Business

VDMA Has High Expectations From Texprocess 2019

The industry looks forward to Texprocess, the leading trade fair for processing textile and flexible materials, taking place in Frankfurt from 14 to 17 May 2019. "Sales in the entire German Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies sector rose by 5.7% in real terms year-on- year in the months from January to October 2018," explained Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies, at Texprocess's international press conference in Frankfurt. "Incoming orders fell by 21% in real terms over the same period. Now the industry is pinning its hopes on a successful Texprocess in Frankfurt," Straub continued. [caption id="attachment_15063" align="alignright" width="128"] Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies[/caption] In the sewing and garment technology sector, exports rose by 7% from 563 million euros in 2016 to 603 million euros in 2017. However, they fell by 18% in the first ten months of 2018. "The economic situation is still good," Straub said, "but many external components, such as the threat of Brexit, the collapse of the Turkish lira or the threat and introduction of customs duties or extra-territorial sanctions, e.g. by the USA, are bringing unrest to the markets. Top Topic Industrie 4.0 - next steps Where does the industry stand, particularly in terms of digitisation, automation, robotization and artificial intelligence, and what does the future hold for garment technology and the processing of technical textiles.