FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — After eight years, Texcare International 2024, which took place here Nov. 6-9, felt like a homecoming.
“The team is excited and thrilled,” says Johannes Schmid Wiedersheim, director of Texcare International. “We actually planned three Texcares during this time, but because of the pandemic, we had to cancel all three.
“It’s a special moment for us.”
After years of delays and cancelations, 305 companies from 32 countries were finally able to present their innovations in automation and energy efficiency with laundry insiders from around the world.
About 15,500 visitors from 122 countries came to Frankfurt.
“Members here are getting a look at some technology they haven’t seen before,” says Joseph Ricci, president and CEO of TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services.
“They’re getting more face time. There are not that many North Americans here, so when they’re in the booth they’re getting more attention.
“And a lot of our supplier partners who are looking to get into the European market are getting really feedback either from the booth or just walking around and meeting people.”
(Ricci’s comments came during a Facebook Live interview posted during the show. Click HERE to watch it.)
In a press release, organizer Messe Frankfurt shares, “Over the past four days, the leading international trade fair for textile care presented innovations for laundries, dry cleaners and textile service companies with great success: 98% of trade visitors were satisfied to extremely satisfied with how they achieved their goals for the trade fair; 52 % expect an improved industry economy.”
The industry is meeting the challenges of labor shortages and rising energy prices with a surge in innovation, organizers say. Solutions are available, as demonstrated by the exhibitors with their machines, technologies and expertise. The leap toward robotization was clearly visible.
The circular economy was also in focus. Many innovations showed how machine builders and textile manufacturers are working together to advance sustainability.
Organizers say Texcare provided the right impulse for companies in the textile care industry at the right time, enabling them to secure their successful market position by investing.
Messe Frankfurt also shares that the supporting program at Texcare addressed key topics at the Texcare Forum and the guided tours.
The panels, for example, focused on sustainability through innovation, business models in the circular economy and automation in small businesses.
Experts from the United States, Scandinavia, France and China provided insights into the textile care markets in their respective countries. The daily guided tours, curated and conducted by industry experts, were very well received.
Watch for a more in-depth report from Texcare International online and in the January issue.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Matt Poe at [email protected].
