#Weaving
A mosaic of innovations received a lot of attention
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KARL MAYER’s participation in at ITMA 2011 has turned out a complete success. Upon opening its stand the KARL MAYER exhibition began immediately pulling the crowds. Bright roofs made of textiles in an umbrella-like arrangement dominated the two-tier area and created a modern and comfortable atmosphere. The material employed for the stand was a warp-knit fabric produced on a HKS 3-M machine in a gauge of E 32.
KARL MAYER at ITMA, 22nd – 29th September 2011 in Barcelona: A trend-setting and very successful exhibition With its new developments and improvements, KARL MAYER presented new solutions consistently focussing on price-performance on the one hand and means of developing new applications and markets respectively on the other. The textile manufacturer showed again its keen sense of taking up and meeting its customers’ requirements. Arno Gärtner, head of the business unit Warp Knitting, stated during the ITMA: „During the numerous conversations at the fair, it turned out that the textile producers consider our innovations a chance to keep on carrying out their business successfully in the future. It is obvious that our customers are strongly forward-looking despite the fiscal discussions in Europe. Our visitors are very optimistic and show much interest in the new developments of our machines“. Innovative warp knits and a pronounced price-performance orientation The superfine tricot fabric made by the HKS 2-3 E was met with particular approval among the ITMA visitors. The quality produced in a gauge of E 50 with its smooth surface, its flowing fabric appearance and its silky touch gave rise to new product ideas. Another machine gave rise to new ideas: The DJ 6/2 EL which was operating during the fair with an integrated positive pattern beam drive (PPD). By means of an additional yarn feeding on special positions, some textile products achieved an upgrade in functionality, e. g. by the seamless integration of forming stretch zones and waist bands or cuffs. The third development in the group of innovative fabrics showing a high potential for opening up new markets was manufactured on a JL 40/1 F. During the fair the Jacquardtronic® Lace produced plain panels without the conventional weft/pillar-stitch combination with decent elasticity, and implemented basic and at the same time effective pattern spots into this closed and functional fabric band. Moreover, KARL MAYER presented the new TL 59/1/24 in the field of the lace Raschel machines. During ITMA, this newcomer convinced with its high speed and its great virtuosity on manufacturing delicate lace bands. Also the new HKS 3-1 with CFRP elements was able to convince the visitors – due to a raised output per investment compared to the former model. Velocity and flexibility at a reasonable price have been the features of the improved RSJ 4/1. The Rascheltronic® showed its capacity upon the fabrication of patterned net grounds. The Jacquard bars applied were fed by two beams in a laterally reversed arrangement. Also by manufacturing the well-known spotnet articles the RSJ 4/1 demonstrated its extremely high efficiency. Besides, the KARL MAYER stand also offered individual machine solutions in the market of technical textiles. In this sector, the company presented a machine for the production of functional technical textiles with tailored applications, for example the weft insertion system for the processing of online spread and guided carbon tapes on the Malitronic® MULTIAXIAL C&L (Cut & Lay) displayed in Barcelona. „The talks during ITMA revealed clearly the orientation towards special solutions“, said the head of sales of the KARL MAYER business unit Technical Textiles Axel Wintermeyer. „At ITMA, we proved that – due to our know-how and our experience - we are able to come up to the demands for the fabrication of special textile products.” Innovations revolutionising the warp preparation For the first time, KARL MAYER presented on this year’s ITMA its developments in the field of warp preparation together with the innovations of warp knitting on the same stand. In the size division, KARL MAYER presented the size box PRO SIZE which became the topic of many technically specialized talks on a high level. At the heart of the innovations there are three highly turbulent, flow-intensive application zones and a modern jet application system replacing the dipping process used until now. Altogether they will guarantee a uniform, controlled size layer, a decrease of the required size quantity to a minimum, a careful yarn treatment and the reduction of sewage water. The use of PRO SIZE enables a yarn gauge processing with sizes not having been reached so far by means of the single-bath process.
The Multi-Matic® has been another highlight on the KARL MAYER stand. This warping machine produces sample and production warps with medium run lengths arriving at a warping speed of up to 800 m/min and processing max. 128 yarn ends – coming up to 5 times more yarn ends than the GOM 24. “For our visitors, the possibility to control a large quantity of individual yarn ends represents a groundbreaking extension of the patterning options“, declared Martin Küppers, head of sales of the business unit Warp Preparation. He added that the high productivity enables the realization of new designs in many fields of application and therefore the opening of new business segments. An international audience with high technical competence For KARL MAYER, ITMA 2011 has turned out to be an efficient platform for the information transfer and for public relations even beyond the European borders. „Thanks to the remarkably high degree of internationality reigning on our stand, our presentation was able to attract even more attention“, confirmed Arno Gärtner. The majority of the visitors to the KARL MAYER stand came from India, followed by the USA, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Germany and Turkey. The reason for the high proportion of US visitors is the US manufacturers’ great interest in the market of technical textiles. Most of the guests of the business unit Warp Knitting came from Turkey (after India). According to Oliver Mathews, head of sales of the business unit Warp Knitting, India and Turkey, with their demand expected to be continuing, are a strong driving force for the market. As cause of the positive trend he named above all these countries’ rising own demand for products efficiently produced on a large scale. In addition, an atmosphere of change becomes clearly noticeable in South and Central America. The producers in these countries do not only expect a growing regional demand but also a stronger export to the USA. Delivery periods which are becoming shorter and shorter and the resultant relocation of the manufacturing chains away from Asia towards the consumers’ countries have been the basis for the optimism. With Chinese producers now concentrating more on the consumers in their own country, customers of the USA have increasingly purchased in Central and South America. Another reason for optimism is the economic development of the countries Poland and the Czech Republic at present. The enterprises are looking forward, are getting modernized and are expanding. Throughout positive feedback was received for the overall presentation This year’s fair has been the best ever, since its first participation – this message could be understood during the feedback talks with most of the KARL MAYER staff. „Europe is and remains the centre for innovation in the textile machinery building,” explained Oliver Mathews and became more precise stating that the interest in new developments, the technical expertise of the visitors and the quality of the talks have been strikingly high on the KARL MAYER stand. By its participation in the fair, KARL MAYER could increase its degree of popularity, could strengthen its reputation as a trendsetter in the branch and its position as market leader, and could certainly generate business on a large scale. Besides, the manufacturer’s stand turned out again to be the meeting point of the branch par excellence, also at this year’s ITMA.
