Europe's ITMA may shift its location to Asia in near future

New Delhi, Jan 17 (UNI) As Asian countries now control over 70 per cent of the global textiles business, the International Exhibition of Textile Machinery -- (ITMA) -- is likely to shift its location from Europe to Asia in near future.

ITMA 2007, the world's leading trade fair for textile and clothing (T&C) industry, is scheduled to begin at Munich in Germany from September 13 - 20.

The eight day mega exposition is being organised by CEMATEX, the umbrella organisation of European Textile Trade Associations in close association with VDMA Textile Machinery Association, Germany, and Munich International Trade Fairs (MMI), one of the world leading trade fair companies at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, said Ms Katharina C Hamma, Executive Director, Messe Muenchen GmbH at a press conference here today.

The 15th edition of ITMA'07 under the 16 pillar-free halls will display the innovative products and technologies from spinning and weaving to finishing and making-up, she added.

The origin of textile machinery exports comprises over 66.5 per cent from Europe, 59 per cent from the US and 27.7 per cent from Asia.

''We have been thinking of bringing this world class textile machinery exhibition to the Asian countries like India, China and others as this region has the major potential for these products with huge investments on technologies and modernisation to remain competitive in the world market,'' said Mr Heinrich Trutzschler, Chairman of the Committee ITMA 2007.

Mr Trutzschler, however, did not mention any specific time frame for shifting the location for ITMA to this part of the world.

ITMA, held every four years at different locations in Europe, attracts over 1,00,000 visitors and more than 1,300 exhibitors from all over the globe and it's world's largest exhibition for textile and accessories, said Mr Ajay Singha, Deputy Director, Indo-German Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi.

Since 1951, ITMA has been held at different venues including Lille (1951), Brussels (1955), Milan (1959, 1975, 1983, 1995), Hanover (1963, 1979, 1991) Basel (1967), Paris (1971, 1987, 1999), Birmingham (2003) and now in 2007 in Munich, he added.

MMI organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 90 countries and over 2 million visitors from around 180 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia and in North and South America.

UNI