KARL MAYER is shaping the future

+ A review of KARL MAYER’s success at ITMA ASIA + CITME, 12.-16.06. 2012 in Shanghai

This was clear from the presentation of the HKS 3-M high-speed, tricot machine, which is now in its third generation, and the second generation of the JL 65/1 B and the new ML 46 machine, which are both lace machines. An HKS 2-3 E was also on show. The Technical Textiles Business Unit was showing a Wefttronic RS 2 in the new, complementary, intermediate width of 213", and the Warp Preparation Business Unit was exhibiting an NOM 2.

The machines attracted a large number of visitors, which resulted in huge crowds flocking around KARL MAYER’s stand, especially during the first few days of the fair – despite a 100% increase in the size of the stand compared to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2010. The stand covered an area of 672 m2 on the ground floor and 140 m2 on the first floor. Similar to the design of the stand for ITMA 2011 in Barcelona, a transparent textile covering made from warp-knitted fabrics was also an illustration in Shanghai of the company’s expertise in textiles and an indication of its modern approach to participating in trade fairs – a message that was very well received. Shortly after the fair opened, KARL MAYER’s stand quickly became a meeting point for the entire warp knitting sector.

The visitors not only came from China but also from neighbouring Asian countries, such as Pakistan and India, which accounted for 10% each, and Korea and Vietnam with 5% each. The other main visiting nations were Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia. The number of guests attending from Turkey, Japan and Indonesia was also surprisingly high. “ITMA ASIA + CITME has become a global exhibition in China,” said Oliver Mathews, the sales director of the Warp Knitting Business Unit.

Plenty of information was available to the visitors on KARL MAYER’s stand and many of them had in-depth discussions there. A large number of customers, especially those from outside China, had come with the express intention of buying new products. Against the background of the current stagnation in demand in China, the lace market is still flourishing.
Roughly half of the visitors were company owners and 40% came from the middle management sector. The decision-makers usually had very specific expectations of their visit to KARL MAYER’s stand. They signed numerous contracts and thus made a sizeable contribution to the success of the exhibition.

The managing director, Fritz P. Mayer, said, “Our participation in ITMA ASIA + CITME was a complete success, since we were targeting specialists and professionals, and nowhere else could the pulse of the industry be felt as strongly. The great majority of the visitors were serious buyers and we are extremely pleased with the business deals we made at this exhibition.”

The fair was successful for a number of other reasons, including the many new contacts that were made there, the effective overall presentation, which highlighted the company’s image, and the comprehensive information on the market, courtesy of the state-of-the-art machines made by KARL MAYER. This has sown the seeds for further success in the future.