ITMA 2003: SARS Poses No Threat, Forum Program AvailableFollowing the decision by two major textile
machinery manufacturers not to exhibit at ITMA 2003 this October because of concerns over Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), exhibition organizers have released a statement reassuring show
exhibitors and visitors that the disease poses no threat in the United Kingdom (UK).SARS is not and
has never been a matter for concern in the UK. There has never been any restriction on incoming
visitors to the UK as a result of SARS, and there are no active cases of SARS in the UK, said Andy
Bird, ITMA exhibition director. The idea that there is a risk or threat to the successful running
of ITMA 2003, its visitors or exhibitors is wholly unrealistic and factually incorrect.According to
the statement, Bernard Terrat, president of ITMA sponsor CEMATEX, stated the groups support for
ITMA 2003 in Birmingham, and rejected SARS as an acceptable reason for cancellation. Additional
support for the Birmingham venue was confirmed by Lukas Sigrist, Ph.D., secretary general of the
Swissmem Textile Machinery Division. [T]he [Swiss Textile Machinery Association] board sees no
reason for a postponement or cancellation of ITMA 2003. Moreover, the board emphasizes the
importance of ITMA as the global leading event, and it confirms its consent with the CEMATEX
exhibition policy, Sigrist said.While we are sorry to lose these companies, plans for ITMA 2003
continue to progress well, with the latest figures demonstrating a marked increase in both visitor
pre-registration figures and countries represented by exhibitors, Bird said. We remain very
confident that ITMA 2003 will prove a very successful event.In other news, the ITMA 2003 Organizing
Committee has published the program for the ITMA Forum, New Frontiers in Textiles Moving
MarketsandStrategic Innovations, scheduled for October 23-25. The forum will be presented for the
first time at this years ITMA exhibition (See Textile World News, TW, May 2003). The program is
available at the ITMA website: www.itma.com/forum. In addition, advance questions to the forum
speakers may be posted on-line.
July 2003
