#Knitting & Hosiery

2026-03-05

KARL MAYER (China) celebrates its 30th anniversary

On February 6, KARL MAYER (China) celebrated the new year and its 30th anniversary. Employees and the management team at the Changzhou location, as well as representatives from management in Germany, Italy, and Hong Kong, were invited to the festivities. A special highlight was the visit by Lutz Wolf, CEO of KARL MAYER.

“Our subsidiary in China holds immense importance to our group. We are proud to operate in this key market with such a strong and dynamic location serving our customers. I am very impressed by the extraordinary drive, flexibility, and deep understanding of customer requirements shown by our employees,” said Lutz Wolf, commenting on the importance of KARL MAYER (China).

The establishment of a separate company in China in the mid-1990s was a bold and strategically consistent step. KARL MAYER focused on globalization early on and established production sites in its key markets in order to operate close to its customers. At that time, however, the idea that China would become the world's most important market one day was still a vision of the future.

From belief in China as a location to fully localized series production

In the early 1980s, KARL MAYER collaborated with the Wujin Textile Machinery Factory in Changzhou for joint production and to promote knitting technology in China.

In 1995, the two partners joined forces with NIPPON MAYER to found KARL MAYER WUJIN Textile Machinery Co., Ltd. The joint venture was the first company with foreign roots in the Changzhou Wujin High-tech Zone. It started with 400 employees on a 70,000 m² plot of land and was completely taken over by KARL MAYER just four years later.

Building on its own Chinese organization named KARL MAYER Textile Machinery Co., Ltd., KARL MAYER (China) Ltd. was founded in 2005 and has been continuously expanded ever since. In 2008, the company moved into a new factory with an area of 175,000 m². In 2011, the production portfolio was expanded to include the manufacture of warp preparation equipment, and a further expansion of capacity took place the following year to increase the production of high-end models. The latest milestone in the success story of KARL MAYER’s Chinese location was the opening of a new showroom in October 2024, featuring an exclusive selection of textile highlights, trend themes, and innovative solutions from all business units. By 2025, KARL MAYER had invested over 150 million yuan in technological upgrades, including the introduction of fishbone production and SAP-networked intelligent logistics.

KARL MAYER (China) currently employs around 750 people in Changzhou. In February, they all celebrated 30 years of successful development together.

ITM 2026: KARL MAYER presents new perspectives

KARL MAYER will once again showcase itself as a strong partner to the Turkish textile industry at ITM in Istanbul from June 9 to 13. At Booth 303 A in Hall 3 of the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center, the industry leader will exhibit solutions for warp knitting, warp preparation, and technical textiles – tailored to a challenging economic environment.

Techtextil 2026: KARL MAYER impresses as an innovative sector partner

KARL MAYER looks back with satisfaction on its participation in Techtextil 2026. From April 21 to 24, the international industry leader used the trade show in Frankfurt to meet with numerous key customers at its booth and, at the same time, establish many new contacts. Most visitors came from Germany, followed by major markets such as Poland, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France, and Portugal.

“We Believe in the Value of Textiles”: Successful Opening of the KARL MAYER TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER

KARL MAYER inaugurated its new, state-of-the-art TEXTILE INNOVATION CENTER (TIC) with a four-day opening week from April 21 to 24. The highlight of the week was the grand opening on Thursday, which drew a strong turnout from the international textile industry: around 220 customers, brands, and partners from across the textile value chain came to the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen for a first-hand look at the new high-tech development environment and lively exchange with industry peers.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

SHIMA SEIKI to show complete knitting and cutting workflow at ITM 2026

Leading computerized flat knitting technology provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its Turkish representative TETAS IC VE DIS TICARET A.S., will participate in the ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, Türkiye this month with a full product lineup. In addition to flat knitting machines and design software, visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the full range of SHIMA SEIKI textile machinery with its automatic cutting machine exhibit, all geared toward the fashion apparel market as well as non-apparel related businesses.

Mayer & Cie. Global is getting ready for ITM 2026

ITM 2026 marks the beginning of a new chapter for Mayer & Cie. Global. For the first time, the company will present itself to the international textile machinery industry in its new setup: combining proven circular knitting technology engineered in Germany with a clear commitment to its Albstadt headquarters and an internationally shaped, agile management approach.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

YKK invests USD 150 million in new manufacturing facility in India

YKK Corporation has announced plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in India, reinforcing its long-term commitment to one of the world's fastest-growing textile and apparel production hubs. The new factory will be built at Origins by Mahindra in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, and will become the third manufacturing site of YKK India Private Limited. The facility is expected to be completed by February 2028 and represents an investment of approximately USD 150 million, covering land, buildings, machinery and equipment.