#Knitting & Hosiery

2019-12-19

Mayer & Cie. China showed first in-house development at Shanghaitex

At the Shanghaitex trade fair, held from 25 to 28 November 2019, Mayer & Cie. China (MCN) exhibited its new machine for manufacturing three-thread fleece. The MFC 3.2 is the first in-house development by the German circular knitting machine manufacturer’s Chinese subsidiary. It produces light to heavy linings and is specially geared to processing polyester yarn. The MFC 3.2 will be available from spring 2020; the material it produces is used in sports- and leisurewear.

New machine type for three-thread fleece

“Three-thread fleece linings are popular all over the world,” says Marcus Mayer, Mayer & Cie.’s technical director, “albeit with important regional differences. In Europe and America customers appreciate heavier, warm cotton fabrics, whereas in Asia light, fluffy fabrics made of mixed synthetic fibres are preferred. That is why the MFC 3.2 is a major addition to our Chinese portfolio.“

MFC 3.2: Tried and trusted basis, market-specific alignment

The new Chinese three-thread fleece machine is based on the established Mayer & Cie. MBF 3.2, the qualities of which deliver the goods in the MFC 3.2. They include the high quality of material on both sides of the fabric and the production of challenging weaves. At the same time, the Chinese

Mayer & Cie. team attached importance to catering for local requirements, first and foremost processing polyester yarns. Thanks to cam parts developed in-house the new machine performs these tasks reliably and efficiently. At up to 30 rpm on a 30-inch diameter cylinder the MFC 3.2 produces three-thread fleece for sports- and leisurewear.

The MFC 3.2 is more than a three-thread fleece machine, however. A conversion kit transforms it into the MSC 3.2 II, the most popular machine in Mayer & Cie. China’s portfolio. The conversion works in both directions, which further upgrades the single jersey machine because “in the highly saturated Chinese single jersey market the fact that the MSC 3.2 II can be converted into a three- thread fleece machine is an important selling point,” Managing Director Mayer notes.

Visitor numbers down at Shanghaitex 2019

Visitor numbers were down by a third on two years ago, the Shanghaitex organisers reported, but Mayer & Cie. China was still able to achieve its targets for the trade fair. “What we wanted,” Marcus Mayer said, “was to enlist field test partners for the MFC 3.2 and gain an initial customer response. The visitor influx that the machine ended up by delivering was larger than expected.”

Some customers may already have expressed interest in buying the new machine but the investment climate in China and throughout Asia continues to be subdued due to trading difficulties between China and the United States, to local trouble spots and to the tense state of the global economy. Yet some visitors sounded a positive note at Shanghaitex. “Many of the people we talked to expect the market situation to improve from spring 2020,” says Marcus Mayer. “Whether it will do remains to be seen, but we are well positioned in any event.”

Mayer & Cie. to shut down after failed search for investor – 270 jobs affected

Mayer & Cie., the long-established German manufacturer of circular knitting and braiding machines, will cease operations after its international search for an investor ended without success. The company, based in Albstadt-Tailfingen, had been undergoing insolvency proceedings in self-administration since its filing on 23 September 2025. As Schwarzwälder Bote reports, the insolvency court has now formally opened the proceedings, triggering the decision to wind down the business in an orderly process.

Mayer & Cie. at ITMA Asia

Mayer & Cie. will participate in ITMA Asia from October 28 to 31, 2025, which takes place in Singapore. Visitors will find the manufacturer of circular knitting machines and braiding machines in Hall 5, Stand D 301. At its booth, the company will be showing a new circular knitting for jacquard fabrics - the OVJA 2.4 EC II - and will provide an overview of its digital and smart solutions. Another focus is on the machines of Mayer & Cie's "Performance Line": circular knitting machines, which are the most efficient solution in their respective classes.

Mayer & Cie. expands its braiding portfolio again

At the end of July 2025, the Albstadt-based braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. delivered its first MR-15 braiding machine with 48 carriers. An MR-11 system, also equipped with 48 coil carriers, left the plant before Christmas 2024 and has since reached the customer. The business unit has been part of the headquarters in Albstadt since 2019. Ongoing development has enabled Mayer & Cie. braiding to solidify its market position while evolving from a “little brother” into a key pillar of the company.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at GMMSA Expo India

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Indian sales representative Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services, Ltd., will participate in the upcoming Garments Machinery Manufacturers & Suppliers Association (GMMSA) Expo India 2026 exhibition to be held in Ludhiana, India next month. Through its lineup at GMMSA, SHIMA SEIKI aims to further strengthen its presence within the Indian market with an exhibit that caters to diverse needs, consisting of seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as well as a brand-new shaping machine with high productivity and excellent cost performance.

KARL MAYER opens a new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTRE – a new era of textile innovation begins

KARL MAYER is opening its new TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTRE (TIC), sending a strong signal that it is driving textile innovation forward and opening up new perspectives for the textile industry. The TIC brings together the latest developments in Warp Knitting, Technical Textiles and Warp Preparation – KARL MAYER’s core areas of expertise.

Proven performance, optimised costs – the new RE 6 EL

Nowadays textile companies increasingly need to produce small production runs and respond to market changes with instantaneous pattern changes in order to operate profitably – meaning they require machines that offer maximum flexibility, reliability and cost efficiency. KARL MAYER understands the challenges of the market and is launching its new RE 6 EL. The Raschel machine offers the core strengths of the classic RSE 6 EL and essentially the same performance parameters, but has been further cost-optimised largely due to local production advantages. This makes the newcomer an efficiency champion in production, especially when it comes to frequent pattern changes.

Terrot introduces T-Frame platform to redefine stability and flexibility in large-diameter circular knitting

Terrot Textilmaschinen GmbH has unveiled the new T-Frame, a universal machine frame platform for large-diameter circular knitting machines. Designed to meet growing demands for flexibility, stability, and operational safety, the T-Frame provides a next-generation foundation for both current and future industrial knitting machines, combining German engineering expertise with a modular, future-ready design approach.

Epson launches SureColor G9000: high-production Direct-To-Film printer delivering greater productivity and reliability

Epson today announces the launch of the SureColor G9000, a new high-production Direct-To-Film (DTFilm) printer designed to meet growing global demand for flexible and efficient textile transfer printing. Expanding Epson’s DTFilm line-up alongside the SC-G6000, the SC-G9000 introduces enhanced speed, reliability and ease of maintenance for commercial garment decorators and textile producers.

Better Cotton Initiative opens enrollment in the US with promising opportunities for producers

Producer enrollment for the US Program of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is open until May 15 for the 2026-2027 season. With over 2,600 members spanning the cotton supply chain and more than 11,000 users of its Better Cotton Platform (BCP) as of 2025, BCI’s standard is implemented in 15 countries and covers one fifth of global cotton production.