ITMA 2007 - Record number of exhibitors and more international than ever before

The internationalisation and globalisation of the textile industry was impressively reflected at ITMA 2007 in Munich. This 15th International Exhibition of Textile Machinery, running from 13to 20 Sept, attracted 118,000 trade visitors from 149 countries to the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. 45 percent of the visitors came along to the event for the first time. Never before have visitors from so many different countries attended ITMA.

"ITMA is the leading trade fair for textile machinery manufacturers. We have found that at this fair visitor quality is really superb, from all over the world. And we get to talk to some really top people here, who you only rarely get to see. It all went extremely smoothly," commented Heinrich Trutzschler, Managing Director of Trtzschler GmbH & Co. KG Textilmaschinenfabrik and Chairman of the ITMA Committee.

Edward Roberts, CEMATEX President and Chief Executive Officer of Vanwyk Systems B.V.: "For us in CEMATEX ITMA 2007 here in Munich was a very positive experience. This year's event was very international, not only in terms of quantity, but also quality of visitors."

After Germany, the other countries in the group of top ten as regards visitor numbers were (in this order): Italy, India, Turkey, Brazil, France, Switzerland, Spain, Iran and Belgium. Interest from the countries of Central and South America was particularly strong - for example over 4,500 trade visitors came from Brazil, over 2,000 from Argentina and over 1,500 from Mexico. In total ITMA 2007 attracted around 12,000 visitors from Central & South America.

During the period of the fair, over 95000 visitors from abroad came to the event'. This represents over 80 percent of the total number of visitors.

"This superb result for ITMA 2007 is a reflection of the excellent cooperation between CEMATEX, VDMA and Messe Munchen, as an international trade-fair organiser with a worldwide sales network,' said Johann Philipp Dilo, Managing Director of DILO Maschinensystem GmbH, Germany.

A survey by market researchers Gelszus Messe-Marktforschung GmbH provided evidence of the very international scope and high quality of trade visitors. Over 86 percent of the exhibitors described the international scope as "good" to "excellent"; over 88 percent gave the same rating to the quality of visitors. 'We appreciate the high quality of the visitors and with it the professional and very interesting discussions," said Chris Dewulf, President & CEO Picanol Group, Belgium.

Another highlight was the 'Research & Education Area', in Hall 82, organised for the first time in the history of ITMA. 1,365 trade visitors attended the 30 or so lectures held in the 'Speaker's Corner' here. "We very much welcome the .initiative to 'offer an attractive accompanying programme. It is particularly valuable for the up-and-coming young professionals in the textile' industry," said Dr Carsten Voigtlnder, CEO Oerlikon Textile, Germany. "ITMA was thus not just a 'Place for Innovation', but also a 'Place for Education'."

In total 1, 451 companies from 38 countries presented the latest developments and technical innovations for the entire textile chain to visitors and competitors; in a display covering 1 02,000 square metres of exhibition space. This breadth and depth was highly valued overall by the participants - 67 percent of trade visitors and almost 65 percent of exhibitors gave ITMA 2007 significantly higher marks this time than at previous events.

"For us as the organiser, we are very pleased about this high rating from the participants in ITMA 2007 - they valued our professional organisation, highly modem exhibition centre and our worldwide network," said Eugen Egetenmeir, Deputy Managing Director of Messe Mnchen GmbH. Erich Thies, Managing Partner of Thies GmbH & Co, Germany, adds: "ITMA here in Munich is the best ITMA I have ever experienced."

About Messe Mnchen International

Messe Mnchen International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International Group) is one of the world's leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America.