The exhibiting VDMA members cover nearly all different machinery chapters with a focus on spinning and manmade fibers, nonwovens, weaving, braiding, knitting & hosiery, finishing & dyeing and textile processing. The heading of this year’s VDMA activities in Shanghai will be "smart technologies for green textile production". The VDMA members are committed to reducing the consumption of resources in the textile value chain with highly efficient technologies. The goal is to utilise potential for resources, such as textile material, water, energy and chemicals, to minimise CO2 emissions. So, for VDMA members the show is an opportunity to reassert that they remain at the forefront of new ideas, products and technologies in the textile machinery sector. 

With a view to the expectations for this year’s ITMA ASIA, Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association said: “ITMA ASIA 2023 was the first edition of the show after the Covid pandemic. After years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, people could meet again, which made the event something special. In the meantime, the economic situation has deteriorated noticeably. But there is some light at the end of the tunnel. This makes the participation of VDMA member companies at ITMA ASIA 2024 even more important. The presence at the event is essential to ensure an exchange of information between machinery manufacturers and textile producers in Asia and to get ready for the sector’s restart.”

Throughout the last years, around 50% of the German exports of textile machinery and accessories went to Asia. Between January and July 2024, textile machinery worth about 580 million euros have been shipped from Germany to Asia, a decrease of 25% compared to 2023 due to the weak global economic situation. With 240 million euros, the biggest export market was again China, followed by India, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Vietnam.

The VDMA team in Shanghai is staffed again with colleagues from the VDMA headquarters in Germany as well as from VDMA China. With these joined forces, the team is well prepared to support the exhibiting member companies on site.