Posted April 29, 2015

 

I’d like to spring clean this week, so here are some news, views and maybe some conjecture from the ol' pollen-covered notebook:

 

Technical textile/nonwovens shows growing

 

The technical textiles and nonwovens areas have grown considerably over the years, and trade shows targeting those sectors reflect this trend. Next week, Techtextil, the largest international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens, takes place. More than 1,300 exhibitors from 48 countries and around 27,500 visitors from 97 nations will converge on Frankfurt, Germany for the event.

 

For technical textiles and nonwovens, the Techtextil Frankfurt show and its offshoot events in the U.S., India, China and Russia – all organized by Messe Frankfurt – are the elite of the elite. The North America version in Houston, of course, is a little more than a month away. It’s maybe something to give last-minute consideration to, if you’re not already planning to attend. Opportunities to learn more about these sectors and meet some of their key players certainly exist.
 

ITMA advisory board members sought

 

ITMA, likewise, is the largest of its kind in the world. The quadrennial textile machinery exhibition is coming up in November in Milan, and I’ve noticed that representation from U.S. exhibitors continues to shrink – I’m sure for reasons beyond the global shift in the supplier production base.

 

A number of American companies have chosen to sit this one out, perhaps reflecting a need to carefully pick and choose which shows to put down exhibition dollars or maybe because digital communications have changed the way they market and do business these days. Either way, I’m curious: Whether or not you’re exhibiting or whether or not you’re visiting ITMA 2015, I want to hear from you. I’d like to have you as a member of my unofficial ITMA advisory board to help determine which production areas you’d like to see covered and which companies you’d like to see reported on. Please contact me here to begin the conversation.

 

Also, if you’re exhibiting or represent an exhibiting company, please contact me so I can make sure to include your products and services information in our editorial pre-show and show coverage – and, if you’re interested, tell you about our ITMA advertising specials.
 

Who are the young entrepreneurs?

 

With apologies to my good friends at the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC), which presents an annual Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, eTC will begin a series in the coming weeks on young entrepreneurs in the textile industry. We know a number of them are flying under the radar who deserve recognition. Personally, putting the spotlight on the next generation of textile company owners and leaders is important not only as a means of connecting them to industry colleagues and potential suppliers, but to help attract other “Big-Idea” Millennials into textiles.