#Dyeing, Drying, Finishing

2022-01-13

Annual production of 1,000 drying cylinders

The team at the KARL MAYER Group's Textile Drying Profit Center is delighted with the production of its 1,000th steam-heated drying cylinder

In 2016, KARL MAYER ROTAL entered into the construction of the steam-heated drying cylinders for its denim and sizing lines as well as the third party business. Shortly thereafter, annual production skyrocketed. In 2018, almost 800 drying cylinders came from Mezzolombardo, and on December 16, 2021, the 1,000 mark was cracked.

The Textile Drying Profit Center of the KARL MAYER Group ended the year 2021 with a milestone

"1,000 cylinders per year has been a magical goal and constant drive for us since 2018 at the latest, even in times of strict lockdowns," says Karl-Heinz Vaassen. The head of the Textile Drying Profit Center at KARL MAYER ROTAL and his team have continuously developed their know-how and invested in targeted automation upgrades in order to achieve the output leap. These measures have eliminated bottlenecks in the production chain and accelerated time-consuming production steps.

The company's drying cylinders become bestsellers thanks to uncompromisingly high quality and safety coupled with an unbeatable price-performance ratio. Thanks to a special calibration process, they exhibit absolutely round shapes and uniform wall thicknesses, thus, ensuring extremely homogeneous heat transfer. An anti-adhesive coating developed in-house also makes universal use possible for a wide variety of applications. The coating is durable and meets all the requirements of the EU chemicals regulation REACH. On the basis of these performance-optimized drying cylinders, the energy efficiency of the overall cylinder dryer system can be purposefully optimized for specific applications. "Sustainability is not a marketing phrase for us, but a commitment we take seriously," says the resourceful mechanical engineer. "Contact us, we are here for you!"

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.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

SETEX turns dyeing and finishing data into daily production control

At ITM 2026, SETEX will show how textile mills can use machine, recipe, quality and energy data for more reliable daily production decisions — not as another reporting layer, but as part of the running dyeing and finishing process. With OrgaTEX X3 MES, E390x/C390x controllers, CamCOUNT and FabricInspector Portable, SETEX connects planning, machine execution and fabric-related quality insight within existing mill structures.

USColorworks expands digital platform with Kornit Atlas MATRIX and Atlas MAX PLUS solutions

Kornit Digital Ltd. (NASDAQ: KRNT), a global pioneer in sustainable, on-demand digital fashion and textile production, today announced that USColorworks, a North Carolina-based apparel decoration and fulfillment company specializing in custom and on-demand printing for retail and promotional markets, has expanded its Kornit digital production platform with the addition of Atlas MATRIX and Atlas MAX PLUS systems to deliver high-quality, on-demand apparel across cotton, blended fabrics and polyester.

CovationBio introduces two new bio-based innovations at Functional Fabric Fair New York

Covation Biomaterials LLC (“CovationBio®”) is showcasing its two new bio-based innovations, Xatryx® and Sorona® elasterell-p fiber, at this year’s Functional Fabric Fair in New York City, July 7–9, 2026. Attendees can visit CovationBio at Booth #404 to explore this next generation of bio-based performance materials.

Geotextiles made from recycled materials: GREEN leads the way into the industry

For the industry, recycled materials are creating new opportunities in geotextile production. In the GREEN project, the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPE demonstrates that recycled polypro-pylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and high-density polyeth-ylene (HDPE) can be processed into nonwovens, fibers, and membranes that meet industrial requirements. This creates opportunities for use in existing production lines and new value chains in the geotextile market.

A Penteadora starts up ANDRITZ textile recycling and needlepunch nonwoven lines in Portugal

A Penteadora SA has successfully started up a complete mechanical textile recycling line and a needlepunch nonwoven line supplied by ANDRITZ at its production site in Unhais da Serra, Portugal. This investment enables A Penteadora to expand its industrial capabilities and develop a new generation of solutions based on pre- and post-consumer recycled textiles. The input materials originate from its own production waste and other textile waste streams. Both lines are fully operational, and the first products are expected to reach the market in July.