World’s leading trade fair for processing of flexible materials brings a turnaround – renewed optimism in the sector
About 25,000 trade visitors from 115 countries: 3 per cent more than in 2003
On 13th May 2006, IMB - World of Textile Processing - closed in Cologne after four very successful days that fully satisfied the sector's expectations. IMB once again proved that it is the leading international meeting place for the world of flexible materials processing. The consensus among exhibitors and visitors alike: This year's fair was a top-class event for the entire sector. "IMB clearly strengthened its position on the world market - with its unique and multi-faceted product range for all areas of application of the sewing industry and highly qualified trade visitors from all over the world, this year's IMB sparked a turnaround. The sector is looking to the future with renewed optimism," said Wolfgang Kranz, Executive Vice President of Koelnmesse in summing up the fair's success. Elgar Straub, Managing Director, VDMA German Garment and Leather Technology Association, had equally high praise for this year's fair: "IMB - World of Textile Processing 2006 - gave the exhibitors and visitors exactly what they have been looking for now for many years. I know of no other trade fair worldwide that has generated such a positive mood in recent years. IMB 2006 showed that it is the leading international technology platform and an outstanding meeting place for the sector. The fair's concept, which integrated the processing of technical textiles, was very positively received."
And the new Koelnmesse trade fair halls contributed greatly to making IMB so attractive. The exhibitors and visitors unanimously praised the excellent quality of their stay in Cologne, the very high standards of service and the top-class impression made by the fair overall. "Everyone in the sector is delighted to find everything they need under one roof and to have access to this great presentation platform at the modernised Cologne exhibition centre," said Elgar Straub. The exhibitors themselves played a key role in ensuring the fair's outstanding overall appearance by making significant investments in the construction of their stands and in their presentations. By doing so, they succeeded in setting an impressive stage for showcasing their brands and images.
IMB 2006: the meeting place for the world of textile processing
The global market for textile processing was represented at IMB 2006. On a gross exhibition space of 80,000 m², a total of 631 companies from 40 countries (597 exhibitors and 34 additionally represented companies), including two thirds from abroad (398 exhibitors and 25 additionally represented companies), presented the world's most comprehensive product range of top-quality technologies for clothing production and, for the first time, a very extensive spectrum of complete solutions related to technical textiles. About 25,000 visitors from 115 countries were registered for the fair, including a much higher percentage (64 per cent) of trade visitors from abroad than at the previous event. This is a three percent increase over the number from IMB 2003. There was even a more than ten per cent increase in visitors from abroad, despite the fact that this year's fair was scheduled for one day less than the 2003 event. Trade visitors from Eastern Europe were present in greater numbers than in the past, especially from Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria, as were those from Turkey, the Arab countries, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and South Africa.
IMB in Cologne - the place to be for high tech
More than ever before, IMB - World of Textile Processing - lived up to its reputation as the top trade fair presenting high tech for the entire value chain. "The competing trade fairs primarily serve the market for inexpensive goods intended for the mass market. IMB, by contrast, is the platform that presents the segment characterised by higher quality and more advanced technology, and that means high tech machines and innovative solutions," emphasised Shigeru Tobita, Sales & Technical Manager, JUKI Corporation, Japan. Like most exhibitors, Tobita not only met all of his regular customers at IMB but also many potential and new customers. And they came from all areas related to the processing of flexible materials - from the clothing industry to the automotive and aeronautics industries, furniture upholstery, medical applications and filter technology. "Many of our customers in the technical textiles industry who were visiting IMB for the first time were pleasantly surprised to find such an extensive selection of solutions for their specific needs. This shows how strong the IMB concept is, and that the efforts to attract new target groups were very successful," said Henrik Mölleken, Head of Central Marketing, Dürkopp-Adler AG, Bielefeld. According to Mölleken, the fact that the overwhelming majority of trade visitors in the new target groups were from Europe shows that the continent continues to be an important region for this industry.
Thanks to the visitors' impressive qualifications, there was more demand than ever before at the exhibitors' stands for consulting expertise, questions about applications were discussed in depth, and high-tech innovation attracted big crowds. "Many heads of development in the technical textiles processing industry are here, and they are looking for new joining techniques such as laser and ultrasound fusing processes - this makes IMB a great fair and generates new business for us, although not necessarily immediately," said Martin Schmidt, Marketing/Sales Promotion, PFAFF Industrie Maschinen AG, Kaiserslautern. Across the board at IMB, there was a much greater emphasis on communication and know-how transfer, maintaining customer relations and establishing new business contacts than on actually booking new orders. Nevertheless, many exhibitors reported an impressive number of incoming orders placed during the fair.
"Optimism and trend towards a stronger economy"
The very positive mood at IMB - World of Textile Processing - is exemplified by the comments of Günter Veit, head of the VEIT Group, Landsberg am Lech: "We concluded many business deals at the fair, and it has given us optimism and strong momentum for an upturn in our everyday business!" Many exhibitors had high praise for the preparations by IMB's organisers - Koelnmesse and the fair's conceptual sponsor, the VDMA German Garment and Leather Technology Associatin - and credited the organisers' efforts for a good share of the fair's success. Yvonne Heinen-Foudeh, Marketing and Communications Manager Europe, Middle East, Africa, Gerber Technology GmbH, Munich: "IMB has underlined its position as the leading trade fair for this sector. The main reason for this is the exceptionally effective marketing campaign conducted by Koelnmesse, which consequently integrated the full spectrum of technical textiles and recognized important developments on the market."
90 per cent of visitors involved in purchasing decisions
The high level of decision-making authorities attributed by the exhibitors to the visitors was underscored by the results of a representative visitor survey. Of the respondents, 74 per cent were involved in purchasing decisions. The corresponding figure for foreign visitors was even higher, at 86 per cent. In total, 63 per cent of the respondents (and 78 per cent of the respondents from abroad) were planning to make investments in the next 12 months.
Most of the visitors attended the fair to look for new and enhanced products. Of the survey respondents, 71 per cent said this was an important reason for their visit, and 87 per cent were satisfied or highly satisfied with the products they encountered. A total of 49 per cent of the visitors were planning to make purchases or prepare to do so, and 54 per cent aimed to make new business contacts. Of the visitors from outside Germany, as many as 65 per cent were looking for new suppliers. (Multiple responses possible) The survey responses also reflected the broad range of the participants' interests. Almost half of the respondents came from sectors in which the processing of technical textile plays a role. Overall, 92 per cent of those surveyed said they were satisfied or highly satisfied with their visit to the trade fair. The visitors' appreciation of IMB is reflected in the fact that 62 per cent will definitely or probably be returning to Cologne for the next IMB in 2009.
The trade fair for education: A campus setting at IMB
The trade-specific supporting programme was a particularly important element of the trade fair. The IMB Forum on 11th May placed special emphasis on the rapidly changing world of IT and logistics. Here, presentations by high-ranking speakers from science and industry covered a wide range of IT issues. In total, around 500 participants took the opportunity to combine their trade fair visit with deepening their trade-specific knowledge. The top IT issue was product lifecycle management (PLM), and the presentations on this very topical subject attracted the most listeners. The Forum was accompanied by a Speakers' Corner, where exhibitors had the chance to present their latest developments in detail. In addition, various educational presentations at the exhibitors' stands at IMB - World of Textile Processing - gave the fair a campus-like feel. (http://www.imb-forum.de)
Inaugural IMB Innovation Awards
This year saw the inaugural presentation of the IMB Innovation Awards by Koelnmesse and the VDMA. International experts were asked to select winners in the field for the best marketable innovations in the processing of flexible materials. In the category for "International Research Establishments", the prize was won by the Institute of Textile and Clothing Technology at the Technical University of Dresden for the development of a machine that automates the manufacture of car covers. And the prize in the category for IMB exhibitors went to the Kaiserslautern company PFAFF Industrie Maschinen AG for a programmable welding system featuring full parameter control via touch screen. The patron of the award was Janez Potocnik, EU Commissioner for Science and Research.
The next events in Cologne for the textile-processing industry:
- 2007: IMB-Forum - IT for the textile and clothing industry -
Trade Fair Boulevard/Congress Centre North of the Cologne exhibition centre, 21st and 22nd November
- 2009: IMB Cologne - World of Textile Processing - in spring
... and in Shanghai:
- Textile Processing China - powered by IMB
from 19th to 21st October 2006
(www.textileprocessingchina.com)
Digital press service
The Final Report, additional press releases, an overview of new products, exhibitors' press compartments and a selection of photos from the fair are available on the IMB website at: http://www.imb.de (Press section).
Further information is available from:
VDMA German Garment and Leather Technology Association, Munich, http://www.vdma.de
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