U.S. trade shows get International Buyer Program status for 2010

Textile & Sewn products industry week 2010 selected by U.S. Dept of Commerce for prestigious International Buyer Program

The U.S. Commercial Services unit of the Department of Commerce has selected the co-located ATME-I/MEGATEX 2010, SPESA EXPO 2010, and TECHTEXTIL NORTH AMERICA 2010 trade shows for participation in its coveted International Buyer Program. Exhibitors and attendees of the events will benefit from the opportunities to meet, network, and develop business partnerships with international buyers, sales representatives, and strategic partners.

20 April 2009, Atlanta, GA - Textile & Sewn Products Industry Week 2010, which features three independent exhibitions, ATME-I/MEGATEX 2010, SPESA EXPO 2010, and TECHTEXTIL NORTH AMERICA 2010, has been selected as one of only thirty-five 2010 trade events for the coveted U.S. Commercial Service's International Buyer Program (IBP). Each year, the IBP brings thousands of international buyers to meet with U.S. companies at major trade shows representing leading industrial sectors in the United States.

Exhibitors and attendees of the three co-located shows on May 18-20, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia will benefit from the expanded opportunities that the IBP creates to meet, network, and develop relationships with international buyers, sales representatives, and strategic partners.

As the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA), the U.S. Commercial Service operates the IBP to help U.S. companies find new international business partners by recruiting more than 125,000 foreign buyers, representatives and distributors from all over the world to 35 U.S. trade shows per year.

In addition to the expanded international attendance that the IBP will bring, exhibitors in the three Textile and Sewn Products Industry Week 2010 events will also benefit from promotion of their products and services through an Export Interest Directory; access to hundreds of current international industry-specific trade leads; and export counselling, marketing analysis, and matchmaking services. An onsite International Business Center staffed by country and export specialists from the U.S. Commercial Service will arrange meetings for U.S. exporters and international delegates. IBP will also provide valuable assistance to international buyer delegations with the visa application process as well as hotel and travel packages.

"This valuable Department of Commerce Program will result in increased attendance from key countries around the world and create new business opportunities for both exhibitors and attendees," stated American Textile Machinery Association (ATMA) Chairman Jay White, Jr. "Anyone who is in the textile business in the Americas should recognize that this is a 'must-attend' event."

"We are honoured to be selected for the International Buyers Program," noted SPESA Managing Director Dave Gardner. "The program will exponentially increase business opportunities for everyone at SPESA EXPO through both increased international attendance and the valuable services offered by the U.S. Commercial Service."

"Being selected as the only textile industry event to receive the International Buyers Program certification confirms the value that is being created for exhibitors and attendees at the Textile and Sewn Products Industry Week tri-location of the leading industry shows," added David Audrain, President of Messe Frankfurt North America (organizer of TECHTEXTIL NA).

About ATME-I/MEGATEX

ATME-I/MEGATEX - American Textile Machinery Exhibition - International is the largest show of its kind in the Americas, drawing buyers of textile equipment and services to see the very best textile manufacturing technology in the world. ATME-I is one of the key international events for textile equipment buyers operators and professionals worldwide. The exhibition covers all types of textile equipment and services: dyeing, finishing, spinning, weaving, knitting, nonwovens, processing, making up and much more. It is recognized as the leading exhibition for the textile machinery, equipment, accessories, supplies and services for the yarn and fiber, weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing and finishing and for other nonwoven manufacturing industries. Learn more at http://www.atme-i2010.com .

About SPESA EXPO

SPESA EXPO is the most comprehensive exhibition and seminar event for the sewn products industry in the Western Hemisphere. It comprises all segments of the sewn products market, including apparel and fashion, auto and transportation interiors, footwear and accessories, home furnishings and upholstery, safety and protective gear, luggage and leather goods, and other technical and industrial textiles; and covers the entire concept-to-delivery sewn products lifecycle including design, development, production, and distribution. SPESA EXPO is solely owned by SPESA, the largest trade association in the Americas solely devoted to the advancement of suppliers of sewn products machinery, ancillary equipment, parts, services and technology for the sewn products industry. Learn more at http://www.spesaexpo.com .

About TECHTEXTIL NORTH AMERICA

Techtextil North America is the premier exhibition for high performance technical textiles and nonwovens in North America. This is the only trade show that assembles all vertical aspects of the technical textile industry. From research and development, through raw materials and production processes, finally ending in conversion, further treatment and recycling. Held in conjunction with the show, the Techtextil North America Symposium offers several sessions, covering various application areas, focusing on the latest in research and emerging technology. Learn more at http://techtextilNA.com .