#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.

Georg Stausberg, a veteran of the textile machinery industry, takes over as Rieter Group CEO

Georg Stausberg, one of the most experienced executives in the international textile machinery industry, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Rieter Group with immediate effect from 4 November 2026. With more than three decades of industry experience and a long-standing leadership career at Barmag, Stausberg brings extensive technological expertise, international market knowledge and an established network across the global textile industry to his new position.

Savio presents intelligent winding and air-jet spinning technologies at ITMA Asia 2026

At ITMA Asia Shanghai 2026, Savio will showcase its latest developments in winding and spinning technology, focusing on artificial intelligence, automation and digital integration. The spotlight will be on two machines: the Proxima Smartconer®, Savio’s next-generation winding platform, and the Lybra Smartspinner®, an air-jet spinning solution designed for flexible yarn production and a wide range of textile applications.

Jeanologia and BCome connect factory data with Life Cycle Assessment and Digital Product Passports

A new white paper by EIM by Jeanologia and BCome demonstrates how primary environmental data from denim finishing processes can be integrated into a garment's Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and prepared for use in a Digital Product Passport (DPP). A comparative case study highlights significant improvements at the production stage while also showing how these translate into the environmental performance of the finished garment.

Inside the Making connects denim and sportswear supply chains at Ecomondo 2026

Six European companies are joining forces at Ecomondo 2026 in Rimini to demonstrate how different stages of denim and sportswear production are interconnected. The new initiative, Inside the Making, highlights the importance of cooperation across the textile supply chain in addressing sustainability challenges, from reducing resource consumption to improving transparency and the reliability of environmental claims.

EDANA welcomes definitive EU anti-dumping measures on Chinese PET spunbond

EDANA, the international association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has welcomed the European Commission's decision to impose definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of PET spunbond originating in China. The association considers the measures an important step towards restoring fair competition and safeguarding European industrial capacity.

EU imposes definitive anti-dumping duties on Chinese PET spunbond imports

The European Commission has introduced definitive anti-dumping duties ranging from 39.8% to 48.1% on imports of PET spunbond from China. The measures, which entered into force on 31 October 2026, will remain in place for five years and are intended to address unfairly priced imports that have caused injury to European manufacturers. The EU market for these nonwoven materials is valued at approximately €200 million.