Although the Asian market has slightly slowed in the last couple of years for Italianmachinery exporters, their focus on quality and sustainability is becoming increasingly important to customers in this region, explains ACIMIT president Raffaela Carabelli.

How many Italian textile machinery companies are exhibiting at ITMA ASIA?

About 110 companies are exhibiting in Shanghai. Fifty seven of these are present in the National Sector Groups. The total surface occupied by Italian exhibitors is 4,750sq m, with an increase of 2%. Italy is, once more, one of the main countries exhibiting at ITMA ASIA.

How did Italian textile machinery companies perform in 2013 and how is 2014 turning out for them so far?

Our industry in 2013 has seen a slight decrease in its production activities, both in Italy and

How does the Chinese market compare for your members with two years ago when the previous ITMA ASIA + CITME took place?

The Chinese imports of machinery suffered a slowdown in the last two years, partly because of the lack of dynamism in final consumption worldwide. However, China remains the main destination for foreign sales of our companies. About 20% of Italian exports are in fact directed at the Chinese market.

What are the key demands of Asian textile companies in terms of textile technology manufactured in Italy?

The request of the Asian companies is fo

What activities is ACIMIT involved in at ITMA ASIA?

Our association is involved in promoting the ACIMIT Sustainable Technologies project. Our aim is to point out the commitment of our sector in order to provide cost-saving and environmentally sustainable technologies. During the show we will keep the media and visitors informed about the latest innovations of our companies concerning sustainability of the production process.

What do you see as the key emerging Asian markets for Italian textile machinery manufacturers?

Asia will remain the prima