𝐕𝐃𝐌𝐀 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐥: 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬
More than 50 VDMA member companies – most of them located in Hall 12.0 – will present their solutions at Techtextil Frankfurt. Welcome to this insightful interview with Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association in Germany
Q. Could you please share with us the current scenario of Textile Machinery Business?
A. The market situation in the textile industry is characterized by a reluctance to invest. Reasons for this include geopolitical uncertainties, inflation and so consumer restraint in key markets. Throughout the last years, the order intake in textile machinery manufacturing remained weak. Exports picked up again in 2025 following a very weak year in 2024. There was encouraging growth in 2025 in shipments to China, India, Indonesia and Pakistan. For the year 2026, the VDMA forecasts that turnover in the textile machinery sector will stagnate in 2026. Following the sharp declines in turnover in recent years, the downward trend appears to have at least come to a halt. According to a survey conducted by VDMA recently, German textile machinery manufacturers expect a slight increase in turnover for the coming year.
Q. How VDMA working to boost the Machinery business?
A. VDMA Textile Machinery supports the growth and competitiveness of the machinery business through a combination of market development and international networking. It represents the industry’s interests at political and regulatory level and provides reliable market data and studies, At the same time, VDMA creates concrete business opportunities by organising joint appearances at leading trade fairs, international business delegations, and technology forums in key markets worldwide.
Q. VDMA members: What will be presented in the Techtextil in April?
A. More than 50 VDMA member companies will be exhibiting at the show, representing the entire textile value chain, with a particular focus on spinning, nonwovens, weaving, knitting, warp knitting, braiding and finishing.
They will present a broad spectrum of smart technologies that support numerous applications in the production of technical textiles. Given the large number of exhibitors, it is not feasible to list all individual innovations, but visitors can expect a comprehensive overview of state‑of‑the‑art solutions across all major process stages.
Q. How do you see the Bangladesh market for VDMA?
A. Bangladesh remains one of the most important and resilient growth markets for the global textile machinery industry and a key strategic market for German manufacturers. Even in years of global investment slowdown, Bangladesh has consistently ranked among the top Asian destinations for German textile machinery exports, underlining the long-term attractiveness of the market.
The strength of the market is rooted in Bangladesh’s position as the world’s second‑largest exporter of ready‑made garments, with a strong and increasingly diversified textile value chain spanning spinning, knitting, weaving, dyeing, finishing and garment manufacturing. This scale creates a continuous need for modern, reliable and efficient machinery. At the same time, the market is clearly evolving.
Q. As a MD, what’s your future plan?
A. Let’s focus on the big project in 2007: Next year, ITMA will be held in Germany for the first time in 20 years. My aim is to ensure that the show in Hanover is an unforgettable experience for all exhibitors and visitors.
