#Associations

2019-05-11

Italian textile machinery: Institutional and trade mission in Thailand

A select group of Italian textile machinery manufacturers led an institutional and trade mission in late April in Thailand, organized by the Italian Trade Agency and by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Industry Manufacturers.

The mission’s program included meeting with various local trade association representatives and industry training centers, as well as visits to textile companies and the Country’s universities with a textile vocation.

ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi explains the reasons of the mission: “We had a dual goal: to get to know the local textile manufacturing sector’s level of technology and its current needs, and to assess possible forms of collaboration and partnerships between Italy’s textile machinery industry and entities within the Country providing specific textile training.” Zucchi adds that “In Thailand, the textile sector is undergoing a deep rooted transformation. There’s a demand for machinery that can cut back not just on production costs, but also on the environmental impact of textile manufacturing.”

Indeed, the demand for machinery by Thai textile manufacturers is moving towards technologies capable of reducing production costs and increasing production capacity. In 2018, the value of Italian exports to Thailand amounted to 8 million euros.

“I believe the outcome of this mission was on the whole very positive,” concludes ACIMIT’s president. “We allowed local entrepreneurs to become aware of the latest Italian technology in the sector, while at the same time laying the foundations for a more rewarding partnership with local authorities.” The visits to the Thailand Textile Institute proved especially interesting, a government body that manages planning, development and support for the textile industry, as well as at the Faculty of Industrial Textiles and Fashion Design of Rajamangala University of Technology in Bangkok.

Six ACIMIT member companies participated in the mission: Brazzoli, Ferraro, Laip, Ms Printing Solutions, Sicam and Stalam.

Turkmenistan: Italian textile machinery focuses on high technology and specialization

The Italian textile machinery industry flies to Ashgabat to participate with a large “Made in Italy” delegation at TURKMEN TEXTILE EXPO 2026, the major international showcase taking place from June 4 to 6, 2026. The Italian presence, coordinated by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), aims to consolidate Italy’s primary technological role in a highly strategic market with interesting prospects.

Italian Textile Machinery heads to Geneva for Index 2026

An important delegation of Italian companies will exhibit at the upcoming INDEX 2026, the world’s leading event for the nonwovens sector, taking place from May 19 to 22 in Geneva (Switzerland). Numerous Italian exhibitors will be present within the Italy Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT, an exhibition area of over 140 square meters dedicated to the latest innovations proposed by the Italian industry.

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

Young talents honoured – 60 years Walter Reiners Foundation

At the Techtextil trade fair in Frankfurt at the end of April, Peter D. Dornier, chairman of the VDMA’s Walter Reiners Foundation, presented awards to five successful young engineers. Promotion and sustainability awards were presented in the categories of bachelor’s/project theses and diploma/master’s theses. Academic theses are eligible for the sustainability awards if, for example, they develop solutions for resource-efficient products and technologies.

BTMA backs global growth while investing in future UK leaders

As one of a number of new initiatives launched this year, the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) is launching the UK-India Textile Machinery Coalition. The UK-India Free Trade Agreement, signed in July 2025, has implications that extend across sourcing, competitiveness and long-term trade dynamics, believes BTMA CEO Jason Kent.

ATCO Hygienics, Uzbekistan, orders baby diaper production line from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from ATCO Hygienics to supply a new baby diaper production line for its plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The order is included in ANDRITZ’s order intake for the first quarter of 2026. Commissioning of the production line is scheduled for the end of 2026.

Nico Pedretti appointed as Managing Director Graf Group

As of June 1, 2026, Nico Pedretti has assumed the role of Managing Director Graf Group. With more than 20 years of international industrial experience and extensive expertise in Operations, Supply Chain Management, Finance and Controlling, he brings a broad range of leadership and business experience to support Graf’s continued success.