Consolidation in the textiles industry is picking up pace fast. The number of M&A transactions in Europe continuously increased in the last years. This is driven by established companies using acquisitions to position themselves for upcoming challenges but also by interest from new players entering the field. The keynote will identify common themes in textiles M&A, analyze regional deal activity and highlight characteristics and different buyer groups. The rationale for acquisitions is much more than just taking over a competitor. M&A can facilitate entering new markets, rebalancing existing product portfolios, achieving vertical integration across the value chain or gaining access to new technologies and capabilities that allow for more distinct differentiation at the customer.