World Capacities and Shipments of Textile Machinery

The international textile machinery market suffered a further deterioration in 1999, which affected both spinning equipment and weaving machinery. Deliveries of short-staple spindles plummeted by 34% after falling by 16% in 1998. Shipments of long-staple spindles fell by a less dramatic 16% in 1999 after declining by 34% in 1998. But open end rotors - which represent the more advanced technology - were down by 44% after dropping by 26% in 1998.

Weaving machinery manufacturers fared little better, although the decline was not as severe as in 1998. Deliveries of shuttleless looms, the more advanced technology, were down by 11% after falling by one-third in the previous year. Shuttle loom shipments fell by only 4% after declining by 29% in 1998. However, shuttle looms now account for only a small proportion of global weaving machinery shipments.

A major factor behind the decline in 1998 was the Asian financial crisis. But the Asian market looks to be recovering. Asian countries took 35% of the world?s deliveries of open end rotors in 1999, up from 20% in 1998. Asia also took 66% of shuttleless looms in 1999 compared with 54% in the previous year.

Asia?s gains in market share in 1999 were partly at the expense of North America. Nonetheless, the biggest market for open end rotors was the USA, followed by Brazil. But China dominated the market for shuttleless looms in 1999, followed by Taiwan and South Korea. Outside Asia, the two biggest markets were Italy and the USA.

Among the fastest growing markets for shuttleless machines in 1999 were Thailand (332%), Vietnam (up 222%), Greece (up 209%), and South Korea (up 180%). However, the Turkish market continued to decline in 1999 with shipments down by 60%, following a 45% decline in 1998 and one of 39% in 1997.

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