#Spinning

2020-05-20

New R&D lead appointments at Loepfe

Loepfe announced today the appointment of Thomas Schlegel and Roger Hilzinger to jointly head the Loepfe R&D team with effect from May 18, 2020.

To lead the Loepfe R&D team, the company has installed a double-lead consisting of Thomas Schlegel who has strong know-how in hardware, electronics, production quality and project leadership, together with Roger Hilzinger who has been leading the Loepfe software group over the past three years. The two appointments are made to replace Lorenzo Occhi who will leave Loepfe after thirteen years, eight of which were spent as Head of R&D.

Thomas Schlegel and Roger Hilzinger (c) 2020 loepfe

Roger has been working for Loepfe for a total of nine years and is well acquainted with the applications for Loepfe products in the textile market. He is an engineer with a Diploma Degree in Information Technology from Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Leading Engineers from Kaleidos University of Applied Sciences Switzerland.

Thomas has a strong track record in project management and development of state-of-the-art hardware and sensor technology, as he has also held deputy head of R&D and quality management roles in the past. He has a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil, a Master of Advanced Studies in Business Engineering Management from Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz, and various training certificates including the INSEAD Leadership certificate.

Roger Hilzinger said: “I’m looking forward to work with Thomas. We get on really well and complement each other perfectly. We are lucky to work in Loepfe’s motivated and experienced R&D team. I am convinced that in future we will make our products even better so that our customers will benefit more, given the context of digitization and industry 4.0.”

Thomas Schlegel added: “When I was asked to take over the R&D lead at Loepfe together with Roger I was immediately enthusiastic as the two of us have worked very well together during the development project of the YarnMaster PRISMA clearer that has been launched recently. I look forward to develop even more revolutionary products with the team for our customers’ requirements and for a really bright future for Loepfe.”

Loepfe CEO Dr. Ralph Mennicke commented: “On behalf of Loepfe, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lorenzo for his valuable contributions to product development as well as company management. R&D is a key driver of product innovation and disruptive approaches in a product and solution company like Loepfe. It was a natural decision – and a great pleasure – to promote both Thomas and Roger to jointly success Lorenzo in heading the Loepfe R&D team. Roger and Thomas complement each other with their strong technical domain knowledge in hardware and software, respectively. Congratulations to both of them!”

A tradition of innovation celebrated at ITMA 2025 in Singapore

For 70 years, Loepfe has embodied precision, technological excellence, and uncompromising quality. Join us as we proudly celebrate seven decades of innovation at ITMA 2025 in Singapore. Founded in 1955 by two visionary brothers, Helmut and Erich Loepfe, the company has been a pioneer in yarn quality control – continuously pushing technological boundaries to meet and exceed industry expectations.

Leadership transition at Loepfe

Loepfe Brothers Ltd. has embarked on a new chapter with the appointment of Markus Kleindorp as the new CEO, ushering in a fresh era of leadership. Former CEO Ralph Mennicke's departure prompts restructuring, including the addition of Gregor Stalder as CFO. With this seasoned team, Loepfe aims to maintain its excellence in the textile industry.

Pre-Cleaner CL-X: Proven in cotton cleaning – creating value beyond the spinning mill

Since its market launch, the CL-X has firmly established itself in blowroom lines worldwide. Hundreds of installations confirm its ability to deliver superior cleaning efficiency, lower waste, higher productivity and significant energy savings. Now, new customer applications show that the CL-X not only continues to excel in spinning preparation – it is also entering a completely new field of application: ginning.

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

Indorama Ventures advances circularity tthrough PETValue Philippines' “Zero Waste to Landfill Partnership” with Republic Cement

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is advancing the circular economy through a new Zero Waste to Landfill initiative at its recycling site PETValue Philippines, further demonstrating how collaboration across industries can maximize resource efficiency and reduce waste.

Networking Day 2026: Industry stakeholders unite around textile recycling

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.