ITMA ASIA + CITME is the international textile machinery trade show which is held every  two years in China. Again this year, the Italian contingent is one of the largest to attend.  In fa ct, there will be 117 Italian textile machinery manufacturers from 12 - 16 June at the  Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The Italian products in Shanghai are  characterised by the completeness of the range and by the maximum attention placed on  the effi ciency and sustainability of the technology presented. From spinning to weaving,  from knitwear to finishing, visitors from all over Asia will be able to see the high  technological level of Made in Italy. “ China is our top market in the world", stressed Sandro Salmoiraghi, ACIMIT President,  the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers.  "In 2011, we sold €450  million worth of textile machinery to Chinese companies (or 25% of our export  business)”.

Despite the difficult economic situation of re cent years, the Chinese textile and clothing  sec tor has continued to invest in W estern technology and especially in Italian technology  (with annual growth of 6% over the last 5 years, we are the third largest supplier to the  Chinese market). “ The demand from Chinese companies is increasingly more  sophisticated", Salmoiraghi continued.  "In China, our customers need a qualitative  upgrade in the machinery they use. Efficiency, cost reduction and environmental  sustainability are issues which come up time and again in negotiations for machinery  sales in China.” The ACIMIT “ Sustainable Technologies” project, already presented at ITMA Barcelona  last September, moves in this direction. The green label, placed on the machinery made  by companies participating in the  project, represents an operation of transparency.