ITMA 2003: New eight-day format. Circular knitting machinery WILL be shown.

how will run from October 22 to 29 inclusive. The shorter duration is in response to feedback from both exhibitors and visitors, who want to cut down on expenditure and reduce the out-of-office time commitment for key personnel.

Another vital boost for ITMA 2003 comes with the news that the leading circular knitting machinery manufacturers have confirmed that they WILL take part in ITMA 2003, instead of attending another show being organised at the same time in Italy. Their decision underlines the appeal of ITMA as the world's premier textile machinery exhibition for all sectors of the textile industry.

Officials at The NEC venue, which will stage ITMA for the first time in 2003, say they are delighted with these two positive announcements. Maria Avery, Exhibition Director of the ITMA 2003 Organising Committee at The NEC stated : "Representatives of several leading knitting machinery companies have visited The NEC recently, and have been impressed both with the facilities and the cost-effectiveness of the overall package we can offer.

"We are pleased that this has corrected some of the unfair and unfounded criticism that has been stirred up in some quarters, and we are delighted to welcome circular knitting machine producers as an important exhibit group."

The NEC and Cematex - the pan-European machinery body which stages the four-yearly ITMA shows - are also confident that the switch to the more compact, eight-day format, will be a winner. This decision, which will apply to all future ITMAs, recognises the changing business environment and the influence of the internet and e-mail.
Maria Avery added: "Overwhelmingly, feedback has confirmed that a 10-day show is too long. We have acted accordingly and reduced ITMA 2003 to eight days, ensuring that the popular busy weekend is still embraced. Significantly, eight days ensures that exhibitors do not have their personnel away from the office for such a long period, while allowing the visitors plenty of time to see all the equipment they are interested in. The reduced period also means reduced expenditure for both exhibitors and visitors."

ITMA 2003 will occupy some 160,000 square metres of stand space, with an expected total of 1,400 exhibitors from 40 countries attracting around 150,000 visitors from the world's textile industries.
Further details can be accessed from the main ITMA website : www.itma.com and from the dedicated hotel website www.itmahotels.com, as well as a brand new site, www.itmatravel.com, focusing on all aspects of transport to and at ITMA 2003.

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Contact:
The ITMA 2003 Organising Committee
The NEC
Birmingham
B40 1NT
England
Tel.: +44 121 780 2003
Fax: +44 121 782 2003
Email: info@itma2003.com