During Colombiatex 2026, Itema Group reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to the Latin American textile industry, emphasizing technology differentiation, service strength, and realistic market assessment amid intensifying global competition.
In an interview with Middle East Textile Journal, Gilberto Godinho, Latin America Area Manager at Itema Group, shared his insights on the regional textile landscape, the challenges facing manufacturers, and Itema’s strategic positioning in weaving technologies.
Colombiatex: A Key Meeting Point for Latin America
Godinho described Colombiatex as the most important textile exhibition in Latin America, explaining why Itema maintains a consistent presence year after year—even without showcasing live machinery.
“This exhibition is fundamentally about the market,” he said. “It brings together fabric producers, suppliers, and technology providers from across the region and beyond. Even without machines on display, Colombiatex remains essential for dialogue and relationship-building.”
He noted a strong international presence at the show, including companies from Turkey and China, reflecting global suppliers’ efforts to diversify markets as traditional regions become more challenging.
Market Pressures and Shifting Dynamics
According to Godinho, the global textile machinery market is currently under pressure, driven largely by price competition, particularly from Asia.
While Brazil and Mexico remain the largest textile machinery markets in Latin America, Godinho observed that Colombia’s textile sector has experienced a slowdown in recent years. Nevertheless, Colombiatex continues to attract international suppliers due to its strong concentration of fabric manufacturers from Colombia, Brazil, India, and other key sourcing countries.
Itema’s Unique Technological Position
Godinho underlined that Itema occupies a unique position in the global weaving machinery market as the only manufacturer offering all three weft insertion technologies for Air-jet looms, Rapier looms and Projectile looms
“Our core strength lies especially in rapier technology,” he said. “This, combined with our engineering quality, allows us to offer something no other supplier can.”
Itema further differentiates itself by providing a two-year warranty—a rare commitment in textile machinery—reflecting the company’s confidence in the durability and performance of its machines.
Service as a Competitive Advantage
Beyond technology, Godinho highlighted after-sales service as a critical pillar of Itema’s success in the region.
“We have strong technical hubs in Brazil and Mexico, supported by trained technicians and local agents,” he explained. “This proximity allows us to support customers quickly and effectively, which is essential in today’s market.”
Competing Beyond Price
Addressing competition from emerging machinery manufacturers in China and India, Godinho acknowledged the growing capabilities of global competitors but stressed that performance, productivity, and long-term reliability remain decisive factors.
“Chinese looms may be 30% cheaper, but they also run at lower speeds,” he noted. “Customers must balance initial investment against long-term productivity. Over time, performance and reliability make a significant difference.”
A Crowded Exhibition Landscape
Godinho also shared a candid perspective on the increasing number of textile machinery exhibitions worldwide.
“Today, exhibitions are happening almost every six months—in Turkey, India, China, Singapore,” he said. “This is good business for exhibition organizers, but innovation does not change every six months.”
While acknowledging that companies must be present in key regional fairs to stay visible, he emphasized that true technological breakthroughs require time, not constant repetition.
Looking Ahead
Despite market challenges, Itema remains confident in its long-term strategy, focusing on engineering excellence, productivity, and customer support rather than price-driven competition.
“In weaving, building a strong, reliable machine is not easy,” Godinho concluded. “This is where Itema continues to stand apart.”
By: Behnam Ghasemi – Editor in Chief at kohan Textile Journal
