#Techtextil 2019

2019-04-29

Machine premiere at Techtextil

KARL MAYER launches new raschel machine for nonwoven bonding at an in-house show in Obertshausen to be held during the Techtextil in Frankfurt/Main, 14. – 17. 05. 2019

KARL MAYER invites the sector to visit its Stand 3.0/E 18 at the next Techtextil in Frankfurt/Main for an exchange of expertise. On an exhibition area of 80 m² this manufacturer will be showing warp-knitted goods with a performance that is opening up new ways for interesting and novel business fields: articles with integrated electrical conductivity and shaping from the company’s new TEXTILE MAKERSPACE, a highly efficient textile solution for the protection of buildings, and a completely new generation of warp-knitted spacer fabrics.

Besides, at KARL MAYER’s headquarters in nearby Obertshausen, the visitors to Techtextil will have the opportunity to attend an exhibition-accompanying in-house show with a machine premiere. The new raschel machine for nonwoven bonding, RACOP 2-NW, will be presented. This efficient nonwoven machine processes fibrous webs to stitch-bonded nonwovens, and scores points by technological advantages. Unlike their chemically bonded counterparts, these nonwovens are elastic, voluminous and, thus, virtually textile. Moreover, the stitch-bonding process requires considerably less energy than thermal methods.

In addition, the RACOP 2-NW impresses by an excellent price-performance ratio and highest flexibility. During KARL MAYER’s in-house show, a RACOP 2-NW will produce a fabric in a gauge of E 14 intended for the application field of heating textiles. The heating effect can be tested on a demonstrator module.

The preparations for the in-house show are in full swing. KARL MAYER expects numerous visitors belonging to a specific trade audience. Entire delegations from abroad have already registered. The event can be reached conveniently from Frankfurt/Main by bus transfer.

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.

Footwear innovation enabled by warp knitting technology– insights from New Balance

The future of the athletic shoe is increasingly being shaped on warp knitting machines. For KARL MAYER, the footwear industry is one of the most important growth markets – and one of the sectors where innovative textiles can realize their full potential. In his keynote address at the opening of KARL MAYER’s TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER in Obertshausen in April, Vishnu Prakash Muthusamy, Senior Textile and Materials Engineer at New Balance, explained the opportunities that warp knitting technology opens up for performance, sustainability, and faster development processes, and why textile manufacturers are transitioning from suppliers to development partners.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

DePoly Inaugurates its Showcase Plant in Monthey Switzerland

What if used plastic bottles, PET packaging material and polyester textiles could become raw materials just as high performing as virgin resources? That is the ambition of DePoly, a circular materials company based in Sion, Switzerland which inaugurated its Showcase Plant in Monthey on July 6th & 7th. The first depolymerization facility of its kind and scale in Switzerland, this industrial Showcase Plant represents a major milestone in the company's growth and its journey toward commercialization.