New technologies for textile industry come under regional spotlight

Organised by UAE-based, Streamline Marketing in collaboration with UK-based XPO Events / Turret Group, the new shop window for the region's textile industry is being launched as companies invest millions of dollars in an effort to meet the challenge of Chinese competition with the abolition of trade quotas.

Taking place at Airport Expo Dubai from 20-23 March, the event is attracting more than 120 leading textile machinery manufacturers and over 4,000 trade visitors from major textile producing countries such as India, Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Egypt.

Its importance is emphasised by an impressive line-up of exhibitors from Europe, Asia and the Far East, including Spanish manufacturer Valentin Rius Clapers, S.A. The company will be using Textile Expo Dubai for the debut of a new, versatile fast crochet knitting machine for the production of elastic and rigid bandages for medical applications.

Also on show by the company will be machines for the production of round, tubular and flat cords, ropes and elastic tubular nets used as protective bandages. With a revenue of €5.5 million in 2004 Valentin Rius boasts a global customer base in the USA, Iran, South Africa, Thailand and China and will be using Textile Expo Dubai to find potential partners in the UAE.

Avantec SRL, Italian manufacturers of laundry machines, dyeing plants, drying systems and processing equipment for made-up garments, will use the event to showcase a new brand of textile washing machines. With a revenue of €4 million last year, Avantec SRL has pinpointed the Middle East as a new market with major growth potential.

Among the other exhibitors already confirmed are many of the industry's major players, including the Saurer Group, Fongs, SMIT SpA, Superba S.A.S and Zimmer Austria.

Streamline Marketing Director Nick Webb said: "The Middle East is now ranked fourth in the world league of textile exporters, accounting for almost 5.5 per cent of the global trade, so it is not surprising big international manufacturers are focusing their attention on this region and especially on Saudi, Egypt and Syria".

Another factor which augurs well for the exhibition is Dubai's strategic location within easy reach of major textile producing markets in the Indian sub-continent, Africa, the CIS countries and the Far East, as well as the world-class facilities available in the emirate.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Finance & Industry and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Textile Expo Dubai is officially supported by Temsad (Turkish Machinery Association), Kotma (Korean Textile Machinery Association), CTMA (Chinese Textile Machinery Association) and ITAMMA (Indian Textile Machinery Manufacturers Association).

Running alongside the exhibition will be an international seminar which will focus on topics such as supply chain management, Human Resources & training, sourcing tips from major garment buyers and technical presentations on the latest textile technologies.