#Knitting & Hosiery

2020-01-29

25th anniversary in Changzhou

(from left to right, foreground): Yang Zengxing, General Manager of KARL MAYER (CHINA) as well as Arno Gärtner, CEO, and Roland Kohn, member of the extended KARL MAYER management team cut the birthday cake (c) 2020 KARL MAYER

On 17th January, KARL MAYER (CHINA) had reason to celebrate twice: the subsidiary of the renowned KARL MAYER Group celebrated both Chinese New Year and its 25th anniversary. The company-wide event was held in Changzhou. The entire workforce and management representatives from Germany, Hong Kong and Japan – including CEO Arno Gärtner – all took part in the festivities.

Always on the move: both top players and the market

Way back when it all began, there was a vision: a belief that China would one day become the world’s most important market, Arno Gärtner recalled when reminiscing about the early days. Building on this belief, WUJIN Textile Machinery Co Ltd was founded in 1995 as a joint venture with a Chinese partner. Just four years later, KARL MAYER acquired all of the shares in the joint venture. Together with NIPPON MAYER, the manufacturer set up KARL MAYER Textile Machinery Ltd as its own entity in Changzhou, and in 2005 formed KARL MAYER (CHINA) Ltd. A phase of continual expansion followed.

In 2008, the company moved to a new plant with a surface area of 170,000 m². In 2011, the production of knitting machines was expanded to include the manufacture of warp preparation equipment and in the following year, production was expanded again. The latest but no less important milestone in the company’s history was the establishment of KM.ON CHINA – a subsidiary of KARL MAYER’s software start-up KM.ON – in June 2019.

KARL MAYER (CHINA) currently employs around 800 people in Changzhou. Following a ten-year economic boom, the company achieved the best results in its history in 2018. With its proximity to the main market – around 70% of warp-knitted textiles are produced in China – it is an important member of the Group.“There is no doubt that KARL MAYER’s success over the last 15 years is largely down to KARL MAYER (CHINA),” said Arno Gärtner at the anniversary celebrations.

In order to operate at an even closer proximity to customers in the main Chinese market, the significance of the subsidiary in Changzhou will continue to grow. Over the past 10 years, an enormous capacity for textile production has been established in China. At the moment, however, China’s geopolitical situation has led to slow growth. KARL MAYER must be able to adapt flexibly to this situation. “As the market leader, we want to be the first to recognise market developments and respond with more innovative solutions offering maximum customer benefit based on buyers’ requirements”, said Arno Gärtner. In order to always be one step ahead, KARL MAYER (CHINA) will assume more responsibility for its customers and for solutions, and KM.ON’s activities will be further expanded.

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.

More Jacquard. More functionality. More fashion.

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.

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.

ITM 2026: Mayer & Cie. Global presents itself successfully at international industry trade fair

Mayer & Cie. Global has used ITM 2026 in Istanbul for its first major international appearance since the restart. Together with the Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik, the company presented its premium circular knitting machines "Made in Germany", explained its future positioning within the group of companies and held talks with customers and representatives from numerous markets. The response to the restart was positive. The clear orientation of the company, the reliable worldwide network of representatives and the resumption of service and spare parts supply were welcomed by customers.

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

Indorama Ventures advances circularity tthrough PETValue Philippines' “Zero Waste to Landfill Partnership” with Republic Cement

Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global sustainable chemical company, is advancing the circular economy through a new Zero Waste to Landfill initiative at its recycling site PETValue Philippines, further demonstrating how collaboration across industries can maximize resource efficiency and reduce waste.

Networking Day 2026: Industry stakeholders unite around textile recycling

In 2026, the Industry Research Group (IRG) Polymer Recycling once again brought together some of the key stakeholders in textile recycling for its annual Networking Day. This year, the event took place at EREMA’s premises in Ansfelden, Austria. It brought together key players from across the textile recycling value chain for a day of structured exchange and in-depth discussions.