Overall shipments of new textile machinery were slightly down in 2013, though remaining at a relatively high level. Compared to 2012, the global shipments of new short-staple spindles rose by 10 per cent while those of open-end rotors decreased slightly by two per cent and of long-staple spindles dropped by 45 per cent. Also, the number of new draw-texturing spindles shipped was down by 29 per cent, those of new shuttle-less looms by four per cent and those of new electronic flat-knitting machines by 24 per cent. Worldwide shipments of new large circular knitting machines in 2013 remained unchanged, at the record level of 2012.
These details are given in the 36th annual International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) just released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF). The report covers six segments of textile machinery, namely, spinning, draw-texturing, weaving, large circular knitting, flat knitting and finishing machinery. The survey has been compiled in co-operation with some 117 textile machinery manufacturers, representing a comprehensive measure of world production.
Spinning machinery
After shipments of new short-staple spindles plummeted by 33 per cent in 2008 and by 17 per cent in 2009, they soared in 2010 by 75 per cent to pre-crisis levels and increased in 2011 by a further 15 per cent, reaching 14.33 million, an all-time high. In 2012 shipments of short-staple spindles fell by 27 per cent to 10.51 million spindles, but rose again in 2013 by 10 per cent to 11.56 million. Almost 93 per cent of all shipped short-staple spindles in 2013 were destined for Asia (10.72 million), with China alone absorbing 6.21 million or 54 per cent of global shipments, followed by India, a distant second (2.19 million spindles or 19 per cent), Indonesia (757,000 or 6.6 per cent), Turkey (566,000 or 4.9 per cent) and Pakistan (546,000 or 4.7 per cent).
Global shipments of long-staple (wool) spindles dropped in 2013 by 45 per cent from 146,400 to 80,800. Europe was the main recipient (49,900 or 62 per cent), followed by Asia (28,950 or 36 per cent) and the Americas (1,900 or 2.4 per cent). The single biggest investor in long-staple (wool) spindles was Turkey with 34,300 spindles (or 43 per cent), followed by China with 26,550 spindles (or 33 per cent), Romania with 6,050 (or eight per cent), Italy with 5,000 spindles (or six per cent) and Poland with 2,900 (or four per cent).
As far as open-end rotors are concerned, global investments decreased slightly in 2013 by two per cent to 443,200. Asia was once again the region that absorbed by far most of the new rotors (351,400 or 79 per cent of global shipments). Country-wise, China was the dominant investor putting in place 271,740 or 61 per cent of global shipments. India was again a distant second with a total of 30,980 new open-end rotors (seven per cent), followed by Turkey with 28,640 rotors (6.5 per cent), Brazil with 13,780 rotors (3.1 per cent), Vietnam with 13,660 rotors (3.1 per cent) and Malaysia with 12,040 rotors (2.7 per cent).
Texturing machinery
From 2010 to 2011 global shipments plummeted from 13,200 to just 1,824 (86 per cent). In 2012 no shipments of single heater draw-texturing spindles (mainly used for polyamide filaments) were recorded. In 2013 shipments reached 2,600 spindles, of which 2,120 went to Asia (China 960, Chinese Taipei 840 and Thailand 320) and 480 to Europe and others (Turkey).
In the segment of double heater draw-texturing spindles mainly used for polyester filaments, investments dropped from 717,760 to 505,080, a decline of 29 per cent. Almost 90 per cent (or 455,640) of all shipments went to Asia. By far the biggest single investor in this type of draw-texturing machinery was again China where 366,480 new spindles or 73 per cent of global shipments were installed, followed by the distant second Japan with 30,860 or 6.1 per cent, India with 21,640 or 4.3 per cent, Vietnam with 8,160 or 1.6 per cent, and Egypt with 7,920 or 1.6 per cent.
Weaving machinery
Worldwide shipments of shuttle-less looms fell slightly in 2013 from 86,450 machines to 83,420, a fall of four per cent. The main reason for this development was a further decline in shipments of water-jet looms. After a skyrocketing jump of 537 per cent to 73,250 in 2010 and to 112,930 in 2011, which was partially due to the fact that more weaving machinery manufacturers reported for the first time in 2010, global deliveries of water-jet shuttle-less looms dropped by 65 per cent to 39,920 machines in 2012 and by 13 per cent to 34,580 in 2013.
In the shuttle-less loom segment of rapier/projectile looms shipments increased by 2.5 per cent from 23,250 in 2012 to 23,830 in 2013. Also deliveries of shuttle-less air-jet looms moved up from 23,300 in 2012 to 25,010 (seven per cent).
As in previous years, the main destination of shuttle-less looms was Asia where 76,390 or 92 per cent were installed. Country-wise, the biggest global investor was again China with 54,830 looms (66 per cent), of which 30,590 were water-jet looms, 16,330 air-jet looms and 7,910 rapier/projectile looms. With 10,060 shuttle-less looms (12 per cent) of global shipments India was the second biggest investor, followed by Indonesia (3,110 or 3.7 per cent), Turkey (3,010 or 3.6 per cent), Bangladesh (2,820 or 3.4 per cent) and Korea (1,290 or 1.5 per cent).
Global shipments of large circular knitting machines increased by 27 per cent from 28,900 in 2011 to 36,640 in 2012, was a new record. In 2013 the number of machines remained practrically unchanged at 36,575. Asia was the main regional investor in this type of machinery absorbing 33,440 units or 91 per cent of all new machines shipped in 2013. The biggest single investor was once again China with a total of 27,460 (a global market share of 75 per cent), followed by India with 1,600 (or 4.4 per cent), Turkey with 1,490 (or 4.1 per cent), Bangladesh with 910 (or 2.5 per cent), and Indonesia with 850 (or 2.3 per cent).
In the electronic flat knitting machines segment, global shipments in 2012 dropped by 34 per cent to 46,100 machines. Also in 2013 global shipments recorded a decline of 24 per cent to 35,180. The bulk of global shipments of electronic flat knitting machines was delivered to Asia (30,300 or 86 per cent), while Europe’s share (including Turkey) reached 12 per cent (4,350 machines). The biggest single investor in 2013 was China with 20,800 new machines (59 per cent), followed by Bangladesh with 3,960 (11.3 per cent), Turkey with 2,790 (7.9 per cent), Hong Kong with 1,850 (5.3 per cent) and Italy with 790 (2.3 per cent).