The Advanced Textiles Association New Zealand (ATA NZ) holds its 2026 Annual Conference & Trade Show on 13-14 August 2026 at Novotel Rotorua Lakeside under the theme 'Weaving Growth: Building a Stronger Industry Together'.
The Advanced Textiles Association New Zealand (ATA NZ) holds its Annual Conference & Trade Show on 13–14 August 2026 at Novotel Rotorua Lakeside. ATA NZ describes it as the only event in New Zealand where industrial textile and equipment suppliers come together in one place at one time. The conference rotates to a new region each year; after Lower Hutt in 2025, the 2026 edition moves to Rotorua, opening at 11am on Thursday 13 August and running through to the evening of Friday 14 August.
The event is organised by Advanced Textiles Association New Zealand, an independent industry body based in Napier that represents makers and suppliers of technical and industrial textiles — the fabricators behind products such as tension structures, marine and outdoor covers, industrial and safety textiles. ATA NZ is a distinct New Zealand association and is separate from the similarly named United States body of the same name.
The 2026 theme is 'Weaving Growth: Building a Stronger Industry Together', with a programme built around collaboration across the sector's supply chains. Confirmed sessions include a keynote on practical AI and automation for business operations, a keynote from Shelley Houston of Kiwi Leather Innovations on developing a new material from waste kiwifruit, a hands-on fabricator workshop, and a trade-show floor of suppliers. The programme closes with the association's Awards for Excellence gala dinner, including its Apprentice of the Year recognition, on the evening of 14 August.
The conference is aimed at ATA NZ's members and the wider advanced-textiles trade — fabricators, manufacturers, equipment and material suppliers, and others working in technical and industrial textiles across New Zealand.
Novotel Rotorua Lakeside sits on Tutanekai Street in central Rotorua, overlooking the lakefront and within walking distance of the city's dining and geothermal attractions. As reporting context for delegates, the organiser is offering conference accommodation at the same property through an Accor Events booking page, consolidating the trade show, conference sessions and delegate stays under one roof. Rotorua is roughly a three-hour drive from Auckland and is served by Rotorua Airport to the city's east.
As a rotating national association conference paired with a trade show, the event is a compact example of the sector-anchored business it brings to a regional host each year — a two-day residential gathering that combines an exhibition floor, a professional programme and an awards gala, landing this year in Rotorua's lakeside convention precinct.
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