Besides the OMNIplus Summum, also the OMNIplus-X will be on display. This machine is developed and produced in Picanol’s Suzhou plant in China, but using the proven OMNIplus 800 technology. The OMNIplus-X responds to the requirements of the Asian mid-end segment and comes in weaving widths of 190 cm and 220 cm.  As for the rapier machines, the highlight is an OptiMax weaving a technical fabric. On ITMA Barcelona Picanol presented the OptiMax in a guided positive gripper execution. Although available in all widths (up to 540 cm), this especially opens new perspectives in technical segments such as Coating fabrics, Primary and secondary carpet backing, Geogrids etc.. Other rapier machines on display are the GT-Max with jacquard and GTX-plus, both machines produced in Suzhou.

In total 6 Picanol machines will be on display. Five on its own booth (Hall E3, booth C10). One Picanol OptiMax with jacquard will be on display at the Bonas booth.

Picanol in Asia

As one of the world’s leading weaving machine manufacturers, Picanol has always had a very close relationship with the Asian textile industry. This relationship is not a matter of chance or coincidental developments: on the contrary, it is the result of long-term, strategic planning by the Picanol management.

In this firm belief, Picanol sent its first pioneers to explore the possibilities in the Far East, already in the early 1950s. Picanol took part in one of the first international exhibitions held in Beijing. This was the period when Picanol salesmanagers, still based in Ieper, criss-crossed the Orient to promote its weaving machines at exhibitions and technical seminars. The growing installed base of Picanol machines in Asia, as well as the increasing demand for a higher level of service & support resulted in the establishment of  the Picanol Service Centre, which was set up in Shanghai in 1987. A network of local service engineers was also established to serve the other South-Asian countries. As the installed base was steadily growing a local training centre was established in Bandung Indonesia. This served also as servicing and spare parts facility.

The next step in the history of Picanol in China was the set-up of PST, Picanol Suzhou Textile Machinery Works, thus starting its career as a Chinese textile machinery manufacturer. This set-up took place in 1994. PST was Picanol’s first production line outside Belgium, and the technology and organisation were based entirely on the assembly concept employed at the company’s headquarters in Ieper. Today PST houses a complete production unit with 3 assembly lines for 4 product types, a mechatronics division, a sales, service and spare parts organization. The majority of the Chinese management, engineers and technicians have been trained in Belgium.