Improvements and assisting technologies featured at ATMEI rather than radically new technologies. Held in Greenville, SC, from 23-27 April 2001, it attracted 517 exhibitors from 25 countries-total attendance 15.046. The status and organizational issues are reviewed. Increased specialization and value added products in clothing and technical textiles are future trends. The world market is reviewed and flexibility for survival determined in high speed, high production output of commodity styling products. Weaving machinery mergers cover the emergence of Promatech as the most recent, combining Somet and Vamatex of Italy. Background and further information are supplied. Sulzer Textils merger with Nuovo Pignone is also discussed and Touodas current activities reviewed. Picanols acquisition of Gunne, Staublis merger with Schonherr and van de Wieles relationship with Bonas are covered. Innovations focus on Dorniers introductions and their philosophy is explained. Tsudakomas approach is described. In conclusion four major trends are identified.