Texturing spindles & circular knitting machines record a recovery

28 May '10

5 min read

The steep reduction in global shipments of new textile machinery in 2008 following a strong investment period between 2003 and 2007 continued in 2009 in most of the segments. Compared to 2008 shipments of spinning machinery were down by -17% (short-staple spindles) and -26% (open-end rotors), of weaving machinery (shuttle-less looms) by -3% and of flat knitting machinery (electronic) by -12%. On the other hand shipments of texturing spindles recorded an increase of +49% and that of circular knitting machines of +20%. The investment boom until 2007 which was closely related to China's integration into the WTO structures and the phasing-out at the end of 2008 of the traditional quota-regime under the WTO-Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) came to an abrupt end in 2008 both for cyclical reasons as well as a result of the global financial and economic crisis.

These are the main results of the 32nd 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 2009 survey has been compiled in cooperation with some 112 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world production.

Spinning Machinery
Following a considerable drop in shipments of short-staple spindles in 2008 (-33%) shipments continued to fall by another -17% in 2009. Compared to 2007 global shipments plummeted until 2009 by -44% to 7.2 million spindles. Nevertheless, this is still well above the pre-investment boom levels when shipments reached around 3.7 million spindles. By far the largest part of this new machinery was destined for Asia (7.0 million or 97%). China alone absorbed 5.04 million or 70% of global shipments, followed by India (1.37 million or 19%), Vietnam (111,000 or 1.5%), Bangladesh (108,000 or 1.5%), Myanmar (89,000 or 1.2%), Turkey (85,000 or 1.2%) and Turkmenistan (82,000 or 1.1%).

Global shipments of long-staple (wool-) spindles plummeted in 2009 by -78% to only 32,000. Shipments to Asia decreased by -85% to 16'800. Also shipments to Europe (incl. Turkey) fell by -43% to 10,600 as well as to South America where shipments fell by -30% to 4,600. Like in 2008 there were no shipments in 2009 to Africa. Also North America did not receive any long-staple spindles in 2009 (2008: 2,500).

After an exceptional sky-rocketing increase in 2007 to 576,000 (+64% compared to 2006), investments in open-end rotors plummeted in 2008 by -66% to 195,650 and continued to do so in 2009 to merely 144,500 (-26%). With 120,300 rotors or 83% Asia was again the main recipient of open-end rotors in 2009. With 79,000 China's global share reached 55% followed by India as a distant second with 9% or 12,600, Brazil with 8% or 11,500 and Kazakhstan with 4% or 6,400 and Indonesia with 4%or 6,100.

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