Getting ready for Itma 2023: Interview with our Director Alejandro Gallego
As the world’s most influential textile and garment technology exhibition approaches, we sat down with our director Alejandro Gallego to discuss about the challenges of the textile industry and the hot topics for this year ITMA’s edition in Milan.
What are the main challenges for Spanish textile solutions manufacturers in 2023?
Spanish companies are very resilient, more than 80% of amec amtex members are active in the market for more than 20 years, which gives a clear impression that current challenges are daily business for Spanish companies.
Currently one of the most important aspects that is affecting the downfall of commands in the international textile sector and it is also affecting all technology manufacturers around the world. In this situation the managers are facing stressful situations as 2021 and 2022 were high demand years and now they need to adapt their companies value chain to the current situation.
Which are the main sectors represented at ITMA?
The finishing sector is the most represented sector at this year’s ITMA 2023 followed by the spinning and knitting sector, traditionally the highlights of the show were visitors can see complete manufacturing lines working and touch fabrics and textiles recently onsite produced!
There are other sectors that visitors should pay attention, the digital printing sector has grown compared to 2019 exhibitors and introduces us to the migration the sector is doing from rotatory printing to digital printing. For the first time at ITMA, recycling solutions will have its own sector and has received a big demand of exhibitors for this year.
What are the hot topics at ITMA 2023?
The textile sector is experiencing important changes and needs to get updated into what is called the “dual transition”. Textile manufacturers will need to have a more sustainable and digitalized value chain, therefore investments will be needed to put the right solutions in place.
That’s one of the reasons why we will find a recycling sector at the show and if visitors get to know the showcased technology, they might find new digital ways to manage the production lines, apps to gather manufacturing data, digital twins…
How many companies Spanish Textile solutions manufacturers represent?
Amec amtex represent all Spanish manufacturers, a total number of 32 companies.
We proudly represent companies from all the textile value chain, from spinning to finishing and even recycling technology companies. For this year’s ITMA amec amtex association is organizing technological tours through the venue in order to introduce visitors to the latest trends and to enhance textile conversations between visitors & exhibitors.
How is the Spanish Textile solutions Platform supporting the companies at ITMA?
The platform is building bridges between Spanish companies and the textile world, as an association we have the aim of spreading the word around the globe and let textile manufacturers know which are the latest technologies Spanish companies are manufacturing.
Spanish companies have also the promotion support at ITMA CONNECT, which is the leading textile digital platform and will be a game changing for the sector after the show.
