More than half of all exports of German-made textile machinery went to Asia last year, with the majority being sold to textile producers in China, according to trade association VDMA.

Overall, Germany’s textile equipment producers exported goods valued at €3.9 billion in 2007, an increase of 7.2%.

The biggest increases were recorded by spinning machinery manufacturers.. Exports of this technology increased by 20% to €1.6 billion. Weaving machinery exports increased to €351M. (+1.4%) and knitting and hosiery equipment to €1.2 billion (+1.3%). Only the export of finishing machinery (washing, bleaching and dyeing technologies) showed a slight decline at €684M. (-3.2%).

“Asia was the main export market for textile machinery Made in Germany. With a share worth €1.85 billion, more than half of the German textile machinery exports went to this region. One quarter – equalling one billion Euro - were sold to China alone", explains Thomas Waldmann, managing director of the Textile Machinery Association within the German Engineering Federation VDMA.

The second strongest export market was Turkey, which purchased German-made textile equipment  worth €408 million, an increase of 72%.

India, ranked 3rd, decreased to €301M. (-18.3%), while Italy (+7.9%) pushed the USA (-5.4%) down one place to fifth. Next came the Czech Republic (+27%), particularly due to increases sales of spinning machinery. Generally, sales to Eastern European markets increased by 63.4%.