#Spinning

2025-03-13

Köksan invests in China relying on Oerlikon Barmag Continuous Polycondensation Technology

Oerlikon Barmag Huitong Engineering (OBHE), has signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Köksan Group, one of the leading PET producers in Türkiye, for a Continuous Polycondensation (CP) production capacity of 400,000 tons per year. This will accelerate the global expansion of the Köksan Group's production capacity.

Martin Oruc Kutuk, General Manager of Köksan, and Zhong Ming, General Manager of Oerlikon Barmag Huiting Engineering (OBHE) at the signing ceremony of the contract © 2025 BARMAG

As part of this comprehensive cooperation agreement, Köksan will invest a high triple-digit million Chinese Yuan amount in the coming years. The new plant will be in the Yangkou Chemical Industrial Park, Rudong County, Nantong, China. Köksan will be setting up its plant with a production capacity of 2.2-million-tons-per-year green polyester new materials for the packaging industry. The first phase of this project has now been officially launched. Production is scheduled to start in mid-2026.

“We are convinced that this investment will be a major step for our company's future. It is our first investment in China and one of the largest industrial investments by a Turkish company in this area of industry in China. Upon the completion and full operation of this project, Köksan will become one of the global giants in polyester production for the packaging industry”, said Murat Köko?lu, CEO of Köksan. “We are very pleased that Köksan has chosen our innovative CP technology. This is further proof of our capabilities in the field of polymerization technologies”, said Zhong Ming, General Manager of Oerlikon Barmag Huitong Engineering.

Latest CP technology from Oerlikon Barmag Huitong Engineering

The project adopts the advanced five-reactors process and tailor-made equipment of Barmag’s joint venture partner OBHE. Using purified terephthalic acid (PTA) and ethylene glycol (MEG) as raw materials, it produces high-viscosity chips through the direct esterification and continuous polycondensation process technology route. Combined with Köksan's experience & knowledge, high-quality bottle-grade polyester chips are finally obtained.

As one of Türkiye’s leading companies in the PET and plastic packaging sector, Köksan exports to more than 100 countries and maintains its investments abroad. Köksan is an international investor with operations in China, Senegal, Libya, and Iraq. After over 50 years of development, the company has realized a diversified development model integrating chemical production and processing, logistics, warehousing, international trade, hotel and real estate development.

Object Carpet tests production of rPET BCF yarn on Neumag BCF line

In a joint project with Object Carpet GmbH, Denkendorf; the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), Augsburg; and Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR), Feldkirchen, Austria, Barmag investigated the processing of recycled polyester for BCF yarn. The goal was to evaluate the fundamental suitability of 100% recycled carpet material for reuse in carpet yarn production to create a closed-loop system in carpet manufacturing. To date, commercial rPET BCF processes have been based solely on rPET from bottle pellets.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Barmag and Neumag showcase innovations across all manmade fiber processes

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GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.