ITMF Releases 2005 Machinery Survey

Short-staple spindle shipments totaling 11.2 million set a record in that category and
topped 2004 shipments by 7 percent. Of these, 7.2 million spindles went to China, 1.4 million to
India, 1 million to Pakistan, 540,000 to Bangladesh and 300,000 to Turkey.

Long-staple spindle shipments, at 182,836, were 5-percent lower overall than in 2004. Again,
China led in the number of shipments with 82,900 spindles, representing a 15-percent drop in
shipments. Turkey — with 42,300 spindles — and Italy — with 14,000 spindles — followed, registering
increases of 148 percent and 245 percent, respectively. Open-end rotor shipments declined by 10
percent to 374,000 positions, including 246,000 to China, 22,000 to Brazil, 20,000 to India and
18,000 to Turkey.

Single-heater drawtexturing spindle shipments were down by 48 percent to 6,900, half of
which went to China and 15 percent to Turkey. Double-heater drawtexturing spindle shipments
declined by 21 percent to 308,000, with 260,000 — 84 percent — going to China, 13,700 to India and
7,700 to Hong Kong.

Weaving machinery shipments also dropped in 2005. Shuttleless loom shipments fell by 16
percent to 53,500 units, with 88 percent going to Asia including 61 percent to China, 9 percent to
India and 7 percent to Bangladesh. Turkey and Italy accounted for 4 percent and 2 percent,
respectfully, of those shipments.

The ITMF survey recorded a record high for circular-knitting machinery shipments, which
totaled 30,500 units — 32-percent more than in 2004 — including 22,500 machines going to China.
Electronic flat-knitting machinery shipments declined by 8 percent to 10,500, with 85 percent
destined for Asia — including 46 percent for Hong Kong and 27 percent for China — and 12 percent
for Europe.