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(c) Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
08.02.2023

Cinte Techtextil China 2023 set for September

With China easing its pandemic restrictions, foreign exhibitors and buyers can look forward to quarantine-free travel when participating at this year’s industry showcase in Shanghai. The technical textile and nonwovens fair is scheduled to take place from 19 – 21 September 2023 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, amid positive market forecasts for both sectors. The organisers are anticipating a strong showing and the conclusion of an inconsistent period for in-person textile business.

“The industry has demonstrated incredible patience and resilience over the course of the pandemic,” said Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “With both markets growing and China opening its borders, we are excited at the prospect of providing participants with an international, business-friendly platform and expect to welcome a healthy number of exhibitors later this year.”

With China easing its pandemic restrictions, foreign exhibitors and buyers can look forward to quarantine-free travel when participating at this year’s industry showcase in Shanghai. The technical textile and nonwovens fair is scheduled to take place from 19 – 21 September 2023 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, amid positive market forecasts for both sectors. The organisers are anticipating a strong showing and the conclusion of an inconsistent period for in-person textile business.

“The industry has demonstrated incredible patience and resilience over the course of the pandemic,” said Ms Wilmet Shea, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. “With both markets growing and China opening its borders, we are excited at the prospect of providing participants with an international, business-friendly platform and expect to welcome a healthy number of exhibitors later this year.”

The global technical textile and nonwovens markets are both set to perform strongly over the next few years. According to Grand View Research, the technical textile market is forecast to expand at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2022 to 2030[1]. The nonwoven fabrics market is anticipated to display an even stronger CAGR of 5.6% during the same period[2], with Asia-Pacific to maintain its position as the biggest regional market.

As one of Asia’s leading trade fairs for the abovementioned sectors, Cinte Techtextil China is the preferred platform for multiple industry players. Speaking at the previous edition in 2021, Mr Seven Shen, Sales Manager at Libero Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, China, said: “We have been exhibiting at this fair for years, and know we will meet our target customers at every edition. The buyers here are all highly specialised.”

During his interview at the same edition, Mr Eric Ni, Senior Manager, China Supply Chain Marketing for Cotton Council International, USA, commented: “We hope to use this platform to meet more companies and brands in the nonwovens industry who are interested in US cotton, and to meet up with old friends to discuss the current situation and industry trends. The fair’s buyers are quality, and we have found some new potential clients at this edition.”

Many buyers at the previous edition also gave positive appraisals. “As a professional trade fair for technical textile and nonwoven products, Cinte Techtextil China is not only a platform to gather qualified industry players, but also the best place to showcase new products and innovations,” said Mr Lin Bin, Technical Director at Zhejiang Xinna Medical Device Technology Co Ltd, China. “Specific and high quality products enhance sourcing efficiency for buyers, and exposure to new trends and market developments ensures my company visits here regularly.”

The fair’s product categories cover 12 application areas, which comprehensively span a full range of potential uses in modern technical textiles and nonwovens. These categories also cover the entire industry, from upstream technology and raw materials providers to finished fabrics, chemicals and other solutions. This scope of product groups and application areas ensures that the fair is an effective business platform for the entire industry.

[1] “Technical Textile Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report 2022-2030”, 2022, Grand View Research, https://bit.ly/3IAxQIK, (Retrieved: January 2023)
[2] “Nonwoven Fabrics Market Size”, 7 September 2022, GlobeNewswire, https://bit.ly/3CxPE3u, (Retrieved: January 2023)

Source:

Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd

Photo: ACIMIT
13.07.2022

Italian textile machinery sector returning to pre-Covid levels

  • Annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers

  • Digitalization and Sustainability Key to Resiliency for Italian Textile Machinery Sector

The objective critical issues faced by Italy as a whole throughout the course of 2021, primarily dictated by a pandemic that upset any and all pre-existing equilibriums, have not slowed or halted the Italian textile machinery sector.

Indeed, data presented during the annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, held on 1 July proved decidedly positive, showing that in 2021 the sector recovered significantly compared to 2020, to the point of returning to pre-Covid levels.

Specifically, Italian textile machinery production amounted to 2.388 billion euros (+35% over 2020 and + 5% over 2019), with total exports amounting to 2.031 billion euros (+37% over 2020 and +9% over 2019).

  • Annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers

  • Digitalization and Sustainability Key to Resiliency for Italian Textile Machinery Sector

The objective critical issues faced by Italy as a whole throughout the course of 2021, primarily dictated by a pandemic that upset any and all pre-existing equilibriums, have not slowed or halted the Italian textile machinery sector.

Indeed, data presented during the annual assembly of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, held on 1 July proved decidedly positive, showing that in 2021 the sector recovered significantly compared to 2020, to the point of returning to pre-Covid levels.

Specifically, Italian textile machinery production amounted to 2.388 billion euros (+35% over 2020 and + 5% over 2019), with total exports amounting to 2.031 billion euros (+37% over 2020 and +9% over 2019).

However, these results do not cancel the obstacles that companies are still facing. Looking to the near future, expectations are for a rather uncertain outlook, as underscored by ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi: “2022 remains a year replete with unknown factors, starting with the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, along with the persistence of the pandemic, which seriously risk delaying expected growth consolidation for businesses in the sector. Difficulties in finding raw materials and components negatively affect the completion and fulfilment of orders processed as far back as 2021. To boot, rising energy costs and inflationary trends affecting numerous commodities are depressing overall business confidence. So the outlook for the sector is not so good.”
As such, the two cornerstones through which ACIMIT aims to support the Italian textile machinery sector are digitilization and sustainability.

4.0: The textile machinery sector looks to the future
The road to digital transformation has already led numerous manufacturers to completely rethink their production processes, rendering them more efficient and l ess expensive. The digital world is moving ahead at a decisive rate in the textile machinery sector, where the buzzwords are increasingly, for instance, the Internet of Things connecting to a company’s ecosystem, machine learning algorithms applied to production, predictive maintenance, and the integrated cloud management of various production departments. It is no coincidence that ACIMIT has focused decisively on its Digital Ready project, through which Italian textile machinery that adopt a common set of data are certified, with the aim of facilitating integration with the operating systems of client companies (ERP, MES, CRM, etc.).

A green soul
Combining production efficiency and respect for the environment: a challenge ACIMIT has made its own and which it promotes among its members through the Sustainable Technologies project. Launched by the association as early as 2011, the project highlights the commitment of Italian textile machinery manufacturers in the area of sustainability. At the heart of the project is the Green Label, a form of certification specifically for Italian textile machinery which highlights its energy and environmental performance. An all-Italian seal of approval developed in collaboration with RINA, an international certification body.
The assembly held on 1 July provided an opportunity to take stock of the Sustainable Technologies project, more specifically, with the presentation of the Rina Consulting survey on the Green Label’s evolution and impact in recent years.

The results have confirmed the initiative’s extreme validity. The technological advances implemented by the association’s machinery producers participating in the project have effectively translated into benefits in terms of environmental impact (reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions for machinery), as well as economic advantages for machinery users.

With reference to the year 2021, a total of 204,598 tons of CO2 emissions avoided on an annual basis have been quantified, thanks to the implementation of improvements on machinery. This is a truly significant reduction which, for the sake of comparison, corresponds to the carbon dioxide emissions generated by 36,864 automobiles travelling an average of 35,000 km a year. In terms of energy savings, the use of green labeled textile machinery has provided excellent performances in allowing for a reduction of up to 84% in consumption.

A round table discussion on the Green Label’s primary purpose
The environmental and economic impact generated in production processes for Italian textile machinery through the use of Green Label technologies was the focus of the round table which concluded the ACIMIT assembly.

Moderated by Aurora Magni (professor of the Industrial Systems Sustainability course at the LIUC School of Engineering), the debate involved Gianluca Brenna (Lipomo Printing House administrator and Vice President of the Italian Fashion System for Welfare), Pietro Pin (Benetton Group consultant and President of UNI for the textile-clothing area), Giorgio Ravasio (Italy Country Manager for Vivienne Westwood), as well as ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi.

Called on to compare common factors in their experiences relating to environmental transition processes for their respective companies, the participants were unanimous: the future of Italian textile machinery can no longer ignore advanced technology developments capable of offering sustainable solutions with a low environmental impact while also reducing production costs. This philosophy has by now been consolidated, and has proven to lead directly to a circular economy outlook.

The upcoming ITMA 2023 exhibition
Lastly, a word on ITMA 2023, the most important international exhibition for textile machinery, to be held in Italy from 8 to 14 June 2023 at Fiera-Milano Rho. Marking the 19th edition of ITMA, this trade fair is an essential event for the entire industry worldwide, providing a global showcase for numerous innovative operational solutions on display. A marketplace that offers participants extraordinary business opportunities. The participation of Italian companies is managed by ACIMIT.

ITA
04.05.2021

2021 Aachen Reinforced! Symposium free of charge for all attendees

Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University has changed the format of the 2021 Aachen Reinforced! Symposium to an online only format. The programme was shortened to suit the new format, with presentations taking place on Monday 10th May and Tuesday 11th May.

Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University has changed the format of the 2021 Aachen Reinforced! Symposium to an online only format. The programme was shortened to suit the new format, with presentations taking place on Monday 10th May and Tuesday 11th May.

The conference program for Monday, 10th May:
The programme will begin with exciting presentations on glass chemistry and fibres. A talk by Dr Anne Berthereau (Owens Corning Composites) on the race for always higher modulus glass fibres will be followed by a talk from Dr Hong Li (Nippon Electric Glass) on the potential of new high-strength and high-modulus glass fibres.
After two further presentations on high modulus and bioactive glass fibres from Muawia Dafir and Julia Eichhorn (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), we will learn about furnace efficiency as well as process monitoring and digitalisation in glass fibre production from René Meulemann (CelSian), Hans Gedon (Gedonsoft) and Julius Golovatchev (Incotelogy) respectively.
A presentation by Felix Quintero Martínez (Universidade de Vigo) will explore a novel method to produce ultra-flexible glass nanofibers.
The afternoon will continue with two presentations by Dr Christina Scheffler (Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (IPF)) and Professor James Thomason (University of Strathclyde) in the field of glass fibre sizings and fibre-matrix interfaces. Finally, a closing presentation by Steve Bassetti (Michelman) will conclude the first day of the Symposium.

The entire conference programme is available on the website https://aachen-fibres.com/aachen-reinforced/general-information.
To register for the Symposium, use the following link: https://aachen-fibres.com/aachen-reinforced/registration

Mimaki: 100 Percent Success in a Post Pandemic World (c) Mimaki
Mimaki UJV100-160
08.04.2021

Mimaki: 100 Percent Success in a Post Pandemic World

After a turbulent year, it seems strange to be thinking about ‘after the pandemic’, but with millions of vaccinations underway, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. As we turn the corner, choosing technology partners that understand how to proactively respond to changing market needs and support the evolving requirements of print businesses and end customers will be vital. The printers in Mimaki’s ‘100 series’ portfolio, which consists of the high quality, high productivity entry level roll-to-roll inkjet printers the UJV100-160 UV and the JV100-160 solvent, and the high performance textile printer, the TS100-1600, are a perfect reflection of the way technology requirements are adapting in line with the industry as we look to the future. To demonstrate this, we have identified three post-pandemic technology touchpoints that will help print businesses target success amid uncertainty.

After a turbulent year, it seems strange to be thinking about ‘after the pandemic’, but with millions of vaccinations underway, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. As we turn the corner, choosing technology partners that understand how to proactively respond to changing market needs and support the evolving requirements of print businesses and end customers will be vital. The printers in Mimaki’s ‘100 series’ portfolio, which consists of the high quality, high productivity entry level roll-to-roll inkjet printers the UJV100-160 UV and the JV100-160 solvent, and the high performance textile printer, the TS100-1600, are a perfect reflection of the way technology requirements are adapting in line with the industry as we look to the future. To demonstrate this, we have identified three post-pandemic technology touchpoints that will help print businesses target success amid uncertainty.

  • Productivity

The pandemic has served as a major catalyst for existing trends, and our growing appetite for everything on-demand has been given a huge COVID-related boost. For printers, a digital solution that offers premium productivity, quality and efficiency at an entry-level price point is sure to be an invaluable investment to meet evolving ‘on-demand demands’. Adding a digital production element to your business doesn’t need to be daunting, complicated or overpriced – the Mimaki ‘100 series’ truly lives up to the tagline ‘Expert Printing Made Easy’, offering an incredibly intuitive user experience for streamlined, ultra-efficient printing, high-quality output, and cost-effective implementation. The powerful and productive new textile printer in the ‘100 series’, the TS100-1600, is a shining example of equipment developed with the future of the market in mind – the textile industry is fast-paced and constantly innovating, and the printer you invest in needs to keep up with your creativity.

  • Diversity

2021 is set to be a period of transition. While that will mean navigating uncertainty, the ‘glass half full’ approach is to view the year ahead in terms of opportunities such as expanding your business, exploring alternative revenue streams, and taking the plunge into new markets. In the past, it may have felt as if the barriers to entry when it came to looking beyond your core business were too great. However, in a post-pandemic world, we need to break some of those barriers down and demonstrate that success with digital print is within reach if you invest in the right equipment. With the ‘100 series’ portfolio, Mimaki is acknowledging what print service providers need from their technology partners – the UJV100-160 and the JV100-160 are suitable for a wide range of applications that will allow you to easily and affordably diversify your offering, and with the TS100-1600 textile printer, it has never been easier to target growth in the thriving textile sector, even in challenging times.

  • Affordability

Affordability is one of the most significant barriers to entry into new markets. 2020 was a year of unprecedented economic challenges, so it’s more important than ever to be thinking about gaining a competitive edge, and the printers in the ‘100 series’ from Mimaki have been specifically formulated to help you ramp up productivity while keeping running costs low. Whether you want to take your first foray into digital print production, expand the services you offer or simply grow your customer base, cost can be a major sticking point, which is why supporting customers is Mimaki’s number one priority, designing the ‘100 series’ around your needs and continuing to listen to how those needs are developing. Making an investment in the JV100-160 in order to move into outdoor graphics; meeting demand for faster turnaround times by adding the instantly curable UJV100-160 to your production setup; or taking a leap into new revenue streams with the TS100-160 – it’s all ‘100’ percent accessible.

Source:

Martial Granet, Branch Manager, Mimaki France

Oerlikon: Meltblown und Spunbond (c) Oerlikon
19.11.2020

Oerlikon: Meltblown and Spunbond technologies

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for protective masks and apparel has resulted in a record number of new orders in the high double-digit millions of euros at Oerlikon Nonwoven. The meltblown technology from Neumünster is recognized by the market as being one of the technically most efficient methods for producing highly-separating filter media made from plastic fibers.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for protective masks and apparel has resulted in a record number of new orders in the high double-digit millions of euros at Oerlikon Nonwoven. The meltblown technology from Neumünster is recognized by the market as being one of the technically most efficient methods for producing highly-separating filter media made from plastic fibers.

Protective equipment demands high-end nonwoven products
The rising demand for protective masks and other medical protective equipment since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the associated global ramping up of production capacities has also resulted in an increase in the demand for nonwovens for the production thereof. Initially, this resulted in bottlenecks in the provision of meltblown filter nonwovens. To this end, there had until this point be very few producers of medical filter nonwovens outside China. Meanwhile, the demand for spunbond systems is also rising. “Due to the structure of our group, we are in the fortunate position to swiftly reallocate and free up our production capacities. This means that we are able to relatively quickly deliver not only meltblown systems, but also spunbond equipment”, explains Dr. Ingo Mählmann, Head of Sales & Marketing at Oerlikon Nonwoven, talking about the positive situation at the company.

The capacities for respiratory masks available in Europe to date are predominantly manufactured on Oerlikon Nonwoven systems. “Our machines and systems for manufacturing manmade fiber and nonwovens solutions enjoy an outstanding reputation throughout the world. Ever more manufacturers in the most diverse countries are hoping to become independent of imports”, comments Dr. Mählmann. The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown systems are being delivered to Germany, China, Turkey, United Kingdom, South Korea, Italy, France, North America and – for the very first time – to Australia until well into 2021.

Quality and efficiency in demand
Depending on the purpose of the application, medical PPE (personal protection equipment) should be breathable and comfortable to wear, protect medical staff against viruses, bacteria and other harmful substances and form a barrier against liquids. For these reasons, they are often made of either pure spunbond or of spunbond-meltblown combinations. Here, the meltblown nonwoven core assumes the barrier or filter task, while the spunbond has to retain its shape, while being tear-resistant, abrasion-proof, absorbent, particularly flame-resistant and nevertheless extremely soft on the skin.

All masks are not created equal – thanks to the ecuTEC+
Protection against infections such as coronavirus can only be guaranteed with the right quality.

The nonwovens can be electrostatically-charged in order to further improve the filter performance without additionally increasing breathing resistance. Here, Oerlikon Nonwovenʼs patented ecuTEC+ electro-charging unit excels in terms of its extreme flexibility. Nonwovens manufacturers can freely choose between numerous variation options and set the optimal charging method and intensity for their specific applications. In this way, even the smallest particles are still attracted and reliable separated by a relatively open-pored nonwoven. Nevertheless, mask wearers are still able to easily breathe in and out due to the comparatively loose formation of the fibers. To this end, it comes as no surprise that all meltblown systems currently destined for the production of mask nonwovens are equipped with the ecuTEC+ unit.

Devan lauded by Frost & Sullivan for its antimicrobial technology with proven quaternized silane chemistry (c) Devan Chemicals NV
16.09.2020

Devan lauded by Frost & Sullivan

Belgian textile innovator Devan Chemicals was lauded by Frost & Sullivan for its antimicrobial technology with proven quaternized silane chemistry, known under its trade name as BI-OME®.

RONSE, BELGIUM – The non-leaching attributes of the technology coupled with its ability to reduce microbial mutation make it a potential candidate for textiles where durability and safe human contact are highly valued.

Belgian textile innovator Devan Chemicals was lauded by Frost & Sullivan for its antimicrobial technology with proven quaternized silane chemistry, known under its trade name as BI-OME®.

RONSE, BELGIUM – The non-leaching attributes of the technology coupled with its ability to reduce microbial mutation make it a potential candidate for textiles where durability and safe human contact are highly valued.

Based on its recent analysis of the European antimicrobial technology for the textile market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes the Belgium-headquartered Devan Chemicals NV (Devan) with the 2020 European Technology Innovation Leadership Award. Devan’s highly relevant antimicrobial technology addresses issues concerning the contamination of PPE and textiles, including the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, viral transmissions, and hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Its quat-silane technology, due to its non-migrating behaviour, physically punctures the microorganism cell to destroy it without interfering with cell DNA. Notably, it eliminates the adverse effects of leaching antimicrobials while providing high efficiency in the range of 99.9 percent to 99.99 percent, even after multiple washes.

"By providing non-migrating antimicrobial technology for the textile industry, Devan plugs the safety and performance gaps inherent in current inorganic and organic antimicrobial agents. Its antimicrobial technology, unlike silver- or triclosan-based technology, comprises non-migrating monomers and prepolymers such as organo-functional silane," said Monami Dey, Industry Manager, Frost & Sullivan. "The organo-silane polymers are covalently bonded and polymerized to the textile surface as a coating via padding, exhaust, and spraying techniques. The coating forms a non-leaching reactive surface and destroys the microbes on contact, without releasing harmful components into the environment."

Devan CEO Sven Ghyselinck is very happy with the award: “The best practice award is a nice recognition of the hard work we did in the last 6 months to evaluate the performance against viral activity. It’s great to see our efforts didn’t go unnoticed.”

Earlier this month Devan published new test results confirming the high performance virus-reducing capabilities of its BI-OME fabric coating technology on both unwashed and intensely washed fabrics. The Belgian company has worked closely with a series of international third party laboratories to test different fabric substrates against a wide range of enveloped viruses. Before washing, samples treated with Devan BI-OME score very good to excellent (99% and higher according to ISO 18184) results on virus reduction. Different substrates, like polyester, cotton and polycottons, were exposed to enveloped viruses like SARS-COV-2 (known to cause COVID-19), Feline Corona, Vaccinia (the EU standard for enveloped viruses) and Porcine Respiratory viruses. After 30minutes, BI-OME already reduced 99.96% of the activity of SARS-COV-2.

After washing, a decrease in virus reduction performance of coating technologies is normal and expected. However, BI-OME is confirmed to deliver only a minimal reduction, retaining up to 98.5% virus reduction even when the fabric is washed 25 times.

"Devan is working towards sustainability and green chemistry. For instance, its technology does not contain any harmful solvents such as formaldehyde or polychlorinated phenols and fulfills the regulatory obligations of the EU BPR," noted Dey. "Its commitment to promoting sustainability in textile finishes with a strong focus on GMO-free, kosher, as well as halal certifications, and recyclability has given the company an edge in launching new products at an accelerated pace to match customers’ most pressing concerns and demands."

One of those innovations is BI-OME NTL (natural), a natural, bio-based antimicrobial solution that guarantees an optimal freshness and hygiene for textiles. The active ingredient is the well-known Linseed oil, obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant. The active ingredients in BI-OME NTL are GMO free, Halal, Kosher and recyclable.

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2020 opens next Monday: new digital tools complement in-person meetings   (c) Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles
Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2020
21.08.2020

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles 2020 opens next Monday: new digital tools complement in-person meetings

Asia’s leading trade platform for the home and contract textile industry, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, is ready to welcome over 600 exhibitors to China’s commercial hub from 24 – 26 August. As China’s economy continues its recovery, the upcoming fair will serve as a key platform for the industry to reconnect and prepare for the seasons ahead. Taking consideration of current international travel restrictions, Intertextile has launched a brand new online business matching platform, enabling participation for those who cannot travel to Shanghai.

Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd commented: “2020 has been a difficult and unpredictable year for every business and industry across the world, so we are pleased to be providing a platform for the home textile industry to connect and recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is the first physical trade event for the sector held by Messe Frankfurt since January, so we hope that the fair assists the sector to join forces and overcome this challenging year together.”

Asia’s leading trade platform for the home and contract textile industry, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, is ready to welcome over 600 exhibitors to China’s commercial hub from 24 – 26 August. As China’s economy continues its recovery, the upcoming fair will serve as a key platform for the industry to reconnect and prepare for the seasons ahead. Taking consideration of current international travel restrictions, Intertextile has launched a brand new online business matching platform, enabling participation for those who cannot travel to Shanghai.

Ms Wendy Wen, Senior General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd commented: “2020 has been a difficult and unpredictable year for every business and industry across the world, so we are pleased to be providing a platform for the home textile industry to connect and recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is the first physical trade event for the sector held by Messe Frankfurt since January, so we hope that the fair assists the sector to join forces and overcome this challenging year together.”

Ms Wen continued: “Our first priority is to create a clean and hygienic space for all participants to source and network. To achieve this goal, the fair will implement extra health care and hygiene precautions onsite. On the other hand, we are aware that a number of travel restrictions are still in place across the world. With this in mind, Intertextile will offer a series of online services for those who are unable to travel to Shanghai, allowing the fair to reach as wide an audience as possible.”

2020 fair highlights

To provide buyers with greater efficiency, the fair, which covers four halls, will be divided clearly by product categories: Household Hall (hall 3), International Brands / Upholstery Hall (hall 4.1), Brand Fabrics Hall (hall 5.1) and Sofa Fabrics Hall (hall 6.1).

In addition, the Contract Business 360° concept will return this year, with over 40 premier upholstery exhibitors presenting their latest textile products and furnishing solutions for contract use. Exhibitors include Guangzhou Yuanzhicheng Home Textile, Haining Julai Textile, JAB, Morgan Shanghai, Symphony Mills, Suzhou Roufang, Ter Molst International, Zhejiang Hexin and Zhejiang Maya Fabric. Furthermore, top brands such as Agmamito from Poland and Wollsdorf Leather from Austria will be exhibiting for the first time at Intertextile.

Online business matching platform offers new sourcing landscape

Although face-to-face interaction is irreplaceable, a virtual complement has become more important as a result of the worldwide pandemic. To support the industry during these unprecedented times, Intertextile has launched a brand new online business matching platform. With this free service, participants are able to source and network at their fingertips. The virtual platform will offer many new features including:

  • Easy sourcing: exhibitors are categorised by product groups including Sofa / Decorative Fabrics, Curtains and Accessories, Bedding and Finished products, Shading and Accessories, and Editors
  • Live-streamed product presentations of exhibitors
  • Smart recommendations: pre-selected exhibitor lists will be provided to buyers based on their personal preferences and interests
  • Convenience: participants are able to use the service through computers or portable devices without the need to download any software

High quality fringe programme covers comprehensive topics
 
The fair’s event programme will once again provide the industry with the latest trends and insights in four topics: Design Inspiration, Business O2O, Textile & Technology and Industry Empowerment. One of the highlights will be the 2021 Intertextile Trend Forum, led by Shen Lei, the Chinese representative of the Intertextile International Lifestyle Trend Committee. The forum will bring together five prominent Chinese designers including Ben Chen, Ben Wu, Meng Ye, Paul Pang and Xie Ke, who will delve into the theme of 2021 Intertextile Trends–“BOUND”, as well as the Chinese market conditions. The event will be held on day 1 of the fair, from 14:00 – 17:00 in hall 5.1 booth C18, and streamed live online.

Another not-to-be-missed event is the Ride the Storm – Home Textile Digital Printing Forum, which will include an array of educating seminars that cover the latest digital textile printing trends and technologies. The forum will be held on day 2 of the fair, from 13:20 – 17:20 in hall 3, booth M12.

Furthermore, joining forces with Tmall Global, the largest cross border B2C online retail platform in China, the fair will host a series of seminars delivering the solutions and strategies for industry digitalisation during the afternoon of day 1. In addition, the well-received Furniture & Home Textile Direct Negotiation Event will return to provide an excellent opportunity for furniture companies and fabric brands to collaborate.

Additional health care and hygiene precautions will be in place

As trade fair co-organisers, Messe Frankfurt’s number one priority always remains the health and safety of fairgoers. To maintain a clean and hygienic environment for visitors and exhibitors to meet in, extra measures will be in practice at the fair. These include: real-name registration, onsite temperature checks, frequent sterilisation of public areas and distancing measures for forum / seminar audiences, amongst others.

28.07.2020

Autoneum: Corona-related slump in revenue – bottom point overcome

The coronavirus pandemic and its massive impact on the automotive industry led to an un-precedented market slump in the first half of 2020 and a corresponding revenue decline at Autoneum. Revenue in local currencies fell by –32.7% compared to the prior-year period, and in Swiss francs by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million. The turnaround program for the North American sites made further progress in the first six months and is showing the targeted results. However, they were clearly overcompensated by the massive impact of the corona-virus crisis, which led to a negative net result of CHF –54.9 million despite comprehensive cost flexibilization measures.

The coronavirus pandemic and its massive impact on the automotive industry led to an un-precedented market slump in the first half of 2020 and a corresponding revenue decline at Autoneum. Revenue in local currencies fell by –32.7% compared to the prior-year period, and in Swiss francs by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million. The turnaround program for the North American sites made further progress in the first six months and is showing the targeted results. However, they were clearly overcompensated by the massive impact of the corona-virus crisis, which led to a negative net result of CHF –54.9 million despite comprehensive cost flexibilization measures.

Like the entire automobile industry, Autoneum was massively impacted by the effects of the corona-virus pandemic in the first half of the year. The temporary plant closures at almost all customers in every region, especially in the second quarter of the year, not only led to an unprecedented market collapse, but also to a production stop at all 55 Autoneum sites. Starting in February in China and one month later in all other regions, vehicle manufacturers temporarily shut down production completely. The corresponding massive drop in global vehicle production led to a slump in revenue at Autoneum of –32.7% in local currencies. This reflects the development of the market in the first half of 2020, which contracted by –33.2% year-on-year. Revenue in Swiss francs at Autoneum fell by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million (prior-year period: CHF 1 156.1 million). Revenue development in all Business Groups outperformed the respective markets, particularly in Asia and the SAMEA (South America, Middle East and Africa) region.


 Like the entire automobile industry, Autoneum was massively impacted by the effects of the corona-virus pandemic in the first half of the year. The temporary plant closures at almost all customers in every region, especially in the second quarter of the year, not only led to an unprecedented market collapse, but also to a production stop at all 55 Autoneum sites. Starting in February in China and one month later in all other regions, vehicle manufacturers temporarily shut down production com-pletely. The corresponding massive drop in global vehicle production led to a slump in revenue at Autoneum of –32.7% in local currencies. This reflects the development of the market in the first half of 2020, which contracted by –33.2% year-on-year. Revenue in Swiss francs at Autoneum fell by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million (prior-year period: CHF 1 156.1 million). Revenue development in all Business Groups outperformed the respective markets, particularly in Asia and the SAMEA (South America, Middle East and Africa) region.

Autoneum promptly responded to the pandemic-related market slump by adopting extensive cost-cutting measures in all regions. These include the reduction of employee costs by, among other things, adjusting time accounts, introducing short-time work at eligible locations and temporary layoffs as well as headcount reduction, mainly among temporary workers. In addition, operating expenditures were limited to the absolutely necessary. The investment volume for 2020, already reduced from previous years, was downsized even further. Autoneum continues to benefit in this regard from the high level of investments undertaken in recent years.

 Although the coronavirus crisis and the measures taken to contain it dominated Autoneum’s course of business in the first half of 2020, the Company achieved necessary operational and financial im-provements during this period. The comprehensive turnaround program for the North American sites made further progress and is on track. Efficiency improvements already achieved there had a posi-tive effect on the figures of the first half-year, but were significantly overcompensated by the substan-tial impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Savings and cost flexibilization measures taken immediately and implemented worldwide in view of the revenue loss could not offset the ongoing, capacity-related fixed costs. This led at the Group level to a negative EBIT of CHF –31.8 million (prior-year period: CHF 16.4 million), which equates to an EBIT margin of –4.4% (prior-year period: 1.4%). The net result decreased because of the severe revenue shortfall to CHF –54.9 million (prior-year period: CHF –6.0 million).

Outlook
For 2020 Autoneum expects revenue to develop at market level. Although customers’ production volumes should increase again in the second half of 2020 compared with the first semester, latest fore-casts indicate that they will remain clearly below the level of the second half of 2019. Immediately implemented and ongoing cost reduction measures as well as further operational optimizations also within the turnaround program in North America will lead to improvements in the second half of the year. Due to the current uncertainties, a reliable statement on the net result for the full year 2020 thus cannot be made. With regard to the mid-term targets, a recovery of the profitability level is expected, but it will largely depend on the market development.

Source:

Autoneum Management AG