#Knitting & Hosiery

2024-11-28

A machine for summiteers

The HKS 2-S is a proven high-performance tricot machine from the KARL MAYER product portfolio. The ultra-efficient machine impresses with top values in terms of output, product quality, operational reliability and durability and is predestined for the production of elastic and rigid fabrics.

The HKS 2-S in E 44 sets new standards in outdoor wear, especially for mountain sports © 2024 KARL MAYER

Just in time for ITMA ASIA + CITME in October 2024, the bestseller was launched with an upgrade in the gauge area. With a gauge of E44, HKS 2-S brings a breath of fresh air to many areas of application, especially the promising outdoor clothing segment: With their dense surfaces, the supple E44 fabrics offer excellent protection against the sun's harmful rays. Their UV protection factor is more than twice as high as that of circular knitwear. The silky fabrics are also soft, comfortable to wear, breathable and quick-drying, and they can be produced extremely efficiently. At a speed of up to 3,200 rpm and a working width of 130", around 200 kg of fabric is produced per day. This made the HKS 2-S a real highlight at the ITMA ASIA + CITME 2024, and the machine was sold several times during the trade fair.

The HKS 2-S has been equipped with the modern automation platform KAMCOS® 2 Connect. This allows customers to network their machines and utilise all cloud-based solutions from the digital world of KARL MAYER. The Pattern Data System (PDS) enables the secure and simple storage and management of article data without the need to exchange sensitive data via USB stick. Digital offerings for optimising remote service also ensure shorter downtimes and more efficient after-sales service. Other solutions enable the integration of systems, for example for monitoring threads and the operating status of the machine, thereby maximising machine performance.

The HKS 2-S offers simple operation with other successfully established features, including laser stop, camera and homogenous lighting of the working area, which indicates the operating status of the machine, which is visible from a distance. Other tried and tested features of the HKS series in the HKS 2-S include bars based on carbon composite technology, a mechanical pattern drive, an electronically controlled yarn feed and a continuous fabric take-off that is also electronically controlled.

However, the latest upgrade required some fine-tuning.

“The high gauge required even more precise coordination of all components. The stable running of the HKS 2-S in E 44 at the uniquely high speed is only possible thanks to their very precise interaction,” says Kai Sulzmann, Project Manager of the KARL MAYER warp knitting business unit.

KARL MAYER develops seersucker WARP KNITS with even more character and style

Seersucker fabrics are icons of the clothing industry and assure their manufacturers' success. Just in time for ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025, the textile product developers at KARL MAYER have succeeded in creating brand new variants of this material. These fancy newcomers feature unique bubble effects and, with their new dimensionality, inject extra dynamism into the textile surface – and into the market.

The KARL MAYER Warp Knitting Business Unit at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025

The manufacturing of warp knitting machines has made KARL MAYER a leader in its field. It remains the company’s most important Business Unit today and has established its name as a brand in the warp knitting industry. KARL MAYER stands for the very highest quality, performance and technical progress. In a persistently difficult market environment, the company is seeking to strengthen its outstanding reputation and, above all, focus more than ever on innovation. The man responsible for this reorientation is Axel Wintermeyer, who has been President of the Warp Knitting Business Unit at KARL MAYER since January 2025 and is also part of the Management board.

Lutz Wolf becomes CEO of the KARL MAYER Group

Effective 1 November 2025, the Supervisory Board of the KARL MAYER Group, a leading global provider of solutions in textile machinery manufacturing, has appointed Lutz Wolf (51) as the new sole CEO of KARL MAYER Holding SE & Co. KG. Wolf will assume overall responsibility for the internationally active group of companies, which has its headquarters in Obertshausen, Germany.

KARL MAYER shows new solutions in its core technology at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025

“How can I increase my efficiency? How can I boost my productivity? How can I identify new business areas?” No matter what customers have in mind, KARL MAYER takes care of it! “WE WARP. WE KNIT. WE CARE.” This is the motto of the company’s 360 m² booth A 301 in hall 5 of the Singapore EXPO and the standard KARL MAYER sets for its work.

Vandewiele Group has technology excellence on display at ITMA ASIA Singapore 2025

At ITMA ASIA Singapore 2025, Vandewiele Group brands will converge to showcase breakthrough technologies across weaving, spinning, knitting, finishing, and digital solutions. From carpet weaving and jacquard, from spinning to knitting components, to MES platforms and AI-powered automation, the group presents a comprehensive vision for the future of textile manufacturing.

Heimtextil 2026 strengthens the global home textile industry with trends, designs and AI technologies

With an optimised hall layout, progressive design collaborations, inspiring trends and AI-driven innovations, Heimtextil 2026 reacts to the current market situation – and offers the industry a reliable constant in challenging times. Under the motto ‘Lead the Change’, the leading trade fair for home and contract textiles and textile design shows how challenges can be turned into opportunities. From 13 to 16 January, more than 3,100 exhibitors from 65 countries will provide a comprehensive market overview with new collections and textile solutions. As a knowledge hub, Heimtextil delivers new strategies and concrete solutions for future business success.

A circular European value chain turns post-consumer textile waste into new garments for Dutch retailer Zeeman

A closed-loop recycling project has successfully transformed 24 tons of post-consumer textiles into nearly 50,000 garments for Dutch retailer Zeeman, with each product containing a high-rate of 70% recycled content. This achievement represents a major milestone in accelerating textile-to-textile recycling in Europe.

Freudenberg accelerates local production for apparel market by expanding its site in India

Freudenberg Performance Materials Apparel (Freudenberg Apparel) celebrates the grand opening of a major expansion at its manufacturing facility in Chennai, India, on October 14, adding 20,000 square feet of production space and introducing new production lines tailored to the Indian apparel market. This strategic investment is aimed at significantly reducing lead times and enhancing the availability of high-quality, locally produced interlinings for the fast-evolving apparel sector in India and South Asia.