The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) – owner of the ITMA textile
machinery exhibition – and the Brussels-based European Apparel and Textile Federation (EURATEX)
have signed a memorandum of understanding for closer collaboration in research, technological
development innovation and industry promotion.
At the signing, CEMATEX President Steve Combes and EURATEX President Dr. Peter Pfneisl noted
that research and technological innovation are of increasing importance if the European textile,
clothing and machinery industries are to maintain a global competitive advantage. They also
outlined plans for upcoming joint activities, the first of which will be a European Textile
Research Pavilion at ITMA 2011, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, Sept. 22-29, 2011. At
the pavilion, the organizations will host a European Commission delegation, among other visitors.
CEMATEX also will offer a 60th anniversary grant to exhibitors from research and education
establishments.
“I would like to ensure our colleagues from CEMATEX that the European textile and clothing
industry will not stop in its relentless efforts to innovate in its products and processes to
always remain one step ahead of our global competition,” Pfneisl said. “These innovations are
unthinkable without the right machines and equipment with the right functionalities and capacities,
available at the right time. We don’t see anybody better placed to provide us with these innovation
tools than our colleagues from the European textile machinery industry and we look forward to fill
this collaboration agreement at European level with a wealth of mutually beneficial activities for
many years to come.”
“We are keen to participate in EURATEX initiatives such as the European Technology Platform
for the Future of Textiles and Clothing,” Combes said. “We are all familiar with the idea of the
whole being greater than the sum of the parts. We believe that EURATEX and CEMATEX, pooling our
talents and abilities towards a common purpose, will accomplish more than continuing to work
independently. A united textile-making and textile machinery cluster will consolidate our position
in the global market, and help increase our market share.”
December 14, 2010
