#Knitting & Hosiery

2021-10-07

Mayer & Cie. at IHK Reutlingen (I)IoT event: Creating digital added value for analogue products

Made in Albstadt and shipped to customers all over the world who manufacture knitwear, Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines are in use from Australia to Argentina. “Via our 80 or so local representatives we managed to maintain at least a limited overview of the whereabouts of our machines,” says Sebastian Mayer, head of R & D at Mayer & Cie. “But indirect contacts between manufacturer and users led to the loss of a great deal of “systematic” and valuable knowledge. The opportunities digitization offers enable us to come much closer to our customers both technically and organisationally.”

Sebastian Mayer, Head of Corporate Development © 2021 Mayer & Cie.

He recently dealt with coming closer to the customer as a speaker at the Reutlingen Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) event on the Industrial Internet of Things ((I)IoT) held by the IHK’s IT, TC & Multimedia networks and its IT Management network. His digitally savvy audience showed keen interest in the Mayer & Cie. solution knitlink, a machine- and Web-based customer portal on which the textile machinery manufacturer provides a hub for information, data and services about and for circular knitting machines and their uses.

Mayer & Cie. also sees knitlink as a starting point for new business models. It currently consists of three modular apps, including a Web store for spare parts that is scheduled for further development. A digital twin for every type of machine is a vision for the future.

“We see ourselves as leaders in our area of textile machinery manufacture,” Sebastian Mayer said. “Our claim to leadership extends far beyond the technical aspect. If we are to serve our customers satisfactorily also in the future we need efficient processes and a digital infrastructure to match them.”

The portal’s developer is partly the Albstadt digital enterprise MeetNow!. MeetNow! CEO Michael Krieger was the second speaker at the IHK’s I(I)oT event. He presented in the joint venture Wains a business model that successfully ports an analogue product to the digital world.

Huixing acquires insolvent Mayer & Cie.

Insolvency proceedings for the circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. were opened on December 1, 2025. Immediately following the opening of proceedings, the complete cessation of business operations was initiated. Most employees were subsequently given notice effective the end of February 2026. The production of the remaining orders in the circular knitting segment is expected to be completed by the end of the month. As early as December 2025, Mayer & Cie.’s braiding machine division was sold to an Italian investor.

Mayer & Cie. to shut down after failed search for investor – 270 jobs affected

Mayer & Cie., the long-established German manufacturer of circular knitting and braiding machines, will cease operations after its international search for an investor ended without success. The company, based in Albstadt-Tailfingen, had been undergoing insolvency proceedings in self-administration since its filing on 23 September 2025. As Schwarzwälder Bote reports, the insolvency court has now formally opened the proceedings, triggering the decision to wind down the business in an orderly process.

Mayer & Cie. at ITMA Asia

Mayer & Cie. will participate in ITMA Asia from October 28 to 31, 2025, which takes place in Singapore. Visitors will find the manufacturer of circular knitting machines and braiding machines in Hall 5, Stand D 301. At its booth, the company will be showing a new circular knitting for jacquard fabrics - the OVJA 2.4 EC II - and will provide an overview of its digital and smart solutions. Another focus is on the machines of Mayer & Cie's "Performance Line": circular knitting machines, which are the most efficient solution in their respective classes.

KARL MAYER at JEC: Multiaxial reinforced CFRP pultrusion profiles are picking up speed in the mobility sector

KARL MAYER Technical Textiles will be showcasing exciting new application potentials for multiaxial non-crimp fabrics in combination with the pultrusion process at the upcoming JEC in Hall 5, Booth C 46. The advancement of the tried-and-tested pultrusion process enables the cost-efficient production of complex CFRP multi-chamber profiles, which are used in the CETROVO high-speed metro. The world's first carbon-intensive lightweight rail vehicle of this type is designed for speeds of up to 140 km/h.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at GMMSA Expo India

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Indian sales representative Universal MEP Projects & Engineering Services, Ltd., will participate in the upcoming Garments Machinery Manufacturers & Suppliers Association (GMMSA) Expo India 2026 exhibition to be held in Ludhiana, India next month. Through its lineup at GMMSA, SHIMA SEIKI aims to further strengthen its presence within the Indian market with an exhibit that caters to diverse needs, consisting of seam-free WHOLEGARMENT® knitting technology as well as a brand-new shaping machine with high productivity and excellent cost performance.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

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.

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company based in France, announces the site selection for an industrial sized Regeneration Hub, in Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Induslacq platform. Reju, a Technip Energies owned company, is deepening its roots in France through the development of this new Regeneration Hub.

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) has unveiled Unrestricted Power™, a new innovation platform engineered for heavy lifts and demanding gym sessions. The assortment, which launches in North America, is backed by thousands of hours of research and development, providing secure support without compromising comfort and mobility, enabling a distraction-free fit built to match every move.