GERMANY
After a two year lull due to Covid, the German  VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies trade association was finally able to hold its industry meeting on 4-5 April in Nuremberg again in person. "As we have learned in the pandemic over the last two years, no virtual meeting can replace personal exchange on site," said Elgar Straub (pictured), managing director VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies.

The Association reported that the industry ended 2021 with positive figures. Incoming orders increased by 35 % compared with the previous year. Exports also increased again in 2021: In the sewing and garment technology sector, German machine manufacturers were able to increase exports by 8 % to €439 million.
 
Exports
The most important export market from a German perspective was Poland, followed by the USA and France. German suppliers of shoe and leather technology increased their exports by 16 % to €47.5 million. Here, the main customer countries were the USA, France and Mexico. 

Exports of German laundry and textile cleaning technology also increased by 6% to €364 million in 2021. The most important export markets here were Poland, Turkey and the USA. From a European perspective, exports also recovered in 2021. Exports of Italian sewing and garment technology, for example, rose by 11.5 % to €271 million and Italian shoe and leather technology also increased by over 19 % to €284 million. Spain was also able to increase exports of laundry and textile cleaning technology by 12% to €87 million.

"Companies' order books are well filled after the pandemic-related decline in 2020," said Straub. "However, the ever-increasing prices for raw materials, the massive supply bottlenecks for preliminary products, the expensive and difficult transport conditions and the enormously increased energy costs are very challenging for many technology manufacturers. Added to this are now the unforeseeable consequences of the war in Ukraine."

Participants were able to learn about current topics in workshops on ‘Sustainability in the textile industry in dialogue with the mechanical engineering sector’ and ‘Increasing protectionism in the USA-China-EU triangle and the impact on mechanical engineering’, as well as about the EU Green Deal and current developments in the sewing and garment industry and the textile care industry in the USA. Messe Frankfurt gave the participants an update on Texprocess in June 2022, the long-awaited first leading trade fair for the sector in three years.

Election to the Board
During the industry meeting, VDMA TFL expanded its board by a further four members – including an additional Italian representative.