“ITM 2024 is a Gateway to Global Markets”
Monforts Area Sales Manager Thomas Päffgen said: “We have visitors from Turkey, Poland, Australia, the UK, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. This means a worldwide audience of visitors. We are looking forward to the next ITM in 2026.”
Monforts, one of the leading companies in the finishing industry, is one of the exhibitors of ITM 2024, which welcomed textile technology leaders in Istanbul. We interview with Area Sales Manager Thomas Päffgen for Tekstil Teknoloji magazine.
How was ITM 2024 Exhibition for your company?
The exhibition was very well. We have been participating in ITM for 10 years with our agency Neotek. ITM is very important not only for the Turkish market but also for the world markets. It is of great importance for us.
Did the interest in your company meet your expectations?
We are going through difficult times, but we are optimistic about the coming months. As a result of our meetings with our customers, we feel that it will be a good event.
Does the exhibition satisfy you in terms of visitor diversity?
Yes. We have visitors from Turkey, Poland, Australia, England, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. This is a worldwide audience. Istanbul is a very nice city and everyone comes here with pleasure. We are looking forward to the next ITM in 2026.
What kind of collaborations did you sign during the exhibition?
It is too early to talk about contracts and agreements. But we are happy that Neotek and Monforts have had successful negotiations.
What benefits do the products you are exhibiting at ITM 2024 offer to users?
Our focus is on improving product quality with less energy consumption. We are researching environmentally friendly systems and aim for a carbon neutral system. We are working on the use of hydrogen to heat textile machines.
What are your predictions for the future of the textile industry?
I think exhaust emissions will be reduced. We have solutions to use less water, energy and exhaust. We have a special application system to reduce the amount and use of water. We have a heating system to avoid CO2 . We aim to make it carbon neutral. We have technologies that reduce the amount of chemicals our customers use. This is a challenge for Monforts.
Digitalization, automation and sustainability are important parameters for the future of the textile industry. What kind of work is your company doing in these areas?
With our HMI system we have the possibility to collect all the information arising from errors in energy consumption settings. We transfer this information to a host computer and can analyze cost, efficiency and energy consumption. With more accurate calculations, users can make accurate settings to avoid energy consumption and prevent the machine from making mistakes.
How important is ITM 2024 for the industry?
At ITM, we have the chance to meet with international customers and manufacturers in different fields from ready-to-wear to home textiles and technical textiles. What we see here gives us hope that the world economy and textile consumption will slowly take a turn for the better.
