ITMA and what it stands for

ITMA is the world's largest international textile machinery exhibition, an event which is owned by CEMATEX. ITMA is recognised as the ‘Olympics' of the textile machinery industry – a showcase of the latest technology and a vital meeting place for buyers and sellers from all over the world.

ITMA 2007 – The Place For Innovation

The International Textile Machinery Exhibition ITMA 2007, which will take place in Munich from 13 to 20 September 2007, has the main theme of a “Place for Innovation”. A current example of this is nanotechnology, a technology of the future that also enables new properties and saving potential for textiles and clothing, for example in materials and energy costs.

Nanotechnology describes the production and use of structures in systematic arrangement of nanoparticles with a dimension or production tolerance below 100 nanometers. New functions and properties for improving existing products and application options as well as for developing new ones result simply from the nanoscalability of the system components. Materials have different properties in nanometer scale, which are used in nanotechnology.

Numerous multifunctional nanotex developments have been launched on the market in the textile industry in the meantime. For example, nanotechnology enables extremely high-insulation thermal protection clothing or self-cleaning textile surfaces, from which even substances such as ketchup or red wine drip off. Thanks to the link of textile structures with miniaturised electronic components, smart clothes can be produced that perceive environmental conditions and react to them.

A Japanese fibre manufacturer, for example, has developed a patented process , with which the properties of top quality merino wool can be achieved on polyester fibres.

In mechanical engineering, the properties of machines can be improved with respect to resistance to wear, corrosion protection and temperature resistance thanks to nanotechnological surface coatings.

Textile research institutes have developed quality labels on the basis of defined test procedures for consumer safety and assurance. The Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering Denkendorf (ITV) has created the Denkendorf Label of Quality for Self-Cleaning Textiles, and the Hohenstein Institute the Hohenstein Quality Label Nanotechnology.

Manufacturers of textile machines, especially for finishing machines, textile auxiliary manufacturers and component suppliers will increasingly promote the advantages of these new technologies at ITMA 2007. Research institutes for textiles and clothing are also going to present current developments in this field in the “Research and Education Area”, which is being held for the first time in the history of ITMA, especially since there is increasing work in basic and applied research in nanotechnology (examples include electro-spinning and spider silk).

ITMA will also show the complete range of textile developments from the fibre to the clothing industry, so that nanotechnology will be a topic in all areas.

About ITMA

In the halls of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, the latest products of the international textile machinery industry will be presented on 13 - 20 September 2007. The European umbrella organisation CEMATEX, which comprises nine European member associations, is the owner of ITMA and has selected the Textile Machinery Association of the VDMA to engage Messe München to hold the event in 2007. This leading international trade fair of the textile machinery industry takes place at intervals of four years at different exhibition locations and attracts around 100,000 visitors and 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world. ITMA 2007 will occupy the entire exhibition area of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

About Messe München International (MMI)

Messe München International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International Group) is one of the world’s leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America.