#Weaving

2021-05-14

Itemalab evolves: the excellence of textile machinery innovation now available to all the industrial sectors

Itema, the leading provider of advanced weaving solutions, announced the new structure of Itemalab®, the innovation incubator opened in 2014 at Kilometro Rosso innovation district in Bergamo. Born with the goal to design the platform for the “loom of the future” and breakthrough solutions for the textile industry, Itemalab® becomes now an independent company and widens its field of action, providing customers and partners with system engineering and business process re-engineering skills.

With a team made up by 70 engineers and specialized professionals, the Textile division of Itemalab® will continue to respond to the innovation needs of Itema Group and the textile industry. The new Industrial division will, instead, become the reference point for all the industrial companies looking for a partner of excellence to study advanced solutions to digitalize and reshape industrial products and processes.

“The textile machinery sector is one of the most complex in the industrial scenario, due to the confluence of high precision mechanical, electronic and mechatronic technologies which, in this industry, face very severe challenges in terms of conditions of use, applications and productivity. Multidisciplinarity is one of the strong points of Itemalab®: it makes possible to offer transversal solutions and a significant added value in terms of innovation, sustainability, digitalization and system engineering, by transferring the know-how gained in the textile machinery world to other sectors”, said Lorenzo Minelli, General Manager of Itemalab®.

A phase of the manufacturing of the Itema weaving machines in the Colzate plant. The operators, through tablets and scanners, have all the data of the machine assembly according to the principles of industry 4.0 (c) 2021 Itema Group

"Innovation is essential to compete in increasingly complex and competitive markets. With the strengthening and evolution of Itemalab®, we set the conditions for endless innovation opportunities in the most diverse application fields", added Ugo Ghilardi, CEO of Itema Group. “In recent years we teamed up with various companies and we explored new horizons and perspectives in the areas of materials and mechatronic principles. I am sure that Itemalab® will play a crucial role for the development of Itema Group and will become a key partner for many companies in their transformation and innovation paths”.

In the center on the right Ugo Ghilardi - CEO of Itema, on the left Lorenzo Minelli - General Manager of Itemalab. Behind them, from left to right, the heads of the Itemalab divisions: Massimo Arrigoni - Innovation Manager, Carla Roberta Cavalleri - Industrial Manager, Jessica Mazzola - Program Manager, Francesco Alghisi - Product Development Manager (c) 2021 Itema Group

The evolution of Itemalab® confirms the traditional innovation drive of Itema Group, as underlined by Angelo Radici, on behalf of the Board: “the board of directors supports the strategic move of Itema and we share the same vision. As an entrepreneur, I firmly believe that today the way forward is that of teamwork, where collaboration and synergy of skills are the fundamental ingredients for growing in your sector and seizing possible opportunities in many others. As RadiciGroup, a few months ago we launched Radici InNova, a consortium company that aims at combining research and innovation activities across the Group's business areas by comparing and opening up to firms, universities and external public and private research centers. Itemalab® heads in this direction too, tackling complex projects and addressing cross-cutting initiatives that alone would be difficult even to imagine”.

The breakthrough mechatronic device iSAVER® developed by Itemalab in 2018 that allows weavers to save up to 1.000 Kg of cotton thus establishing a new benchmark in sustainable weaving (c) 2021 Itema Group

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

Itema America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based Itema Group, has acquired – through an Assets Purchase Agreement – Palmetto Loom Reed, a Greenville, South Carolina-based manufacturer of weaving reeds and one of the last remaining domestic producers of these precision components in the United States.

Itema exhibits the two best-selling high-end rapier weaving machines of the Region, R9500EVO and Galileo-RX at SITEX 2026

Following the opening of its new Surat Service Center in November, Itema will exhibit at SITEX (Stand 286) from February 21st to 23rd at the Surat International Exhibition and Convention Centre (SIECC). Surat has long been one of Itema’s most strategic markets, a role further reinforced by the inauguration of the Surat Service Center last November. Equipped with an advanced electronic repair center, a weaving machine behavior simulator, and a local spare parts warehouse, the new facility strengthens Itema’s presence in the region while bringing the company even closer to its Customers.

Stäubli demonstrates how innovation translates into real benefits for weaving mills at SITEX 2026

One of India’s most prominent textile industry events, SITEX 2026, is held from February 21 to 23 in Surat. Committed to empowering Indian weaving mills with state‑of‑the‑art solutions tailored to regional needs, Stäubli will present a selection of solutions designed for performance, reliability, and power efficiency. Through its weaving preparation, cam and dobby shedding solutions and Jacquard technologies, Stäubli highlights its global expertise tailored to the specific needs of the local market.

High-performance yarns for tomorrow's mobility

At this year's Techtextil in Frankfurt (April 21–24), Barmag will be presenting comprehensive solutions for the production of industrial filament yarns at the VDMA joint stand (Hall 12, C56). The focus will be on applications that ensure greater safety, durability, and efficiency in automotive engineering.

JEC World 2026 returns with an unprecedented content program

Recognized worldwide as the leading trade exhibition for composite materials and their applications, JEC World returns on March 10-12, 2026, at Paris Nord Villepinte as the most ambitious edition to date, in line with its motto “Pushing the limits”. As the must-attend event for the composites industry, JEC World will offer an unprecedented program, blending conferences, markets insights, technical sessions, awards, and above all, a unique experience and invaluable connections.

Beyond the wardrobe – innovative cotton takes the spotlight

Cotton can do more – a lot more. Cutting-edge textiles and high-tech products made from 100% cotton prove just how powerfully performance and sustainability can come together. That very surge of innovation is front and centre at the 38th Bremen Cotton Conference, taking place March 25–27, 2026, at Bremen’s Parliament on the historic market square – culminating in a bold and dedicated closing session on Friday. In the spotlight: performance upgrades for pure cotton, smart strategies for circular textile waste solutions, and pioneering concepts for demanding technical applications. From natural fibre–reinforced composites to highly effective flame-retardant solutions, cotton steps out of the closet and shows the future potential woven into every fibre.