#Spinning

2021-03-18

Interview with Dr. K.V.Srinivasan - CEO Premier Group India

Over the last 60 years, the Premier Group has built an international reputation for quality and innovation in the textile industry. Premier Mills, part of Premier Group, was first established in 1949 and from its headquarters in Coimbatore, India, manufactures and exports fine combed cotton yarn, producing over 18 million kilograms each year.

With a workforce of around 5,000 people, the company is focused on providing excellent customer service using latest technology, investing in eco-friendly processes and drawing on their own deep technical experience.

Interview

Loepfe: How important is the Testmode feature to Premier and how do you use it?

Dr. KVS: The Testmode feature is very useful because it’s really important to optimize the cuts-to-faults ratio in order to maintain optimum productivity. In fact, we constantly monitor the number of cuts in the yarn. While we know the type of fault we need to remove, depending on whether we are working on yarn for knitted fabrics or woven fabrics, Testmode enables us to fine-tune our approach.

Loepfe: Which problems can be solved with the help of Testmode?

Dr. KVS: There are two issues here. Firstly, you want to remove the faults - but secondly the more cuts you make mean that more splicing is necessary. The splices need to be perfect – and today this is a critical factor when producing high quality single compact yarns with finer counts. So, there’s a balance to be achieved and Testmode supports our decision-making process. Then, there’s also the issue of waste – Testmode has a role to play in reducing waste. We are also looking at still further optimization with the help of Testmode.

Loepfe: What is your opinion on Loepfe yarn clearers?

Dr. KVS: We have been happy with Loepfe yarn clearers and also the service and support received. Four or five years ago, we also invested in the Loepfe MillMaster product and this has particularly impressed us. From a management perspective, the various MillMaster reports help us to evaluate the performance of the spinning mill. It shows the maintenance and efficiency of the clearers, which is crucial in ensuring productivity.

Loepfe: What do you rate most positively?

Dr. KVS: Currently, we are very excited about Loepfe’s YarnMaster Prisma. We are in the process of buying a new wet-splicing winding machine and after seeing Prisma at the ITMA exhibition, we have taken the clear view that while we are buying new machinery, we should invest in the very latest sensing technology as well.

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.

Thermal fabric cutting system - Weftmaster cut-it for airbag fabrics

WeftMaster CUT-iT for airbag fabrics. In case of the unexpected while driving a car, people are relying on airbags for their life protection. Hence, airbag fabrics must have flawless quality. Renowned weavers of airbag fabrics take no risk; they rely on Loepfe's CUT-iT to ensure their top quality fabrics have a perfectly defined and uniform selvedge.

Barmag and Neumag showcase innovations across all manmade fiber processes

For the first time, Barmag is presenting itself alongside its new parent company, Rieter: At this year’s ITM in Istanbul, both companies will be represented from June 9 to 13 at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center in Hall 7, Booth 702B. As a technology leader in the field of chemical fiber equipment, Barmag will showcase its entire portfolio of systems for filament yarn, staple fiber, and nonwoven production, as well as solutions for the networked factory.

Rieter Annual General Meeting 2026: Shareholders approve all board proposals

At the Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd. held on April 16, 2026, 342 shareholders representing 64.0% of the share capital approved all motions proposed by the Board of Directors. The shareholders adopted the Annual Report as well as the Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements for 2025. They also granted discharge to the members of the Board of Directors and the Group Executive Committee for their activities in the reporting year. In an advisory vote, the 2025 Report on Non-Financial Matters was also approved.

Walter Reiners Foundation Prize awarded to three ITA graduates

Sabina Dann, Lukas Balon and Annegret Storm from the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University were awarded the Walter Reiners Foundation Prize by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) for their master’s and bachelor’s theses. Peter Dornier, Chairman of the Walter Reiners Foundation, presented the awards during Techtextil at the VDMA stand in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.