Business

Feel The Power Of Swiss Innovation

ITMA 2019 will demonstrate the ‘inventive DNA’ of Switzerland’s machinery producers For textile machinery manufacturers and their customers, ITMA is the greatest show on earth – attracting huge numbers of delegates eager to discover the latest technology trends and the newest machinery developments. The 2019 edition of this four-yearly event takes place in Barcelona in June, and there will again be a strong presence of Swiss textile machinery companies, whose participation at any ITMA is always the focus of enormous visitor interest. The majority of the 63 exhibitors from Switzerland at ITMA 2019 will attend under the organisation of their national representative body, the Swiss Textile Machinery Association (Swissmem), whose president, Ernesto Maurer, promises an exciting and dynamic showcase of genuine innovation: “Swiss machinery manufacturers always provide some of the headline presentations at the big exhibitions,” he says. “Barcelona this year will be no exception, as our members will certainly demonstrate the power of Swiss innovation, a tradition rooted in our national DNA across numerous ground-breaking inventions in textiles and the wider world.” Swissmem is keen to emphasize the spirit of inventiveness which has brought history-making breakthroughs as diverse as the chocolate bar, fizzy drinks and the computer mouse – as well as a continuing stream of textile-related innovations for which ITMA will provide the latest evidence. The heritage of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association members is impressive, dating back to the dawn of the industrial revolution and amounting to a combined total of more than 4,000 years of expertise in meeting the needs of textile producers worldwide. At ITMA (June 20-26), every major sector along the textile value chain will be covered by Swiss exhibits, ranging from fibre and yarn manufacturing through knitting, weaving, nonwovens, dyeing and finishing. In many of these disciplines, such as textile testing and quality control and yarn spinning, Swiss firms lead the world. Tradition provides the essential background to the Swiss innovative spirit, but progress today sees companies which are in the forefront of modern and future trends in areas such as digitalisation, sustainability and energy efficiency, with data handling and interpretation underpinning practically every aspect of their work. Cornelia Buchwalder, Secretary General of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association, accepts that the industry faces ever-changing challenges – not least of which is inexorable globalisation of the textile business. “We in Switzerland are confident that we have the structures and strength to keep pace with the continuing evolution of the textile world, thanks to our financially sound companies and, of course the ongoing development of the machinery and equipment that our ‘inventor DNA’ makes possible,” she says. “We also have the shared commitment to customer needs which is the core of our offering to the marketplace. Ultimately, we aim to provide added-value to our customers, to help them reach their business goals and achieve sustainable profitability.”