Textile machinery shipments drop in 2008 – ITMF

05 Jun '09

5 min read

A period of heavy investments in most textile machinery segments between 2003 and 2007 came to an abrupt end in 2008. All textile machinery segments recorded lower shipments in the range of -3% to -66% in 2008 as compared to 2007. This investment boom until 2007 was closely related to China's integration into the WTO structures and the phasing-out of the traditional quota-regime under the WTO-Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) at the end of 2007/2008.

This means that trade in textile and clothing products is no longer subject to quotas but is now governed by the general rules and disciplines embodied in the multilateral trading system of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

These are the main results of the 31st annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) just released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers six types of textile machinery, namely spinning, texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing machinery. The 2008 survey has been compiled in cooperation with some 133 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world output.

Spinning Machinery
After five years of heavy investments – especially in China – shipments of short-staple spindles plummeted considerably in 2008. Compared to 2007 global shipments dropped by -33% to 8.64 million spindles. Nevertheless, this is still well above the pre-investment boom levels. By far the largest part of this new machinery was absorbed by Asia (8.31 million or 96%). China installed 3.69 million or 43% of global shipments, followed by India (2.53 million or 29%), Bangladesh (642,000 or 7%), Vietnam (580,000 or 6.5%), Indonesia (250,000 or 2.9%) and Pakistan (238,000 or 2.8%).

Global shipments of long-staple (wool-) spindles decreased in 2008 slightly by -3% to 143,000. While shipments to Asia rose by +17% to 115,350 – mainly as a consequence of higher investments in India and Indonesia – they fell in Europe (including Turkey) by -54% to a total of 18,700. Shipments to South America remained almost unchanged at approx. 7,000 while North America recorded again some shipments in 2008 (2,500) which was not the case in 2007. Unlike the previous year Africa did not receive any investment in long-staple spindles in 2008.

After an exceptional sky-rocketing increase in 2007 to 576,000 (+68% compared to 2006), investments in open-end rotors plummeted in 2008 by -66% to 195,650. With 143,350 rotors or 73% Asia was again the main recipient of open-end rotors. China's global share reached 46% or 89,200 followed by Brazil as a distant second with 13% or 24,400, India with 9% or 17,700 and Bangladesh with 6% or 12,000. After an extraordinary investment boom in Turkey in 2007, shipments of open-end rotors dropped considerably in 2008 from 135,800 to mere 7,500.

Texturing Machinery
Shipments of single heater draw-texturing spindles (for polyamide filaments) fell by -20% to 5,230 in 2008. China was by far the biggest investor with 4,300 spindles representing 82% of total investment followed by Thailand with 430 spindles or 8%.

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