On May 26-27, some 300 carpet producers and suppliers attended the Second World Congress of the Carpet Industry, in Gent, Belgium. Analysis of major trends in the worldwide carpet market indicates that the share of Western Europe in total production is rapidly declining while that of Asia is growing and North America's share is stable. According to Bernhard ten Hoevel of Intercontuft Carpet Management, Europe's most-quoted carpet specialist, for the next 3-5 years, the dominant position of the US tufted carpet industry will continue. Western Europe will follow in No. 2 place. In 2000 North America and Western Europe held world market shares of 57.0% and 26.2%. However by 2008, the market share of North America will have slightly diminished to 56.0% while that of Western Europe will have fallen to 18.5%. In Asia, on the contrary, the production of tufted carpets is strongly on the rise. In China a large number (probably 50 or more) of used or new tufting machines will shortly be installed. Also further printing capacities will come on stream. Initially most carpet products made in China were made of polypropylene and of fairly low quality. However this is changing rapidly. It is only a matter of time until the standard of tufted carpets produced in China reaches world level.
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