ITM 2009: A route towards global sales opportunities

ITM 2009 International Textile Machinery Exhibition held between 6-10 June 2009 was attended by approximately 1000 leading textile technologies manufacturer companies of the world and Turkey. There were tally 31,000 textile buyers including more than 4000 foreign visitors from 59 countries have visited ITM 2009 Exhibition. Textile investors especially from the Middle East countries have proved the importance and central position of textile exhibitions organized in Turkey for neighboring countries and region once again.

This year as an exception, ITM 2009 edition opened its doors at the weekend, which has created a positive effect for visitors coming out of the town and neighboring countries in the first two days - 6th and 7th June - of the exhibition. Due to the weekend the production and purchase managers were able to extensively cover  the exhibition quite comfortably and had a chance to examine the technology on both Saturday and Sunday which are sector holidays in Turkey.

Foreign visitors and the Middle East Factor

According to the show organizers, The industrialists from the Middle East have showed greater interest at ITM 2009 Exhibition, as some of them were not able to go to fairs held in Europe due to visa problems, while others do not prefer fairs held in the Far East due to long distance travel.

Turkey’s closeness to the Middle East ern countries, appropriate accommodation, easy access of Middle Eastern Countries to Turkey without any visa problems and similar technology choices are one of the most important reasons to visit ITM in Istanbul.

Intermediate regions and textile industry

Tours were also organized from various textile cities of Turkey to ITM 2009 Exhibition. Besides visitors from cities like Bursa, Corlu and Denizli, a greatest number of interested visitors came from Adana, Gaziantep, Kahramanmara and its neighborhood. In addition to many industrialists and production managers, factory personal that had come by their cars or by plane or chartered couches and vans from different regions.

Choices in textile technologies

Although the latest innovations in spinning, yarn, weaving, knitting, hosiery, dyeing-print-finishing technologies taking place at ITM 2009 have attracted attention of all visitors, most purchased machines were finishing technologies.

Aiming at increasing their competitive power in the world textile market, Turkish Textile businessmen have concentrated on finishing machines that enable value-added production. Besides European brands, Turkish dyeing-print-finishing machinery manufacturers are also developing technologies according to the demands in Turkey have also attracted attention of both domestic and foreign visitors.

International exhibitions and ITM 2009

Contrary to the belief that worldwide economic fluctuations and recession, affecting also textile sector will affect ITM 2009 Exhibition negatively, the exhibition has been quite productive in both terms of  attendance and investment. ITM 2009 Exhibition is especially remarkable in emphasizing Turkey’s central position in textile World.

Organized for the 3rd time with the motto slogan of “Textile exhibitions are organized in textile country”, ITM 2009 Exhibition was quite successful event of 2009 despite of all the negative conditions worldwide.

Developing Technologies and competitive power of local machine manufacturers

Turkish textile machinery manufacturers have made a strong impression at ITM 2009 with their latest machines. Having found the chance of introducing their latest models and their comprehensive features especially in textile finishing technologies, Turkish machine manufacturers have been increasing their market share in middle east and other parts of Asia.

ITM Exhibitions, Teknik Ltd and Tuyap

Tracing its roots from BUR-TEX 2002 Textile Machinery and Sub-Industries Exhibition held in Bursa in 2002, ITM International Textile Machinery Exhibitions had become a criteria for the global textile industry when it was first organized in 2004.

ITM 2004 and ITM 2006 Exhibitions brought together textile technologies manufacturers of the world and buyers in the region. Success of ITM 2009 against the worldwide negative conditions is a conclusion of the projects done according to the mission of improving the sector by Teknik Ltd.

The Teknik Limited has been acting as solution partner for textile industry for the last 15 years. Teknik Ltd. also offers publishing and consultancy services to the industry, aiming at not only being an exhibition organized, but also a crucial partner and solution partner for textile industry, Teknik Ltd. will keep its projects and services related to textile industry.

Founded in 1978, Tuyap has organized many exhibitions, which have steadily grown, at Istanbul Sports and Exhibition Palace, Etap Marmara Otel and Istanbul Exhibition Palace till 1996.

In order to meet demand of contemporary exhibitions center of Turkey, in 1996 Tuyap inaugurated Tuyap Fair, Convention and Congress Center, being the largest exhibition center of Turkey, with an area of 60,000 sqm.

Comments of organizers

Mr. Necip Güney, Sales and Marketing Director, Teknik Ltd. said, “ITM 2009 takes place during the revival period, following the global financial crisis, will make great contributions both to their country and to the international textile market.”

He added, that mission of ITM Exhibitions is to be the solution partner for the companies, in order to define their strategies accurately. The companies, which participate in the exhibition show themselves to be the future of the textile industry. The 98% of textile employment is composed of unskilled labor and no other sector is able to create such an employment potential and opportunity for our labour market. That is why Turkey will go on its way with textile and apparel industry and we hope to see the textile industry in a future without crisis, in more profitable days and in many other ITM Exhibitions.”

Güney added that they want to organize Hightex Fair which is planned in 2010 with Weaving Fair 2010 and Finish Machine Fairs simultaneously.  The emphasis will be on finishing machinery, due to an increase in the importance of fashion design and other value added textile products.

Mr. Umit Vural, Director of Technical Operations, Teknit Ltd. said, “The textile manufacturers worldwide have experienced difficult times due to global financial crisis. nevertheless, many kept going on their way without losing their optimism, as they believe that their sector will recover in the long run.”

He added, “Turkey is located at a very important geographical location, where the civilizations and cultures merge and being an international meeting point, ITM 2009 International Textile Machinery Exhibition will realize the most important and comprehensive cooperation of our country and sector with the partnership of TUYAP and Teknik Fuarcilik.”

Serdar Yalcin, Chairman of Executive Board, TUYAP Icra Kurulu Baskani said, “ITM 2009 Istanbul International Textile Machines Fair which was prepared by TEKNIK FUARCILIK and TUYAP, the leader organization in fair businesses for 29 years in national and international areas and is supported by Turkish Textile Employers Association (TTSIS), Turkish Textile Machinery and Accessories Association (TEMSAD) and many universities and public services, hosted one of the most extensive cooperations of their country and the sector.“

He further said, “Tuyap has got 19 agencies around the country and more than 400 employees. The meeting of Tuyap’s experience and Teknik Fuarciliks success made ITM 2009 Istanbul International Textile Machines Fair the most important fair in the middle Eastern region.”

Adil Nalbant  of TEMSAD said, “Turkish textile and accessories manufacturers have a voice among the textile machinery developers of the world. In spite of the global crisis experienced in 2008, they have made 1 billion USD contributions to national economy as a result of 300 million USD export value and 700 million USD domestic sales.

Their manufacturers have exported to many countries, such as United States of America to Far East, from Middle East to Europe.

ITM 2009 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, organized with the cooperation of TUYAP that is the leading name of the fair sector in Turkey, TEKNIK Fuarcilik that holds the pulse of textile sector and signs under great breakthroughs for their sector and TEMSAD and TTSIS that gather textile technology manufacturers under its roof, will be an important meeting place for local and foreigner textile machinery manufacturers.”

He added, “Their expectations from the exhibition are directed to improve their relations with neighbor countries. They aim at improving their relations especially with trade boards that will come from Middle East, Africa, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, India and Bangladesh.