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- The sixth Heimtextil India ends on a highly optimistic note with increased exhibitor and visitor levels
- Global textile industry rates Heimtextil India as India’s most valuable show for serious business
- International exhibitors find a lucrative new market in India
"Bigger and better" was the unanimous opinion of the Indian textile industry at the close of the sixth Heimtextil India in Mumbai. India's largest trade fair for home textiles and commercially used textiles, featured 273 exhibitors (up 40% from last year), and a significant rise in visitor numbers. A total of 11,789 visitors from 106 countries (up 15% from 2004), came to Mumbai, where from 10 to 13 October, Heimtextil India allowed the textile industry to immerse themselves in the world of home fabricdesign and homefashion.
"India is a textile country that is not only fascinating in terms of textile tradition, but also with its depth of products, creativity and quality. There was great optimism among the textile community in Mumbai, that one hardly sees in other regions of the world currently. The enormous potential of India's textile industry in a quota free atmosphere could be felt if one looked to Heimtextil India for inspiration," said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt GmbH. "According to a Messe Frankfurt survey, trade visitors were duly impressed with the quality of the fair, and they have given a "thumbs up" assessment of business concluded at the event. Spokesmen for Indian and international textile associations confirmed this optimism too. We are more than satisfied with the results of Heimtextil India 2005 and are proud of our most successful overseas home fashion event," said Detlef Braun.
The three biggest international visitor nations at the fair were Italy, Spain, and the Middle East, followed by Pakistan, Australia and the Far East. However the unexpected presence of large numbers of South American buyers generated positive responses from the industry. "That buyers from Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina and Chile are using Heimtextil India as an important fair to place on-the-spot orders, means that the event is gaining importance in these countries as well. This will allow us to increase our exports to newer regions" said exhibitor Nari Mehta, Managing Director of RHODA. "Heimtextil India definitely lived up to our expectations. There were many more visitors this year, and we were happy to see foreign exhibitors, which we believe is not only healthy for competition but is also valuable for sourcing. While our main buyers came from traditional European countries like Spain, & Italy, what amazed me was that even a textile manufacturing country like Turkey decided to come to this fair and source from India. We got huge orders from Turkey. The facilities at the fair were great, the branding of the event around Mumbai was spectacular with advertisements and a twelve kilometre long highway full of flags, all giving it an international flavour."
Interestingly, while more than 87% of exhibitors at Heimtextil India also exhibit at Heimtextil Frankfurt, most concluded that they meet different buyers in Mumbai. "Heimtextil India is generating increasing interest from new buyers and newer regions, whom we do not meet in Frankfurt and hence it is like a bonus that the Indian fair is generating excellent business, right here in our home ground," said Vrijesh Agarwal, owner of Vrijesh Corporation. "We are exhibitors with Messe Frankfurt for more than 25 years at various textile shows. We did more than US$ 200,000 worth of on-the-spot orders in four days, with important chain stores. We are sure of concluding many more concrete deals after the fair. Frankly, these days, Heimtextil India is the most important fair in our busy calendar of events, and we want to congratulate Messe Frankfurt for providing such an excellent platform in the country where the textile industry is benefiting hugely from such perfect organization."
International exhibitors from 10 countries who made their first appearance at Heimtextil India were pleasantly surprised with the results. "An India without trade barriers and relatively low import duties, is allowing international manufacturers to feel confident to start their business activities on the subcontinent as never before, and that was fully evident at Heimtextil India this year", said Mrs. Shammi Nagpal, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt India." We could see that Indian exhibitors not only sold their products but also traded with other international exhibitors and this is a development we were waiting for." she added.
Chinese presence was felt for the first time at Heimtextil India where a joint pavilion organized by the CCPIT generated a lot of interest and trade. "We were overwhelmed by the response we received from the Indian industry. Our exhibitors received many enquiries and have had a most successful show. This fair is very well organized, and we look forward to coming back next year with a larger participation from China," said Mr. Feng Yaoxiang, Director.
The fringe programmes at Heimtextil India were one of the main attractions of the fair, and generated the right impulses for the industry. A special show titled "Design Overload" featured textile designers from Italy, France and Germany and attracted a great deal of attention amongst the Indian exporting community. Mr.Remy Kauffmann, from Elka Studio, France, said "We were very satisfied with our participation, and received many enquiries from Indian visitors as well as exhibitors at the fair itself. The superb organisation of the fair, the ambience, the music, the food, the seminars and the service was a delight. We will surely participate next year."
Mr. Fulvio Alvisi, President of the Associazione Italiana Disegnatori, conducted a Design Seminar titled "Designs for Jacquards". "This is the first time we were in India, and I believe that this country has a lot of potential. We were amazed by the response of the domestic industry. More than 180 attendees at our seminar confirmed that Indian industry is eager to learn about design. We congratulate Messe Frankfurt India for putting up such a tasteful fair."
The special Trend show "Rooms with a View" also generated considerable interest among Indian industry. French luxury brand Yves Delorme displayed their room of luxury bed linen that found many enquiries from Indian retailers. Xavier Barquissau, International Commercial Director, said, "This was our first ever showing in India and we were happy to feel the pulse of the market which we believe has great potential for branded luxury products. The fair was very well organised and the service of Messe Frankfurt India was exceptional. Korea's Fashion Centre created their special room that displayed trends in home textiles. "The decision to come to Heimtextil India was exactly the right one for us", said Mr. Jeon Woo Lee of Fashion Centre Korea. We received many serious enquires, and the fair generated greater interest in Korean products than we expected. We plan to bring a pavillion of individual companies from Korea next year".
Important visiting delegations from more than 23 countries made their way to Heimtextil India. This included representatives from the European Down and Feather Association and the German Bedding Association, together with the German Textile Association. Representatives of the US Department of Commerce were greatly impressed with the quality of the fair. "We never expected to see such a vibrant event" said Ms. Kim-Bang Ngyyen, Deputy Director of The Office of Textiles & Apparel.
"The response at our information stand was so heavy that we never sat down during the fair. Indian importers and agents thronged our stand to enquire about importing from the American companies we represented. We feel quite sure that we will return with an American pavillion next year".
Prominent Indian manufacturers were not without praise. "Heimtextil India is creating huge waves in the Indian textile industry as it is bringing together the world's most influential buyers and sellers in a country that is going to be at the forefront of textile manufacturing. We at Reliance are fully supportive of Messe Frankfurt's efforts to stage this enormous event at great cost and effort," said Mr.Subodh Sapra, Chairman, Trevira and President Reliance India (Polyester sector).
First time international participant Ms.Sabrina Castelli of Scaglioni, Italy that featured curtain accessories commented, "Heimtexttil India was a very well organised fair and much better than we expected. We received several enquiries from the domestic market which is what we were targeting. We will be back next year as we believe this market is enormous in terms of potential."
Gunnar Frank, Trend forecaster from the Netherlands conducted daily seminars on Trends 2006 – 2007 for the entire industry. The fully booked seminar attracted more than 350 attendees who gained valuable insights for preparing their new collections. "I have been associated with Heimtextil India from the start and have followed its development with great interest. Nowadays Indian exhibitors have started following trends and decorating their textiles in a simpler and more exclusive way. India is a land of creativity that if mixed with the right kind of branding and marketing it will reap manufacturers with rich rewards."
More than 830 buying agents from India and abroad visited Heimtextil India. Many of them represented US and European importers and concluded good business deals.
For buyers, decorators, furnishing specialists, architects, dealers and craftspeople, Heimtextil India seems to have become the textile trade fair - year in, year out. Many procurers of interior fashion from most of the leading hotel chains in India were at the fair this year. "We found an Indian company doing 1000 count bed sheets, when all this time we have been importing bed sheets from Italy!", said a representative of the Taj Group of Hotels in disbelief. "Heimtextil India is introducing us to Indian manufacturers with quality like never before!"
"Heimtextil India is an annual, internationally recognised culmination point for a whole range of products that benefit not only customers but also for the sector as a whole," said Mrs. Shammi Nagpal, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt India.
Visitor comments
Augustino Molina, President, A.Molina & Co, Italy
"Our delegation of buyers was very impressed with the high quality of Heimtextil India. The presentations matched those in Europe and the creativity was exquisite. We had good discussions with many of the exhibitors".
Mr.J.A.Beckmann, President German Textile Association
"This year the fair was bigger and better. The quality of the exhibitors and the way in which this fair is continuing to attract the whole textile industry, means that Messe Frankfurt has succeeded to extablish the region's most influential fair for the industry. We will be back next year with an even larger delegation."
Micke Nikolic, Montreal, Canada
"Looking at all types of hometextiles we found this fair absolutely wonderful. We will return next year."
Masaaki Ikeda, ETC, Japan
"We will definitely return next year as we intend to place large orders from this fair itself."
Paolino Fernandez, Kaltex, Mexico.
"We were looking for curtains, quilts, throws and bath textiles, all of which we found in good quality and quantity. We intend to place orders and visit next year."
Ms. I. Adam, Ingrid Adam CC, South Africa
"Good show with great presentation and ambience. We will return next year."
Ms. Pauline Lu, House & Co, Malaysia.
"We have been coming to India for more than 10 years to source bed linen. However this is the first time we visited Heimtextil India and were totally overwhelmed. The kind of quality and variety we saw, means that we will only use this fair as a sourcing platform in the future. The ambience and organisation was excellent.
Mr. Li De Huang, Li De Yun Hung, International Co. Taiwan
"We are a trading company sourcing furnishing fabrics. We found Heimtextil India extremely valuable. We will return next year".
The next Heimtextil India will be held from 10 - 13 Oct. 2006, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.
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