Global Textile Machinery Shipments Surged In 2023: ITMF

The 46th International Textile Machinery Shipment Statistics (ITMSS) report, released by the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF), revealed that global shipments of new textile machinery increased across most segments in 2023, with notable growth in shuttle-less looms and flat knitting machines, despite a decline in texturing machinery.

Spinning Machinery
In 2023, global shipments of short-staple spindles rose by 2% to 9.78 million units, driven primarily by demand in Asia and Oceania, which accounted for 85% of the total shipments. However, shipments to Europe (including Türkiye) and North and Central America declined by 13% and 27%, respectively, while Africa and South America saw significant increases of 120% and 140%. Meanwhile, open-end rotor shipments fell by 17%, with the largest declines seen in China, India and Türkiye, the top three investors in this segment.

Long-staple (wool) spindle shipments increased by 5% globally, with Europe (including Türkiye) and South America seeing the most significant growth.

Texturing Machinery
The draw-texturing segment experienced the most substantial decline in 2023, with single heater spindles dropping by 33% and double heater spindles by 27%. Asia and Oceania remained the dominant destination, particularly China, which accounted for the majority of shipments.

Weaving Machinery
Shuttle-less loom shipments surged by 52% in 2023, reaching 171 thousand units. The “water-jet” category led the growth with a 96% increase, followed by “air-jet” looms with a 34% rise. Asia and Oceania were the primary destinations for these looms, with China and India being the top investors.

Circular & Flat Knitting Machinery
The circular knitting segment grew by 17%, with 33 thousand units shipped globally. Asia and Oceania, particularly China, led the demand, accounting for 86% of total shipments. Flat knitting machines saw an even more significant increase of 61%, driven by robust demand in Asia and Oceania.

Finishing Machinery
The finishing segment remained stable overall, with a 3% increase in the number of stenters shipped. However, there were mixed results within the segment, ranging from a 42% decrease in relax dryers/tumblers to a 103% increase in bleaching lines. Other categories, such as jigger/beam dyeing and air jet dyeing, saw slight declines, while overflow dyeing experienced a modest increase of 4.2%.

The 2023 ITMSS report was compiled with input from over 200 textile machinery manufacturers, offering a comprehensive view of global production trends in the textile industry.