ITMA 2019: Barcelona prepares to welcome the global textile industry
ITMA 2019 returns to the heart of the Spanish textile industry for its 18th edition in June.
TW Special report
ITMA 2019, the quadrennial event for the textile industry widely regarded as the world’s largest trade fair for textile machinery, is just around the corner. “Innovating in the textile world” is the theme of the 18th edition of ITMA. The event will be held June 20-26, 2019 at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain, and will showcase fibers, yarns and fabrics as well as the latest technologies for the entire value chain of the manufacture of textiles and clothing.
Owned by the European Committee of Textile Machine Manufacturers (CEMATEX), the 2019 show is organized by ITMA Services, based in Brussels.
The Fira de Barcelona Gran Via is located in a new commercial development area close to Barcelona airport and connected to the public transport network. The venue was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and is known for its functionality and enduring features, including a large photovoltaic installation on the roof.
“Innovation is vital to the success of industry as Industry 4.0 gains momentum in the manufacturing world,” said Fritz Mayer, President of CEMATEX. “The shift to open innovation has led to an increased exchange of knowledge and new types of cooperation between educational institutions, research organizations and businesses. ITMA has been a catalyst and showcase of groundbreaking innovations since 1951. We hope that attendees can share new developments, discuss industry trends and stimulate creative endeavors, thus ensuring a culture of vibrant innovation in a global context.
Completely Reserved Exhibitor Space
The exhibition space was full by the registration deadline and the fair will occupy the nine halls of the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via. More than 1,600 exhibitors are expected to fill the gross exhibition area of 220,000 square meters. Organizers also expect some 120,000 visitors from 147 countries.
“The response to ITMA 2019 is so overwhelming that we were unable to meet the demand for space despite adding two more showrooms,” Mayer said. “We are grateful for the industry vote of confidence. This shows that ITMA is the launch pad of choice for the latest technology from around the world.
The exhibitor categories showing the strongest growth are the garment, printing and inks sectors. Apparel manufacturing has a number of first-time exhibitors keen to demonstrate their robotics, vision system and artificial intelligence solutions; and the number of exhibitors presenting their technologies in the printing and inks sector has increased by 30% since ITMA 2015.
“Digitization has a huge impact on the textile and clothing industry, and the true extent of its influence is visible not only in textile printing companies, but throughout the value chain,” said said Dick Joustra, CEO of SPGPrints Group. “Brand owners and designers can take advantage of opportunities, like ITMA 2019, to see how the versatility of digital printing can transform their operations. As a total supplier of conventional and digital textile printing, we see ITMA as an important market to showcase our latest technologies.
All exhibitions at ITMA 2019 will be indexed in 19 categories called chapters (see table 1).
What’s up?
The Innovation Lab was recently launched for the 2019 edition of ITMA to focus on the theme of innovation. The Innovation Lab concept includes:
- A research and innovation (R&I) pavilion showcasing the research and development work of 27 participating organizations to encourage collaboration between industry and academia;
- ITMA Speakers Platform where participating R&I institutes can present research projects and developments;
- Innovation Video Showcase featuring selected videos from the exhibitions that will be featured on the speakers platform;
- ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award, which was established in 2015 to “recognize the collaborative efforts of the global textile industry to advance business sustainability through innovative solutions and promote outstanding industry-related research” in two categories : Excellence in industry and Excellence in research and innovation.
“By launching the ITMA Innovation Lab feature, we hope to better draw industry attention to the important message of technological innovation and cultivate an inventive spirit,” said Charles Beauduin, President of ITMA Services. “We hope to encourage greater participation by introducing new components, such as the video showcase to showcase the innovation of our exhibitors.
The official ITMA 2019 app is also new for 2019. The app, which can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play, offers key information about the exhibition to help attendees plan their visit. . Searchable maps and exhibitor lists, as well as general trade show information are all available in the app.
“As ITMA is a huge exhibition, the app will be a useful tool in helping exhibitors and visitors to maximize their time and resources on site,” said Sylvia Phua, Managing Director of ITMA Services. “An appointment planner will allow visitors to request appointments with exhibitors before arriving at the show. The online planner and floor plan will be available from the end of April 2019.”
Conferences, Education
Apart from the lively exhibition area, attendees also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational and networking events. Associated and co-located events include ITMA-EDANA Nonwovens Forum, Planet Textiles, Textile Dyes & Chemicals Leaders Forum, Digitl Textile Conference, Better Cotton Initiative Seminar and SAC & ZDHC Manufacturers Forum . See TWfrom the March / April 2019 issue for more information on educational opportunities.
Visitor incentive
The organizers are offering an early registration discount. Anyone who registers online before May 15, 2019 can purchase a day pass for 40 euros or a seven-day badge for 80 euros, which is up to 50% lower than on-site rates. Participants can also purchase conference and forum passes online, as well as request a visa invitation letter when ordering a badge.
“We expect the interest from visitors to be very strong,” said Mayer. “Therefore, visitors are advised to book their accommodation and purchase their badge in advance. “
About Barcelona
Located on the northeast coast of the Spanish Mediterranean, Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia and, with a population of over 1.7 million in the city proper and a metropolitan population of over 5 million inhabitants, the second most populous city in Spain after Madrid and the largest Mediterranean coastal metropolitan area in Europe.
Textile production was an important component of industrialization at the end of the 18th century, and continues to be so today – indeed, the vast majority of members of the Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Textile Machinery and clothing (AMEC AMTEX) are located in the province of Barcelona, and AMEC AMTEX is headquartered in the city of Barcelona, a few kilometers from the Fira de Barcelona. In addition, the city has more recently attempted to become a major fashion center.
The Catalan region has long nurtured a strong separatist identity and still values its regional language and culture today. Although Spanish is spoken by virtually everyone in Barcelona, Catalan is understood by around 95% of the population and spoken by around 75%.
Barcelona’s Roman origins are evident in several places in Barri Gòtic, the city’s historic center. The Museu d’Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona provides access to the unearthed remains of Barcino beneath the center of present-day Barcelona, and parts of the ancient Roman wall can be seen in more recent structures, including the Cathedral of the Only from the Gothic period.
The weird and whimsical buildings and structures designed by turn-of-the-century architect Antoni Gaudí, found in many places around Barcelona, are major attractions for visitors to the city. Several of them together make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the designation ‘Works of Antoni Gaudí’ – including the Nativity façade and the crypt of the Basilica de la Sagrada Família, Parque Güell, the Palacio Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló and Casa Vicens. The site also includes the crypt of Colònia Güell, an industrial area established near Santa Coloma de Cervelló by Eusebi Güell, a textile company owner who moved his manufacturing business there from the Barcelona area in 1890, putting establishing a state of the art vertical textile -operation and providing housing and cultural and religious facilities for workers. The mill closed in 1973.
Barcelona has also at one time or another been home to 20th century artists Joan Miró, a longtime resident, as well as Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. There are museums dedicated to the works of Miró and Picasso, and the Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona houses a private collection of works by Dalí.
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, located in the Parc de Montjuïc near Fira de Barcelona, has an important collection of Romanesque art and other collections of Catalan art through the ages.
Barcelona also has a textile museum, the Museu Tèxtil i d’Indumentària, which offers a collection of clothing dating from the 16th century to the present day; Coptic, Hispano-Arab, Gothic and Renaissance fabrics; and collections of embroidery, lace and printed fabrics.
Those who want a taste of life in Barcelona may want to join the locals in the evening for a stroll through the streets of the city and sample the local cuisine and nightlife. Remember, dinner is served late – restaurants usually serve between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. – and the party continues very late into the night.
There are several options for getting around Barcelona. Public transport services include a nine-line metro, buses, modern and historic tram lines, funiculars and cable cars.
For more information on ITMA 2019, please visit itma.com.
January / February 2019
