#Associations

2025-05-12

New leadership for Swiss Textile Machinery Association

The Swiss Textile Machinery Association is the representative body for Switzerland’s providers of textile equipment, systems and services. Its general assembly on May 8 elected experienced industry leaders as president and board members.

The board of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association (left to right): Ralph von Arx, Andreas Conzelmann, Davide Maccabruni, Cornelia Buchwalder (Secretary General), André Imhof, Beat Meienberger, Martin Zürcher © 2025 Swissmem

Swissmem textile machinery industry sector elects president and board

The association’s new president is Davide Maccabruni, CEO of Uster Technologies AG. His role is to lead the board in defining strategies and key focus areas. Assessing the challenges facing the industry, Maccabruni states: “The Swiss textile machinery industry still holds unique strengths that can secure its success well into the future. To achieve this, however, we must focus on aligning our capabilities, working together, and supporting one another.”

A new member of the association board has also been elected. He is Martin Zürcher (Heberlein Technology AG), who joins Beat Meienberger (Benninger AG), André Imhof (Autefa Solutions Switzerland AG), Andreas Conzelmann (Jakob Müller AG) and Ralph von Arx (Retech AG), the latter taking on the role of vice-president.

Davide Maccabruni succeeds Ernesto Maurer, the association’s president for the past ten years. Maurer has been an active board member since 2011, becoming president in 2015. During his service, he has made a significant contribution to strengthening the innovative power and international visibility of the Swiss textile machinery industry.

The Swiss Textile Machinery sector was founded in 1940 and is the longest-established industry sector within Swissmem. It currently has 42 affiliated companies, including manufacturers of machines and components, and service providers, for the textile industry. The association supports its members in fostering innovation initiatives and education. A major focus is on joint market access campaigns, through a successful programme of international symposia. Recent events have been held in Mexico and the US, and another is planned for Morocco later this year.

Former president Ernesto Maurer and newly elected president Davide Maccabruni © 2025 Swissmem

Recycled fibres: the machinery and services

Many end-users now expect recycled materials to be in textile products they purchase – and this is definitely driving innovation throughout the industry. However, there are still many technical and economic issues facing yarn and fabric producers using recycled resources. Members of the Swiss Textile Machinery Association offer some effective solutions to these challenges.

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

Textile machinery: Italian technology charts the course for revival

Operating in a scenario characterized by geopolitical instability, slowing industrial investments, and new protectionist pressures. This is the main challenge for the Italian textile machinery industry that emerged during the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), held today in Milan at the Shareholders’ Hall of Palazzo Edison.

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

Bangladesh: Italian textile machinery mission stops in Dhaka and Chittagong

Technological upgrading and the transition toward higher value-added production are driving the new Italian industrial mission to Bangladesh. This year, the mission will split between the country’s two main manufacturing hubs, where Italian manufacturers will meet the leaders of the local textile supply chain in two strategic stages: July 7th in Dhaka and July 9th in Chittagong.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.