Continued Growth

By Jim Borneman, Editor In Chief, Textile World

ShanghaiTex 2005
By Jim Borneman,Editor In Chief,Textile WorldContinued Growth

ShanghaiTex 2005 attracted more than 1,400 exhibitors, who offered attendees a full range of textile technologies.With a contentious backdrop between the United States and China regarding increased imports in a quota-free trade environment, the most recent edition of ShanghaiTex — the International Exhibition on Textile Industry — showcased the latest textile technology in its largest presentation since its debut in 1984.From the first edition, held in 11,500 square meters (m2) of exhibition space, the show grew this year to seven halls and two temporary halls, encompassing more than 100,000 m2 of show space. Three halls were dedicated solely to Chinese textile machinery companies.The show’s record numbers were a reflection of the manufacturing boom China has recently experienced. Its total textile machinery import and export volume reached a reported $5.3 billion in 2004, with imports of $4.7 billion more than exceeding machinery exports of $676 million. However, export growth — up 28 percent from the previous year — is a sign of increasing availability of Chinese technology in the global market. Promatech S.p.A.'s Riccardo Mautino (left) and Fabio Mazzucchetti, with the Mythos E-Tec weaving machineA Successful StartMore than 1,400 exhibitors from 23 countries provided a strong international presence and offered a full range of textile equipment and accessories.Intellectual property protection, strengthening machinery capabilities and the low prices of Chinese equipment were on the minds of many exhibitors at the show.The first day of the show attracted more than 35,000 visitors, including overseas visitors coming from 39 countries and regions, according to organizers, which included the Shanghai International Exhibition Co. Ltd., Shanghai Textile Technology Service & Exhibition Centre, and Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. Further support was provided by 13 regional textile industrial bureaus, general councils and local companies.Weaving TechnologyPicanol N.V. established its Chinese textile machinery manufacturing operation, Picanol Suzhou Textile Machinery Works (PST), in 1994 as the company’s first production line outside of its headquarters in Belgium.Chinese production of the GTM-A and GTM-AS rapier weaving machines was launched with only 50 mostly local workers and engineers.At ShanghaiTex, Picanol introduced the third generation GTXplus rapier weaving machine, built upon the design of previous GTM models. The Olympica, an air-jet weaving machine completely developed and produced at PST, also was shown. The newestgeneration air-jet weaving machine, the OMNIplus 800 — introduced only recently in Europe — was on display for the very first time in Asia.Italy-based Promatech S.p.A. continued its focus on technology for the Chinese market and exhibited a renewed range of rapier and air-jet looms. According to the company, ShanghaiTex served as the site of the first official presentation of the new Mythos E-Tec air-jet loom.“The new Mythos E-Tec is the further evolution of our air-jet technology,” said Riccardo Mautino, marketing manager. “The new design reduces power consumption and running cost while it is a step forward in performance and improved running ease.”The Sulzer Textil P7300HP from Sultex Ltd., Switzerland, was displayed for the first time in China at the show. It represents the latest generation of the company’s projectile weaving machines. The P7300HP features a performance increase of up to 20 percent over that of previous models and, thanks to optimized motion sequences and direct projectile acceleration, the weft acceleration speed can be kept at the same low levels, resulting in a minimum number of weft stops. Because of its open, modular design concept, the machine can fulfill a broad range of requirements, and has many expansion options to meet the changing needs of tomorrow’s markets, according to Sultex.Sultex also presented the Sulzer Textil G6500 rapier weaving machine at the show, less than one year after its debut. A demanding, high-value cashmere fabric style was woven on the show floor to demonstrate the gentle warp handling and the high level of fabric quality available from this machine.Representatives from Belgium-based NV Michel Van de Wiele reported positive results at ShanghaiTex. The company presented its technology at four booths; one of the highlighted machines was the EFS 900 feeder for hosiery.The show also marked the first time in Asia that the Shaggy Rug Explorer SRX82 was presented.Van de Wiele reports this new machine can create woven rugs with a pile height of up to 50 millimeters or 2 inches. Eight color frames can be woven. Left to right: NV Bonas Textile Machinery's Philippe Van de Velde and NV Michel Van de Wiele's Eric Himpe and Danny BourgoisSMIT S.p.A., located in the Italian pavilion, presented the JS900 air-jet weaving machine, developed using the technology of the previous T4300, Terry Jet and Fast Jet models. The GS900 flexible rapier also was presented as a common platform development.The common platform also is shared by the G6300F for terry fabrics. Area Sales Manager Francesco Cecchinato said interest this year from Chinese manufacturers stems from the apparel, home textile and terry markets. “Next year’s forecast,” Cecchinato said, “will be similar to this year’s — not as strong as two years ago, but the market presents many projects. The [strengthening] U.S. dollar has helped [machinery] exports. We have seen a 7- to 8-percent improvement.“The GS900 has improvements, as does the JS900, and will continue to develop,”Cecchinato added. Francesco Cecchinato, area sales manager, SMIT S.p.A., with one of the company's latest weaving machinesFranz Miesbauer, sales manager, Dornier Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. — a business unit of Germany-based Lindauer Dornier GmbH — was present with rapier weaving machinery running with up to 16 filling colors. He stated that despite the feeling of fewer visitors, quality of the show was still very good.“Investment is conservative with the uncertainty of the trade now,” Miesbauer said.“China has very big hopes for its textile industry. Its markets are expanding. We are finding interest in our 16-color machine, which appeals to the changing market.” Stäubli AG, Switzerland, announced and celebrated the delivery of the 200th automatic DELTA 100/110 drawing-in system and the 20th OPAL multilayer leasing machine. The DELTA 100/110 on display at the exhibition is to be installed at the China-based Tianjin Textile Group, a manufacturer of shirting fabrics. According to Stäubli, Tianjin has a wide range of fabric patterns and will certainly benefit from the high drawing-in capacity of the Delta 110 because of the need to frequently draw-in new styles. The machine will be Tianjin’s second Delta, and Stäubli is convinced this one will serve as well as the first one. Tianjin also will become the ownerof the Opal, a machine that was launched at ITMA Birmingham in late 2003. Deliveries began in 2004.Jakob Müller AG, Switzerland, presented technology for the manufacture of woven and knitted tapes and webbing used for woven labels and technical textiles, and for machines for the ready-made clothing and making-up industry. According to the company, this is the first ShanghaiTex at which the company presented its entire range of dyeing and finishing machines, including Switzerlandbased SB-Breitenbach Maschinen AG’s production line, which was integrated into the Müller’s range. The Müller supply program now covers all the needs of the tape and narrow fabrics industry, from individual yarn to the finished made-up product.Spinning TechnologyRieter Textile Systems, Switzerland, announced it anticipates the growing importance of the Chinese textile industry. To better meet the needs of its Chinese customers, it has enhanced its local competence by setting up a Business Group China. The new group will be led by Sigi Föhn, former head of the company’s blowroom and carding operation.Having supplied machines to China for more than 70 years, Rieter currently employs more than 300 people in sales, after-sales service, com- missioning, production, financing and technology support in China — with its headquarters there in Shanghai, and additional offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Jinan, Urumqi and Wuhan. The company also operates a production plant in Changzhou and a service center including a spare parts warehouse, as well as a SpinCenter, in Shanghai. All Chinese organizations within Rieter Textile Systems will report directly to Föhn.Uster Technologies AG, Switzerland, while offering a full range of testing, classification and quality control systems, used ShanghaiTex as a platform to make a special presentation of USTERIZED® certifications.According to the company, textiles tested, cleared or inspected with USTER® are more valuable and can achieve a higher market price. The first certifications in China were made at the show to Esquel Textile Co. Ltd. Fulvio Galetto, area sales manager of Italy-based ITEMA Spinning’s Savio brand, said Savio has been established in China for 30 years, with the first machine installed in 1971.“As we have seen the movement [in China] from state to privately owned companies, we have seen the interest in exports. Savio machines offer a big jump in quality with a small investment. As labor demand continues to increase, the labor savings of the machine is a help.We have the Gemini S 224B DuoPot here as an example — this machine both helps quality and reduces labor. It also adds flexibility to the production,”Galetto said, adding that the first FlexiRotorS 3000 has been installed in China and is up and running. Toyota Industries' weaving machinery drew the attention of many attendees.Italy-based Loptex S.r.l.’s general manager, Massimo Soffritti, was on hand to explain the optical sonic sorter, which features both optical and sonic sorting capabilities. The company specializes in systems that detect and remove contamination in the opening process at spinning mills. Soffritti said the price sensitivity of the Chinese market create challenges; however, the export-oriented private companies that require quality product offer the best opportunity for this level of technology.Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, along with its subsidiaries Truetzschler Textile Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. and Truetzschler Card Clothing — which offers complete clothing service for all cards, roller cards and aerodynamic fleece folding machines — presented information on its newest machines for the opening and cleaning of cotton and man-made fibers. On display were the TC 03 card, DK 800 card — which premiered at ShanghaiTex and is produced by Truetzschler’s Shanghai subsidiary — and the td 03 draw frame. According to the company, it has sold more than 1,500 units of the TC 03 worldwide since its introduction.India-based Premier Evolvics Pvt. Ltd. introduced Xeni, which uses both optical sensors and a camera to detect white plastics and all types of colored contaminants including jute, hair, paper, polypropylene, feathers, leaves, and colored threads, among other items. The Xeni was displayed in the Cross Roll Blow Room line.Premier also displayed new concept solutions in yarn and fiber testing and the Milli and texpert mill management solutions. Wang Wen Qian, chairman, Zhejiang Printing & Dyeing Machine Co. Ltd.Saurer GroupThe Switzerland-based Saurer group, which seems to expand each day, was on full display at ShanghaiTex. Saurer’s Schlafhorst subsidiary premiered a new three-track rotor spinning concept.For manual spinning, Schlafhorst displayed a new time-saving, userfriendly machine controlled by innovative frequency inverters. The new spinbox is optimally tuned for processing all customary staple fibers and also is optimally equipped for processing low-priced secondary fibers.For the fully automatic Autocoro product line, Schlafhorst placed emphasis on textile consulting and on opening the world market to Autocoro spinning plants. The BD 330, the first semi-automatic rotorspinning machine equipped with digital sensor technology for yarn monitoring, also was displayed.Neumag presented its new developments for carpet yarn, man-made staple and nonwoven production, including the new bulk continuous S3 and S5 plants for the production of carpet yarn. Both plants, according to the company, are based on a modular construction kit that enables optimal configuration that meets all of the customer’s special requirements.Luca Bardone, sales representative, Cimi S.p.A., Italy, said the show was an opportunity to introduce the new Lavanova system. “This gives us the opportunity to enter the cotton and synthetic markets,”he said.“Wool has been the primary business. We anticipate stronger investments in the second half of the year. We have seen local customers, as well as from the north [of China], India and Pakistan — the show seems more international than before.”Benninger Co. Ltd., Switzerland, not only presented its products at the show, but also offered two technical seminars for finishing and weaving preparation.Kurt Honegger, CEO, Textile Finishing, noted there were trends toward consolidation in the higher-level Chinese companies and a demand for quality standards. In an effort to keep pace with the increasing importance of Asian markets, Benninger is increasing its local team to meet market requirements. ”Without quality you are lost — quality, reproducibility, reliability all in a safe system are what we are here to represent,”he added.
September/October 2005