Direction of textile industry development discussed at forum in Ivanovo
The 6th Russian Textile Industry Forum, organised by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade jointly with the government of the Ivanovo region, took place in Ivanovo, Shuya and Kokhma on 14–15 November 2019. The participants discussed relevant issues of the industry development and attended a presentation of new production facilities.
"The most important is that new enterprises are commencing their operation and the existent ones, including those in the Ivanovo region, are being modernised: new lines and high-tech equipment are being bought, and the number of customers is increasing," said Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov.
Russian textile and garment industry enterprises are modernising their equipment using preferential leasing programs. The government compensates up to 30% of the investment. Government support for equipment modernisation brings the desired economic effect. Investment in the domestic textile industry doubled year-on-year in the first half of 2019.
A thematic section on Modern Digital Fabric Printing. Russian Textile Production Practices was held within the forum. It was moderated by Global Printing Systems Director Andrey Vasilyev. Heads of Textile and Technologies Yury Yefremov and Grigory Sumenkov told the audience about the company's most significant fabric printing projects. Together with Monti Antonio, a representative of Massimo Silva, they held a working meeting with Ivanovo Polytechnic University Rector Yevgeny Rumyantsev to determine methods and ways of cooperation with and assistance to the University by equipment manufacturers. The meeting was followed by a digital fabric printing presentation for the University's students and teaching staff.
The final stage of the Russian Textile Industry Forum, which brought together industry professionals from many regions of Russia, the plenary session on Difficulties and Prospects of Light Industry Development under Current Condition or Who will be Taken to Future took place in an unfinished building of the Italian company Stellini in Kokhma. The company has six clothes factories in Western Europe, India and China.
The building's lobby hosted an exhibition of bed linen sets by Shuiskiye Sittsy, linen tablecloths and dresses by TDL Textile, knitted products of Furmanovskoye-based Protex, new coatings by Ivanovoiskozh and others.
While touring the new finishing workshop, Shuiskiye Sittsy General Director Anna Bogadelina spoke about the enterprise's development prospects and difficulties. Shuiskiye Sittsy is working on a broader substitution of fabrics imported from China, Pakistan and Turkey. "Shuiskiye Sittsy is the only full-scale fabric manufacturer in the Ivanovo region," said Governor Stanislav Voskresensky. Investment projects of Shuiskiye Sittsy have been successfully accomplished with the support of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Industry Development Fund, the Ivanovo regional government, Sberbank PJSC, Sberbank Leasing and the Federal Customs Service.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov summed up preliminary results of the year and noted a certain year-on-year decline in the production and sales volume because of the reduced consumer demand. The only exceptions are production of specialised and knitted wear and leather. As for government support for enterprises, he said it would be reconfigured in 2020. For instance, production of school wear will continue to receive support within the framework of substitution of imports; companies entering foreign markets will benefit from enhanced subsidies; and hardware leasing subsidies will be extended (it was allowed to buy both domestic and foreign equipment within the program's framework this year).
Also, Yevtukhov said at the forum that the ministry would suggest new forms of government support in order to continue financing from the federal Industry Development Fund. The Ivanovo region remains the industry leader and the Russian textiles center, and the next forum may again take place in Ivanovo.