The ITMF 2012 Annual Conference will take place November 4–6 in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is co-organized
by the Switzerland-based International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) and VINATEX, the
Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group. The theme of the conference is “Challenges for the
Textile Industry — Present and Future.”
“Volatile raw material markets, sovereign debt crises, currency disputes, political
instability in some regions, a blocked Doha-Trade-Round, looming protectionism … these are just a
few of the short- and long-term risks that the world economy is confronted with and which have far
reaching implications for the global textile value chain.” With those words, ITMF is introducing
the conference.
Christian Schindler
As ITMF states on its website, the conference delegates “will benefit from a wide range of
presentations, meetings and workshops in order to:
- learn more about the ongoing changes affecting the global textile industry;
- exchange views and experiences regarding the challenges and opportunities of today and
tomorrow;, and - meet colleagues from the textile and affiliated industries from around the world.”
Textile World Asia
spoke to ITMF Director General Christian Schindler, Ph.D., about the reasons why Vietnam was
chosen to be the host of this year’s conference.
TWAsia
:
Why is this year’s annual ITMF conference taking place in Vietnam?
Schindler
: Vietnam has been opening up in the past two decades and has gradually integrated its
economy into the global economy. Its proximity to many rapidly developing and emerging economies in
Asia and the regional integration of its economy helped to spur investments and economic growth.
Along with Vietnam’s economy as a whole, also its textile and apparel industry grew rapidly.
Between 2000 and 2010, Vietnam’s textile and apparel exports surged from US$2.1 billion to US$13.5
billion — an average annual increase of 54.3 percent. While apparel exports still represent
approximately 80 percent of the industry’s exports, textile exports have increased significantly.
According to ITMF’s International Textile Machinery Shipments Statistics, investments in Vietnam’s
primary textile industry picked up strongly. Especially the segment of spinning machinery saw a
strong increase. Since the year 2000, the Vietnamese textile industry has on average invested in
approximately 210,000 new short-staple spindles every year. In 2011 alone, the industry installed
330,000 new short-staple spindles.
TWAsia
:
What are the benefits for the Vietnamese textile industry to organize this conference?
Schindler
: Bringing the ITMF Annual Conference to Vietnam is an opportunity to showcase the Vietnamese
textile and apparel industry, to promote investments in the industry, to build ties and networks
with textile representatives from around the world and to discuss topics of mutual interest. In
other words, hosting an ITMF Annual Conference provides the possibility to promote the Vietnamese
textile and apparel industry.
TWAsia
:
What do you expect from this conference for the Vietnamese textile industry?
Schindler
: As the co-organizer of the ITMF Annual Conference, we hope that the participants will
discuss the challenges and opportunities of the industry in the various General Sessions as well as
during the social activities outside the conference room. The ITMF Annual Conference with a truly
international platform enables all participants to better understand the developments and ongoing
changes in the global textile value chain — from fibers to retail — that the industry needs to
understand to overcome the challenges and to prosper in the future. Of course, we hope that the
links between the Vietnamese and the international textile industry can be intensified and
strengthened.
TWAsia
:
What are your hopes for the ITMF attendees for the conference?
Schindler
: I hope that the participants will listen to informative presentations, will be able to
participate in interesting discussions, will meet old and new colleagues and friends, will learn
more about the Vietnamese textile industry, and will better understand the short- and long-term
challenges and opportunities of the global textile industry.
TWAsia
:
What should not be missed while visiting Vietnam and the conference?
Schindler
: Attending the ITMF Annual Conference in Hanoi enables every participant to experience
first-hand this fascinating country with a vibrant and dynamic society and economy. If time allows,
one should also consider participating in the ITMF post-conference tour to central Vietnam. The
cultural and natural treasures of Vietnam are numerous and definitely worth visiting and seeing. We
are looking forward to welcoming a lot of guests to Hanoi in November.
VINATEX
VINATEX is owned by mother company Vietnam Textile and Garment Group;research and training
centers; and nearly120 sub-companies, which include joint stock companies doing business in various
fields, such as textile apparel manufacturing and commercial services. The organization’s chairman
is Vu Duc Giang.
VINATEX’s strategy for developing the Vietnamese textile apparel industry until 2015, with
orientation toward 2020,includes a focus on specialization and modernization to offer added value
in textile apparel products. The organization’s approach comprises two initiatives:
- to achieve sustainable, stable and long term development of the country’s textile apparel
industry by implementing three decisive programs — cotton planting, high-quality spinning and human
resources training; and - to complete capitalization of all state owned textile apparel enterprises and VINATEX.
July/August/September 2012