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© Koelnmesse GmbH, Kind + Jugend
23.07.2019

KIND + JUGEND 2019: ONCE AGAIN AROUND 1,200 PROVIDERS FROM MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES

  • For the first time with a Start-up Area
  • More than 200 applications for the Innovation Award
  • New concept for The Connected Kidsroom
  • Kids Design Award
  • Design Parc
  • Trend Forum with concentrated lectures

 
Kind + Jugend in Cologne: it is not only the most important and most international business and communication platform of the baby and toddler outfitting industry. It is surely also the world's most inspiring and cheerful event for this theme. For the coming trade fair from 19 to 22 September 2019, around 1,200 providers from more than 50 countries will present an almost complete overview of the latest trends and products for the first baby and toddler years.

  • For the first time with a Start-up Area
  • More than 200 applications for the Innovation Award
  • New concept for The Connected Kidsroom
  • Kids Design Award
  • Design Parc
  • Trend Forum with concentrated lectures

 
Kind + Jugend in Cologne: it is not only the most important and most international business and communication platform of the baby and toddler outfitting industry. It is surely also the world's most inspiring and cheerful event for this theme. For the coming trade fair from 19 to 22 September 2019, around 1,200 providers from more than 50 countries will present an almost complete overview of the latest trends and products for the first baby and toddler years.

As usual, top, smaller and medium-sized companies will explore the extensive bandwidth of the theme worlds. These include the baby carriage, children's car seat, children's furniture, textile and care outfitting, hygiene item, safety and networked electronics, as well as educational toys and toys sections. The trademarks of the exhibitors and thus also of the trade fair are the high quality requirements for the products and concepts shown, as well as the wealth of innovations presented.

The theme of sustainability is also proving to be a growing trend. Kind + Jugend is also offering the manufacturers of textiles a special listing service for the first time this year. The event programme at Kind + Jugend, with award ceremonies, special events and impulse lectures on the most important themes also plays a central role for the representation and mediating of trends.

Among the key players exhibiting at Kind + Jugend 2019 are ABC Design, Angelcare, Artsana/Chicco, Babybjörn, Babymoov, bibi/Lamprecht, Bébécar, Brevi, Britax Römer, Cam il mondo, Cybex, Delta Children, Diono, Dorel, Doudou et Compagnie, Ergobaby, Easywalker, Foppapedretti, Geuther, Haba, Hartan, Hauck, HTS Besafe, iCandy, Infantino, Jané/Concord, Joie/Nuna, Joolz, Julius Zöllner, Kaloo/Juratoys, Lässig, Leander, Mayborn/tommee-tippee, Melissa&Doug, Micuna, Munchkin, Mutsy, Nattou, Newell, Nuby, Odenwälder, Paidi, Peg Perego, Pinolino, reer, Roba Baumann, rotho, Schardt, Sauthon, Sterntaler, Thule, Tobi, Uppababy and Vulli.. New exhibitors or returnees in 2019 once again include Bugaboo, Mattel and Silver Cross. Among the new companies at Kind + Jugend 2019 are APOLO Baby from Japan, Felice from Italy or Warmbebe from France.

The share of foreign exhibitors is once again impressive. Around 85 percent of exhibitors come from abroad, with strong participation of German manufacturers on the whole. Especially well-represented are exhibitors from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the USA, France, Spain and Poland. Belgium and Denmark are also in place with large-scale participation. Asian providers also have their fixed place at the trade fair, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea especially worthy of mention. In addition to this, around 20 companies from Australia exhibit regularly.

The foreign share of visitors is also very high at 75% and spans the globe. In 2018, the trade visitors came to Kind + Jugend in Cologne from 125 countries. Besides Germany, the European nations also take the lead here. Asian, Eastern European and North American buyers were also strongly represented at the trade fair. Visitors come from all segments of the trade: from the specialised and wholesale trade to department stores and chemist's shops, as well as the various online commerce channels.

Kind + Jugend once again covers all levels of halls 10 and 11, as well as hall 4.1, and thus spans a gross exhibition surface of 110,000 m². The clear hall structure with two entrances makes it easier for visitors to orient themselves and clusters the trade fair offerings in clearly defined theme areas. Vistors can prepare for the trade fair especially well with the help of the exhibitor database. On the grounds, the practical trade fair app assists in the search for exhibitors, products and brands. Familiar and new special events, as well as the much appreciated award ceremonies and the trend forum with expert lectures bring out the main points of the trade fair happenings.
 
For the first time: Start-up Area at Kind + Jugend

For the first time, Kind + Jugend is offering young, international companies the opportunity to present themselves in the context of a Start-up Area at favourable conditions. Sixteen providers from six countries will take advantage of the opportunity to exhibit at the world's leading trade fair for the baby and toddler outfitting industry at favourable conditions. The 16 start-ups come from Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands. Their products suit the theme worlds of Kind + Jugend extremely well and extend from a sustainable diaper system through digital measuring devices for child care to exclusive accessories for mothers and children, as well as children's furniture for learning and playing. (Hall 11.1, B50 – C59)

Sustainability and environmental awareness are the trend. Joint action together with BTE for the first time.
Together with the German Textile Trade Association (BTE), which is also a member of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, we will separately list those exhibitors who can attest to the sustainable production of their exhibited textiles by means of recognised seals of approval and/or other certificates. The recognised seals include, for example, GOTS, Oekotex, bluesign or Made in Green. The BTE assumes responsibility for the formal examination of the submissions. The list of manufacturers showing sustainable textiles at the trade fair will be available at the Kind + Jugend website, so that trade fair visitors can plan their tour with a focus on this area of interest.

The Connected Kidsroom
Since 2017, the The Connected Kidsroom special event has drawn attention to digital and smart products or concepts for the outfitting of nurseries and children's rooms. The theme will also receive special attention this year with a new concept. Attractively integrated into a complete children's room with furniture, doors and windows, the special event shows the various products that control technical functions, measure values like the temperature or pulse of the child, regulate climatic room conditions, register movement and much more. All products are already available in retail outlets. In order to be able to represent the functions even more informatively for trade fair visitors, an expert will be on location to demonstrate the applications, provide explanations and answer questions. (Hall 11.2, E21)

Innovation Award
More than 200 applications for the Kind + Jugend Innovation Award have been submitted this year for evaluation by a jury of trade journalists and health experts, a new record. Following intensive consultation, the jury nominates a selection of products for a special event that is regularly one of the crowd pullers at Kind + Jugend. The Innovation Awards are then presented to the eight winners in eight categories on the first day of the trade fair. The award is the most important recognition of innovations in the baby and toddler sector, and is also highly respected outside of the industry.

Kids Design Award
The Kids Design Award promotes products and concepts that distinguish themselves through special design, but are not yet commercially available. The ten best designs of the competition, which Kind + Jugend tenders in advance of the trade fair with a particular view to young designers, are shown in an attractive special area. The winner of the Kids Design Award will also be honoured on the first day of the trade fair (Hall 11.1, D40/E49)

Design Parc
Design has a high standing at Kind + Jugend. International design products that are ready for the market therefore appear in the special event of the Design Parc, which shows select products and furniture – from children's beds to play kitchens and dishes suitable for children. (Hall 11.1, C40 - D59)

Trendforum
The stage of the Trend Forum can once again be found in hall 11.1 this year. Not only are the Innovation Award and the Kids Design Award presented on the first day. All those interested can look forward to a high quality expert lecture program on the first three days of the trade fair. The trend researchers from GfK, Trendbible and The Insights People will once again present market data, as well as trends and tendencies from a global perspective. The German association of children's outfitting manufacturers (BDKH) is also participating once again, this time with a focus on the theme of the children's car seat. (Hall 11.1, E50/F59).

Photo: PREMIÈRE VISION
16.07.2019

PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS IN 09/2019: SPORT, PERFORMANCE AND FASHION

THE INSEPARABLE TRIO UNVEILS ITS NEW STRENGTHS
The next edition of Première Vision Paris, taking place from 17 to 19 September 2019 at Paris Nord Villepinte, will present the new materials and creative stimuli for the autumn-winter 2020-21 season.

This major event for all fashion industry players brings together, twice a year, the six principle activities in the upstream sector: yarns, fabrics, leathers, designs, accessories and clothing. 

THE INSEPARABLE TRIO UNVEILS ITS NEW STRENGTHS
The next edition of Première Vision Paris, taking place from 17 to 19 September 2019 at Paris Nord Villepinte, will present the new materials and creative stimuli for the autumn-winter 2020-21 season.

This major event for all fashion industry players brings together, twice a year, the six principle activities in the upstream sector: yarns, fabrics, leathers, designs, accessories and clothing. 

In the spotlight: the pinnacle of sportswear, its influence on collections and the development of accompanying technological innovations and technical materials. To address these issues, which now permeate all of fashion, Première Vision’s Sport & Tech sector will be prominently featured at the next show. Located in the textile universe of Première Vision Fabrics, in Hall 6, it will bring together 80 exhibiting weavers - including 8 newcomers - to accompany brands and designers looking for inspiration. Their new products will be unveiled in a dedicated space, the Sport & Tech forum, designed around a core theme of «A matter of protection» (protection and innovation).
 
Sportswear gains ground, playing a major role in collections
The global sportswear market grew steadily between 2011 and 2016, reaching $280 billion in 20161. It has entered into consumer habits and is synonymous with comfort and technical expertise, as well as style and creativity. And France is no exception: according to a recent study2, French consumers wear sport clothes 1 day out of 5, and 25% of consumers see the latter as a «trend». This growing phenomenon has a significant influence on the industry and on those who design and produce clothing and accessories, whether fashion brands using technical materials for their ready-to-wear collections or sports brands developing lifestyle lines. It was to best support these brands that Première Vision developed an offer specially focused on this area within its flagship event: Première Vision Paris.
     
Protection and insulation: technological contributions
Each edition, the Première Vision teams identify a strong theme based on their international research. As sport wear collections grow increasingly popular, the added performance and technology in these product lines is becoming ever more critical. Consumers have been able to try out the innovative features integrated in their sport apparel for several years now, and expect the same functionality in their everyday clothing. «A matter of protection» has thus been selected as the season’s theme for the Sport & Tech sector. A fashion theme that will be particularly highlighted in the dedicated forum, which will present a broader offer of fabrics and high-performance materials from the show’s weavers, knitters and finishers to meet the needs of industry professionals.

Marguerite Coiraton, Show Manager of Première Vision Fabrics and in charge of the Sport & Tech trail, added: « The September 2019 edition is particularly interested in how clothes are used to protect against the elements, a theme which will certainly dominate the autumn-winter 20-21 collections. This concept encompasses, for example, insulation, with the development of thermo-active materials, fabrics and fibres equipped with nanotechnologies, and intelligent augmented protection».

In addition to the dedicated sector within Fabrics, Première Vision also offers a Sport & Tech itinerary - available on the show app - bringing together nearly 700 exhibitors specialised in sports and technical materials who can be found at the show. This complete panorama comprises spinners, weavers, knitters, tanners, accessory makers, textile designers and fashion manufacturers.
 
SPOTLIGHT ON: A preview of a selection of Sport & Tech exhibitors

  • Polartec: an insulation solution used by outdoor sports enthusiasts for nearly twenty years, Polartec® fabrics come in a variety of textures and weights and are specifically designed to improve performance in a wide range of environments;
  • Pontetorto SportSystem: founded in 1952, Pontetorto offers a wide range of products from polar fleeces to stretch fabrics, including multilayers, windproofs, waterproof membranes and breathable materials;
  • Schoeller textiles: a Swiss company specialised in developing innovative textiles, especially warm and resistant fabrics. ‘Cosmopolitan’, its multifunctional collection, perfectly meets the growing demand for high-performance style, with fabrics where outstanding performance features do not preclude a natural feel and perfect comfort;
  • Swing by Gruppocinque: an Italian fabric manufacturer using innovative technologies and finishings such as resins, membranes and high-performance treatments;
  • Mackent: has an offer of highly original textiles with a focus on shock-absorbing spacer knits for lingerie/ ready-to-wear pieces;
  • Sportwear Argentona: a Spanish brand specialising in fabric manufacturing, is presenting its ‘2.0 fabrics’ with excellent breathability and high comfort. These are adaptable, lightweight, elastic, compressing with an innovative aesthetic.
  • Global Merino: a maker of technical textiles using merino wool as a base product. It identifies the performance requirements of the item to be created and develops the fabric according to the end use;
  • Shepherd: a vertically integrated producer of merino knits and apparel, including the world’s finest 13.5-micron merino fabric.

New performance codes to better identify innovation
4 new Performance Codes will be introduced at Première Vision Paris in September 2019:  

  • Downproof, to indicate which fabrics will properly block feathers in quiltings;
  • Multilayer, used very often for fabrics for the world of sports performance;
  • Washable, for wash-resistant leathers;
  • Ultralight, used exclusively for accessory components.

A varied and experiential Sport & Tech universe
A.    A virtual reality experience so visitors can fully immerse themselves in the theme

To offer visitors a live experience, Première Vision has designed a digital animation about the theme of protection. Using virtual reality, it is designed to expose visitors to a variety of environments and external elements (cold, wind, etc.).

B.    Dedicated fashion information
Protection doesn’t preclude creativity and style, in fact quite the opposite is true. This season will be marked by fantasy, with materials combining strong colours, prints, motifs and shine. Visitors will thus find an exclusive and creative Sport & Tech forum, built around the following 4 themes: Tech Tailoring, Ski Touring, Soft Outdoor and Snow Fun. It will bring together samples, components and clothing prototypes.

C.    A comprehensive and high-level conference program to help guide visitors in their choices
This edition, the conferences will be held in very central locations at the show. A space in Hall 3 will host the conferences focusing on innovation, and a space in Hall 6 will be reserved for conferences on fashion trends.

Here are some of the upcoming presentations dedicated to the world of Sport & Tech (Hall 6 conference space) taking place at Première Vision Paris September 2019:

  • A conference by Pascal Monfort, founder of the REC trendsmarketing consulting firm, on the theme «The sport & fashion couple: more than ever inseparable!»;
  • The presentation of a study on sport and fashion conducted in the French market by Union Sport & Cycle, which assessed the expectations of 12,500 consumers;
  • Conferences decoding the fashion trends: « Performance, the challenge in fashion » and «Fashion & Sports major influences and innovations for AW 2021» including exhibitors’ pitchs to present their latest innovations.

Sources : 1: Euromonitor International, 2: « Union Sport & Cycle » Study

18.06.2019

BERLIN FASHION WEEK: 01 – 06 JULY 2019

After just a few seasons (since the founding of MBFW), Berlin has established itself as one of the top 5 fashion sites worldwide with up to 70,000 visitors, more than 30 fashion shows during the Fashion Week as well as numerous trade shows, events and showrooms.
In 2018, around 200,000 people came to visit the Fashion Week, further fueling the city’s economy with up to 120 million euros. The broad range of Berlin’s fashion sector offers everything. from high-end couture and tailoring to eco-fashion and streetwear, from single pieces to collections. Green Fashion and Upcycling are becoming increasingly important; more and more fashion labels in Berlin concern themselves with production according to ecological standards. Neonyt as well as other major trade shows are showcasing numerous brands of the Eco-Portfolio.

 
 

MBFW

After just a few seasons (since the founding of MBFW), Berlin has established itself as one of the top 5 fashion sites worldwide with up to 70,000 visitors, more than 30 fashion shows during the Fashion Week as well as numerous trade shows, events and showrooms.
In 2018, around 200,000 people came to visit the Fashion Week, further fueling the city’s economy with up to 120 million euros. The broad range of Berlin’s fashion sector offers everything. from high-end couture and tailoring to eco-fashion and streetwear, from single pieces to collections. Green Fashion and Upcycling are becoming increasingly important; more and more fashion labels in Berlin concern themselves with production according to ecological standards. Neonyt as well as other major trade shows are showcasing numerous brands of the Eco-Portfolio.

 
 

MBFW

In July 2019, MBFW will showcase its fashion-focused, approachable concept according to the new claim „Follow MBFW – Focus Fashion“. Within the modern and digital format that successfully launched in 2018, Mercedes-Benz and creative agency NOWADAYS band together to further strongly promote Berlin as fashion location and offer an attention-drawing platform for upcoming designers as well as established fashion brands to present their collections twice a year. The collections for Spring/Summer 2020 will be presented at ewerk located in Wilhelmstraße, Berlin-Mitte. With its raw industrial look, the location offers excellent conditions to create an authentic atmosphere where high-end fashion is the centre of attention. Within the new concept, MBFW focuses on remarkably staged presentations by a selected number of designer labels and brands in one location. Fashion interested end-consumers have the chance to watch all MBFW shows live at the forecourt of the venue or follow via digital channels like the website www.mbfw.berlin or on Instagram: @MBFW.berlin.

Monday 1.7.2019 – Wednesday 3.7.2019
LOCATION ewerk Berlin
Wilhelmstraße 43
10117 Berlin
CONTACT buero@mbfw.berlin
WEB  www.mbfw.berlin    

PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PLATFORM FOR ADVANCED CONTEMPORARY FASHION

Begun in January 2019, the focus this season continues to be on the restructuring of the halls. The goal is to amalgamate the theme areas more precisely and make it easier for visitors to gain an overview, as well as to inspire them and appeal to their emotions. The exhibitors will present key looks rather than huge collections.On top of this we see the recurrence of a trusty PREMIUM theme: sustainability. As a result of this, there will be no plastic in the catering areas; a strong focus on rubbish sorting; and specific promotion of eco-brands.

PREMIUM has been the leading trade show among the most important international trade events since 2003, as well as the most relevant business and networking platform for advanced contemporary fashion. PREMIUM continually aims to inspire, strengthen business relationships and promote discussion across disciplines. B2B services are constantly being perfected and developed together with the key players in the industry.


Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 10am–7pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 10am–7pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 10am–5pm
LOCATION STATION-Berlin
Luckenwalder Strasse 4–6
10963 Berlin
CONTACT PREMIUM Exhibitions GmbH
 +49 (0) 3062 908 50
 info@premiumexhibitions.com
WEB www.premiumexhibitions.com
www.facebook.com/PREMIUMBERLIN
www.instagram.com/PREMIUMBERLIN
www.twitter.com/PREMIUMBERLIN    

PANORAMA BERLIN
PANORAMA EXPEDITION

PANORAMA BERLIN is the groundbreaking meeting point for decision makers in the fashion and lifestyle business. Since its premiere in January 2013, it has become one of the most relevant European fashion platforms and, as the leading trade fair for Berlin Fashion Week, represents a comprehensive overview of national and international women & menswear.
Twice a year, together with the Tradeshow for Quality Garments SELVEDGE RUN & ZEITGEIST and the sustainable fashion show XOOM, PANORAMA BERLIN is an "all-in-one event" for international brands, which are divided into various sectors: smart formalwear, casual and sportswear, contemporary styles, denim, heritage and streetwear, accessories and shoes as well as sustainable fashion and lifestyle products.
Following the realignment in January 2019, PANORAMA BERLIN will be taking place from 2 to 4 July 2019 under the motto "BERLIN VIBES" and will focus on the topics of infotainment, eventisation and matchmaking. The concentration continues to target brands with relevance and clear messages. More sophisticated presentations, trend capsules and limited editions, which can only be found in Berlin, stage fashion in an exciting lifestyle context. From furniture to beauty products: In new, central concept store areas in halls 1 to 4, brands and products are presented in a new exciting relationship, providing a wealth of inspiration in terms of presentation and composition. Under the motto "Knowledge to go", PANORAMA BERLIN will be presenting a wide-ranging lecture program with leading keynote speakers in the Retail Solutions Hall on a wide range of future topics relating to international trends in retail, marketing, e-commerce and digitization.

Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 9am–5pm
LOCATION PANORAMA BERLIN
ExpoCenter City
Eingang Süd/Jafféstraße
14055 Berlin
CONTACT PANORAMA Fashion Fair Berlin GmbH
+49 (0) 3027 595 604 0
office@panorama-berlin.com
WEB www.panorama-berlin.com
www.facebook.com/panoramafashionfairberlin
www.instagram.com/panoramafashionfair

 SHOW & ORDER X PREMIUM
TRADE SHOW FOR FASHION, LIFESTYLE & EXPERIENCE

Thanks to the special department store concept, SHOW&ORDER X PREMIUM is different to other trade shows. Buyers gain inspiration and stories not only from the family atmosphere, but also from the spacious Experience Floor. In addition, the Beauty Lounge will be there again: the place to go to enjoy a quick freshen-up during the hustle and bustle of Fashion Week. It’s not just the KÜHLHAUS itself that has lots to offer again in July 2019 – the Outside Area, too, will be equipped for hot summer days with a beach lounge, bar and mouth-watering catering. Trade show for fashion, lifestyle & experience Over six partly open, gallery-like floors around 200 fashion brands will be exhibiting alongside beauty products, interior and design pieces, stationery, books, art, music, fragrances and magazines, as well as innovative food concepts, located in various experience spaces on the different floors of the KÜHLHAUS. The building is situated on the STATION-Berlin premises very close by to PREMIUM.

Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 10am–7pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 10am–7pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 10am–5pm
LOCATION Kühlhaus
Etage 1–5
Luckenwalder Strasse 3
10963 Berlin
WEB www.showandorder.de
www.facebook.com/ShowandOrder

#FASHIONTECH BERLIN

#FASHIONTECH BERLIN, held twice a year during Berlin Fashion Week, is the leading tech conference for the fashion industry, discussing topics around digital transformation, innovations and disruptive technologies. Featuring keynote presentations with international experts on stage (#LISTEN!), interactive masterclasses to boost your specialist knowledge (#LEARN!) and the Exhibition Area, where visitors will be introduced to the latest developments, products and innovations on the market (#EXPERIENCE!), #FASHIONTECH Berlin has evolved to become a leading European content hub for technology, digitalisation, sustainability and innovation.
#FASHIONTECH BERLIN also creates the stage for interdisciplinary exchange between different industries. The networking areas give visitors the opportunity to network with the speakers, industry insiders and entrepreneurs, as well as to seek out new business partners and generate business leads. Since digitalisation has affects every aspect of modern lifestyle, FASHIONTECH BERLN is looking into the latest trends that shape our lives.

TOPICS OF OUR TIME IN THE ERA OF DIGITALISATION

  • DIGITAL BUSINESS
  • STREET CULTURE
  • E-SPORTS & GAMING IN FASHION
  • SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

 

Thursday, 4.7.2019, 10am–6.30pm
LOCATION Festsaal Kreuzberg
Am Flutgraben 2
12435 Berlin
CONTACT Michael Stracke
hello@fashiontech.berlin
WEB www.fashiontech.berlin
www.facebook.com/FashionTechBerlinConference
www.instagram.com/Fashiontech_berlin/
www.twitter.com/fashiontechber

FASHIONSUSTAIN BERLIN

Technology, sustainability and innovation are important drivers of the fashion and textile industry that will revolutionize the sector and its processes and production methods. On Wednesday and Thursday, 3/4 July 2019, the international conference format Fashionsustain is dedicated to precisely these topics.
The up-coming edition of Fashionsustain will be dedicated to the subject of water – from microplastics to water stewardship. Highprofile speakers from innovative companies will be presenting visionary approaches to help preserve this vital resource. In addition, the summer edition of Fashionsustain focuses on retail. This involves margins, assortments, collections, POS solutions and the communication of sustainability issues.
And the topics discussed on the conference stage will be brought to life in the “Showcase of Change” exhibition area. But taking place before that, from 1 to 2 July 2019, is the Thinkathon – a space for open dialogue and creative thinking processes. Fashionsustain is part of Neonyt, the global hub for fashion, sustainability and innovation (2 to 4 July 2019) – organized by Messe Frankfurt.


Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 10am–6pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 10am–6pm
LOCATION Kraftwerk Berlin
Upper level
Köpenicker Straße 70
10179 Berlin
CONTACT Falco Fuchs
Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
+49 6975 755 938
falco.fuchs@messefrankfurt.com
WEB www.fashionsustain.com
www.facebook.com/FashionSustain
www.instagram.com/fashionsustain.berlin 

SEEK – A COMMON GROUND FOR INDIVIDUALS IN FASHION

The concept of the Trade Union, which was developed by SEEK Director Maren Wiebus and her team, will continue and will be polished from time to time.        
The bringing together of pioneers and industry visionaries will continue to have its dedicated space for promoting discussion, inspiration and food for thought. SEEK goes charity again! After the overwhelming success of the first initiative with One Warm Winter in January, SEEK and the Berlinbased NGO are planning to collect sneakers for the homeless this summer in front of the location during the show, but also before and after by collaborating partner stores. The project is supported by Sneaker Freaker.
Many reasons to celebrate: 60th birthday of Alpha Industries, 100th birthday of Champion and Farah plus a special Event OVERKILL x ASICSTIGER x SEEK Block Party Vol. 2 Fashion. Trade. Show. Each season, SEEK, the Voice of Street Culture, presents selected streetwear and urbanwear pieces that translate the current lifestyle trends for the industry. SEEK stands for democracy and fairness, clarity, friendliness and honesty, in keeping with the motto of “what you see is what you get”. The focus is on carefully selected style tribes that embody the modern zeitgeist and guarantee SEEK’s visitors valuable inspiration.

Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 9am–5pm
LOCATION ARENA Berlin
Eichenstrasse 4
12435 Berlin
CONTACT info@seekexhibitions.com
WEB www.seekexhibitions.com
www.facebook.com/seekberlin

SELVEDGE RUN & ZEITGEIST

The show will be all about quality and trust.
After the successful merger with Panorama Berlin, the architecturally impressive hall at the south entrance of the Berlin Expo Center is the new home of Selvedge Run & Zeitgeist. As an integrated part of Panorama Berlin, the tradeshow for quality garments and crafted goods presents a unique exhibitor mix of the latest streetwear topics, which are highly relevant for the market, such as: denim, craft, current and outdoor. The brand list of Selvedge Run & Zeitgeist includes international iconic and heritage brands and distinctive products, some of which can only be seen in Europe exclusively in Berlin.
In July 2019, Selvedge Run & Zeitgeist will again be the hot spot for the community, offering a meeting place with like-minded people and food & drinks to discover the best quality brands and meet buyers from all over the world. In the integrated "Marketplace" you will find curated concept brands that can be ordered as well as bought directly.

Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 9am–5pm
LOCATION PANORAMA BERLIN
ExpoCenter City
South Entrance/Jafféstrasse
14055 Berlin
CONTACT info@selvedgerun.com
+49 (0) 3027 595 604 0
WEB www.selvedgerun.com
www.facebook.com/selvedgerun
www.instagram.com/selvedgerun
www.vimeo.com/selvedgerun

NEONYT – GLOBAL HUB FOR FASHION, SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATION

Changing fashion together. Through collaboration, communication and entrepreneurship. That is the vision of Neonyt, the global hub for fashion, sustainability and innovation.With its hub concept, Neonyt combines the most important elements of the fashion industry – style, business, inspiration, knowledge, fun and community – in a neo-new way. The hub is made up of the Neonyt Trade Show, the conferences Fashionsustain and the design-thinking format Thinkathon, showcases, the influencer and blogger event Prepeek, networking events and, last but not least, the Neonyt Party.
The Neonyt Trade Fair will present a good balance of leading brands and newcomers – from contemporary, casual and urbanwear to denim, streetwear and sportswear down to business outfits. In addition to men’s, ladies’ and kidswear, the assortment of products on show also includes outdoorwear, shoes, accessories, jewellery and beauty. Neonyt is organized by Messe Frankfurt.

Tuesday, 2.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Wednesday, 3.7.2019, 9am–6pm
Thursday, 4.7.2019, 9am–5pm
LOCATION Kraftwerk Berlin
Köpenicker Straße 70
10179 Berlin
WEB www.neonyt.com
www.facebook.com/Neonytberlin
www.instagram.com/neonyt.berlin

More information:
Berlin Fashion Week
Source:

Berlin Fashion Week

Magnascan auf Pixabay
04.06.2019

Trade fairs as central marketing instruments

Successful companies have clear goals, which they follow with equally clear strategies. On their road to success, they use a mixture of marketing tools. Amidst this interplay of suitable tools, trade fairs cover by far the widest range of functions – from acquiring new customers to forging contacts with the press. It therefore only makes sense that German companies make intensive use of trade fairs.

Successful companies have clear goals, which they follow with equally clear strategies. On their road to success, they use a mixture of marketing tools. Amidst this interplay of suitable tools, trade fairs cover by far the widest range of functions – from acquiring new customers to forging contacts with the press. It therefore only makes sense that German companies make intensive use of trade fairs.

For companies that exhibit at trade fairs, these activities are their most important B2B communications tool. In 2019/2020 these companies plan to spend around 47% of their communications budgets on trade fairs. This is one result of the 2019 AUMA MesseTrend, a representative survey of 500 German exhibiting companies commissioned by AUMA. And for production companies, that figure rises to nearly 50%.
 
German companies therefore participate frequently in trade fairs, with their own stands. They average more than eight trade fair appearances within two years, of which a good five are in Germany and three in other countries. That figure rises to ten appearances every two years for companies that concentrate on industrial goods, with six appearances in Germany and four in other countries. The number of trade fair appearances rises substantially with the level of sales. Companies with annual sales of more than €125 million average 20 trade fair appearances in two years.
 
The major role played by trade fairs in B2B communications is also evident from another perspective. More than a quarter of German exhibiting companies (29%) plan to increase their investment in trade fair participations, both at home and abroad in 2019 and 2020. Some 56% plan the same level of investment and only 15% want to reduce their budget in this area.

Trade fairs consequently occupy a high position compared to other communications instruments. For around 83% of exhibitors, trade fair participation is important or very important for their B2B communication. Trade fairs are the second most important instrument, exceeded only by companies' own websites, which have become a standard feature of nearly every business today. After trade fairs, the next instruments are personal sales, which 76% of companies consider important or very important, and analogue or digital direct mailing (48%).

More information:
AUMA
Source:

AUMA - Association of the German Trade Fair Industry

(c) Messe München GmbH
28.05.2019

OutDoor by ISPO: the new Outdoor Movement

OutDoor by ISPO is the first year-round, integrative and cross-media platform designed for a new outdoor movement. It also includes the OutDoor by ISPO trade fair, the perfect event for bringing together the international outdoor industry. It will be held for the first time ever at the Messe München site from June 30 to July 3, 2019 and will be organized in close cooperation with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) trade association.

Under the motto “There's a perfect outdoor for everyone”, the international outdoor industry will meet for the first time at the OutDoor by ISPO trade fair in Munich from June 30 to July 3.

OutDoor by ISPO is the first year-round, integrative and cross-media platform designed for a new outdoor movement. It also includes the OutDoor by ISPO trade fair, the perfect event for bringing together the international outdoor industry. It will be held for the first time ever at the Messe München site from June 30 to July 3, 2019 and will be organized in close cooperation with the European Outdoor Group (EOG) trade association.

Under the motto “There's a perfect outdoor for everyone”, the international outdoor industry will meet for the first time at the OutDoor by ISPO trade fair in Munich from June 30 to July 3.

  • More than 950 exhibitors expected
  • Highlights of supporting program fixed
  • OutDays—outdoor festival for end consumers during trade show time

More than 950 international exhibitors spanning nine halls are expected to be at the premiere. The event will be held under the motto “There’s a perfect outdoor for everyone” and will reflect consumers’ modern understanding of the outdoors: Classic outdoor activities such as climbing and hiking will form the basis but will to some extent be reinterpreted and transformed into forms such as bouldering and speed hiking. New segments such as mountain biking, trail running and water sports will also feature. OutDoor by ISPO will also be branching out by tapping into other industries outside of the outdoor sector, thus providing visitors with inspiration and valuable knowledge gained from other areas, such as environmental technology or digital retail and technology solutions.

The first OutDoor by ISPO in Munich will mark the dawn of a new outdoor era. The ISPO team has succeeded in developing a modern consumer-centric concept in close collaboration with the industry. The aim now is to inspire as many people as possible worldwide, break down barriers and highlight the many opportunities and types of “outdoor” that exist.

Nine halls with over 96,000 square meters of exhibition space in the eastern part of the trade fair grounds in Munich will bring the outdoor scene to life. Wide central aisles will help visitors get their bearings and gain a quick overview. The open-plan design with plenty of room for holding meetings will ensure that the whole event is a truly inspiring communications platform. A real outdoor feeling will also be achieved in the outside area with direct access to the halls, the green atrium (functioning as a quiet zone during the day and a party area during the evening) and the camping and glamping site. The Riemer Park, which is directly adjacent to the exhibition grounds, offers spacious green areas and a lake for swimming after the visit to the fair.

Hot topic: sustainability
The outdoor sector is already playing a leading role within the industry in terms of raising awareness of sustainability issues and social responsibility. Various different working groups are developing a comprehensive sustainability concept under the OutDoor by ISPO umbrella. The major driving forces behind this are the European Outdoor Group (EOG), the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) and the OutDoor by ISPO Advisory Board. Environmental pollution and deforestation along with their negative impact on the climate have been identified as the biggest challenges that need to be overcome.

Existing ideas and approaches for reducing water and electricity consumption, minimizing waste and reusing resources will be assessed and ranked in terms of their importance and then incorporated into a Code of Conduct throughout the entire duration of the trade fair. With the additional support of research findings and projections, this will result, in the medium term, in a general fact-based sustainability guide with specific, practical recommendations for managing emissions, water and waste in the outdoor sector. Based on OutDoor by ISPO and the outdoor industry, it will be extended to the entire ISPO platform and trade fair location.

The CSR Hub & Sustainability Kiosk located in Hall B6 will be a central reference point on all related matters for visitors throughout the trade fair. Display cabinets showcasing biodegradable and bio-based materials will take center stage. There will also be a diverse program of speeches and presentations packed with tips and inspirational ideas for achieving sustainable operations.

The new outdoor mindset: “outdoor” covers a myriad of concepts
The very fact that the word “outdoor” means so many different things to so many different people is reflected in the diverse range of topics covered by OutDoor by ISPO. Some of them will be specifically delved into and looked at in detail in various different focus and activation areas.

Climbing and bouldering centers are booming, especially in urban areas, making climbing sports accessible to new target groups. The Indoor Climbing Hub located in Hall A6 will focus specifically on this trend. Speakers from the international climbing scene will provide exclusive insights, highlight potential and identify opportunities for retailers and brands.

The Borderlands will celebrate its world debut. A curated exhibition space for urban outdoor fashion will be created in Hall B4 together with vanish.today, a media platform for outdoor life & style. The progressive project bridges the gap between outdoor and lifestyle. Technical yet stylish products will be showcased together with design elements and photography to create an inspiring overall impression. There will also be a separate catering area featuring superfoods to help visitors recharge their batteries.

Water sports enthusiasts will feel right at home in Hall C6 in the River Lake Camp organized in conjunction with PADDLEexpo. They can enjoy testing out the latest products designed for activities involving nature’s wettest of elements in the large indoor pool. The program will also include various workshops, presentations and discussion forums.

The latest technology, models, trends and designs from the world of footwear, socks and related accessories will feature in Hall A5 in the Shoe & Trailrunning Village. This area will also play host to the Run & Trail Summit on Monday, July 1, in cooperation with the world’s largest running magazine Runner’s World.

The travel segment is a new addition to the outdoor portfolio. The Adventure, Tourism & Travel Summit in Hall B6 will unveil opportunities for collaborations between the travel industry and the outdoor industry and highlight existing potential. Matchmaking will be at the heart of the extensive program. Partners will be experts from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).

Bikepacking now represents a major trend in alternative travel, allowing you to get off the beaten track of mass tourism. The Bikepacking Zone in Hall C5 will tell you everything you need to know about this new movement and show you what the equipment involved has to offer. It will be part of the bike segment, which is being integrated for the first time ever this year as part of a soft launch. This will also involve the Bike Test Track organized in cooperation with ExtraEnergy. This track with mixed surfaces and obstacles will be the perfect place to test ride gravel bikes, mountain bikes and electric mountain bikes. The biggest bike textile producers on the market will also be showcasing their latest collections in Hall B6.

“Outdoor” action will of course not be confined to the halls but will also be available in the outside area: the HangOut Area, designed as an interactive exhibition space, will be the perfect place to try out and test a wide variety of products. Meat lovers in particular will enjoy the barbecue in the Kreutzers Outdoor Kitchen.

As an integral addition to the various outdoor activities, daily yoga sessions will be held in four of the focus areas as part of the Body & Mind segment. They will be based around the four elements and will each comprise relevant exercises: fire will represent the climbing-specific program in the Indoor Climbing Hub; the natural flow of water will be at the heart of the session in the River Lake Camp; runners will be able to strengthen their bodies and minds using the theme of earth in the Shoe & Trailrunning Village and the outside exhibition area will provide the perfect location for exercises using the theme of air.
A complete overview of all the focus areas is available online.

OutDays—a festival of outdoor culture
The OutDoor by ISPO trade fair may be reserved for trade visitors but everyone else can look forward to getting involved in OutDays from June 29 to July 6 in the metropolitan area of Munich. End consumers, brands and retailers will become a vital part of this new movement through the festival celebrating outdoor culture. Participants can expect exclusive workshops, meet & greets, try-outs, film screenings, presentations, prize draws and contests. The contents will also reflect the diverse nature of the entire outdoor world: from bouldering, climbing, mountain biking and trail running right through to different water sports, adventure travel and camping. The OutDays program will be available from mid of May 2019 on the Web page.

Outstanding Outdoor—award-winning innovative products
Europe’s largest outdoor trade fair is also a hot spot for innovative products and trends. “Outstanding Outdoor” is an award designed to recognize stand-out products in the outdoor industry. The popular seal of quality helps retailers, the press and end consumers find their bearings in the increasingly complex product landscape. The winners will feature in the exhibition space of the same name in Hall B5.

(c) Koelnmesse GmbH
21.05.2019

INTERZUM 2019: TRENDS AND INNOVATIONS FOR TOMORROW'S LIVING SPACES

Every two years, interzum presents pioneering innovations for the design of tomorrow’s living spaces. The world’s largest event for the supplier industry will unveil the latest developments and groundbreaking trends for homes and interior design from 21 to 24 May 2019. International exhibitors will present new materials and functions that are set to have a major influence on furniture production and interior design in coming years. The three exhibition segments – Materials & Nature, Function & Components, and Textile & Machinery – focus on innovative surfaces, sustainable materials and new technologies. Global mega-trends such as digitalisation, individualisation, mobility and urbanisation will also be addressed in the presentations by exhibitors. These are some of the trends and innovations that will appear in the showcases at the forthcoming edition of interzum.

Every two years, interzum presents pioneering innovations for the design of tomorrow’s living spaces. The world’s largest event for the supplier industry will unveil the latest developments and groundbreaking trends for homes and interior design from 21 to 24 May 2019. International exhibitors will present new materials and functions that are set to have a major influence on furniture production and interior design in coming years. The three exhibition segments – Materials & Nature, Function & Components, and Textile & Machinery – focus on innovative surfaces, sustainable materials and new technologies. Global mega-trends such as digitalisation, individualisation, mobility and urbanisation will also be addressed in the presentations by exhibitors. These are some of the trends and innovations that will appear in the showcases at the forthcoming edition of interzum.

Technology and emotion: the diversity of surfaces
The importance of the material dimension of design is growing, and with it attention is focusing on surfaces – a trend clearly in evidence at this year’s interzum. Many consumers today expect their living environments to both look and feel good, and to be tailored to their individual needs and wants. Furniture manufacturers can impress them with attractive surfaces. Design trends in this field are guided by both technological developments and emotional impressions. From super matt to high-gloss and custom, the diversity of new decors and surfaces that will be on display at interzum is almost limitless. New or rediscovered materials and combinations, as well as innovative manufacturing processes, have paved the way for these developments. Digital printing enables unique patterns while soft-touch or anti-fingerprint effects ensure an excellent look and feel that lasts. Alongside an immense diversity of design, the exhibitors in this segment will present a wide spectrum of functional features.

Reproducing nature: a feel in harmony with the look
Reproducing materials remains especially popular in laminated surfaces. Imitating the appearance of very different woods is a trend that shows no sign of stopping and one that appears today in many different forms. “What we’re seeing at the moment is trends going in different directions,” says Klaus Monhoff, Head of Design and Décor Management at the Egger Group. The manufacturer is responding to current demand for striking, rustic woods with a new synchronised pore surface with the look of old wood. Screen printing and digital printing specialist Stainer will have extra-large-format wood decors on display at its stand at interzum 2019. Its six-by-two metre panels with the look of different deciduous woods are suitable for walls and flooring. In the field of digital reproductions, the influence of matt, metallic-look surfaces is growing. The Viscora® Supermatt metallic coloured lamination film by Austrian exhibitor Hueck Folien is an example of this trend, as is a new surface by Egger that imitates the look and feel of finely brushed metal.

Focus on environmentally friendly materials and components
Sustainability is a global mega-trend that remains a current and future challenge for the interiors industry. Consumers want the interior design of their homes to be as contaminant-free as possible, and many are also seeking to minimise their ecological footprints. Eco-friendly materials and furniture components are therefore a crucial point of focus for many exhibitors at the forthcoming edition of interzum. Among them is wood processing company Swiss Krono. It will be showcasing BE.YOND, the world’s first biobased chipboard that meets the most stringent indoor air quality requirements. As a renewable, carbon-neutral recyclable material, wood plays a major role in lightweight design and furniture construction. Austrian plywood manufacturer Sperrholzwerk Schweitzer will have aerowood® on display in Cologne. The lightweight panel is resource-efficient, extremely light and available in any dimensions. “Nature is here” is Proadec’s slogan for its showcase. Its new, exceptionally environmentally friendly edge banding will be on display at the trade fair. Another key area of focus at interzum will be biobased plastics. Among the innovations on show in this category are fittings by Swedish exhibitor Ackurat and a new launch by Oskar Lehmann, whose product portfolio includes cable guides for desks. Sustainability can result in great creativity, as Austrian manufacturer Organoid will demonstrate at its stand: natural surfaces produced from hay or moss are made to sparkle with upcycled Swarovski Zirconia gemstones.

Adaptable solutions: individualisation is the new standard
The mega-trend for individualisation is a theme that runs throughout the exhibitors’ presentations at the forthcoming interzum. The desire for solutions that are as individually tailored as possible is transforming consumers’ expectations of their lives and homes. This shift has prompted many exhibitors to present new products that allow interiors to be adapted to personal requirements. The new Innovus collection by Portuguese wood-based materials manufacturer Sonae Arauco is one of the products that promise design freedom. With five new finishes and around 100 new decors, it opens up a multitude of possible combinations and applications. The Marino collection by Spanish exhibitor ServiCanto is similarly versatile and can be paired with different types of surfaces. A unique interpretation of classic wood surfaces makes the new product on show from Italian manufacturer Alpi a standout. Its Gamperana Triplex veneer collection is a collaboration with designer Martino Gamper. Instead of appearing in isolation, the veneer sheets are grouped in threes, paving the way for highly original compositions. Praveedh Décor, based in Mumbai, India, has expanded the colour spectrum of its acrylic prelaminated boards: its new product OpuLux Fantasy is available in multicolour designs that can be adapted to customer preferences.

The new openness: the merging of living worlds
The boundaries between the different areas of the home have been eroding for some time. The increasing fluidity of transitions is having an effect on systems, fittings and lighting. Many exhibitors at interzum 2019 are focusing on flexible design elements that act as the foundation for a consistent home architecture. One example of this trend is the new Schüco Openstyle system, which allows spaces to be flexibly joined or subdivided in line with requirements and the current living situation. “OpenUp” is Vauth-Sagel’s slogan for its interzum appearance. The storage specialist will premiere solutions for all areas of the home at the fair. Highly flexible also sums up the presentation by Hettich, a specialist in functional fittings: “We are simplifying diversity,” says Uwe Kreidel, Managing Director. The company will present multifunctional new products for different living situations in its product showcase.

The art of omission: increasingly invisible components
Increasing flexibility and multifunctionality in furniture is going hand in hand with rising standards for the design of technical solutions. “It is a matter of principle for us that a movement system must enhance the overall design of the item of furniture,” says Albert Trebo, Managing Director for Sales and Marketing of Grass, based in Austria. In this context, the miniaturisation of fittings technology and components such as control and lighting elements continues to play a major role. At interzum, Kesseböhmer will present a new flap fitting that is significantly different to the previous standard solutions on the market in its dimensions, design and functions. Lighting systems manufacturer Hera is also devoting its energies to miniaturisation. Its stand will feature luminaires that can be integrated into furniture almost invisibly. German start-up ambigence, based in Herford near Bielefeld, is taking advantage of this year’s interzum to present a completely new product category. It starts from a simple principle: instead of seeing the furniture panel and fittings as two separate components, they are conceived as a single unit. “Furniture is freed from limiting fittings by integrating functions into the space inside the furniture panel,” explains Norbert Poppenborg, Director Marketing & Business Development.

Micro living: greater comfort in limited space
A further global issue that many exhibitors at the forthcoming interzum are addressing is increasing urbanisation. With growing numbers moving to cities, living space is in increasingly short supply, especially in major conurbations, and rents and house prices are soaring as a result. This trend calls for optimal utilisation of the available floor space and components to provide more space per square metre. The latest solutions here include intelligent storage solutions, such as Kesseböhmer’s urban smart kitchen. “By employing intelligent fittings technology, the collection sets out to make optimal use of the storage space on small floor plans and to provide an overview of the contents, as well as easy access to them, with voice control as an option,” says Managing Director Burkhard Schreiber. A special event area at the trade fair will highlight the development potential that the intensifying shortage of living space presents: a number of exhibitors will showcase new concepts and solutions in the Tiny Spaces – Living in Compact Homes Piazza. To accompany the piazza, star architect Yasmine Mahmoudieh will present her experience of working with tiny spaces and discuss the future requirements that will apply to this field in a talk on Tuesday 21 May 2019.

Mattress production: efficiency provides enhanced sleeping comfort
Diversity is also on the increase in the world of mattresses. Materials are becoming more and more innovative, and processing standards are nearing perfection. Industry quality leaders therefore need to position themselves carefully. Many interzum exhibitors have focused their attention on developing efficient production and new processes that provide enhanced sleeping comfort. Schreiner Machine Service (SMS) represents various machine manufacturers on the European market. At the event, it will announce a world first in the manufacture of spring cores that allows customers to produce innovative mattresses while cutting their production costs. Production optimisation is also a focus for Brother, a specialist in automated sewing solutions whose product showcase will feature its BAS-370H model. The freely programmable bridge type electronic pattern sewer saves floor space in the production line when sewing large areas and enables fast sewing. Spanish company Visdeltex is heading in a similar direction with a new system for fast and automated quilting of bed and divan tops.

interzum 2019: the platform for new ideas
It is the supplier industry that has demonstrated time and again in the past how innovations can transform the market and the standards expected of living environments. The innovations on display at the forthcoming interzum will determine the materials, surfaces and technologies for the design of tomorrow’s interiors. A showcase packed with exhibitors’ latest ideas and solutions is lined up visitors.

 

(c) FESPA Global Print Expo
07.05.2019

FESPA GLOBAL PRINT EXPO 2019: PRINT MAKE WEAR FAST FASHION-FACTORY

  • The Print Make Wear fast fashion factory feature at FESPA Global Expo 2019 in Munich (14-17 May 2019) will double in size compared with its launch in 2018 in response to positive visitor feedback.

The feature was introduced at the flagship FESPA event in Berlin in 2018 to meet the needs of visitors interested in the opportunities in printed fashion textiles and garments. Taking the form of a live production environment, Print Make Wear addresses every step in the garment production process. This begins with planning, design and prepress, progressing to printing, drying, cutting, sewing, welding and embellishment and finishing with packing and retail display.

  • The Print Make Wear fast fashion factory feature at FESPA Global Expo 2019 in Munich (14-17 May 2019) will double in size compared with its launch in 2018 in response to positive visitor feedback.

The feature was introduced at the flagship FESPA event in Berlin in 2018 to meet the needs of visitors interested in the opportunities in printed fashion textiles and garments. Taking the form of a live production environment, Print Make Wear addresses every step in the garment production process. This begins with planning, design and prepress, progressing to printing, drying, cutting, sewing, welding and embellishment and finishing with packing and retail display.

At FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 the expanded feature will allow more space to showcase an even more comprehensive range of garment printing technology solutions and consumables, as well as incorporating a staged area for presentations and debates and a catwalk for fashion shows. The visitor experience will also be enhanced with two separate guided tours, one with a focus on direct-to-garment production and the other tailored to visitors interested in roll-to-roll production.

The technologies showcased within Print Make Wear 2019 will include direct-to garment digital and screen printing presses with both automatic and manual presses printing on water-based inks, the roll-to-roll digital technologies will include dye-sublimation as well as other textile print technologies, with the support of brands including Adobe, Adelco, EFI, HP, Mimaki, Vastex MagnaColours, Easiway and Premier Textiles.

The garments produced and modelled within Print Make Wear will carry a striking series of exclusive designs on the theme of ‘Elements’, with the tagline Inspired by Nature – Powered by Print, which have been created specifically for FESPA by photographer and illustrator Jasper Goodall. FESPA is also working with young fashion designer Aminah Hamzaoui, who is collaborating on the design of the garments being produced using the roll-to-roll technologies.

FESPA Head of Events, Duncan MacOwan comments: “Year after year, independent market insights and visitor feedback reinforce the rising levels of interest in textile printing, while our own FESPA Census in 2018 indicated that sports apparel and fast fashion are two of the most dynamic growth applications in our community. Visitor response to the first Print Make Wear feature last year was extremely positive, with more than 2,000 visitors taking part in our expert-guided tours.”

He continues: “By increasing the floor space dedicated to this feature in Munich we can accommodate visitors more comfortably, enrich the overall experience and elevate the educational content. We’re confident that, whatever their level of knowledge or investment in garment printing, visitors to Print Make Wear 2019 in Munich will leave with a deeper understanding of the opportunities to optimise production, improve sustainability and boost profitability.”

Print Make Wear is free to attend for registered visitors to FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 and the co-located European Sign Expo. Guided tours can be pre-booked at https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/features/print-make-wear. The feature is part of a programme of free educational content which also includes the new Colour L*A*B* colour management showcase and conference, Printeriors and a comprehensive schedule of live seminars in the Trend Theatre.

For more information about Print Make Wear, visit www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/features/print-make-wear. To pre-register to attend FESPA Global Print Expo 2019 visit https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/ and use code FESM906 for free entry.

 

 

Kettherstellung (c) Schmitz Textiles Kettherstellung (c) Schmitz Textiles
23.04.2019

Interview with CEO Stefan Ruholl (Schmitz Textiles): We are Textile

  • Innovations for Indoor and Outdoor Applications

At the beginning of 2018, the textile company Schmitz-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Emsdetten, was restructured. In order to be able to react more quickly and flexibly to the markets and their demands, the brands drapilux, swela and mobiltex have since been combined under Schmitz Textiles.

Managing Director of this legally independent company is Stefan Ruholl, who has been working for Schmitz-Werke for more than 30 years, answering the questions of Textination. In 1996 he became head of the finishing department, three years later head of production and development for the textile finishing division, in the beginning of 2000 technical director, and finally 2018 he took over the management of the business unit and of the company Schmitz Textiles.

  • Innovations for Indoor and Outdoor Applications

At the beginning of 2018, the textile company Schmitz-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Emsdetten, was restructured. In order to be able to react more quickly and flexibly to the markets and their demands, the brands drapilux, swela and mobiltex have since been combined under Schmitz Textiles.

Managing Director of this legally independent company is Stefan Ruholl, who has been working for Schmitz-Werke for more than 30 years, answering the questions of Textination. In 1996 he became head of the finishing department, three years later head of production and development for the textile finishing division, in the beginning of 2000 technical director, and finally 2018 he took over the management of the business unit and of the company Schmitz Textiles.

Schmitz Textiles is a family business that has been offering textile solutions for indoor and outdoor applications for more than 90 years. If you had to introduce yourself in 100 words to someone who doesn't know the company, what makes you unique?
As an almost fully integrated manufacturer in Germany, we have advantages that many other market players are likely to envy. We can respond flexibly, technically and with good service to the needs of our customers. Under the drapilux brand, we distribute intelligent design textiles for the contract sector, outdoor and sun protection fabrics under the swela brand and textiles for the automotive segment under the still young label mobiltex. All brands benefit from the broad know-how in production and product development. A few years ago, Germany as production location may have been regarded more negatively as a pure cost factor, but today we see this as valued by our partners as a clear strategic advantage.

In which product areas do market and partners particularly challenge you?
And with which product innovations in the field of technical textiles do you think you can move most?

In each of our fields of activity, we are confronted with comprehensive challenges. At drapilux, for example, we have to meet strict safety requirements in the context of fire protection certifications for the use of our materials on cruise ships and have invested massively in this subject. The sun protection sector is characterized by high demands on color and light fastness combined with optimum resilience - here we were able to gain a major technological advantage with the change from acrylic to polyester qualities years ago.
With the new, award-winning development of our convertible top fabric for mobiltex, also based on polyester, we were able to realize product properties that are completely new in this form in this segment.

For which socially relevant topics do you see particularly great need for innovation in the upcoming 10 years
and what is your assessment that the textile industry will be able to offer solutions with its products?

When we look at the next ten years, then it is surely the topic of sustainability that is already omnipresent today. At the moment we are living in a phase where we want sustainable products on the one hand, but, on the other hand, the willingness to pay higher prices for them is not yet pronounced and people tend towards staying with conventional products. This will change. Sustainable products from companies that really live sustainability in the dimensions of ecology, economy and society will win the race. The textile industry offers the best conditions to turn this vision into reality - albeit under investment in production and research and development.

Today, product and technology innovations mean to a large extent digitalization of production and business processes.
New business models often aim at verticalization and demand the path to batch size 1 - what does this mean for Schmitz Textiles?

For an industrial company with a B2B focus, such as Schmitz Textiles, "batch size 1" must be answered with a certain bandwidth. However, in principle, this topic is not new to us, for example in yarn dyeing, we can couple micro-installations for larger batches - and conversely control correspondingly smaller batches through our process chain. In the digital printing sector for the contract business, we are very individually and customer-oriented positioned with a minimum quantity of 25 meters. For our sister company and customer markilux we are supplier for their "Color on Demand" offer for the individual awning cloth with a choice of 1625 RAL colors. With an industrial production scale, you can hardly get much closer to "lot size 1".

To break new ground means decisiveness, overcoming fears - and with that the courage to fail. Not every project can succeed.
Which entrepreneurial decision are you particularly happy about having made it in retrospect?

If we look further back, about ten years ago, the decision to invest in digital printing and to build up know-how and our own production capacities was the right one. Having passed through these learning curves enables us today to expand our offer into the outdoor market without major problems. We are currently more convinced than ever that by entering the automotive segment with the still young mobiltex brand, we have established a new, important keystone for the long-term future of Schmitz Textiles.

The textile industry has been growing steadily worldwide for decades. The consumption of chemical and textile fibres more than quadrupled between 1975 and 2016. In terms of sustainability, there is, to put it mildly, a mixed feedback for our industry.
What is Schmitz Textiles concentrating on in order to fulfil their social responsibility?

If textiles are produced exclusively in Germany, the regulatory framework already requires a certain sustainable orientation. But of course, there is also room for maneuver. In order to meet the high demands of a sustainable and environmentally friendly production, we operate a very high expenditure. For example, all dyestuffs and textile auxiliaries are first checked for compliance with laws and regulations and for environmental and occupational safety aspects before they are used in-house. In addition, voluntary measures were implemented in the area of production long before legislation came into force, such as regenerative thermal post-combustion for the post-treatment of process exhaust air from finishing plants. This ensures that no harmful emissions are caused by exhaust air, waste water or noise. Many projects have also been successfully implemented for energy recovery from process waste water and process exhaust air. All process waste is either returned to the production workflow, recycled or professionally disposed of. A contribution to environmental protection, that should not be underestimated, is the use of synthetic fibres (here: polyester), which can be modified with much less chemicals than natural fibres and are much more durable.
 
The next Techtextil is just around the corner. What are your expectations at the Frankfurt trade fair?
We are a young but at the same time an almost 100-year-old company, having emerged from the corporate reorganization of Schmitz-Werke GmbH + Co. KG on January 1, 2018. Consequently, we are exhibiting for the first time as Schmitz Textiles GmbH + Co KG with our three brands mobiltex, swela and drapilux. We want to present ourselves as a textile competence center. However, the automotive textiles theme will be somewhat in the foreground. We are exhibiting a complete convertible roof with our mobiltex 388 soft top fabric, which was nominated for the German Innovation Award 2019 by the German Design Council, and we are confident that we may accept an award at the end of May.

 

Source:

The interview was conducted by Ines Chucholowius, CEO Textination GmbH

As part of its Newsline, Textination will give innovation leaders of the industry a special place to talk about success, experiences, forecasts and trends.

Gerd Altmann: PIXABAY
02.04.2019

ITALY'S SHOE AND LEATHER INDUSTRY WANTS TO BECOME MORE DIGITAL

  • Rethinking in traditional industry

Italy's shoe and shoe technology manufacturers are losing market share in important markets and want to make their production more efficient and digital. German companies score points in niches.

Even though 9 out of 10 shoes today come from Asia, Europe's largest shoe producer Italy still ranks among the top ten of the world's largest shoe producers and is the undisputed market leader in the luxury segment. Nevertheless, sales in terms of volume at home and abroad are falling and so is production. At the moment, the sector can only secure its turnover through higher prices.

  • Rethinking in traditional industry

Italy's shoe and shoe technology manufacturers are losing market share in important markets and want to make their production more efficient and digital. German companies score points in niches.

Even though 9 out of 10 shoes today come from Asia, Europe's largest shoe producer Italy still ranks among the top ten of the world's largest shoe producers and is the undisputed market leader in the luxury segment. Nevertheless, sales in terms of volume at home and abroad are falling and so is production. At the moment, the sector can only secure its turnover through higher prices.

The decline in export demand, which accounts for around 85 percent of Italian footwear, is particularly painful. According to the sector association Assocalzaturifici, international sales fell by around 4 million pairs between January and October 2018. Only an average price increase of 6.4 percent enabled a year-on-year increase. On the German sales market, sales of Italian shoes also stagnated at around EUR 1 billion, while German shoe exports to Italy, with a plus of 34.5 percent to around EUR 485 million, achieved one of the highest growth rates in German trade with Italy.

Orders received by the Italian footwear industry in the fourth quarter of 2018 declined both domestic (-2.5 percent) and abroad (-0.9 percent). The only market segment that is still growing in Italy itself are sports shoes/sneakers. According to experts, the falling number of units drives manufacturers to find solutions that help to reduce production costs.

Opportunities for Germans in Digital Change and in niches
In the shoe and leather technology domestic manufacturers dominate. Assomac, the Association for Shoe and Leather Technology, estimates, that in 2018 the approximately 240 Italian companies in the sector achieved a turnover of around EUR 760 million. By contrast, exports of shoe and leather machinery, which account for around three quarters of the sector sales, fell by around 6.2 percent in 2018. Italy is by far the most important exporter of leather and shoe technology in the world. In 2018, shoe and leather machinery worth of around EUR 439 billion went abroad, particularly to China, Vietnam and India.

German deliveries of shoe and leather technology to Italy are at a low level and, according to the VDMA trade association Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, reached around EUR 4 million in 2018. Italy thus ranked fourth behind China, the USA and Mexico in terms of export destinations. With foreign deliveries of around EUR 50 million per year, Germany is the world's fifth largest exporter.

Market experts see opportunities for German companies in Italy with components that help domestic companies in international competition, for example the use of intelligent and networking machines. Despite their great competence, Italian manufacturers are very traditional and are struggling with the digital changes. But industry experts report that the companies are rethinking and interested in new solutions.
"We support our Italian customers in installing more software solutions for sewing machines and in networking machines," says Sebastian Feges, sales engineer at the Schwetzingen-based company EFKA, one of the last German companies in the sewing industry.  EFKA supplies Italian shoe and leather machine manufacturers with sewing drive controls. The company scores particularly well in areas where maximum precision is essential and every wrong stitch leads to expensive scrap, such as leather seats for Ferrari. According to Feges, money for investments in Italy is not easy to get at the moment. However, he sees an interesting perspective in the promotion of the Italian government for the purchase of industry 4.0 equipment and software, the so-called Iperammortamento, which is not yet sufficiently known.

Further opportunities exist in niches that are gaining in importance due to current industry trends such as digital printing on leather. The machines of Hansa Mixer from Bremen produce foam for textile and digital printing and the sealing of leather hides. "We offer a niche product that can be used anywhere," General Sales Manager Achim Schmidt says. In addition to the shoe and leather industry, Hansa Mixer also supplies food manufacturers such as Ferrero. "Italy is an interesting market for us and we expect good orders."

Another industry trend is greater sustainability, especially in the often-criticized leather industry. Assomac is expressly committed to this goal and has – next to other thing - introduced the new Targa Verde certificate.

 

Kennzahlen der italienischen Schuhindustrie 2018
Indicator Value Change in 2018/2017
Imports of shoe and leather machinery (HS 8453) EUR 36 mio 5.6
Footwear production 185.7 million pairs -2.6
Domestic Shoe industry sales EUR 7.8 billion 0.7
Export volume 2018 176.5 mio pairs -2.3
Export revenues EUR 9.6 billion 3.9

Sources: Assocalzaturifici, Instat

The Italian footwear industry consists of about 4,700 companies with about 77,000 employees. According to the industry association Assocalzaturifici, sector sales in 2017 amounted to about EUR 14.2 billion. Industry clusters are the regions of Venice, Tuscany, Marche, Lombardy, Campania, Apulia and Emilia Romagna. The cluster in Brento, Veneto produces about 11 percent of the national output. Also International manufacturers such as LVMH and Louis Vuitton are investing and producing in Italy.

 

TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN MUST MODERNIZE Photo: OpenClipart-Vectors at Pixabay
26.03.2019

TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN PAKISTAN MUST MODERNIZE

  • The cultivation of cotton is to be expanded

Pakistan's textile industry has lost competitiveness. Investments in new textile technology are necessary. Exports of German machinery increase.

The textile industry is Pakistan's most important industrial sector. In Pakistan's fiscal year 2017/18 (July 1st 2017 to June 30th 2018), the textile industry accounted for 8.5 percent of gross domestic product. The sector accounted for about a quarter of the total industrial value added. It is by far the country's most important export sector. Textile exports accounted for 58 percent of total exports in 2017/18.

  • The cultivation of cotton is to be expanded

Pakistan's textile industry has lost competitiveness. Investments in new textile technology are necessary. Exports of German machinery increase.

The textile industry is Pakistan's most important industrial sector. In Pakistan's fiscal year 2017/18 (July 1st 2017 to June 30th 2018), the textile industry accounted for 8.5 percent of gross domestic product. The sector accounted for about a quarter of the total industrial value added. It is by far the country's most important export sector. Textile exports accounted for 58 percent of total exports in 2017/18.

However, the international competitiveness of the sector is currently declining. This trend should turn around. Prime Minister Imran Khan met with representatives of the textile industry at the end of January 2019. Economic policy aims to expand and modernize the textile industry. Production costs are to be reduced and productivity increased. In addition, quality improvements, production expansions and higher added value are necessary.

The textile industry's value chain begins with around 1,300 companies that are ginning, process and bale raw cotton. In addition to the demand for cotton, the demand for synthetic fibers is also increasing, although there are only three manufacturers of polyester fibers in Pakistan to date.

The number of spinning mills is estimated at 517 in 2017 and the number of weaving mills at 124 large and 425 medium-sized and small mills. Ten large and 625 medium-sized and small companies process fabrics. Towels were produced by about 400 companies, knitted fabrics by 2,500 companies. Clothing made of woven fabrics was supplied by 50 large factories and 2,500 medium-sized and small factories.

Export transactions stagnate
Pakistan's textile exports grew by 8.7 percent to USD 13.5 billion in 2017/18. This level was already reached in 2013/14 and 2014/15. Textile exports in the first seven months of fiscal year 2018/19 (July 18th to January 19th) increased slightly by 1.2 percent year-on-year to US$ 7.8 billion.

Pakistan: exports of yarn, fabrics and clothing (USD million) *)
Products 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18
Total 13,733 13,471 12,447 12,452 13,530
.Cotton yarn 1,997 1,849 1,265 1,244 1,372
.Cotton fabrics 2,770 2,453 2,214 2,136 2,204
.Towels 767 797 803 801 797
.Bed linen 2,138 2,103 2,020 2,136 2,261
.Clothing 1,906 2,095 2,195 2,319 2,579
.Knitted goods 2,294 2,406 2,364 2,361 2,720
.Other products 1,858 1,767 1,586 1,452 1,597

*) Fiscal years (July to June)

Sources: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA); Pakistan Bureau of Statistics; Textile Commissioner's Organization

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) aims to increase exports to USD 28 billion by 2023/24. This requires consistent state support and long-term export promotion, according to the association.

The leading foreign customer is the USA. Other important customers include the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. In 2017 and 2018, Germany imported textile materials and goods worth EUR 1 billion from Pakistan.

Machine imports still declining
Imports of textile machinery in 2013/14 amounted still to USD 599 million. In the following three years it was USD 449 million (2014/15), USD 462 million (2015/16) and USD 557 million (2016/17). Imports are not currently showing an upward trend despite the need for modernization. According to the statistics authority, they fell by 42 per cent to USD 325 million in 2017/18. There are still no signs of a recovery in 2018/19 either.

Pakistan: Imports of selected textile machinery (USD million)
HS-Positions 2014 2015 2016 2017
84.45 Spinning machines etc. 230 162 162 246
84.46 Looms 84 73 107 90
84.47 Knitting machines etc. 70 84 65 75
84.48 Auxiliary machinery for
HS headings 84.44 to 84.47
85 70 77 82

Sources: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, UN Comtrade

Business trip to the fifth largest customer of German spinning technology
According to calculations by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), German textile machinery exports to Pakistan increased to EUR 53 million in 2017. The previous year's figure was EUR 48 million, EUR 39 million of which was attributable to spinning machines.

A business trip of German companies from the textile machinery and accessories sectors will take place to Karachi and Lahore from November 11th to 15th 2019. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy will promote and the company SBS Systems for Business Solution will organize the trip (contact: Thomas Nytsch, e-mail: thomasnytsch@sbs-business.com).

Cotton production to be strongly increased
The local cotton production is the base of the textile industry. After India, China and the USA, Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton producer, followed by Brazil and Uzbekistan. Without an increase in local crop yields, the growth of the textile industry is limited. Increased imports of cotton would further reduce the industry's struggling international competitiveness.

In an international comparison, the country is one of the cotton producers with the lowest yields per hectare. Australia, Turkey, China and Brazil form the leading group with about 1,600 to 1,700 kilograms per hectare. Pakistan only reaches 600 to 800 kilograms.

Pakistan: Cotton production
Year Cultivation area
(in hectares)
Production
(in 1,000 bales) 1)
Yield per hectare
(in kilograms)
2013/14 2,086 12,769 774
2014/15 2,961 13,960 802
2015/16 2,902 9,917 582
2016/17 2,489 10,671 730
2017/18 2,699 11,935 752
2018/19 2) 2,500 11,000 748

1) one bale = 170 kilograms, 2) Forecast
Source: Pakistan Bureau of Statistics; research by Germany Trade & Invest

The government has set a production target of around 15 million bales for 2019/20. APTMA believes an increase to 20 million bales is possible by 2023/24. The association assumes that there will be about 2,800 hectares of cultivated land and an increase in yields per hectare to 1,200 kilograms.

Problems with the supply of cotton

Baumwolle wird vor allem in den Provinzen Punjab und Sindh angebaut. Die Baumwollproduktion erreichte 2014/15 noch rund 14 Millionen Ballen. Die Ernte fiel 2015/16 auf unter 10 Millionen und lag 2017/18 bei 12 Millionen Ballen. Die Produktion ist 2018/19 wieder gesunken, ein Wert von etwa 11 Millionen Ballen wird prognostiziert. Als Gründe werden unter anderem Wassermangel, eine schlechte Qualität der Pflanzenschutzmittel und minderwertiges Saatgut genannt. Zudem sei die finanzielle und regulatorische Unterstützung der Regierung unzureichend, so Branchenvertreter.

The local supply could therefore no longer cover the annual cotton demand of the textile industry of 15 to 16 million bales in recent years. Textile manufacturers therefore imported cotton mainly from India and China, about 3 million to 4 million bales a year. However, imports from India have been stopped since February 2019. The background to this is the political tensions and recent military conflicts between the two states.

More information:
Pakistan Pakistan
Source:

Robert Espey, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

Photo: pasja1000 Pixabay
19.03.2019

SRI LANKA'S APPAREL AND TEXTILE EXPORTS RECEIVE A BOOST

  • Modernization of production facilities required

Thanks to the reactivated GSP import status of the European Union, Sri Lanka's textile and clothing industry is looking to the future with confidence and expects better sales opportunities abroad.

The textile and clothing industry is of macroeconomic importance for Sri Lanka. The sector accounted for almost 43 per cent of the country's total exports in 2018 and provides employment for nearly 350,000 workers in the formal sector and about twice as many in the informal sector. In total, this is about 33 percent of all jobs in the manufacturing industry. The majority of employees are women.

  • Modernization of production facilities required

Thanks to the reactivated GSP import status of the European Union, Sri Lanka's textile and clothing industry is looking to the future with confidence and expects better sales opportunities abroad.

The textile and clothing industry is of macroeconomic importance for Sri Lanka. The sector accounted for almost 43 per cent of the country's total exports in 2018 and provides employment for nearly 350,000 workers in the formal sector and about twice as many in the informal sector. In total, this is about 33 percent of all jobs in the manufacturing industry. The majority of employees are women.

The textile and clothing industry contribute around 6 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP). "In view of the development of other sectors, it is very unlikely that another industry will reach this level of performance in the short to medium term," Jeevani Siriwardena, head of the Export Development Board (EDB), said in an interview with Germany Trade and Invest. The textile and clothing industry will continue to be an important sector for the Sri Lankan economy.

Short to medium-term prospects are good
On May 18th 2017, the European Union (EU) reactivated the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status for Sri Lanka after a seven-year time-out. This means that when goods are exported to the EU, the island state is exempted from customs duties on more than 66 percent of customs tariff lines. "Without GSP status, Sri Lanka's export losses are said to have cost around 32 billion between 2010 and 2017," stressed Ravindi Ranaraja, Deputy Head of the Export Service Division of EDB, in a GTAI interview. In particular, the strongly export-oriented clothing and textile industry will benefit from the regained GSP status. Sri Lanka's textile and clothing industry is looking to the future with confidence and also expects better sales opportunities abroad.

Sri Lanka's textile and clothing exports to the EU and Germany in 2018
(in USD million; change year-on-year in %)  
HS-Code Definition
 
EU
 
Change
 
Germany *) Change
 
61 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted 1,177 0.7 232.55 9.6
62 Garments and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted 874 7.6 151.59 18.1
63 Other made-up textile articles; sets worn clothing and used textile articles 52 18.2 7.8 13.5
Total   2,103 3.9 391.92 12.8

*) Estimation
Sources: Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association; press releases; calculations by Germany Trade & Invest; Destatis, February 2019

Positive impulses are already visible. According to the latest foreign trade figures available, Sri Lanka was able to increase its total exports of textiles and clothing (HS codes 61, 62 and 63) by almost 4.8 percent to approximately USD 5 billion in 2018. Exports to the EU increased by 3.9 percent to USD 2.1 billion. Exports to Germany were able to recover a plus of 12.8 percent.

It is not yet certain that Sri Lanka will be able to make up for the losses of the past. In the meantime, countries such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, which have already enjoyed tariff concessions in foreign trade with the EU for the entire current decade, have passed by the island state. Bangladesh in particular, recorded a strong increase in its clothing and textile exports compared with Sri Lanka..

Sri Lanka textile and clothing exports 2018 (HS codes 61, 62, 63)
Country In USD million 1)
China 172.4
Vietnam 36.0
Bangladesh 32.9
India 20.9
Indonesia 2) 14.0

1) Estimation; 2) Forecast
Sources: Press Releases; Calculations Germany Trade & Invest, February 2019

Sri Lanka focuses on higher quality products
Numerous domestic textile producers are switching to the production of higher-quality garments in order to maintain their competitiveness. "In Sri Lanka, the focus is not on mass but rather on higher quality products," confirmed M. Raghuram, Chief Executive Officer of Brandix, one of the country's largest clothing companies, in an interview with GTAI. The island state concentrates on the production of just a few product categories such as underwear, sportswear or lounge wear..

Sri Lanka has become a location for the manufacture of high-quality garments. This is also confirmed by the World Bank. In its 2016 study "Stitches to Riches" (website), it found that Sri Lanka outperformed its competitors India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in terms of quality, delivery times, reliability and sustainable social responsibility.

Sri Lanka serves fastidious international companies such as Victoria Secrets, GAP, Nike or Marks and Spencer. According to expert estimates, the production of the top 10 Sri Lankan textile and clothing companies accounts for around 85 percent of the industry's total exports.

The ambitious goal is to increase the garment industry's export revenues to USD 8 billion by 2025, which will require an annual growth of 6 percent. For this Sri Lanka must improve capacity, technology and resource problems. "It is becoming more and more difficult to find suitable personnel. For many young people working in the garment and textile industry in Sri Lanka is simply unattractive”, Nilanthi Sivapragasam, Chief Financial Officer of the conglomerate Aitkence Spence, told GTAI. The training of the workforce is also a major challenge. "Training new employees is very time-consuming and labor-intensive," confirms Sivapragasam.

Imports of German machinery decline
In addition, Sri Lanka's textile companies must modernize their machinery and expand their capacities in order to further increase productivity and added value. Accordingly, there is a great demand for technically sophisticated textile machines in the country. This offers good opportunities and chances for machine suppliers. According to experts, the demand for textile printing and dyeing machines, stenter frames and finishing technology will develop particularly dynamically in the future.
 
In Sri Lanka itself only relatively simple machines are being produced. High-end technology is mainly imported. China is the most important supplier of textile machinery, accounting for about one third of all imports. India has also been able to significantly increase its machine exports to Sri Lanka in recent years. In 2017, India achieved exports of USD 6.3 million, an increase of 46.7 percent, compared with exports of USD 2.6 million in 2010.

German machine exports suffered enormous losses. Sri Lanka's imports of textile machinery from Germany amounted to USD 16.5 million in 2017, a decrease of 54.2 percent. Over the past years, Germany has lost share of its deliveries. According to industry experts, this trend will continue: Made in Germany stands for quality and continues to be very popular in Sri Lanka; however, German machine manufacturers are often unable to keep up with the low-cost products from China or India.

Sri Lanka's imports of textile and clothing machinery
(SITC 724; USD million) 
Country 2016 2017 Change
China 56.3 51.8 -8.0
Japan 26.6 18.3 -31.1
Germany 36.0 16.5 -54.2
Singapore 13.6 14.5 -6.8
India 4.3 6.3 46.7
Total 192.8 155.3 -19.5

Source: UN Comtrade, March 2019

Contact addresses
Title Internet address Remark
Germany Trade & Invest http://www.gtai.de/srilanka Foreign trade information for the German export industry
AHK Sri Lanka http://www.srilanka.ahk.de Contact point for German companies
Sri Lanka Export Development Board http://www.srilankabusiness.com/edb State organization responsible for the development and promotion of exports in Sri Lanka. 

 

More information:
Sri Lanka
Source:

Heena Nazir, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

Photo: Goshadron auf Pixabay
12.03.2019

RUSSIAN ONLINE RETAILERS ARE FOUNDING LOCAL AMAZONS

  • E-Commerce Market continues to grow rapidly

Russia's online retailers are entering into strategic alliances. The market is maturing and consolidating. German suppliers must prepare themselves for tougher competition.
Russia's online trade continues to record strong growth rates. In 2018, sales increased by 19 percent year-on-year to around Rubel 1.2 billion (EUR 15.5 billion; 1 EUR = 74.04
Rubles, annual average exchange rate 2018). This corresponded to about 290 million orders, according to Data Insight's analysis. By the end of 2023, the investment bank Morgan Stanley expects annual growth of 25 percent to Rubles 3.5 billion. In 2018, the cross-border Internet trade increased by 29 percent to the equivalent of EUR 4.7 billion.

  • E-Commerce Market continues to grow rapidly

Russia's online retailers are entering into strategic alliances. The market is maturing and consolidating. German suppliers must prepare themselves for tougher competition.
Russia's online trade continues to record strong growth rates. In 2018, sales increased by 19 percent year-on-year to around Rubel 1.2 billion (EUR 15.5 billion; 1 EUR = 74.04
Rubles, annual average exchange rate 2018). This corresponded to about 290 million orders, according to Data Insight's analysis. By the end of 2023, the investment bank Morgan Stanley expects annual growth of 25 percent to Rubles 3.5 billion. In 2018, the cross-border Internet trade increased by 29 percent to the equivalent of EUR 4.7 billion.

Development of the Russian online trade
  2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Sales (Bn. Rubel) 1) 560 650 805 965 1.150
Change (in %) 2) 34.9 16.1 23.0 20.0 19.0


1) Physical goods only; excluding cross-border trade, deliveries of ready meals, tickets for transport and events, coupons, consumer-to-consumer and multi-level marketing;
2) Nominal year-on-year; variance due to rounding.
Sources: Market research institute Data Insight; Association of Online Retailers (NAMO)

The share of e-commerce in retail sales is currently still around 5 percent. With the "Strategy for the Development of Online Trade by 2025", the government wants to increase this up to 20 percent. The conditions for further growth are good, as Russian consumers are Internet-savvy and open to technical innovations. Already 76 percent of all Russians have an Internet connection. According to the national "Digital Economy" project, broadband Internet penetration is expected to reach 97 percent by 2024.
 
Growth potential far from exhausted
Russia's online retailers are following this trend by modernizing their websites and are investing in goods logistics. Electronic marketplaces are becoming increasingly popular. This is because they offer smaller Internet retailers in particular the opportunity to assert themselves against the market leaders.
In the Forbes ranking of the 20 most valuable Internet companies in Russia, online retailers Wildberries and Ozon rank fourth and fifth respectively. The Russian fashion mail order company Lamoda - a foundation of the German Rocket Internet - is in ninth place.     
The Otto Group realigned its business model in Russia in 2018 and removed its subsidiaries Quelle and Otto from the market. The Hamburg-based group relies on the online brands Bonprix and Witt as well as on the eSolutions platform, which offers B2B services in the areas of marketing, sales, logistics and IT.

Leading online retailers in Russia
Company Productportfolio Sales 2017 (Bn. Rubel) Change 2017/2016 (in %) Number of orders (in Mio.)
Wildberries Clothing, Shoes,
Accessoires
63.8 40.0 39.8
Citilink Goods of all kind 55.2 35.0 5.2
DNS-Shop / Technopoint Entertainment electronics,
Household appliances
38.9 61.0 5.8
M.Video Entertainment electronics,
Household appliances
36.7 41.0 3.6
Eldorado Entertainment electronics,
Household appliances
23.7 2.0 4.3
Lamoda Clothing, Shoes,
Accessoires
23.6 6.0 4.0
Ozon Goods of all kind 23.4 44.0 8.6
Ulmart Goods of all kind 23.1 -37.0 5.9
Bonprix Clothing, Accessoires 16.5 10.0 4.0
Svyaznoy Entertainment electronics,
Household appliances
15.7 35.0 1.5

Source: Data Insight (http://datainsight.ru/top100/)

Russia gets two "local Amazons" at once 
Russian online trading is already firmly in the hands of a few large players who are continuing to expand their market presence. The market leader Wildberries added electronics and household appliances to its range in 2018. AFK Sistema Holding of the oligarch Yevgeny Yevtushenkov has increased its stake in the online retailer Ozon and is investing in the construction of new logistics centers In addition, Ozon started selling medicines, jewellery and ready meals.  

In April 2018, the Russian technology group Yandex and Sberbank agreed to establish the Beru and Bringly online marketplaces. The aim is to further develop the Yandex.Market platform into a "Russian Amazon". Russia's largest bank brings in the customer data of 100 million account holders.
Beru and Bringly's range mainly includes high-priced goods such as electronics, clothing, shoes and cosmetics. Bringly cooperates with the British cosmetics chain Feelunique, among others. In September 2018, Yandex.Market also concluded a cooperation agreement with Hepsiburada, Turkey's largest online marketplace. 

Alibaba expands its market presence in Russia
In September 2018, the next major merger in Russian online trading was announced: The Mail.ru Group and Megafon (part of the company empire of the oligarch Alisher Usmanow), the Russian Fund for Direct Investments and the Chinese technology group Alibaba intend to establish a joint online marketplace by the end of the first quarter of 2019. Alibaba intends to expand its presence on the Russian market.
The Mail.ru Group provides access to the data records of around 100 million users - an enormous new customer potential for the Chinese online giant. On March 5th  2019, AliExpress, the Russian subsidiary of Alibaba, also launched a platform for the sale of passenger cars of the Chinese brand Chery.

Duty-free limit continues to fall
Two thirds of Russian online buyers also order goods from foreign traders. 90 percent of the deliveries come from China. If the price and weight of the product are within the exemption limits, no sales tax is payable. On 1 January 2019, the exemption limit for cross-border online trading was halved to EUR 500 and the weight limit was lowered from 31 to 25 kilograms. From January 1st   2020, the tax-free allowance will fall to EUR 200.  However, this measure is unlikely to generate any additional revenue for the Russian State. In 86 percent of cross-border online purchases, the maximum value of goods is at about USD 22.

Above all, capacity bottlenecks in the delivery of online orders are currently putting the brakes on sector. VTB-Bank is therefore investing around EUR 410 million in the construction of 40 logistics and distribution centers for the Russian Post Office (Potschta Rossii) by 2021. The state-owned company intends to profit from the growth in the online commerce and increase its revenue from parcel services for e-commerce to Rubel 122 billion by 2023. Since September 2018, the Russian Post has been distributing deliveries from China via hubs in Siberia and the Far East.
The logistics service provider DPD has been working with the Avito advertising portal since October 2018. In future Its customers will be able to collect their parcels at around 1,500 DPD stations. Since June 2018 DHL and eBay have been working together on logistics services in Russia.

The development of B2B platforms is becoming increasingly important in Russia's online trade. The potential is huge: the Russian B2B online market amounts to around USD 20 billion - and the trend is rising. Pioneers such as Sewerstal, Alrosa or Technonikol already rely on B2B platforms to sell directly to their end customers. In 2018, the Chinese Fosun Group acquired around 20 percent of the shares in the B2B platform Prod.Center, on which agricultural products are traded.

More information:
Russia E-Commerce
Source:

Hans-Jürgen Wittmann, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

© Reed Exhibitions/David Faber © Reed Exhibitions/David Faber
05.02.2019

LIVING & INTERIORS 2019: LIVING AS AN EXPRESSION OF PERSONALITY

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.

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.

ISPO Beijing (c) Messe München GmbH
29.01.2019

ISPO Beijing CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL ANNIVERSARY

More than 400 exhibitors representing 682 brands and approximately 30,000 trade visitors and key opinion leaders (KOLs) took part in ISPO Beijing and Alpitec China held at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC) from January 16 to 19, 2019. This year, the most important sports trade fair in the Asia-Pacific region was jam-packed with numerous forums, trends and innovative products and services relating to winter sports, outdoors, health & fitness, and manufacturing & suppliers. Soccer also featured for the first time.

More than 400 exhibitors representing 682 brands and approximately 30,000 trade visitors and key opinion leaders (KOLs) took part in ISPO Beijing and Alpitec China held at the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC) from January 16 to 19, 2019. This year, the most important sports trade fair in the Asia-Pacific region was jam-packed with numerous forums, trends and innovative products and services relating to winter sports, outdoors, health & fitness, and manufacturing & suppliers. Soccer also featured for the first time.

“The Chinese have discovered a passion for soccer and their enthusiasm for it continues to grow. European clubs and leagues in particular are a huge source of inspiration for the emerging Chinese soccer market. ISPO Beijing has found a strong new partner in Bundesliga International for continuing to drive the soccer boom in Asia over the next few years,” says a delighted Elena Jasper, Exhibition Director ISPO Beijing. The specially created Football Activation Area played host to seven German first-league teams, namely Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart and VfL Wolfsburg. They challenged visitors to take part in various activities such as Speed Goal and Goal Wall Shooting and created a thrilling soccer atmosphere for them. The program also featured the Football Forum, which was held on the opening day of the trade fair. High-profile speakers from the clubs set out their strategies for activating the market in China and presented concepts for promoting and encouraging fresh young talents as well as ideas on brand positioning.

Winter sports continue to be popular thanks to Olympics
Winter sports have proven to be hugely popular for several years now, especially in view of the upcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. As well-known brands and exhibitors in this segment, Burton and Oakley made a welcome return to ISPO Beijing. The Market Introduction Program, designed for brands keen to penetrate the Chinese market, also focused on this area. As part of the two-day seminar program, representatives of 10 brands from across Europe, Asia and the U.S. gained a solid understanding of the specific ins and outs of the Chinese market thanks to industry experts in distribution, online and offline retail and commercial law, and made preliminary contacts.

The Asia Pacific Snow Conference was held for the 11th time in collaboration with the longstanding partner event Alpitec China, the leading trade show for mountain and winter technologies. Representatives from the technology, sports and tourism industries discussed advances being made with China’s ski resorts as well as models and measures for developing, maintaining and expanding them.

Ski Resort Tour participants were given an insight into the infrastructure of the winter sports resorts and treated to a taste of what to expect from the Olympics. Three 2022 Winter Olympics training venues and sites were on the itinerary, namely the Shougang Olympic Park, Wanlong Ski Resort and Genting Ski Resort Secret Garden. “China’s professionalism in preparing for the major sporting event is very impressive. Sports venues are being designed and built in line with the very latest standards. The Olympics will be just the start of China’s development as a winter sports nation,” says Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München.

Valuable knowledge transfer throughout all segments
An extensive supporting program was also provided for the other trade fair segments. The Sports Industry Forum focused on the topic of new investment opportunities for the sports business in China, including with regard to digitalization. Sport injuries and rehabilitation options were the main focal points of the Health & Fitness Forum. The China Climbing Report was published as part of the China Rock Summit. In the ISPO Textrends Area, international consultant for textile trends, Louisa Smith, presented the textile trends relating to materials, fibers, cuts and accessories set to take the industry by storm in the next few years. At the ISPO Award Exhibition and the ISPO Startup Village, visitors gained an overview of the most important innovative products and latest ideas to be devised by young entrepreneurs.

Creation of an advisory committee for ISPO Beijing
An international advisory committee has been set up in order to further develop and bring ISPO Beijing even more in line with the needs of the market, exhibitors and trade visitors. Representatives of exhibitors’ interests, industry representatives and partners met for the first time ever on the eve of this year’s event in order to discuss the strategic direction of the trade fair. The consensus amongst all participants was that the current format of ISPO Beijing represents a solid base with plenty of potential. New segments such as Sports Fashion and Travel should be added to the event in the future and the target group of key opinion leaders (KOLs) should be further expanded. Exchanging experience with Europe is the primary focus of interest.

The next ISPO Beijing will be held from February 12 to 15, 2020 at its new location, the China International Exhibition Center (CIEC).

For more information on ISPO Beijing, please visit https://www.ispo.com/en/beijing

(c) Deutsche Messe AG
22.01.2019

DOMOTEX 2019 - A TRADE FAIR TO CONNECT THE CONTINENTS

  • Final Release

The latest edition of DOMOTEX – the world’s leading showcase for carpets and floor coverings (January 11 to 14) – has underscored its reputation as the sector’s biggest and most important hub for business, innovations and trends. Over 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations came to Hannover to kick off a successful new year of business. With close to 90 percent of all attendees having decision-making authority, the caliber of the show’s visitors remained extremely high – a fact confirmed by exhibitors. Due to growing market concentration, DOMOTEX recorded a slight dip in attendance. According to the exhibition survey, the order situation of exhibitors remained constant, while the purchasing volume per visitor went up. About 70 percent of all DOMOTEX attendees once again came from abroad – a clear sign of the flagship fair’s international appeal.

  • Final Release

The latest edition of DOMOTEX – the world’s leading showcase for carpets and floor coverings (January 11 to 14) – has underscored its reputation as the sector’s biggest and most important hub for business, innovations and trends. Over 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 nations came to Hannover to kick off a successful new year of business. With close to 90 percent of all attendees having decision-making authority, the caliber of the show’s visitors remained extremely high – a fact confirmed by exhibitors. Due to growing market concentration, DOMOTEX recorded a slight dip in attendance. According to the exhibition survey, the order situation of exhibitors remained constant, while the purchasing volume per visitor went up. About 70 percent of all DOMOTEX attendees once again came from abroad – a clear sign of the flagship fair’s international appeal. In terms of visitor backgrounds, attendance was notably up on the part of wholesale and retail professionals. The figures also revealed an increase in attendance by architects, interior designers and contract business professionals. In addition, DOMOTEX 2019 saw an increase in the amount of display space sold.

“Thanks to its strong international drawing power, DOMOTEX serves as the sector’s definitive global marketplace. The positive and optimistic outlook on the 2019 business year that was tangible in the trade fair halls proves the success of this year’s exhibition,” said Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Managing Board member in charge of DOMOTEX at Deutsche Messe.

“Manufacturers and customers as well as partners, architects and designers from all over the world come together to network at DOMOTEX, spawning new business relationships and collaborative opportunities previously not deemed possible,” remarked Sonia Wedell-Castellano, the new global director for DOMOTEX, adding: “That’s what this year’s theme of Create’N’Connect is all about.”

Upbeat mood among exhibitors
Fabian Kölliker, Head of Marketing at the Swiss Krono Group, voiced early praise for the professional nature of the event: “We are very satisfied with the number, quality and internationality of attendees. Even after day two of the fair, we are already extremely happy with our success so far.”

The Balta Group has remained faithful to DOMOTEX since the origin of the fair. As Marketing Director Geert Vanden Bossche reports: “The rug business is a global business and this is the best place to connect with people and customers from around the world. In only four days we can meet with a lot of customers, giving a good return on our investments.”

For Myriam Ragolle, Managing Director of Ragolle Rugs, DOMOTEX represents the ideal opportunity to present the new products to a worldwide audience within just a four-day period: “It is impossible to achieve that by traveling. We can also make contacts with new customers from all over the world. This makes DOMOTEX unique.”

Exhibitors from the skilled trades also expressed keen satisfaction with the run of the show: “Here at DOMOTEX 2019, we have once again succeeded in impressing a trade audience from Germany and abroad,” said Julian Utz, CEO of Uzin Utz, adding: “The show’s international focus gives us access to exactly the right potential customers.” As he pointed out, Uzin Utz is strongly focused on Asian and Arab-speaking markets. “So the strong turnout by customers from these regions is a real boon for us.”

The benefits of attending DOMOTEX
Susanne Gerken, a Color & Trim designer at Volkswagen, came to DOMOTEX 2019 to catch the latest trends and check out innovative materials. As she pointed out, color trends and issues such as sustainability, recycling and new material lifecycles are all equally applicable to the automotive industry, and her takeaway was much more than just new impressions: “At DOMOTEX I picked up several ideas I can use to great advantage in my work.”

In contrast, business matters were the prime objective for Alex Hosseinnia, CEO of Dallas Rugs in Dallas, Colorado: “My line of work is all about buying and selling,” he said, adding that what he liked about DOMOTEX was the way it made it easy for him to meet up with suppliers, and that it was an ideal place to discover the latest trends and fashions, for example colors and patterns, that were “likely to be showing up in U.S. retail channels in the course of the next year or two.”

“CREATE’N’CONNECT” at DOMOTEX 2019
The inspiring “Framing Trends” showcase in Hall 9 proved its worth. In its second year, it once again featured impressive displays of innovative products by manufacturers, artists, designers and students. International architects, designers, planners and influencers were particularly appreciative of “Framing Trends” as the beating heart of the event. The new showcase has proven to be highly effective at bringing visitors together and spawning lively interaction and business dialogue.

Under the motto of “Gaining Ground”, the “Treffpunkt Handwerk” skilled trades hub in Hall 13 proved popular among interior designers, parquet and floor layers, painters and varnishers. The hands-on demo area gave flooring experts an opportunity to see innovative floor treatment and finishing tools and machinery in action while comparing notes with fellow professionals.

Digital tools for sales and marketing in the floor covering industry
A key topic at the event involved solutions for the digital presentation of carpets and floor coverings. The new digital solutions ran the gamut of VR and AR applications, including visualization aids for every aspect of the marketing mix, plus innovative software which makes it easy for customers to discover and choose their favorite designs and collections while providing retailers with new options for digital product presentation and sales.

 

Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Jens Liebchen (c) Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Jens Liebchen
08.01.2019

SLEEP! THE FUTURE FORUM

  • HEIMTEXTIL IS ALREADY SHOWING TODAY HOW WE CAN SLEEP BETTER TOMORROW

According to doctors specialising in sleep, we already know almost everything there is to know about sleep. However, studies show that the quality of this regeneration process is deteriorating all the time. How can we prevent this from happening? The upcoming Heimtextil (8-11 January, Frankfurt am Main) will supply solutions to this with the new ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’. Here, international experts will present the latest findings and textile innovations for a restful night. The world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles brings together around 800 producers of textiles in the bed segment. Of these, 140 international industry leaders will be represented in the ‘Smart Bedding’ segment alone in hall 11.0, which will be presenting the latest sleep systems, mattresses, bedding and smart sleep technology. In addition, the new ‘Sleep!

  • HEIMTEXTIL IS ALREADY SHOWING TODAY HOW WE CAN SLEEP BETTER TOMORROW

According to doctors specialising in sleep, we already know almost everything there is to know about sleep. However, studies show that the quality of this regeneration process is deteriorating all the time. How can we prevent this from happening? The upcoming Heimtextil (8-11 January, Frankfurt am Main) will supply solutions to this with the new ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’. Here, international experts will present the latest findings and textile innovations for a restful night. The world’s leading trade fair for home and contract textiles brings together around 800 producers of textiles in the bed segment. Of these, 140 international industry leaders will be represented in the ‘Smart Bedding’ segment alone in hall 11.0, which will be presenting the latest sleep systems, mattresses, bedding and smart sleep technology. In addition, the new ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’ in the foyer of hall 11.0 will provide a platform for knowledge transfer, exchange of experiences and networking relating to a good night’s sleep. International experts will provide an overview of the current state of research and the latest findings on the ‘Future of sleep’ in the four subject areas of digital, sport, hotels and sustainability.

‘We sleep too little’
It is not without reason that many experts are declaring sleep to be the latest lifestyle trend after nutrition and fitness: numerous current studies prove that we are sleeping ever more badly despite increasing knowledge. ‘You don’t always notice sleep deprivation straightaway but you do become less attentive’, says Prof. Ingo Fietze, Head of the Interdisciplinary Sleep Medicine Centre at the Berliner Charité and chair of the German Sleep Foundation. At ‘Sleep! The Future Forum’, Fietze will talk about ‘The power engine of sleep’. ‘From a scientific point of view, we already know a great deal about our night’s sleep. The big problem is that we don’t sleep enough and don’t give sleep the importance it deserves’, says Fietze.

In order to improve our night’s sleep, there are now a number of smart gadgets available: intelligent pillows, noise-reducing high-tech earplugs and sleep trackers – these are all designed to help banish bad sleeping habits and consolidate healthy ones. Given that consumers can quickly get lost in this maze, the Schlafonauten, who call themselves Germany's biggest YouTube channel on the topic of sleep, are ready to help. ‘We test products that promise a calmer night to see how effective they are’, says Schlafonaut Fabian Dittrich. He will present the latest test results in the knowledge forum as part of an interview (‘Smart innovations – the practical test’).

Sleep like a (sports) professional
Another speaker knows the sleeping habits of professional athletes very well: Nick Littlehales, sleep coach of five-time World Cup footballerCristiano Ronaldo and four-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, will present his findings from his 22 years as a sleep coach for top athletes (‘Redefining Sleep in Elite Sport’). ‘Athletes and professionals in world sports are facing the growing demands of a globalised 24-hour society’, says Littlehales. This is also increasingly true for non-athletes, says Littlehales, who is certain that his sleep tips for professionals will also be useful for normal mortals.

The night's rest as an experience
Sleeperoo founder Karen Löhnert will show that you can sleep comfortably in the most unusual places during her lecture ‘Sleeperoo - The Night, The Place and You’ at the ‘Sleep!’ forum. She will be introducing the world’s first ‘Design Sleep Cube’. The sleeping capsule known from the start-up TV show ‘Höhle des Löwen’ is currently nominated for the German Innovation Award 2019. It allows the user to spend the night in exotic places such as a museum, a bunker or a pier in the Baltic Sea. ‘I'm a big fan of adventure nights, from tree houses to tepees; but unfortunately I've only been able to find a few local accommodation offers of this type and they don't come with quality guarantees’, says Löhnert. With her sleep cube, she wants to make sleep experiences with a high standard of amenities possible for the first time. In the Sleep Cube, the user lies on a comfortable 1.60 metre wide and 2 metre long mattress, while three large panoramic windows and the roof provide a view of the surroundings and the sky.

Even classic hotel stays have now become a focus of research. Vanessa Borkmann from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO will talk about the importance of sleep in hotels in Frankfurt am Main in January (‘The importance of sleep during a hotel stay – a special experience thanks to innovation’). ‘Healthy sleep is particularly important in hotels’, says Borkmann, who wants to show how the effect of rest in the hotel bed can be improved, for example through the design of the sleeping environment, the behaviour of the guest themselves or technical innovations.

Sustainable sleep
More and more people are using natural materials and sustainably produced textiles in their bedrooms. The lecture block ‘Sleep & Sustainability’ is therefore dedicated to the material properties of textiles and the quality of their processing as well as the auditability of sustainable procurement and production standards. This is how Hendrik Albers, buyer of home and household textiles, bedding & mattresses at OTTO, and Dr Juliane Hedderich, managing director of the Down and Feather Associations in Mainz, describe the growing importance of nature conservation, environmental protection and animal welfare in the bedroom (‘Sustainable good advice - Convincing with the right arguments when it comes to animal welfare and quality’). ‘In the past, criteria such as weight, moisture wicking and filling power has played an almost exclusive role in the choice of bedding, but now the ethical component is increasingly coming into play’, says Hedderich. Consumers are placing ever greater importance on certificates and seals which prove that the processed down and feathers did not originate from live plucking or foie gras production. Hedderich and OTTO buyer Albers present the quality seal ‘DOWNPASS 2017’, which guarantees controlled animal husbandry and adherence to animal protection criteria.

PIXABAY
04.12.2018

CLOTHING INDUSTRY IN CAMBODIA WITH UNCERTAIN OUTLOOK

  • 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.

  • 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.

More information:
cambodja Asien GTAI
Source:

Michael Sauermost, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

13.11.2018

TUNISIA'S TEXTILE SECTOR RECOVERS

German suppliers can benefit from production expansions
Tunis (GTAI) - After difficult years, Tunisia's textile sector is recovering. Exports and foreign investment are on the rise again. Production is for export, especially to Europe.

At the end of October 2018, the Swiss auditing group SGS reported its expanded testing capacity for textiles in Tunisia. This was in response to the increased demand from producers producing for the world market in Tunisia. The sector has not been doing well in recent years. Even before the revolution in 2011, competitive pressure from Asian producers had left its mark, especially after the expiry of the multi-fiber agreement in 2005. According to the FTTH (Fédération Tunisienne du textile et de l'habillement), more than 400 companies have left the country since 2011 and 40,000 jobs have been lost.

German suppliers can benefit from production expansions
Tunis (GTAI) - After difficult years, Tunisia's textile sector is recovering. Exports and foreign investment are on the rise again. Production is for export, especially to Europe.

At the end of October 2018, the Swiss auditing group SGS reported its expanded testing capacity for textiles in Tunisia. This was in response to the increased demand from producers producing for the world market in Tunisia. The sector has not been doing well in recent years. Even before the revolution in 2011, competitive pressure from Asian producers had left its mark, especially after the expiry of the multi-fiber agreement in 2005. According to the FTTH (Fédération Tunisienne du textile et de l'habillement), more than 400 companies have left the country since 2011 and 40,000 jobs have been lost.

Now positive news are coming: In 2018, for example, the German Gonser Group opened its fifth production facility in Tunisia. In total, foreign direct investments in the first six months of 2018 amounted to Tunisian Dinar (tD) 24.9 million (approx. EUR 7.5 million), 1 tD = approx. EUR 0.301as of 11. 07.), more than twice as high as in the corresponding period of the previous year. The fact, that the number of new created jobs as a result has risen much less, can be seen as confirmation of the structural change: Away from simple mass production to higher-value production.

A high level of employee training is also decisive for this. The Sartex company shows how this can be ensured. In 2014, the Tunisian company opened a training center, in which some 500 Tunisians have already been trained and most of them were hired by Sartex. The company was supported by the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Centre d'Orientation et de Reconversion Professionnelle (CORP) of the AHK Tunisia.

During the visit of Federal Development Minister Müller in October 2018, an agreement was signed on the establishment of a training center in EL Alia in the Bizerte governorate. Among others the German company van Laack is producing in the region. A total of 180,000 Tunisians now work in the textile sector, which accounts with that for about 40 percent of industrial jobs.

Wage increases in two steps
More than one year after its foundation, FTTH has established itself as the interest representative of textile companies. In 2017 the company split from the employers' association UTICA (Union Tunisians de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat), not least because the envisaged general wage increases for the company's own industrial sector were considered unworkable. But meanwhile, common ground and cooperation have been emphasized again, or FTTH describes itself as part of UTICA, with a high degree of autonomy.

An agreement has now also been reached with the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT). This provides for wage increases of 6.5 percent as of 1 January 2019 and 2020 respectively. This wage increases are thus likely to be lower than the inflation, provided that the forecasts for the inflation rate of around 7.5 percent for the current year 2018 will be that way. Currently, the minimum wage in Tunisia's textile and clothing industry for unskilled job starters is around EUR 129 (as of 07-11-2018) per 48-hour week.

Of the more than 1,600 textile companies, over 1,400 are producing exclusively for export. The target markets are clearly in Europe. More than 60 percent of exports went to France and Italy in 2016, with Germany in third place with about 11 percent. As the largest non-European customer, the USA was ranked ninth with less than one per cent. By joining the Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa (COMESA), Tunisia aims to develop new markets. According to the Ministry of Commerce, bilateral talks are underway with several African countries to provide duty-free market access for Tunisian textiles.

Are Chinese investors discovering Tunisia as a location?
In addition to the relations with the African continent, relations with China could also change in the medium term. At the China-Africa Cooperation Forum held in Beijing in September 2018, Chinese textile companies expressed their interest in Tunisia as a production location. As wages have increased in China in the meantime, a relocation of production to certain sectors of the textile industry could prove useful for the European market.

Exports already increased in 2017. The trend seems to continue in 2018. In 2016 exports were USD 2.9 billion, in 2017 USD 3 billion (a significant increase due to the Dinar's decline in exchange rates (7 billion tD against tD 8.4 billion). According to the first announcements, exports to Europe in the first months of 2018 are expected to have increased again by 3.5 percent compared to 2017. Improving transport and customs clearance should be important for the further development of the textile sector. Especially the companies producing purely for export express this again and again. The textile sector in particular is dependent on short delivery times.

Meanwhile, FTTH is also working to improve the competitive position of Tunisian textile companies on their home market. This applies, for example, to the imports of used clothing for which stricter controls are being desired.

Tunisian imports of machinery, apparatus and equipment for the textile and leather industries and parts thereof (SITC 724; in USD million)
Origin 2015 2016 2017
Total 68.8 67.0 67.3
Italy 15.8 13.7 17.9
China 20.5 12.4 10.6
France   6.5   4.0   7.4
Germany   5.0   6.3   7.2

Note: Thailand was the third largest supplier in 2016, but fell behind in 2017. The table shows the four most important suppliers in 2017
Source: UN Comtrade

In addition to production expansions by German companies, German suppliers could also benefit if the recovery and, above all, structural changes will continue. While total imports of textile and leather machinery fell slightly from around USD 70 million to USD 67 million between 2015 and 2017, German deliveries increased from USD 5 million to USD 7.2 million. (JPS)

Further information on the Chinese commitment in Tunisia can be found online (German only): Link

 

More information:
Tunesia GTAI
Source:

Peter Schmitz, Germany Trade & Invest www.gtai.de

06.11.2018

CHINESE ENGAGEMENT IN EAST AFRICA UNDERGOING CHANGE

Cooperation and local production the new trend

Cooperation and local production the new trend

Nairobi (GTAI) - China dominates infrastructure projects and the construction industry in East Africa. But now the Kingdom of the Middle is also intensifying its commitment in trade and industry.

The Chinese advance in East Africa is breathtakingly fast, focused, efficient and highly successful. The approach is simple: one makes a business proposal that meets the wishes of the decision-makers, brings everything with you, including financing, and the project will be brought out with Confucian efficiency.

Because the customer is satisfied, follow-up orders are being placed. And the more orders there are, the more Chinese activities are there that no longer have anything to do with the original project: Trade, housing construction and business start-ups. And the more the debt with Chinese financiers rises, the more their interest grows in ensuring that the debt can be serviced.

China is fast - on its terms
In Kenya, the Chinese breakthrough came with the comparatively short road from Nairobi to Thika. The international donor community was willing to finance a road construction project, but only at the usual terms, such as regular feasibility studies and tenders, but at favorable interest rates. During the term of office of the former acting President at the time, all this would not have been completed.

Meanwhile, the Chinese made a different offer: shortest construction time and commercial credit with free hand and political backing. Residence permits were issued in an urgent procedure, and work had already begun before necessary expropriations had been completed. Everything was brought along, even truck drivers and food. Deliveries were made on time for the end of the President's term of office.

If customers are satisfied, there are follow-up orders. For example, a new railway - the favorite project of the current Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta - is also being built, financed and operated by the Chinese. The usual donors, such as the World Bank, had previously declined because the project was unlikely to pay off economically. Thanks to Chinese commitment, the first route from Mombasa to Nairobi was completed in time for the presidential election campaign and could be marketed as a political success. The fact that, in the opinion of critics, that the section was three times as expensive as necessary, was not contested by the voters.

Chinese appearance in the ripening process
Chinese companies had learned a lot from the first road project: They now know what the Kenyan business world and industry can and can't do, what they need, how they tick, how to do business in Kenya and how to deal with bureaucracy and widespread corruption, what cartels and monopolies one has to fear and how to deal with them if necessary.

Thanks to this knowledge and preferential treatment in work permits, Chinese construction and trading companies were able to gain a foothold within a very short space of time. And the more Kenyan government orders go to Chinese companies and the more Chinese traders gain a foothold in Kenya, the more Chinese goods flood the country.

But not only that: Chinese companies have been founded to manufacture locally. In addition, hordes of Kenyan workers are employed or Kenyan goods are being purchased if they are cheaper and/or better, or, logistically speaking, can they be procured more quickly. Kenyan companies and workers have also learned what is important to the Chinese partners - a learning and maturing process on both sides. Some Chinese people have married local and want to stay.

State acquisition perfected
Meanwhile, Chinese companies have virtually "perfected" their government procurement, reports the leading Kenyan daily newspaper "The Nation" with a sarcastic undertone: Chinese acquirers use an English first name that can be remembered and pronounced and, accompanied by a politically well-connected "fixer", visit together a cabinet secretary or the head of a semi-state company and make a proposal for a major infrastructure project combined with the promise to provide the financing.

A "Memorandum of Understanding" is then signed very quickly, followed by a commercial contract with the responsible ministry. Then only the Ministry of Finance has to sign the loan agreement and the deal is perfect. Parliament, budget controllers and the state auditor are excluded. The fact that high commissions and so-called kickbacks (bribes) are being paid in these transactions is in the nature of things.

German companies that participate in Chinese projects may be familiar with this background and are therefore usually very cautious. In other words: German-Chinese business relations in East Africa are reluctantly hanged on the big bell, because the German reputation could suffer. The German-Chinese business relationships that have nevertheless become known are quite different but show a range of possibilities.

Professional cooperation without ideology
On the one hand, there are German companies which are based in China, either independently, as joint ventures or in the form of cooperation. Such companies are considered "Chinese" because they know the rules of the game, the correspondence can be conducted in Chinese and the bank account exists in China. Then there are other German companies with whom one has already worked successfully together in Germany or elsewhere in the world - so why not again? And there are German companies that have a lot of experience in Africa and are well networked, such as consulting firms that can take over construction supervision. It is often the Kenyan client who demands a neutral and professional watchdog.

Many German products are appreciated by the Chinese. If a German company in Kenya is successful with construction chemicals, a Chinese company will also like to come back on them. And if a German construction machine has the desired specifications, it is also being bought by Chinese people in Kenya.

Chinese companies are first and foremost concerned with business and not ideology. German products and services have a good reputation worldwide, even among Chinese people. If China did not used them for its first projects in East Africa, it was because of a lack of knowledge of what is locally available and what is not. In the meantime, this has changed dramatically. And like everywhere in business life, contacts count and they need time to be established.

Chinese are the new Indians
It can already be foreseen that the driving force behind new industrial projects in Kenya will no longer come from entrepreneurs of Indian origin, but from Chinese ones. Once planned Chinese-built industrial parks are completed, there will be a wave of Chinese investment. If these investors first look at Chinese technology, it is only because they are better acquainted with the Chinese market. Anyone who knows and appreciates German products, on the other hand, will know how to weigh up the commercial advantages and disadvantages. For example, one of the first Chinese industrial projects in Kenya, the building materials supplier China Wu Yi Precast, has primarily installed German technology.

Farthest in Ethiopia
What applies to Kenya also applies to Ethiopia, where the Chinese advance is already much further ahead. There, too, the Chinese have built a railway, much more modern and cheaper than in Kenya. And more importantly, they are building industrial parks throughout the country where international companies can find good conditions for low-wage production. The first textile, clothing and leather factories report successes. Food processing and pharmaceutical companies are coming in a second wave. Of course, there are many Chinese companies in it, but not only. And, of course, German companies have good sales opportunities if they make the appropriate marketing efforts.

In Uganda are Chinese traders who have been mixing up the local market. The great Chinese engagement will only come with the start of the oil production and when the Kenyan railway has reached the Ugandan border. In Tanzania, the Chinese currently have less to report because the incumbent president, who is committed to fighting corruption, wants it that way. Instead of Chinese, he gets his railroad built by Turks. Meanwhile, Djibouti has become so heavily indebted to China that its influence can no longer be stopped.

New tones from Beijing
While the Chinese progress all over East Africa - even without Tanzania - can no longer be stopped, it remains exciting to see to what extent new tones from Beijing will affect China's involvement in East Africa. The Chinese leadership has declared its intention to curb corruption in its own government. If it is serious about this, it will also have to introduce stricter rules in its East Africa business.

And then there is the "socialism with Chinese characteristics" propagated by Chinese President Xi Jinping, with which he wants to make the world happy. So far it has been Western Europe and North America that have aggressively propagated their democracy as a form of government and political ideology in Africa. It seems that Xi Jinping now wants to counter this with Chinese principles. Chinese reforms can also be expected in the areas of environmental protection and sustainability, which at some point will also affect Chinese Africa business.

Investment projects in East African countries with Chinese participation
Country Project Investment mio. USD Status Note
Ethiopia Gas production and export 4,300 Talks Start 2020 Poly Group / GCL China
Ethiopia Industrial park 2,000 – 2,500 Different project statuses Developers primarily Chinese companies
Dschibuti Gas pipeline between Ethiopia and Djibouti 4,000 Talks; start of gas production mid-2019 Poly Group/GCL Petroleum Group Holdings Ltd. (both PR China)
Dschibuti 48 sqkm Chinese Free Zone 340 Under construction; largely completed in 2019 Dalian Port Corp., China Merchants Holdings (both PR China), Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority
Kenya High Grand Falls Dam (Kibuka) 1,500 Contract awarded; start of construction still pending China State Construction Engineering Corporation
Kenya Standard gauge railway Nairobi-Naivasha 1,500 Under construction; anticipated completion: September 2019 China Road and Bridge Corporation
Tanzania Mchuchuma Coal and Liganga Iron Ore Project 3,000 Planning Sichuan Hongda Group of China
Uganda Development of an oil production infrastructure More than 10,000 Development of a master plan Development of a master plan Joint project between Total, Tullow Oil and China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC)
Uganda Uganda Crude Oil Pipeline through Tanzania to Indian Ocean 3,600 Front End Engineering Design (FEED) completed Joint projects of Total, Tullow Oil and CNOOC
Uganda 800 MW Ayago hydropower plant N.A. Letter of intend Desired partner: China

Source: Research by Germany Trade & Invest

The entire study "China in Africa - Perspectives, Strategies and Cooperation Potentials for German Companies" is available free of charge: Print version under order number 21054 (32 pages) at Germany Trade & Invest, Kundencenter, Postfach 140116, 53056 Bonn, Germany, Telephone: 0228/24993-316, e-mail: vertrieb@gtai.de or as PDF document (german only) after short registration at http://www.gtai.de/china-in-afrika.

Source:

Martin Böll, Germany Trade and Invest www.gtai.de

European press conference on 6 September 2018 in Madrid for imm cologne/LivingKitchen 2019 © Koelnmesse GmbH
02.10.2018

FURNITURE INDUSTRY GREW ONLY MARGINALLY BY 1% IN THE FIRST HALF-YEAR

  • 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:

  • 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.

 

More information:
imm cologne Furniture market
Source:

Jan Kurth, Chief Executive of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), at the European press conference on 6 September 2018 in Madrid for imm cologne/LivingKitchen 2019