GERMANY
The German textile services association VDMA has revealed the market continued to grow in 2023 and also announced the election  of a new Board for the association. The Asslociation said that sales of the German manufacturers of textile care, fabric and leather technologies remain on a growth path. In the period January 2023 to August 2023, sales increased by 20% in real terms, with sales from Germany up 61% year-on-year and from abroad up 9%. New orders, on the other hand, fell 17% short of the previous year's result in the same period, with orders from within Germany down 7% and orders from
abroad down a full 20%. In the most recent three-month period, June to August 2023, new orders fell by as much as 37%. 

Rising exports
German suppliers of laundry and dry-cleaning technology increased their exports by 2%
to €239 million in the first seven months of 2023, with Poland, France and the USA
the most important export markets. German sewing and garment technology also saw
exports rise by 3% to €247 million in the same period. The most important customer
markets were Italy, the USA and France. Manufacturers of shoes and leather technology in
Germany even recorded an increase of 19% to €37 million in the period January 2023
to July 2023, with the main customer countries being the USA, Mexico and France. 

In the previous year 2022, exports of German laundry and drycleaning technology increased by 15% to 421 million euros. Exports in the sewing and garment technology sector weakened in 2022, falling by 5% to 429 million euros. German manufacturers of shoe and leather technology, however, increased their exports by a full 25% to 59 million euros in 2022.

European outlook
Italian technology suppliers reported growth in exports in all three sectors in 2022. Italian exports in the laundry and dry-cleaning technology sector increased by 2% to 442 million euros in 2022 and were primarily shipped to Turkey, Poland and Bangladesh. Exports by Italian sewing and garment technology manufacturers also increased by 17% to 317 million euros in 2022. The main customer countries were Turkey, the USA and Bangladesh. Italian shoes and leather technology suppliers increased their exports by 9% to 309 million euros in 2022, with the main customer countries being China, France and Spain.

"The mood among European manufacturers of Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies is currently subdued, the outlook uncertain," said Elgar Straub, Managing Director of VDMA Textile Care, Fabric and Leather Technologies at the trade association's industry meeting in Stuttgart. "The continuing tense geopolitical situation, the ongoing labour shortage, as well as the still rising costs for energy and primary products are putting a strain on the entire industry and causing unrest in the markets. However, the resulting steady increase in customer demands for automation, digitisation and sustainability, give hope for a surge in investment and thus an improvement in the order situation."  

New VDMA board elected
In the context of the industry meeting in Stuttgart the new board of VDMA for the next four years was selected. Günther Veit, managing director, Veit GmbH, has again been confirmed in his office as chairman, as has Klaus Freese, managing director, 
DESMA Schuhmaschinen GmbH, as vice chairman. Also elected as vice chairman for the first time was Fabrizio Giachetti, CEO, Morgan Tecnica Spa.