Mark Jarvis, managing director of World Textile Information Network (WTiN); Sylvia Phua, chief executive officer of MP International; Halit Narin, president of International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF); and Stephen Combes, vice-president of CEMATEX
ITMA 2011

1 July 2010 – CEMATEX, the European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers and the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) have announced a high-level business forum, to take place next year alongside the ITMA 2011 show, in Barcelona, Spain.

The ITMA-ITMF World Textile Summit 2011 will be a one-day event that brings together textile-industry leaders and some of the world’s most influential thinkers and policymakers in strategically important fields such as economics, trade, technology and sustainability. It sets out to deliver an inspirational, forward-looking agenda, comprising expert presentations and interactive panel discussions, designed to offer a global perspective on the opportunities and challenges that face the textile industry in years ahead, and providing delegates with new ideas to maintain their success in the textile manufacturing and supply chain.

Keynote speakers will be announced later this summer and are among the world’s leaders in their own sphere of expertise. In the economic arena the programme will address the post-Credit Crunch environment and the prospects for both market growth and investment.

On trade, it will look at the future of the relationships between the major exporting countries and their markets in Europe and America.

On sustainability, it will consider the importance of ‘clean’ practices to communities in the developing world, and the impact of consumer pressure for a greener industry. And on technology, it will examine how up-coming developments such as nanotech, wearable electronics and low-input manufacturing are likely to change both the kinds of products that are made, and the way of making them.

The World Textile Summit is the first joint initiative between the ITMF and CEMATEX. It is being organised in partnership with the World Textile Information Network (WTiN) and international event organiser MP International.

The Summit will take place in Barcelona, Spain, on 21 September 2011–the day before the opening of ITMA 2011, which is the 60th Anniversary edition of the show, and the day after the ITMF Annual Conference.

Steve Combes, Vice President of CEMATEX said: “The textile industry must adapt constantly to changing world conditions, and this has never been more important than in the aftermath of the economic crisis of the past two years. The World Textile Summit 2011 will give those with strategic responsibilities clearer insights into the future challenges and, at the same time, add significant value to a visit to Barcelona during ITMA week. The ITMF, with its global membership of leading textile companies, is the perfect partner and we are delighted to be working with this federation.”

Halit Narin, President of the ITMF said: “We are returning to Barcelona on the centenary of our first Conference in that city, and our joint event between the ITMF and ITMA confirms the truth that the textile industry will never lose its significance for us from birth to death. Taking into account the creative and innovative solutions of our industry, textiles will continue to exist both in the developed regions like Europe and US and also the developing countries of the world. This new event–focusing on the strategic business decisions that we must all make in a changing global market–will add an extra vital dimension. The partnership with ITMA and the opportunity to view the latest technical advances at the exhibition will make the Summit a memorable occasion.”

About ITMA

ITMA, the world’s largest international textile and garment machinery show, is recognised as the ‘Olympics’ of the textile and garment machinery industry. Held every four years at different venues across Europe, it is owned by CEMATEX, the European textile machinery manufacturers association. www.itma.com

About ITMF

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) is an international association for the world’s textile industries, dedicated to keeping its worldwide membership constantly informed through surveys, studies and publications and through the organisation of annual conferences, participating in the evolution of the industry’s value chain and publishing considered opinions on future trends and international developments. www.itmf.org

About WTiN

World Textile Information Network (WTiN), formerly known as World Textile Publications (WTP), is a global textile news and information provider whose beginnings can be traced back more than a century. Its magazines are recognised for their authority and market-leading coverage and in recent years it has developed a complementary range of electronic media and special publications. This clear industry focus means WTiN has become an integral part of the textile community, providing the highest-quality information and now leveraging an innovative online technology platform to deliver next-generation strategic intelligence for textile industry executives. www.wtin.com

About MP International

Established in 1987, MP International specialises in organising exhibitions, conferences and special events. The group has organised and managed some 300 national, regional and international events, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2009 Leaders’ Week. It is a leading international organiser of trade exhibitions, including ITMA and ITMA Asia. MP International is headquartered in Singapore with a global footprint across Asia and Europe.

CONTACT

Ms Trine Nielsen
World Textile Information Network (WTiN)
Tel: +44 1274 378800
Email: tnielsen@world-textile.net

Ms Daphne Poon
MP International Pte Ltd
Tel: +65 6393 0238
Email: daphnepoon@mpinetwork.com