#Knitting & Hosiery

2019-05-23

The next generation of the KARL MAYER Academy

from left to right: Oliver Mathews, the Vice President Sales and Marketing of the Warp Knitting Business Unit, Arno Gärtner, the CEO, Dr. Helmut Pressl, the CFO, and Christine Wolters, the Head of Corporate Communications at KARL MAYER, at the handover of the new premises to the KARL MAYER Academy on 30 April 2019 at the start of the training programme in May. (c) 2019 KARL MAYER

Progress through training - especially in the warp knitting sector. Alongside its high-tech machinery, KARL MAYER is also offering its global warp knitting customers extensive know-how and expertise to enable them to optimally use the technical possibilities offered by the machines. This company has been running its own training centre for imparting knowledge and know-how for more than 50 years.

New premises and a new profile for the KARL MAYER Academy in Obertshausen

The KARL MAYER Academy now operates at locations in Germany, China and India, and is extremely successful. Every year, more than 200 students are trained at the headquarters in Obertshausen alone.

The KARL MAYER Academy moved into its modern training centre at its headquarters in April 2019, and the training courses started up in the following May - with a tried-and-tested concept but at a completely new level. “We are now offering our customers courses to qualify them for manufacturing in a digital world, thus giving them the key to success in the future as well,” says Arno Gärtner, the CEO of KARL MAYER. Furthermore, the KARL MAYER Academy, with its bright, open architecture, is a place that will provide inspiration, “Our guests will feel comfortable here and will be able to get to know each other and exchange ideas,” says Arno Gärtner. Learning will become a real experience and a guarantee of the future success of KARL MAYER’s customers.

Modern rooms, first-rate equipment, the latest technology and up-to-date knowledge

The KARL MAYER Academy welcomes its guests in Obertshausen in a hall covering an area of 755 m², which offers a bright, learning-friendly atmosphere, modern architecture and technical equipment that has taken a quantum leap forward in terms of quality. Three separate classrooms, equipped with top-of-the-range training equipment, are available for efficiently providing training in small groups.

Specially designed high-tech production machines in the HKS series are available for practical training. “We have invested extensively in the machinery. The more the users understand the possibilities offered by our sophisticated technology, the more benefit they will gain from it,” says Christine Wolters, the Head of the KARL MAYER Academy. The training machines all offer the latest high-tech features, especially with regard to the drive, control and patterning technology. They can also be used to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the digital production of warp-knitted textiles.

The new KARL MAYER Academy also gives an insight into the digital features of KM.ON, and these systems extend the possibilities of increasing the efficiency of the customers’ own production processes. The training machines in the Academy are networked via k.ey – an industry PC combined with the relevant software - and provide access to KM.ON’s secure cloud systems.

Top-of-the range technology for learning and testing covers the entire production process, including warp preparation. A brand-new DS OPTO is used to demonstrate the possibilities of synergistically combining sectional warping used in warp preparation for weaving and direct warping used in warp preparation for warp knitting. This universal, hybrid principle provides maximum flexibility and economic viability when processing beams for warp knitting.

The Academy also profits from being close to the KARL MAYER Development Centre. If there is a demand for market-related courses on special machines equipped with the latest technology, the models in the innovation centre can be used for short-term training.

With its overall concept and equipment, the new premises of the KARL MAYER Academy will provide the know-how and expertise on both the theoretical and practical production of warp-knitted textiles for today and tomorrow. The foundations for additional E-training are also laid here.

Being creative – by exchanging ideas and testing in relation to production

The TEXTILE MAKERSPACE is located very close to the KARL MAYER Academy. The company’s own innovation platform is based on exchanging information and exploiting synergistic effects. It is available to creative pioneers in the textile and new technologies sectors, and provides space for testing, developing and lateral thinking. Its aims are to develop new applications even outside the traditional textile machinery sector, to act as the starting point for new ideas, and to produce the first visualisations of products. “Genuine, new textile applications are generated in an efficient, uniform process in our TEXTILE MAKERSPACE – from the initial thought process to the prototype. This enables product developers to arrive at innovative end-uses much more quickly,” says Michael Kieren, the main initiator of the TEXTILE MAKERSPACE. The proximity to the KARL MAYER Academy ensures that ideas are developed to suit the possibilities offered by industrial production. Fabrics with individual and extremely end-use-specific requirements in terms of yarns, patterns and characteristics can be tested on the production machines used for training, using all the company’s expertise

Michael Kieren and the MAKERSPACE community have already put some new developments in motion. Smart textiles, wearables and 3D printed garments have been the focus of various trade fairs and events for some time now.

More patterns, less effort: the MULTI-MATIC® at Rohleder

Rohleder is one of Europe’s most modern weaving mills. For over 80 years, the family-owned company has been developing and manufacturing premium fabrics for brands, retailers and private customers – 100% Made in Germany. This success is made possible by a consistent focus on design, quality, and functionality, as well as by continuous investment in state-of-the-art production facilities. Rohleder also relies on innovative technologies in warp preparation and has been collaborating with KARL MAYER for many years. As recently as 2023, a MULTI-MATIC® was delivered to the company’s headquarters in Konradsreuth.

The new RJ 4/2 EL revolutionizes body mapping and expands creative possibilities – from smart lingerie to sporty athleisure designs

With the addition of another member to its successful RASCHELTRONIC® family, KARL MAYER is opening up new possibilities for creative product development for warp knitting mills and brands. The RJ 4/2 EL offers with two stitch-forming Jacquard bars entirely new design options for functional sportswear and bi-elastic lingerie. Available in gauges E 28 and E 32, this new model helps manufacturers set their collections apart from the competition. The fine E-32 gauges, in particular, impress with their clean surface, a pleasantly soft feel, and an exceptionally elegant look.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Première Vision Paris

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Première Vision Paris in Paris, France next month. The company will exhibit in the "Smart Creation" area, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technologies that integrate sustainability and innovation. The knitting expert will be demonstrating solutions that optimize product development workflows and enhance sustainability through proposals in Digital Product Creation (DPC).

SHIMA SEIKI brings new flat knitting technologies to FEBRATEX 2026

Leading flat knitting solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Brazilian representative BRASTEMA TECNOLOGIA TEXTIL LTDA., will exhibit at the Brazilian Textile Industry Fair (FEBRATEX 2026) this month. On display will be a roundup of SHIMA SEIKI computerized flat knitting technology, represented by WHOLEGARMENT® knitting machines, computerized flat knitting machines featuring a brand-new model with high productivity and excellent cost performance, a glove knitting machine and the latest digital solutions.

The new RDJ 7/3 defines the design footprint of modern athletic shoes

Stylish, functional, and efficient to produce – spacer fabrics are the all-arounders among textile materials. These versatile fabrics are particularly in demand in the sports and casual footwear sector, as they combine comfort, breathability, and design freedom. At the same time, this industry is trend-driven, dynamic, and price-sensitive like few others. Innovations are therefore a decisive factor for success. With the RDJ 7/3, KARL MAYER offers a solution specifically tailored to these requirements. The particular strength of the new double raschel machine: its exceptional flexibility, thanks to its three jacquard bars.

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

The LYCRA Company expands its co-creation vision through an immersive Lifestyle District at Intertextile Shanghai.

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in fiber and technology solutions for the apparel industry, is reimagining the trade show experience at Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Autumn Edition, which opened today in China. Building on the success of last year's ALL IN concept, the company has expanded its co-creation vision into a 356-square-meter Lifestyle District featuring partners Jingzili New Material, JYT Textile, Lianxingfa Knitting, and Trend Textile. The district is part of a larger 895-square-meter pavilion showcasing a total of 19 co-exhibitors. Together, they demonstrate how innovations in fiber, fabric, and garments can be combined to create compelling solutions for both work and play.

Plastic-free stretch technologies drive new direction for denim innovation

As the denim industry looks for ways to reduce its reliance on synthetic fibres, plastic-free stretch technologies are gaining momentum. Developments based on mechanical fabric construction and natural rubber are demonstrating that comfort and stretch can be achieved without conventional elastane, supporting both recyclability and circular product design.