German manufacturers of Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies ended the year 2021 with positive figures. Incoming orders increased by 35 percent in 2021 compared to 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 percent to 439 mn euros.
Poland main export market: 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 percent to 47.5 mn euros. Here, the main customer countries were the USA, France and Mexico. Exports of German laundry and textile cleaning technology also increased by 6 percent to 364 mn euros 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 percent to 271 mn euros and Italian shoe and leather technology also increased by over 19 percent to 284 mn euros. Spain was also able to increase exports of laundry and textile cleaning technology by 12 percent to 87 mn euros.
“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.”
Industry meeting on site in Nuremberg: After two years, the VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies were finally able to hold its industry meeting on April 4 and 5 in Nuremberg again in presence. “As we have learned in the pandemic over the last two years, no virtual meeting can replace personal exchange on site,” said Elgar Straub, Managing Director VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies.
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.
