#Nonwovens / Technical Textiles

2019-11-07

Intensifying talks with the plastics sector

Intensive discussions at KARL MAYER's stand during K 2019 (c) KARL MAYER

Along the way to becoming a systems supplier for the production of dry and impregnated non-crimp fabrics, KARL MAYER Technische Textilien was exhibiting for the first time this year at the K 2019 trade fair.

This international event is a leading trade fair for specialists involved in the plastics and rubber sectors, and in the production and processing of plastics. It was held recently from 16 to 23 October 2019 in Düsseldorf. The aim of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien’s participation in K 2019 on the umbrella stand of Composites Germany was to make new contacts among plastics processors, and the company was far from disappointed. Visitor numbers were especially high over the first three days of the fair.

Traditionally, roughly 70% of the visitors travel to the K fair from abroad. And two-thirds of those visiting KARL MAYER Technische Textilien came from outside Germany, mainly from North America and Asia, primarily from China and India.

Many new contacts and a higher profile on the market

To arouse the interest of the visitors to the fair, this company was focusing on presenting its innovative SIM.PLY thermoplastic line. This new machine produces premium tapes with precisely aligned, continuous fibres, which are opening up new applications in highly stressed, fibre-reinforced, lightweight structures. Dr. Jürgen Tröltzsch, Senior Manager of New Technologies at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien and his team had many conversations explaining exactly what these applications are. “Our first participation in the fair went extremely well. Interest in our existing machines and the new SIM.PLY line is high,” said Dr. Jürgen Tröltzsch on the third day of the fair. The visitors included many new contacts in the plastics sector, i.e. producers and processors of raw materials and semi-finished products, as well as manufacturers of finished plastic components, and the team discussed the next steps towards cooperating with them. Some of them will see the original SIM.PLY over the next few months. Processing trials are also being planned.

Several existing customers of KARL MAYER’s Warp Knitting Business Unit were also exploring new market opportunities in the composites sector. During these conversations, the textile machinery manufacturer was able to strengthen its reputation as an expert solutions supplier.

In addition to networking, the exhibition team effectively placed KARL MAYER Technische Textilien on the plastics market as an efficient player in the composites sector. “It is certainly worth us participating in the K trade fair. We have been able to position ourselves well, and have made contact with many people outside our familiar textile sector,” said Jochen Schmidt, the Managing Director of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien during the fair.

The company’s presence was even more important, since many representatives of competing technologies were also among the exhibitors. Turgay Turan, the new Manager of the Automotive Section at KARL MAYER Technische Textilien, emphasised this: “Many companies involved in plastics processing still do not appreciate the advantages of non-crimp fabrics for use in reinforcing composites. There is a huge potential here.”

The next stages will involve looking strategically at how this potential can be exploited effectively.

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.

STOLL: Agreement signed for the divestiture of selected assets

In early 2025, KARL MAYER announced its strategic decision to focus on its core business areas of WARP KNITTING, WARP PREPARATION, and TECHNICAL TEXTILES. As part of this move, the flat knitting machine business under the STOLL brand was discontinued and the production site in Reutlingen was closed in October 2025.

ANDRITZ sets focus on textile recycling and durable nonwoven production technologies at ITMA Asia 2025

International technology Group ANDRITZ will be presenting its innovative nonwovens production and textile solutions at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2025 in Singapore, from October 28 to 31, 2025 (Hall 2, D106). ANDRITZ will showcase its MMCF production plants, textile sorting and recycling, bast fiber processing, needlepunch, airlay, and life-cycle service technologies, with a focus on sustainable solutions. Discover how these innovations can grow your business opportunities and support a greener future.

OUTLOOK™ 2025: Charting a sustainable and innovative future for the Nonwovens Industry

EDANA concluded its flagship event, OUTLOOK™ 2025, last week, marking it as a major success and addressing the biggest questions facing the industry. The three-day conference highlighted the urgent need for a unified approach to sustainability, regulation, and innovation in the absorbent hygiene and wipes sectors.

Global Nonwovens Alliance unveils Inaugural Board, advancing collaboration and growth worldwide

The Global Nonwovens Alliance (GNA), a tax-exempt federation jointly founded by INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry, and EDANA, the Voice of Nonwovens, announces the appointment of its founding Board of Directors. This group of leaders represents some of the most influential executives across the nonwovens value chain and reflects GNA’s mission to foster global collaboration, innovation, and growth in the industry.

Ibrahim Fibres and Trützschler: A strong partnership enters its next phase with the TC 30Si

For more than two decades, Ibrahim Fibres and Trützschler have grown side by side, driven by a shared ambition to continuously improve spinning performance, strengthen technology leadership and set new benchmarks in the textile industry. Today, Ibrahim Fibres is a leading yarn and polyester staple fiber manufacturer in Pakistan. The company operates the largest number of Trützschler cards in the country, with more than 200 machines running across its mills in Faisalabad, and plays an important role in one of Asia’s largest textile industries.