#Knitting & Hosiery

2025-07-02

Axel Wintermeyer is the new President of KARL MAYER’s Warp Knitting Business Unit

KARL MAYER's Warp Knitting Business Unit is working flat out to prepare for ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore. The most important division of the renowned industry player will be presenting itself at the key textile machinery trade fair under new leadership.

The new man at the helm is Axel Wintermeyer, an experienced manager from KARL MAYER's own ranks who has been with the company for 29 years.

From the very beginning, the qualified textile engineer with additional business training and an international background has helped to shape the company's success.

At his first post, in machinery sales for the Asia-Pacific market, he successfully established entry into the new machinery business in India. In addition, in Korea he increased the market share of weft insertion warp knitting machines from KARL MAYER Malimo from 50% to 95% competing against the most important German competitor at that time.

Six years later, in 2002, he took over as Vice President Sales at the KARL MAYER Chemnitz subsidiary and left a big impression there too. The market share of composite machines rose from 10% to 50% by 2013, also comparing with KARL MAYER’s main German competitor at that time.

From 2014 to 2020, Axel Wintermeyer headed the spare parts business of the Warp Knitting Business Unit, which he developed from a marginal business into an important cornerstone of the company's success. He also introduced a spare parts web shop with an SAP connection, thereby increasing the benefits for customers.

Most recently, Axel Wintermeyer had the establishment of the CARE SOLUTIONS division as the next level of after-sales support on the agenda by 2026. This initiative is intended to further improve customer loyalty and strengthen KARL MAYER's competitive position.

The track record of the new President of KARL MAYER’s Warp Knitting Business Unit is therefore impressive and makes us look forward to the activities with which he will advance his current area of responsibility.

Axel Wintermeyer is looking forward to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 to engage in intensive dialogue with visitors at the KARL MAYER stand A 301 in Hall 5 of the Singapore EXPO.

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.

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.

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.

SHIMA SEIKI returns to ShanghaiTex

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Hong Kong and Chinese market subsidiary SHIMA SEIKI (HONG KONG) LTD., will exhibit at the ShanghaiTex 2025 exhibition (Booth No.: Hall N3, Booth A20) held in Shanghai, China this month. This marks the return of SHIMA SEIKI to ShanghaiTex after a 14-year hiatus, its last exhibit at the show having been in 2011.

The newcomers HKS 3-M EL ECO and HKS 4-M EL ECO set new standards in the tricot market

Short development cycles, frequent pattern changes, and maximum efficiency – even with small batch sizes: Today's global fashion and apparel market demands more flexibility than ever before. High-performance warp knitting machines with compound needles (HKS) and EL pattern drive are KARL MAYER's answer to this challenge.

Perfect quality through collaboration: Machinery from Trützschler, Toyota and Murata at Zirve Tekstil

In today’s textile industry, excellence is not achieved by chance – it’s the result of deliberate decisions, technical expertise, and the courage to go beyond conventional paths. The Turkish company Zirve Tekstil has done just that: by combining the best technologies from Trützschler, Toyota and Murata, they’ve created a production setup that delivers outstanding yarn quality – recognized worldwide.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Award-winning research for sustainable carbon fibre cycles

Sustainable recycling of carbon fibres is possible through targeted electrochemical surface modification, which makes the sizing of carbon fibres resistant to solvolysis. ITA PhD student Sabina Dann was awarded the MSW Award from RWTH Aachen University for her master's thesis on this development. The award ceremony took place on 12 November 2025 in Aachen.