[pageLogInLogOut]

#ITMA 2015

Picanol to present new rapier & airjet innovations at ITMA Milano 2015

Picanol OptiMax-i 4-R 190 denim (c) 2015 Picanol
On the occasion of the ITMA Milano fair (which is being staged from 12-19 November 2015) Picanol will be presenting a wide variety of new airjet and rapier weaving machines. The year 2015 sees Picanol celebrating 40 years of manufacturing rapier weaving machines with the global launch of its new OptiMax-i and TerryMax-i machines.A further highlight at the upcoming fair will be the TERRYplus Summum.
International debuts for Optimax-I, Terrymax-I and Terryplus summum To ensure it places maximum focus on its weaving machines capacities, Picanol will be presenting its machines in a brand new booth design at the ITMA fair. Its new booth will have a special zone situated in the center that will be occupied by an OMNIplus Summum airjet weaving machine with new features. Picanol will have ten weaving machines on display at its booth (Hall 1, Booth D 101) and will be weaving a wide array of fabrics including shirting, denim, terry and automotive right through to technical fabrics. In addition, a Picanol OptiMax-i with jacquard will be on display at the Bonas booth and an OMNIplus Summum will be demonstrated at the Stäubli booth.

Celebrating 40 years of rapier machines with the OptiMax-i Picanol has an extensive track-record in regard to the production of high-tech rapier machines. “The year 2015 means that it is exactly 40 years ago that we launched our very first weaving machine with a rapier insertion. Since the launch of the first rapier all the time ago, we have sold over 90,000 rapier machines throughout the world. As our very first rapier was presented to the world at the ITMA Milano fair in 1975, we are delighted that Milan will once again be the stage for displaying some of our rapier innovations” explained Johan Verstraete, VP Sales, Marketing & Services at Picanol. “With industrial speeds of up to 750 rpm, the new OptiMax-i is now unquestionably the fastest rapier weaving machine in the world that is industrially produced. Highlights of the new rapier include the increased performance, rigid construction, new applications, intelligent energy efficiency, improved ergonomics and user-friendliness. The OptiMax-i is available in reed widths ranging from 190 to 540 centimeters. Thanks to its optimized rapier drives it remains the fastest rapier machine with the Guided Gripper system (GC) and the most versatile one with the Free Flight system (FF).” The Guided Positive Gripper (GPG) system has been developed for dedicated technical fabrics. Thanks to the revolutionary Free Flight Positive Gripper system (FPG), weavers are now able to combine and freely mix the most challenging filling yarns. Other features developed to respond to an ever increasing demand for versatility include, among other things, the Electronic Filling Tensioner (EFT), the SmartEye filling detector and the SmartCut filling cutter.

Pic: TERRYplus Summum 6-J 260
New weaving machines for weaving terry cloth The ITMA fair will also see Picanol presenting its new TerryMax-i (rapier) and the new TERRYplus Summum (airjet) weaving machines, both of which have been developed for terry cloth. This makes Picanol the only provider on the market that offers both airjet and rapier terry machines. The direct electronic drive of the cloth fell mechanism guarantees a perfect pile formation and enables weavers to not only program the pile height loop by loop, but also to program the pre- beat-up distance of every single filling yarn, which in turn enables endless design possibilities. Features include OptiSpeed, pile height monitoring and needle roller control. “Following our previous participations at ITMA Milano in 1959, 1975, 1983 and 1995, we are very much looking forward to returning to Milan once again and demonstrating our new rapier and airjet technologies to the textile world. Picanol offers the best mix of machines and services that enable weavers to create every type of fabric imaginable. In line with our marketing campaign ‘Let’s grow together’, everyone at Picanol endeavors to ensure that our machines are more energy-efficient, more versatile, user-friendly and easy to set. This means that we can continue to demonstrate that we are the technology leader in both airjet and rapier weaving machines” explained Johan Verstraete.

Pic: OMNIplus Summum 6-R 190 Shirting Picanol weaving machines represent a synthesis of technological know-how and experience that has been built up over almost 80 years. This has resulted in more than 350,000 machines being produced. Picanol is proud to confirm that it currently has more than 175,000 weaving machines running in some 2,600 weaving mills throughout the world. Weaving machines on display at the Picanol booth:

Rapier machines:

  • OptiMax-i (4 – P – 540), technical fabric
  • OptiMax-i (4 – R – 190), fancy denim
  • OptiMax-i (4 – R – 190), filter cloth
  • OptiMax-i (8 – J – 190), decoration
  • TerryMax-i (8 – R – 260), terry

Airjet machines

  • TERRYplus Summum (6 – J – 260), terry
  • OMNIplus Summum (4 – P – 190), lining
  • OMNIplus Summum (6 – R – 190), shirting
  • OMNIplus Summum (4 – R – 190), automotive
  • OMNIplus Summum (4 – P – 280), sheeting

Weaving machines on display at other booths:

  • OptiMax-i (12 – J – 340), decoration (rapier, Bonas booth)
  • OMNIplus Summum (4 - J – 190), African damask (airjet, Stäubli booth)

More News from Picanol

#ITMA Asia + CITME 2026

Picanol to unveil new AirOne airjet weaving machine at ITMA Asia 2026

From November 20 to 24, 2026, Picanol will present the world premiere of its new AirOne generation of airjet weaving machines at ITMA Asia + CITME in Shanghai. Developed in response to the latest requirements in basic woven fabric production, AirOne marks an important expansion of Picanol’s airjet weaving portfolio. Featuring a newly developed crank shedding motion, the machine combines high performance and low energy consumption with advanced digitalisation and ease of operation.

#ITM 2026

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.

#ITMA Asia + CITME Singapore 2025

Picanol to exhibit latest weaving technology at ITMA ASIA + CITME, Singapore 2025

At ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025, Picanol (Hall 2 – Booth C204) will unveil the next-generation OmniPlus-i Connect airjet weaving machine, setting a new benchmark in airjet weaving technology. This latest evolution of Picanol’s trusted platform demonstrates how the company continues to deliver innovative, performance-driven solutions that meet the evolving challenges of modern weaving mills.

#ITMA Asia + CITME 2024

Picanol’s will unveil the Supermax, its new rapier weaving machine, at ITMA Asia + CITME 2024

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024 represents an excellent opportunity for Picanol to once again demonstrate its technological leadership in both airjet and rapier weaving machines. Visitors to the event will experience Picanol’s world premiere of its brand-new Supermax rapier weaving machine. In total, Picanol will have four different high-tech weaving machines as well as its PicConnect digital platform on display.

More News on ITMA 2015

Latest News

#India ITME 2026

Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.

#Research & Development

DITF develops bio-based binding fibers for wood-fiber insulation materials

As part of the CelluWoodFlex project, the German Institutes of Textile- and Fiber-Research in Denkendorf (DITF) are developing bio-based cellulose ester fibers as alternative binding fibers for flexible wood fiber insulation materials. In addition to the spinning process and the production of suitable staple fibers, the institute is also investigating how wood and cellulose fibers can be separated and recycled at the end of their useful life.

#Recycled Fibers

Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

#Nonwovens

Magnera highlights HighPleat™ filtration media technology at FiltXPO 2026

At FiltXPO 2026, held on October 28–29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Magnera highlighted advances in air filtration media architecture, with a particular focus on its HighPleat™ platform for MERV 8–10 applications. The technology combines a lofted fiber structure with optimized pore architecture to address the challenge of balancing filtration efficiency, airflow resistance and contaminant-holding capacity.

TOP