ShanghaiTex 2005
By Jim Borneman,Editor,Textile WorldITEMA’s Global Focus
ITEMA (Shanghai) Textile Machinery Co. Ltd. held an opening ceremony for its new expanded
facility.The ITEMA Group continues to focus on serving the global textile marketplace. It has
reorganized its various divisions with an aim of strengthening its worldwide leadership in the
textile field.The new corporate structure organizes the company into four distinct business areas
according to market fields and specific commercial brands. The brand structure for the company
features Itema Spinning, which will focus on winding machines and the Savio brand. Itema Weaving
will focus on weaving machines and will feature four brands: Itema Shanghai; Somet; Sulzer Textil;
and Vamatex. Itema Accessories also will focus on four accessory brands: Actex; Cincla; Fimtextile;
and Nuova Omv. Itema Electronics features the Eutron and Eutron Infosecurity brands.Itema Group
Holding will continue the use of the following company names: Savio in winding machines; Promatech
and Sultex in weaving machines; First in accessories; and Eutron and Eutron Infosecurity in
electronics.The group features Itema America, Itema India, Itema Shanghai Textile Machinery and
Itema Asia. Established in 2004, Itema Shanghai was created as a new production area specifically
for China. A new, expanded facility was inaugurated earlier this year in the Song Jiang Industrial
Zone of Shanghai.The plant currently produces weaving machines and accessories. An annual
production capacity of more than 2,000 units utilizes 26,225 square meters (m2) of developed area
with 6,000 m2 dedicated to production, and 2,400 m2 to offices and services.The site also features
a research and development center. Itema Shanghai employs 130 at the site, of which 120 are local
employees. Last year, the company produced more than 400 looms, and the 2005 budget target is 1,200
units. Growth in turnover from approximately 10 million euros in 2004 to 30 million euros in 2005
is expected.“This country [China] has a good industrial environment,” said Rino Morani, commercial
director, Itema Shanghai Textile Machinery Co. Ltd. “To look ahead,we have to consider what is
next. In spite of the worldwide situation, Itema continues to be strong.To forecast is impossible —
what we think will take 10 years can happen in five years.”The total turnover for the Itema Group
in 2004 was about 645 million euros from operations that included eight industrial sites, seven
research and development centers, a presence in more than 90 countries and approximately 2,890
employees.
September/October 2005