#ITMA-Asia + CITME-2016

2016-10-24

KARL MAYER reports positiv results halfway through ITMA ASIA + CITME

KARL MAYER is successfully exhibiting at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2016 as the world’s leading supplier of warp knitting machines, warp preparation machines and systems for producing technical textiles. Right from the first couple of days, this Obertshausen-based manufacturer has been able to welcome just under 350 visitors having specific interests, and this is in addition to the many people who are just curious.

The majority of the visitors are from the domestic markets, and are particularly interested in the tricot machines on show – a fourth generation HKS 3-M, which delivers an impressive flexibility, speed and user-friendliness, and an HKS 4-M EL, which also offers a high speed and patterning potential.

Manufacturers of technical textiles have also been delighted at being given some new ideas on the subject of lightweight constructions on KARL MAYER’s stand in Shanghai. This company is also showing a highly productive sectional warping machine for weaving preparation, and an innovative sizing system.

To coincide with the exhibition, visitors to the fair can also attend an in-house show at KARL MAYER (China) in Wujin, Changzhou, which is showcasing an extensive range of products.

The focus of the in-house show is on the production of lace, and a fundamental new development, the OJ 59/1 B, is setting new standards for multibar jacquard machines in terms of the cost:benefit ratio. This new machine is the first machine in the new LACE.EXPRESS series. It can produce large volumes of fashionable lace for the rapidly changing outerwear market, and is just as efficient as the JACQUARDTRONIC® Lace machine, but is much more productive.

In Wujin, Changzhou, KARL MAYER is also showing a new double-bar raschel machine for producing fashionable shoe designs, and a direct warping machine for warp knitting preparation, which features a universal, hybrid operation. The show of the innovative machines has been very well received. It attracted nearly 200 registered visitors only on the first two days. A free shuttle service is available for transferring visitors from the fair to the in-house show.

Pic: Visitors to KARL MAYER’s stand at ITMA ASIA + CITME

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.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.