IFAI’s Advanced Textiles conference to be held at ITMA in Barcelona

21 June 2010 – As if the largest textile machinery trade show wasn’t enough of a draw, participants at ITMA 2011 in Barcelona will have the opportunity to attend a very special technical textiles conference. The Industrial Fabric Association’s Advanced Textiles ’11 continues to be a unique and sought after European/U.S. platform on the future of technical textile applications.

 The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) has invited IFAI to organize its fourth advanced textiles conference alongside its machinery exhibition on three consecutive morning sessions: 26-28 September 2011. ITMA, owned by CEMATEX has been held every four years since 1951, and is the world's largest international textile machinery exhibition.

 Miss Maria Avery, Secretary General, CEMATEX, said, “Technical textiles is a very important sector and we welcome IFAI to organize the Advanced Textiles conference at ITMA 2011. We see it as a win-win partnership as both our events focus on innovation, which is one of the most important drivers of business success today. The conference will further enhance our value proposition to the global textile and garment industry members converging at ITMA.”

“Technical textile innovations will be highlighted at IFAI’s Advanced Textiles ‘11 conference, with presentations on fascinating new research, which will also demonstrate in real-world terms how these innovative technologies can benefit your company’s next generation of products. Topics to be covered by leading industry experts include an overview of the technical textile market and demands and challenges; an examination of specific end market needs such as performance apparel; bio-hazard/extreme environment; electronic interactive materials; digital signage and complex materials applications. Delegates will come away with a new perspective on the industry’s state-of-the-science advancements in technical textile applications,” the joint organisers said today.

 According to IFAI President and CEO Stephen Warner, “IFAI’s Advanced Textiles ’11 is a champion of the new spirit and game-changing technologies in the textile industry. Our mission is to inspire people, and we bring the network and knowledge together at our event with future-looking experts in the field of technical textiles. The global demand for new applications is driving exciting breakthroughs in the advanced textiles community.”

 IFAI’s unique conference series began in Berlin two years ago to serve as a U.S.-European entrepreneur networking conference, and it immediately found a broad interest within the technical textiles community. A sampling of past attendees yields high praise from such industry insiders as Pierre Defaux, Europe Technical Service Manager at Bluestar Silicones, who said, “The IFAI Advanced Textiles conference is one of those events which make you feel like you are a part of a real professional network, a community, with numerous, broad expertise. It is like a special club…my club.”

 Another past attendee, Alexander Firmian, sales manager at Transfertex GmbH & Co., Thermodruck KG, Germany, also raved about the conference: “The personal enrichment I received through the conference was immense--an extremely interesting program and fascinating people from Europe and the U.S. This conference really broadens your intellectual horizon and that’s what we all need to achieve a competitive edge in our business. We at Transfertex are ready for new applications of our rotogravure printing technique. We are constantly diversifying into new technical areas and we will now evaluate the technical feasibility for the new application areas that we have discovered.”

 That’s music to Stephen Warner’s ears: “Our goal for our member businesses and event delegates is growth. And as an association, our aim is to contribute to the prosperity of the technical textiles industry by providing a global marketplace via the highest quality trade shows and conferences for innovative products and services; relevant education with workshops; promotion and networking opportunities. IFAI continues to welcome and add industry innovators around the globe to our network. Our industry is healthy and demand for new, high-performance textiles is greater than ever before.”

 Program development for Advanced Textiles ’11 has begun, and those interested in presenting at Advanced Textiles ’11 should submit a 300-word abstract to Kristy Meade, IFAI Director of Education and Events at klmeade@ifai.com  by October 2010.

Founded in 1912, the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) is the largest technical textile trade organization in the world. IFAI publishes seven market-specific magazines in print and online, organizes major industry events, and through hundreds of activities supports the success of 2,000 member companies located in more than 58 countries, including Spain. Visit www.ifai.com for more information. IFAI is launching a new event, IFAI Expo Asia 2011, 22-25 March 2011, at the exciting new Marina Bay Sands Resort & Conference Center in Singapore. Organized by IFAI and co-managed by MP International Pte Ltd, it is a dynamic trade exhibition and conference dedicated to the technical textiles marketplace in the Asia Pacific region. For more information, visit www.ifaiexpoasia.com.

 The European Committee of Textile Machinery Manufacturers (CEMATEX) comprises nine national textile machinery associations from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It is the owner of the ITMA and ITMA ASIA exhibitions. Organized by MP International Pte Ltd, ITMA 2011 will take place from 22 to 29 September 2011 at Fira de Barcelona Gran Via.