#Associations

2020-09-28

Hugues Schellenberg new UCMTF President

The French Textile Equipment manufacturers’ Association, well known as UCMTF, as elected a new President following the retirement of Bruno Ameline who has chaired the association since 2004.

Hugues Schellenberg who has been on the board for 10 years, has been unanimously elected to succeed him. He is the CEO of Dollfus-Muller of Heimsbrunn in the French province of Alsace.

An engineer, Schellenberg got an MBA from Montpellier University in Southern France. As President of UCMTF, Schellenberg will represent the French association on the board of Cematex, the owner of ITMAs. After his election, Schellenberg initiated a standing ovation to thank Bruno Ameline for his outstanding job during his 4 terms of tenure (16 years).

Hestated “it is a great honor buta stressing responsibility to become the UCMTF President in such the uncertain environment our companies have to face worldwide due to the Covid pandemic.

For the long run, I am very positive thanks to our state-of-the-art equipments, our services which are up to the best standards, our teams which are so professionals and motivated but right now our business is on a bumpy road”

As CEO of Dollfus-Muller, Schellenberg spends at least half of his time with customers that he visits worldwide. This is how he keeps a firsthand contact and a deep connection with the needs of the market in order to both manage his company on aday to day basis and design its long term strategy.

In addition to UCMTF, Schellenberg is very active in many national, regional and national associations, including the chairmanship of a trade association to improve the employment of underprivileged workers.

UCMTF members will present latest solutions that address the main trends

ITM 2024 is a great opportunity to meet in person, at the highest level, to find and offer the best solutions. Of course, there are some main trends: sustainability, raw materials, energy and water savings, recycling, digitalization, cloud computing, artificial Intelligence, cost efficiency etc. Another main trend for UCMTF members is act as a local partner wherever the customers are located.

VDMA members at Techtextil: Smart technologies for technical textiles

At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, the members of VDMA Textile Machinery underline their key role as global technology leaders for technical textiles and textile processing. With a strong presence of more than 50 members they will highlight how engineering excellence, innovation strength and sustainability expertise from Germany and Europe are shaping the future of the textile industry. Seven companies will be present at the VDMA group stand in the centre of hall 12.0.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Europe is losing its textile industry

EURATEX has released its latest Economic Update on the performance of the European textile and apparel industry in 2025. For the third consecutive year, the sector recorded negative results across all key indicators — production, turnover and employment — confirming a continued erosion of competitiveness across Europe.

Eastman Naia™ debuts at Kingpins Amsterdam, transforming Denim from the inside out

At Kingpins Amsterdam (April 15–16, 2026), Naia™ by Eastman Chemical Company makes its debut, presenting its approach to circularity and comfort in denim at Stand 1, Ground Level (Blue Area). The brand also highlights its growing global ecosystem, connecting mill partners, designers and brands working to expand denim possibilities through fiber innovation.

ISKO introduces a new chapter of denim innovation at Kingpins Amsterdam with FW 27/28

At Kingpins Amsterdam, ISKO presents its latest FW27/28 collection, a forward-looking exploration of denim that merges advanced color technologies, innovative fabric engineering, and contemporary finishing techniques. Designed to meet the evolving demands of the industry, the collection reflects ISKO’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of authenticity, performance, and responsible innovation, while also embracing a strong lifestyle perspective.

Asahi Kasei Advance to showcase high-performance non-woven and fibers at Techtextil 2026

Asahi Kasei Advance will present its portfolio of high-performance nonwovens, flame-retardant fabrics, and advanced textile and fiber solutions designed for various industries during its first-ever exhibition at Techtextil 2026. Techtextil is the leading international trade show for technical textiles and nonwovens, taking place from April 21-24, 2026, in Frankfurt, Germany. Asahi Kasei Advance will highlight 14 brands, with special focus on four key materials as its debut at the exhibition in Hall 12.1 at booth C35.

VEIT Group presents product highlights and innovations at Texprocess 2026

At Texprocess 2026 in Frankfurt am Main (April 21–24, Hall 8.0, Stand A18), the VEIT Group presents its latest solutions and product highlights for the industrial production of clothing and the processing of technical textiles. The focus is on efficient technologies for ironing, pressing, fusing, laminating and textile refinishing processes, covering applications from the apparel industry through to technical textiles as well as interior and automotive sectors.