Switzerland: Shipments of short-staple spindles in 2007 at all time high

The general expansion of global textile machinery shipments which could be observed during the previous four to five years continued also in 2007. Shipments of short-staple spindles, open-end rotors and texturing spindles were up in 2007.
Also in the segment of weaving more shuttle-less looms have been shipped in 2007 compared to the previous year. Shipments of electronic flat knitting machinery soared in 2007 to new record levels. Only the segment of circular knitting machinery experienced a decrease, though from previous record levels in 2005 and 2006.
These are the main results of the 30th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) just released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers 6 types of textile machinery, namely spinning, texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing machinery. The 2007 survey has been compiled in cooperation with some 120 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world output.
Spinning Machinery:
The year 2007 marked another record year with regard to shipments of short-staple spindles. In 2007 a total of 12.8 million short-staple spindles have been shipped, an increase of +9% compared to 2006. Asia was once more the dominant recipient of these shipments absorbing 94% or 12.05 million spindles.
China absorbed by far the largest part (6.06 million or 47%), followed by India (3.74 million or 29%), Bangladesh (606,000 or 5%), Vietnam (530,000 or 4%), Turkey (466,000 or 4%) and Indonesia (429,000 or 3%).
Global shipment of long-staple (wool-) spindles fell in 2007 to 148,000 (-19% compared to 2006). With a share of 52% or 77,800 spindles China remained the world’s primary destination (-23%, compared to 2006), followed by Iran with 18,700 (+34%), Italy with 12,300 (+40%), Turkey with 9,200 (-34%) and Poland with 7,000 (+79%).
Global investments in open-end rotors jumped by +64% compared to 2006 to a new record high, totalling 576,000 positions with 68% of all shipments destined for Asia. China alone absorbed 292,000 open-end rotors in 2007, reaching a global market share of 51%.

The next biggest investors in open-end rotors were Turkey with 136,000 (+300%, compared to 2006), India with 44,000 (+33%), Bangladesh with 17,000 (+81%), Russia with 12,800 (+29%), Brazil with 11,800 (+19%), and Vietnam with 8,200 (+41%).
Texturing Machinery:
Texturing Machinery Shipments of single heater draw-texturing spindles (for polyamide filament) fell by 37% to 6,530 spindles in 2007. With 3,000 or 46% Italy was the biggest investor followed by China with 2,900 or 44%.
After record years in 2004 and 2005 with 393,000 and 308,000 shipped spindles, respectively, global shipments of double heater draw-texturing spindles (for polyester filament) fell in 2006 to 220,000 spindles.
In 2007 they increased again to 247,000, the third biggest amount of shipped double heater spindles ever recorded. The main destination was once more China (133,000;with a global share of 54%), followed by India (57,300 or 23%), Egypt (9,400 or 4%), Malaysia (5,300 or 2%) and Syria (4,100 or 1.5%).
Weaving Machinery:
In 2007, investments in shuttle-less looms recorded with 68,200 shipped looms the second highest amount after 2002 when 71,100 shuttle-less looms had been shipped. This represented an increase of 2% in comparison to the previous year. 60,600 or 89% of all shuttle-less looms went to Asia. Country wise the major destinations of investments were China (46,200 or 68% of global share), Bangladesh (4,200 or 6%), India (4,000 or 6%), Turkey (1,900 or 3%), Indonesia (1,400 or 2%), Italy (1,200 or 2%) and Pakistan (1,100 or 1.5%).
Circular & Flat Knitting:
With a total of 26,600 large circular knitting machines shipped in 2007 investments in this segment fell slightly by -6% from 28,300 in the previous year, still the third highest amount since shipments in this segment are reported. 82% of all machines went to Asia with China alone investing in 18,000 new circular knitting machines (global share of 68%) followed by Turkey (1,300 or 5%), India (1,100 or 4%), Bangladesh (900 or 3%) and the USA (600 or 2%).
21,800 electronic flat knitting machines were shipped during 2007, an increase of 58% compared to the previous year. 91% of all shipments were destined for Asia and 8% to Europe (including Turkey). With 12,200 or 56% China represented the biggest investor in electronic flat knitting machinery, followed by Hong Kong (5,600 or 26%), Italy (1,000 or 5%) and Cambodia and Turkey (each 450 or 2%).
Finishing Machinery:
The 2007 edition of the ITMF shipment statistics includes for the third time data on finishing machinery for woven and knitted fabrics covering both wet and dry finishing technologies and differentiating between installations for discontinuous and continuous finishing processes.