Leading Italian textile manufacturers eager to woo GCC market

"Italy is the second-largest producer of textile machinery in the world, offering some of the most advanced technologies in the global market, so we are proud to be able to put them face to face with a large audience of textiles and garment manufacturers from the Middle East and Asia," said Nick Webb, director of UAE-based, Streamline Marketing, which is organising Textile Expo Dubai in collaboration with UK-based XPO Events / Turret Group.

Taking place at Airport Expo Dubai from 20-23 March, the event promises 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.

"The Middle East is a new target area for us and we are inviting some of our important clients, especially those from Iran, to meet us at the Textile Expo Dubai," said Maurizio Vaglio, director of Italy's TEX.BI.MA consortium which represents some 22 leading Italian manufacturers.

Among the ten confirmed Italian manufacturers of nonwovens, dyeing & finishing, spinning and weaving equipment is Eurotex SAS, an international consultancy company, specialising in technologies for the nonwovens sector. The company's partnership with leading Italian distributor of high-tech man-made fibers, Benedetti Tessili Tecnici, gives it control over the full production cycle, from the raw materials to the end product.

Also attending the event is world leader in the production of baling presses and automated textile solutions, Gualchierani which registered a revenue of €15 million in 2004.

"Our main markets are in China, India, Thailand and Europe, but we hope Textile Expo Dubai will serve as a link between our company and potential new clients in the Middle East and Africa," said Lunghini Gianni, Gualchierani's sales manager.

Other Italian exhibitors include leading manufacturer of laundry machines, dyeing plants, drying systems and processing equipment for made-up garments Avantec Srl, Biancalani Spa, Jaeggli-Meccanotessile Srl, Laip Srl, OBEM S p A and SMIT Spa.

A main attraction for exhibitors 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 Accessories and Machinery Manufacturers Association).

Running alongside the exhibition will be an international seminar which will feature technical presentations on the latest textile technologies. In addition, the show will give pre-registered visitors an opportunity to have pre-arranged meetings with exhibitors and industry associations.