Global shipments of circular knitting machines surge

Looking at the past few years shipments remained relatively high. In comparison to 2011 global shipments of new short-staple spindles and open-end rotors decreased by -27% and -21%, respectively, whereas shipments of long-staple spindles increased by +29%.

Shipments of new draw-texturing spindles declined by -13%, of new shuttle-less looms by -44%, and of new electronic flat-knitting machines by -34%. On the other hand worldwide shipments of new large circular knitting machines increased in 2012 by +27%.

These are the main results of the 35th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) just released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers six segments of textile machinery, namely spinning, draw-texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing machinery. The 2012 survey has been compiled in cooperation with some 122 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world production.

Spinning Machinery

After shipments of new short-staple spindles plummeted in 2008 (-33%) and 2009 (-17%) they soared in 2010 (+75%) to pre-crisis levels and increased in 2011 by a further +15% reaching 14.33 million, an all-time high. In 2012 shipments of short-staple spindles fell by -27% to 10.51 million spindles.

In 2012 94% of all shipped short-staple spindles were destined for Asia (9.91 million), with China alone absorbing 6.39 million or 65% of global shipments, followed by India as distant second (1.97 million spindles or 19%), Indonesia (594,000 or 5.7%), Turkey (441,000 or 4.2%) and Bangladesh (231,000 or 2.2%).

Global shipments of long-staple (wool) spindles soared in 2012 by +29% to 146,400. Europe was the main recipient (77,000 or 53%), followed by Asia (65,600 or 45%), the Americas (3,300 or 2.3%) and Africa (430 or 0,3%). The single biggest investor in long-staple (wool) spindles was Turkey (60,300), followed by Thailand (29,100), China (27,300), Italy (9,400) and Iran (6,800).

Investments in open-end rotors fell in 2012 by -21% to 451,200. Asia was once again by far the biggest investor in this spinning technology installing in total 408,260 new rotors or 90% of global shipments.

By country, China was again by far the biggest single investor in rotors absorbing 363,950 or 81% of global shipments. India was again distant second with a total of 19,400 new open-end rotors (4.3%), followed by Turkey with 17,500 rotors (3.9%), Brazil with 11,100 rotors (2.5%), Uzbekistan with 8,900 rotors (2.0%) and Malaysia with 6,800 rotors (1.5%).