by 28.3 percent to USD 1.1 billion. This corresponded to a supply share of 28.3 percent. Japanese manufacturers achieved a ratio of 30.0 percent with just under USD 1.2 billion (+52.8 percent). Competition from Italy came to only 11.5 percent. The good performance is remarkable due to the fact that a number of German textile machine manufacturers have invested heavily in recent years in the region in order to be able to meet the wishes of Chinese customers more effectively.

^*) SITC-Pos. 724
Source: UN-Comtrade; GTAI calculation

Due to the high pressure to modernization Chinese textile machinery imports in the first seven months of 2018 increased by almost 15 percent compared to the previous period. German machine manufacturers in particular benefited from this development, with deliveries increasing by 30 percent in the same period. As Japanese exports of textile machinery to China stagnated at the same time, German manufacturers are likely to take the lead again in 2018.
As the garment exports come under such severe pressure, the industry is now increasingly geared towards the local market. Whereas ten years ago about half of the value of production was exported, today it is only about a third. In fact, the Chinese spent an average of around 4.8 percent of their disposable income or 1,238 Renminbi (RMB; around 183 US dollars; 1 USD = 6.7531 RMB, annual mean rate of 2017) on clothing in 2017, according to the Chinese Statistical Office. With an average disposable annual income of 25,974 RMB and a population of 1.39 billion, this translates into a market volume of approximately USD 255 billion.

China's consumers demand quality and design
This makes the Chinese clothing market one of the largest in the world - and one that is becoming increasingly diversified. Local offerings range from the cheapest mass-produced goods, qualitatively and visually appealing products in the mid-price segment up to luxury and haute couture. Much has changed in the upper price segment in particular. "In the past, the Chinese exported the best qualities, but today they keep them for themselves," says a British sourcing expert who has been working in the Kashmir business for decades, describing the development.

In general, Chinese consumer demand is becoming increasingly sophisticated and differentiated. In addition to the tendency towards recognized brands, an increasing individualization of consumption can also be observed. The question is what fits well, pleases and is also somehow "special". "People in the North used to buy cashmere clothes because they warmed well," explains Cheng Xudong, president of the private Dongrong Group. The design was of secondary importance - and accordingly most of the pieces were "old-fashioned".

"Today, cashmere clothes also look very good," Cheng adds. "That's why it's bought not only in the north, but also in the more southern parts of the country." In general, the middle class in particular is looking for a high-quality lifestyle - and clothing is a part of it. The entrepreneur is convinced that if the textile and clothing industry succeeds in adapting to the higher quality demands of local customers through a technical upgrade and improved design, then the industry will continue to do well in the future.

Additional information
Further information on the economic situation, the sectors, business practice, law, customs, tenders and development projects in China can be found at http://www.gtai.de/china The website http://www.gtai.de/asien-pazifik provides an overview of various topics in the region.

Von Produktionserweiterungen können deutsche Zulieferer profitieren.
Tunis (GTAI) - Nach schwierigen Jahren erholt sich Tunesiens Textilsektor. Exporte und ausländische Investitionen steigen wieder. Produziert wird für den Export, vor allem nach Europa.

Ende Oktober 2018 meldete der schweizerische Prüfkonzern SGS seine Prüfkapazitäten für Textilien in Tunesien auszubauen. Damit reagierte er auf eine verstärkte Nachfrage von Produzenten, die in Tunesien für den Weltmarkt produzieren. In den vergangenen Jahren ging es der Branche nicht gut. Bereits vor der Revolution im Jahr 2011 hatte der Konkurrenzdruck durch asiatische Produzenten Spuren hinterlassen, vor allem nach dem Auslaufen des Multifaserabkommens 2005. Nach Angaben des Branchenverbandes FTTH (Fédération tunisienne du textile et de l'habillement) haben seit 2011 mehr als 400 Unternehmen das Land verlassen, 40.000 Arbeitsplätze seien verloren gegangen.

Nun kommen positive Nachrichten: 2018 eröffnete beispielsweise die deutsche Gonser Group ihre fünfte Produktionsstätte in Tunesien. Insgesamt lagen die ausländischen Direktinvestitionen in den ersten sechs Monaten 2018 mit 24,9 Millionen tunesischen Dinar (tD; etwa 7,5 Millionen Euro; 1 tD = rund 0,301 Euro, Stand: 07.11.2018) mehr als doppelt so hoch wie in der entsprechenden Vorjahresperiode. Dass die Anzahl der dadurch entstandenen Arbeitsplätze deutlich geringer angestiegen ist, kann als Bestätigung des Strukturwandels gesehen werden: Weg von der einfachen Massenfertigung, hin zu höherwertiger Produktion.

Entscheidend dafür ist auch ein hohes Ausbildungsniveau der Mitarbeiter. Wie das sichergestellt werden kann, zeigt die Firma Sartex. 2014 hat das tunesische Unternehmen ein Ausbildungszentrum eröffnet, in dem bereits etwa 500 Tunesierinnen und Tunesier ausgebildet und zum größten Teil von Sartex eingestellt wurden. Unterstützt wurde das Unternehmen dabei von der Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) und dem Centre d'Orientation et de Reconversion Professionnelle (CORP) der AHK Tunesien.

Im Rahmen des Besuchs von Bundesentwicklungsminister Müller wurde im Oktober 2018 ein Abkommen zur Errichtung eines Ausbildungszentrums in EL Alia im Gouvernement Bizerte unterzeichnet. In der Region produziert unter anderem das deutsche Unternehmen van Laack. Insgesamt arbeiten inzwischen wieder 180.000 Tunesierinnen und Tunesier im Textilsektor, der damit etwa 40 Prozent der industriellen Arbeitsplätze stellt.

Lohnerhöhungen in zwei Schritten
Mehr als ein Jahr nach ihrer Gründung hat sich die FTTH als Interessensvertreter der Textilunternehmen etabliert. Im Jahr 2017 war es zur Abspaltung vom Arbeitgeberverband UTICA (Union Tunisienne de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat) gekommen, nicht zuletzt da man die anvisierten allgemeinen Lohnerhöhungen für den eigenen Industriebereich als nicht umsetzbar ansah. Inzwischen betont man wieder Gemeinsamkeiten und Kooperation, beziehungsweise bezeichnet sich die FTTH als Teil der UTICA, mit weitgehender Autonomie.

Auch mit dem Gewerkschaftsdachverband UGTT (Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail) wurde nun eine Vereinbarung getroffen. Diese sieht Lohnerhöhungen von 6,5 Prozent jeweils zum 1. Januar 2019 und 2020 vor. Voraussichtlich liegen die Lohnerhöhungen damit unter der Inflation, sofern die Prognosen zur Teuerungsrate von etwa 7,5 Prozent für das laufende Jahr 2018 eintreffen. Aktuell liegt der Mindestlohn in der Textil- und Bekleidungsbranche Tunesiens für ungelernte Berufsanfänger bei rund 129 Euro (Stand: 07.11.2018) bei einer 48-Stunden-Woche.

Von den mehr als 1.600 Textilunternehmen produzieren über 1.400 ausschließlich für den Export. Die Zielmärkte befinden sich dabei ganz klar in Europa. Mehr als 60 Prozent der Exporte gingen 2016 nach Frankreich und Italien, mit etwa 11 Prozent lag Deutschland an dritter Stelle der Abnehmer. Als größter außereuropäischer Kunde wurden die USA mit weniger als einem Prozent auf Rang neun geführt. Mit dem Beitritt zum gemeinsamen Markt für das südliche und östliche Afrika (COMESA) möchte Tunesien sich neue Märkte erschließen. Laut Handelsministerium befindet man sich auch in bilateralen Gesprächen mit mehreren afrikanischen Ländern, um tunesischen Textilien zollfreien Marktzugang zu ermöglichen.

Entdecken chinesische Investoren den Standort Tunesien?
Neben den Beziehungen zum afrikanischen Kontinent könnten sich mittelfristig auch die zu China verändern. Im Rahmen des Forums für China-Afrika-Kooperation, das im September 2018 in Beijing stattfand, wurde das Interesse chinesischer Textilunternehmen an Tunesien als Produktionsstandort zum Ausdruck gebracht. Da die Löhne inzwischen auch in China gestiegen sind, könnte sich in bestimmten Bereichen der Textilindustrie eine Verlagerung der Produktion für den europäischen Markt als sinnvoll erweisen.

Bereits 2017 konnten die Ausfuhren gesteigert werden. Der Trend scheint sich 2018 fortzusetzen. 2016 lagen die Ausfuhren bei 2,9 Milliarden US-Dollar (US$), 2017 waren es 3 Milliarden US$ (angesichts des Kursverlusts des Dinar eine deutliche Zunahme (7 Milliarden tD gegenüber 8,4 Milliar-den tD). Nach den ersten Verlautbarungen sollen sich die Exporte nach Europa in den ersten Monaten 2018 nochmals um 3,5 Prozent gegenüber 2017 erhöht haben. Wichtig für die weitere Entwicklung des Textilsektors dürfte die Verbesserung der Transport- und Zollabwicklung werden. Besonders die rein für den Export produzierenden Unternehmen bringen dies immer wieder zum Ausdruck. Gerade der Textilsektor ist von kurzen Lieferzeiten abhängig.

Die FTTH setzt sich derweil auch für eine Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsposition tunesischer Textilunternehmen auf dem Heimatmarkt ein. Das betrifft beispielsweise die Importe von Altkleidern, bei denen man sich stärkere Kontrollen wünscht.

Anmerkung: 2016 war Thailand an dritter Stelle der Lieferländer, fiel 2017 jedoch zurück. Die Tabelle zeigt die vier wichtigsten Lieferanten 2017.
Quelle: UN Comtrade

Neben Produktionserweiterungen deutscher Unternehmen könnten auch deutsche Zulieferer profitieren, wenn sich die Erholung und vor allem auch der Strukturwandel fortsetzt. Während die Gesamtimporte von Textil- und Ledermaschinen von 2015 bis 2017 von etwa 70 Millionen auf 67 Millionen US$ leicht zurückgingen, legten die deutschen Lieferungen von 5 Millionen US$ auf 7,2 Millionen US$ zu. (JPS).

Weiterführende Informationen zum chinesischen Engagement in Tunesien online: Link

OutDoor by ISPO is coming to Munich and numerous exhibitors and partners have already confirmed their involvement in the trade fair (June 30 to July 3, 2019) – around nine months in advance. The international trade fair for the outdoor industry owes its popularity in no small part to the new profile, which extends far beyond the exhibition halls themselves: the 365-day platform provides brands and manufacturers with the digital and physical channels they need to be able to communicate with their customers all year round. As such, OutDoor by ISPO is the reliable, modern and pioneering platform that the industry has been looking for.
 
At the end of June during the Outdoor by ISPO launch conference it was already clear that the concept developed by Messe München in cooperation with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) was exactly what the market needed. Over 250 international industry representatives also welcomed the plan to raise the profile of OutDoor by ISPO by establishing it as a year-round platform for the outdoor industry in addition to the trade fair. Numerous exhibitors, from a total of 25 countries so far, including for example Arc‘terix, Maloja, Mountain Hardware, Jack Wolfskin, Ortlieb, Petzl, Scott, Sining Rock, Tatonka and Vaude as well as the Oberalp Group with its brands Dynafit, Salewa, Pomoca and Wild Country, have already registered for the first event in Munich. The new OutDoor by ISPO will open its doors for the first time at the Messe München Exhibition Center from June 30 to July 3, 2019. An overview of the brands and manufacturers, which have already booked their places, updated every week, is available online as is information on the exhibitor registration process.
 
“OutDoor Easy” – flexible stand construction concept for more modest budgets
OutDoor by ISPO is an important industry event both for small and big brands and hence caters for companies of all sizes. Outdoor Easy is specifically targeted at exhibitors with a more modest budget and aims to make the exhibition process as smooth as possible. Markus Hefter, Exhibition Director OutDoor by ISPO, says: “This flexible and cost-effective stand construction concept is a high-quality and authentic solution enabling companies to showcase their products in the perfect setting without having to undertake all the set-up work on their own.” The concept consists of a cost-effective full package offering an open and attractive layout as well as a good location in the hall. More information on OutDoor Easy is available here. 
 
PADDLEexpo enriches OutDoor by ISPO with its experience
With the PADDLEexpo as partner the booming water sports sector will now be properly represented at OutDoor by ISPO. The professional trade show for kayaking, canoeing & stand-up paddling (SUP) in Nuremberg has been an ISPO partner for ten years and the partnership is now being taken to the next level with the installation of the Paddlesport Village at OutDoor by ISPO. This area will be exclusively dedicated to paddlesport products and will be an important meeting place for kayaking, canoeing and SUP experts. More information on PADDLEexpo is available at ispo.com.
 
OutDoor by ISPO available 365 days a year for the industry
ISPO is known for being a year-round ecosystem offering analog and digital products and services. ISPO customers have been benefiting from this mix of information, innovation and networking for years – and this portfolio is now also available for OutDoor by ISPO. OutDoor by ISPO now offers market players the opportunity to present themselves to the world 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With it, the annual leading trade fair for the outdoor industry is supplemented with a far-reaching platform, which is available to the entire outdoor community, from brands and manufacturers right through to retailers and consumers all around the world.

• Almost 1 in 3 pieces of furniture is exported
• 14% of furniture sales now online

At the European press conference in September 2018 in Madrid for imm co-logne/LivingKitchen 2019, Jan Kurth, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), reported on the state of business in the sector:

At the end of an exceptionally hot summer, which has driven consumers to outdoor pools and beer gardens rather than furniture showrooms, the German furniture industry looks back on correspondingly subdued growth in the sector. Following a decline in sales in the second half of 2017, the business climate for manufacturers did improve slightly in the first half of 2018, but the bottom line is that furniture sales have stalled, especially within Germany. While the year began distinctly positively on the back of imm cologne, a significant slowdown in business subsequently set in.
From January to June, sales in the sector reached approximately Euro 9.1 billion, just 1 per cent higher than in the same period of the previous year. Following a 0.7 per cent fall in sales for 2017 as a whole, marked in particular by a negative trend in the second half-year (–1.6%), German furniture manufacturers were thus able to generate slight sales growth, but the situation remains disappointing.

Growth stimulus comes from abroad
This marginal increase in sales was exclusively attributable to international business, since sales outside Germany grew in the first six months by 2.7 per cent in comparison with the same period of the previous year. Domestic sales, on the other hand, stagnated with a minimal rise of 0.3 per cent. Export business benefitted from revived demand in key European sales markets and, increasingly, from the positive economic development in the major growth regions outside the EU. Almost one third of German furniture exports are now sold to non-EU countries.

Results of the latest VDM survey
In summer 2018, the VDM conducted a survey of the economic situation faced by companies in the sector. Participants rated the current business climate as satisfactory (34%) to poor (40%), with only 26 per cent judging it to be good. Compared with summer 2017, the situation for business had worsened in the view of 51 per cent of those surveyed.

State of export business better than domestic market
The disparity between the domestic market and export business is also reflected in the business survey. While most respondents (57%) judged the situation for domestic business as poor, an overwhelming number of manufacturers considered the situation for export business to be good (29%) to satisfactory (56%).

The current difficulties in domestic demand are largely confirmed by the furniture retail sector. Naturally, the long period of high temperatures moved many activities outdoors, but still this explanation falls short. To discover a little more about this, the VDM commissioned a representative study from the prestigious market research institute Kantar TNS, which put the furniture buying behaviour of Germans under the microscope. We were particularly interested to learn where people seek information about furniture and where they buy it. Do they look at advertising supplements in daily newspapers or rather retailers’ websites? Are people increasingly buying furniture online, or is the official sales channel statistic correct, which has been citing an almost stable figure of between 7 and 8 per cent for several years?

Customers increasingly seek information online
First, a look at the information sources. Overall, the furniture store itself – that is to say, looking at furniture in person – remains the most important source of information (68%), followed by brochures from furniture showrooms (54%). But 48 per cent of all those surveyed now use the Internet as a source of information and inspiration. In the younger target groups (<40 years old), the significance of the information source sees a clear shift, with the Internet dominating (77%) but furniture stores still being used by 63 per cent.

When it comes to formal educational attainment, there is a clear correlation with the information sources used. Those with a lower level of education favour brochures and advertising from furniture stores. The higher the level of education, the more buyers actively seek information online.

80% have bought large furniture items in the past 5 years
Online shopping or a trip to the shops? Generally speaking, over 80 per cent of Germans have bought relatively large items of furniture in the past five years. As can be expected, this proportion tails off with increasing age. Of those who bought furniture, 75 per cent carried out this latest transaction in a furniture store. Just under 10 per cent of shoppers bought from a purely online retailer and only 4 per cent purchased via the website of a furniture retailer. This gives a 14 per cent share of sales now taking place online and thus double the figure given out by the official sales channel statistics. In terms of online shoppers, people living alone and the under-30s lead by a clear margin. As young people get older, they are unlikely to move away from online shopping for furniture, and new “Internet savvy” consumers enter the market, the “normality threshold” for the remaining age groups is also expected to fall. There is therefore clearly still a great deal of potential for online furniture sales, and the industry and trade would be well advised to exploit this potential through engaging concepts and information suited to the target groups, moving away from discount and clearance promotions.

Additional online potential
We also see the growth of online business as offering opportunities for the furniture sector as a whole. Firstly, the fixation on prices and discounts is not as pronounced online as in highly concentrated bricks-and-mortar retail. Secondly, the short delivery times and short-notice availability typical of online trading tend to be served more flexibly from internal German sources than from Asia.

Official assessment: sales in the individual segments
According to official statistics, the individual segments in the German furniture industry developed unevenly between January and June 2018. Kitchen furniture manufacturers recorded sales growth of 4 per cent to around Euro 2.5 billion. The office furniture industry reported a distinctly positive result with sales of around Euro 1.1 billion (+7.9%). Manufacturers of shop and contract furniture saw a year-on-year increase of 7.2 per cent and generated sales of around Euro 920 million.

Manufacturers of upholstered furniture registered a noticeable decline, with sales falling by 5.3 per cent to around Euro 480 million from January to June 2018. With a drop of 1.6 per cent to Euro 3.7 billion, the sales performance in household furniture, other furniture and furniture parts was also more negative than the industry average. The smallest segment in the industry – mattresses – recorded the most significant decline in sales of 12.8 per cent to Euro 400 million. This must, however, be put in the context of the above-average growth in sales in this segment in recent years.

Furniture industry generates new jobs
We now take a look at the employment figures for the industry. The 482 businesses currently operating with more than 50 staff (–2.2%) employ 84,300 men and women, which is slightly above (+0.7%) the previous year’s level. Approximately 600 new jobs have been created in the industry in the last year, despite the difficult market conditions.

Compared with the same period of the previous year, German furniture exports in the first half of 2018 grew by 2.2 per cent to Euro 5.5 billion. With an increase of 1.2 per cent, sales to EU countries only crept slightly above the previous year’s level, thus developing much more sluggishly than exports as a whole. Having said this, exports to the German furniture industry’s largest external market, France, achieved growth of 3.5 per cent, and the Dutch (+6.2%), Polish (+10%) and Spanish (+6.1%) markets also saw positive developments from the perspective of the German furniture industry. However, furniture exports to the important sales markets of Austria (–1.3%) and Switzerland (–3.8%) declined.

Negative trend in Great Britain
The furniture industry also clearly felt the negative effects of the Brexit negotiations and the fall in the pound over the course of the previous year, with furniture exports to Great Britain contracting by 8.9 per cent in the first half of 2018. No other major export market performed as badly as the United Kingdom from the perspective of German furniture manufacturers.

Boom in exports to the USA, China and Russia
The key growth markets for German furniture now lie outside the EU. The outstanding performance of German furniture manufacturers in the largest growth markets of the USA (+9.5%), China (+25.9%) and Russia (+14%) is particularly noteworthy. Given the size of each of these markets and the strong demand for high-quality furniture, these figures are sure to see further growth. Other markets outside Europe, such as Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, are currently developing well, although exports to these countries are still at a relatively low level. Overall, the non-EU market is expected to become an important driver for growth for the German furniture industry in the years ahead.

Export ratio up by 32.6%
The industry’s export ratio – that is to say, the proportion of goods shipped directly abroad by domestic furniture manufacturers against total sales by the industry – climbed to 32.6 per cent in the first half of 2018, thereby achieving a new record. The corresponding figure for the first half of 2017 reached 32.1 per cent. This means that the furniture industry’s export ratio has doubled since the turn of the millennium.

Furniture “made in Germany” highly regarded
The success of German furniture manufacturers abroad can be put down to the quality, reliability of supply, design and individuality of our products. German manufacturers often have a better grip on processes and logistics than their international competitors. These are important selling points for consumers – whether they be in Shanghai, St Petersburg or San Francisco.

Greater support for exporters
In view of the increasing importance of exports for the industry, the VDM will be expanding the support it offers exporting companies. A new VDM Export working group aims to encourage dialogue between individual manufacturers, identify the main markets and coordinate export and trade fair activities for the industry as a whole. Information days and workshops for furniture manufacturers will be organised to share industry-specific expertise relating to the individual export markets. Practical tools will also be made available to support the successful involvement of German furniture manufacturers abroad. These additional export activities are intended to help German furniture manufacturers to grow their market share on the world market.

Slight increase in imports
Import competition remains strong: after German furniture imports achieved growth of 0.8 per cent to Euro 12.7 billion for 2017 as a whole, in the first half of 2018 they rose by a further 0.6 per cent to Euro 6.6 billion. However, the trade deficit reduced by 8.1 per cent to around Euro 1.2 billion in the same period as a result of substantially increased exports. Overall, furniture imports to Germany from eastern Europe are increasingly gaining ground from their Asian competitors. Poland enjoyed growth of 7.4 per cent and, as has been the case for a number of years, remained by far the largest source country in terms of furniture volume. Nowadays, more than one in four pieces of furniture (26.3%) imported into Germany originates from our neighbour to the east. The Czech Republic remains the third-largest source of imports with a slight rise of 0.7 per cent. Altogether, imports from EU countries achieved a significant increase of 1.8 per cent. By contrast, imports from Asia fell disproportionately (–5.9%), especially from Vietnam (–12.3%), Taiwan (–13.9%) and Indonesia (–9.8%). Imports from the second-largest originating country, China, declined significantly with a drop of 5.2 per cent. The structure of German furniture imports is highly concentrated, with around 56 per cent of all German furniture imports now attributable solely to the three largest supplier countries: Poland, China and the Czech Republic.

56% of all imports from Poland, China and the Czech Republic
Almost two thirds of participants in the VDM survey expect the business outlook to remain the same in the six months ahead. 24 per cent anticipate an improvement in the situation and just 12 per cent a worsening. According to the assessment of the respondents, the major factors affecting the trading climate in the next six months will be increasing prices of raw materials (33% of respondents), a shortage of skilled personnel (27%), growing pressure from imports (18%) and increasingly protectionist trade policies (9%).

Rising material costs hit the industry hard
The rising cost of materials as regards solid wood are seen as a particular obstacle for development in the sector. Companies in the German furniture industry taking part in the survey report an average increase of 9 per cent in the cost of solid wood when compared with summer 2017. Prices of wood-based materials increased by 5 per cent in the same period, with logistics costs also up by 5 per cent and staffing costs by 3 per cent. Given the market power of purchasing associations, it is not possible to pass on this rise in costs in full to the German furniture retail trade.

Forecast for the current year: +1%
While the contribution of foreign markets to German furniture industry sales is expected to remain positive in the second half-year, in view of the very significant growth in recent times, there are clouds on the horizon as far as domestic trade is concerned. Consumer confidence in Germany is also on the wane. Economic forecasts for this year have recently been revised downwards by leading economists. On this basis, we continue to anticipate sales growth at the end of the year by around 1 per cent in 2018.

• Clothing exports are declining 

New Delhi (GTAI) - Structural weaknesses and fiscal reforms are affecting the Indian textile industry. Modernization and diversification are necessary. For this where support measures will come into force.

In the 2016/17 fiscal year (April 1st to March 31st), India's government initiated a number of fundamental reforms such as the introduction of the nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a partial currency devaluation. These measures are intended to advance the economy as a whole in the medium to long term, but have led to uncertainty and difficulties in individual sectors, including the textile industry. Added to this are high cotton prices. The government is now trying to help the industry with individual measures. It remains to be seen whether these will be sufficient and lead to a sustained improvement. Finally, there are structural weaknesses which are also slowing down the growth of the Industry.

"The by the introduction of GST caused dent and monetary depreciation has now been overcome. However, the structural problems remain, so that no fundamental changes in the textile industry are to be expected", according to the assessment of a German supplier with many years of experience in India in talks with Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI).

Government launches aid measures
However, some government measures should provide relief. At the beginning of August 2018, import duties on 328 textile products, especially fabrics and nonwovens, were increased from around 5 to 10 percent to up to 20 percent. Also, at the beginning of the month, the Executive Board introduced four bills to amend the general VAT Act introduced on July 1st 2017. This should make refunds, for example of taxes on intermediate products, easier and faster. The introduction of GST and the delays in reimbursement have put particular pressure on the liquidity of small and medium-sized companies, which make up the bulk of textile companies. For example, the denim industry temporarily had to take 25 to 30 percent of its capacity out of production after the tax introduction.

 Also, the Ministry of Textiles wants to strengthen the to it entrusted weakening industry. At the beginning of August 2018, for example, it added changes to the Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (TUFS), which has been in existence since 1999. This now expanded technology promotion program allows cooperative banks to provide financing to textile companies for technological improvements. They also become accessible for liability partnerships. Of the approximately USD 1.1 billion, that the central government budget is holding for the textile industry in the fiscal year 2018/19, one third, 14 percent more than in the previous year, are intended for the TUFS. Manufacturers of synthetic fibers and the clothing industry in particular are likely to benefit from this, according to industry sources.

The existence of an own Ministry of Textiles shows how important this industry is for India, not only as a source of foreign exchange, but also as an employer. The entire sector, from spinning mills, weaving mills to clothing and other finished goods, contributed around 14 percent to value creation in the manufacturing industry and 13 percent to foreign exchange revenues in 2017, and employs directly 40 million and indirectly 60 million workers.

As one of the world's leading producers of cotton, jute and silk, India has comparative advantages in the textile sector and can look back on a long tradition in processing. Accordingly, cotton is the main raw material in yarn and fabric production. After all, 5.7 billion tons of yarn were spun in 2016/17, achieving an annual average increase of 3.1 percent between 2011 and 2017. The weaving mills processed 63.5 billion square meters of fabric in 2016/17, after 61.7 billion in 2011. The proportion of cotton fabrics rose from 51 to 61 percent in 2011 to 2017. The remaining part is accounted for approximately equally by synthetic and blended fabrics.

 
Production and export growth come to a halt Based on the previously strong growth the government is optimistic. According to forecasts by the Ministry of Textile, India's textile and clothing industry is expected to more than double its sales between 2015 and 2021. Exports are expected to increase from USD 35 billion to USD 82 billion, after doubling in the period from 2006 to 2014 from USD 17.6 billion to USD 37.6 billion. After that, however, they stagnated and, at USD 35 billion in 2017/18 and missed the by the government set target by USD 10 billion. The production of textiles and clothing declined from 2015 to 2017. It is unlikely to improve in 2018.

¹⁾ Financial years from 1 April to 31 March; ²⁾ Provisional data for 2016/17 and 2017/18
Source: Statistical Office India
     

Clothing industry needs to modernize 
India's textile industry has cost advantages over industrialized countries and advanced emerging countries such as China. Smaller developing countries, however, have become well-known competitors in the meantime and have partly surpassed India in terms of clothing. So Bangladesh and Vietnam exported more clothing than India. In addition there is growing competition from other low-wage countries such as Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Some of these countries have free trade agreements with the EU, while India has difficulties in negotiating them. The smaller competitors have also geared their clothing industry to exports and modernized it accordingly. After all, they do not have significant local markets. The Indian textile manufacturers are different: If there is not enough quality for export, the domestic market, which has a population of 1.3 billion inhabitants and is growing strongly, is still there, industry representatives explain to GTAI.

India's apparel industry therefore still has a considerable potential for modernization and requires new production technologies, particularly to improve operating efficiency. Other structural weaknesses include strong wage increases with insufficient productivity growth and a shortage of well-trained skilled workers. Other disadvantages are the fragmentation of the clothing industry - many companies lack size - and the lack of adaptation to global fashion trends. While the fashion world is more prone to fiber mixed fabrics, the Indian clothing is not yet following this trend. There is a lack of product diversification.

The spinning and weaving sector looks more modern. Industry experts attest to it a leading international position in terms of size, technology, productivity, quality and price. This is also evident when importing machines. India was the most important export market for German spinning machines to China in 2017 and the fifth largest market for weaving machines, according to the Textile Machinery Association of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). In textile finishing machinery, India does not rank among the top six export markets, but its competitor Bangladesh does.

Double-digit growth in foreign direct Investment 
Foreign investments in the Indian textile industry are welcome and 100 percent foundations by foreign companies are welcome. On promotional trips to countries such as Japan, Germany, Italy and France, India is actively attracting investors and has not been unsuccessful. The inflow of foreign direct investment into the textile sector, including dyed and printed textiles, amounted to USD 2.7 billion between April 2000 and September 2017. Cumulative investments increased by an annual average of 17.3 percent between 2010 and 2017. However, the bulk of the investment is being stemmed by national Indians. Total investments in India's textile sector from June 2017 to May 2018 amounted to USD 4.2 Billion.

As disclosed in an agreement signed on 18 July 2018 by the organisers of Texcare Asia and the China Laundry Expo, the two trade fairs will merge into a single show in a win-win arrangement to integrate industry resources.
 
The new joint-venture fair will be the largest annual industry event covering the textile care and laundry chain in Asia. The first edition will take place in September 2019 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre and will be jointly organised by Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Unifair Exhibition Service Co Ltd, the China Laundry Association, and the China Light Machinery Association.  
 
Mr Wolfgang Marzin, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt Group, said: “The merger is fantastic news for the textile care industry in Asia as a whole and also for the Messe Frankfurt Group. By integrating Texcare Asia’s extensive resources with those of the China Laundry Expo, we will provide a larger and more complete platform for the industry to converge upon. The new show will provide coverage across the entire supply chain, including dry cleaning, dyeing, detergent and disinfecting chemicals, leather care, textile rental, digital solutions and much more.”
 
Ms Xiuping Han, General Manager of China Unifair Exhibition Services Co Ltd added: “The laundry industry in China faces numerous challenges, such as the tightening of sewage treatment and disposal regulations, while opportunities are also arising in the form of increased demand for energy saving technologies. By merging the China Laundry Expo and Texcare Asia under a single banner, we will provide an ideal platform to facilitate industry development and address these challenges and opportunities.”   
 
The annual China Laundry Expo was founded in 2000 and is held on a rotating basis between Beijing and Shanghai. Organised by the China Laundry Association and Unifair Exhibition Services Co Ltd, the show receives significant government and commercial sector backing. The 19th edition is held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre over the next three days and will play host to more than 220 exhibitors representing around 500 brands from over 10 countries and regions. The fair is also expecting to welcome over 20,000 trade and industry visitors to an impressive 23,000 sqm of exhibition space.   

Key product categories of the China Laundry Expo include laundry equipment, accessories, chemicals, consumables, leather care products, energy-saving and environmental protection equipment, informationbased intelligent products and solutions, and much more. Not only do these product categories cater to the purchasing demands of visitors around the globe, but the strong variety also serves to attract more suppliers and industry players.
 
With a similar focus to the China Laundry Expo, Texcare Asia made its debut in Singapore in 1998 and was introduced to Hong Kong in 2002. The fair then move to China in 2005 in Beijing and has been located in Shanghai since 2013. With the strong international network and industry support from the mother fair, Texcare International, the China event is now recognised as Asia’s biggest laundry and dry-cleaning show. It has served as a biennial meeting point for textile care manufacturers, suppliers and professionals to network, trade, conduct business, and catch up with industry developments.   
 
The fair also holds a unique position as a platform for providers of textile rental services, training services for institutions, and machinery for the cleaning of carpets, floor coverings, upholstery and buildings. By combining product groups from the China Laundry Expo with those of Texcare Asia, the merged platform promises to deliver a comprehensive value added experience for its customers and visitors.  
 
The expanded product portfolio and merging of resources mean that the newly merged show is predicted to attract an impressive 300 exhibitors and 25,000 industry visitors across 30,000 sqm of floor space when it opens its doors in September 2019.   
 
For further details, please visit www.texcare-asia.com, or contact texcareasia@china.messefrankfurt.com.