The next Texcare International will be held in Frankfurt am Main from 20 to 24 June 2020 and, as for the first time in 2016, occupy Halls 8 and 9. Kerstin Horaczek, Group Show Director Technology of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition, says, “We are very pleased that our concept for expanding the fair has been so successful. At the coming event, we aim to take particular advantage of the potential for growth offered by Hall 9.0. This means we will be able to react much better to market developments, such as the growing significance of IT and logistics solutions in the sector.”

The rapid spread of digitalisation continues to be the driving force of innovation in the sector with the trend shifting from digital to smart, i.e., intelligent textiles communicate with intelligent machines and organise themselves. The basis for this is a smart flow of data, as well as the use of RFID and robot technology. Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, explains: “Digitalisation is already widespread in the textile-care sector, especially when it comes to logistic processes. Accordingly, the industry will present numerous innovations that go a step further and take account of the demands of the smart factory at next June’s Texcare International.”

Other facets of digitalisation include new business models between laundries or dry cleaners and their customers and / or suppliers. Online shops and apps are gaining in significance to cater for the demand for readily available, fresh and hygienic laundry. The digital-transformation process is also impacting on the fields of training and professional development with, for example, more and more e-learning units being offered.