#Spinning

2020-05-07

New CEO appointed at Loepfe

Loepfe announced the appointment of Dr. Ralph Mennicke as Chief Executive Officer of Loepfe Brothers Ltd., effective from April 14, 2020. Ralph Mennicke takes over from Maurizio Wermelinger who, having joined Loepfe in 2007, became CEO in 2009 and is now retiring.

The Loepfe Board of Directors appointed Ralph Mennicke as CEO to lead the company and its subsidiaries. Loepfe is the worldwide leading manufacturer and solution partner for online quality assurance systems in the textile sector. Machine manufacturers as well as spinning mills and weaving mills around the globe use and rely on Loepfe technology from Switzerland.

Ralph Mennicke is a Graduate of Technical University of Munich, University of York, Mannheim and ESSEC Business Schools. He holds an MSc and PhD in Physics and an Executive MBA. Previously, Ralph Mennicke has held positions as CEO, Deputy CEO, General Manager and Product Manager, as well as interim Head of Technology, Product Management and Marketing.

Since completing his PhD, Ralph Mennicke has contributed to technology, product and market expansion and acquisitions, as well as providing inspired and effective leadership during times of crisis in his previous company. In his quest to set industry benchmarks and deliver quality improvement for customers, Ralph Mennicke has also been heavily involved in global standardization activities within the sensor and measurement fields.

Loepfe CEO Dr. Ralph Mennicke said: “Despite the current difficult business environment as I begin my role as CEO of Loepfe, my commitment to taking our business and our people on a journey where we will seek to grow and grasp future upsides has never been greater. As in my previous roles, at Loepfe my strategy will continue to focus on leveraging committed talents, superior technology and unique market knowledge to gain and maintain a competitive edge in the markets.

It is my very good fortune to be joining Loepfe from a company now experiencing a dynamic growth environment, and also to follow Maurizio Wermelinger who led Loepfe for more than a decade and established the company’s reputation in the textile industry with some world-leading product brands.

As well as Maurizio, I also thank the Loepfe Board of Directors and the Loepfe team for placing their trust in me to lead them through this tough period.”

Loepfe Executive Chairman Alexander Zschokke commented: “The Loepfe Group extends a big thank-you to Maurizio for his long, loyal and successful lead of the company, as well as a very warm welcome to Ralph. We are delighted to have Ralph on board to steer Loepfe through the challenging phase arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond. Furthermore, we are confident that Loepfe is in a strong position to emerge from this time with renewed vigour and sustained growth.”

A tradition of innovation celebrated at ITMA 2025 in Singapore

For 70 years, Loepfe has embodied precision, technological excellence, and uncompromising quality. Join us as we proudly celebrate seven decades of innovation at ITMA 2025 in Singapore. Founded in 1955 by two visionary brothers, Helmut and Erich Loepfe, the company has been a pioneer in yarn quality control – continuously pushing technological boundaries to meet and exceed industry expectations.

Leadership transition at Loepfe

Loepfe Brothers Ltd. has embarked on a new chapter with the appointment of Markus Kleindorp as the new CEO, ushering in a fresh era of leadership. Former CEO Ralph Mennicke's departure prompts restructuring, including the addition of Gregor Stalder as CFO. With this seasoned team, Loepfe aims to maintain its excellence in the textile industry.

Object Carpet tests production of rPET BCF yarn on Neumag BCF line

In a joint project with Object Carpet GmbH, Denkendorf; the Institute for Textile Technology (ITA), Augsburg; and Next Generation Recyclingmaschinen GmbH (NGR), Feldkirchen, Austria, Barmag investigated the processing of recycled polyester for BCF yarn. The goal was to evaluate the fundamental suitability of 100% recycled carpet material for reuse in carpet yarn production to create a closed-loop system in carpet manufacturing. To date, commercial rPET BCF processes have been based solely on rPET from bottle pellets.

New spinning package with two-step filtration for recycled yarns and more

At the ITM in Istanbul, BB Engineering unveiled its new, patented ValuePack spinning package for the first time, which features a two-stage filtration system. This is particularly beneficial for re-cycling processes. Until now, spinning packs have used either metal powder (“sand”) or filter candles as filter media. Both options are suitable for differ-ent applications, and each has its own specific advantages and dis-advantages.

GenuTrace client advisory: Is your cotton supply chain UFLPA ready?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released updated operational guidance (CBP Publication No. 5560-0526) expanding its forced labor enforcement framework. The guidance supersedes the original 2022 UFLPA Operational Guidance and now covers all forced labor enforcement authorities — UFLPA, CAATSA, and WROs/Findings — in a single unified document. For cotton importers, the enforcement posture has not softened. It has become more structured, more documented, and more demanding. Learn more about UFLPA.

"We will become a recycling powerhouse"

The textile industry is now in its fourth consecutive year of crisis, while automation, artificial intelligence and recycling are reshaping the rules of the game. In this interview, Rieter CEO Thomas Oetterli discusses the first signs of a market recovery, reflects on his first three years at the helm of the company, explains the integration of Barmag, outlines Rieter’s vision of the fully automated spinning mill and highlights the strategic importance of recycling. In doing so, he explains why the new Rieter Group aims to play a leading role in transforming the textile value chain into a circular economy.

2026 general meeting of the Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen at ITA

The Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen e. V. (proRWTH) looked back on a successful year of support at their 2026 general meeting. The meeting took place at Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen and was combined with a joint session of the Executive Board and the Administrative Board. Before the general meeting began, participants were given a guided tour of ITA, providing them with fascinating insights into current research and development topics in textile engineering.

Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brings supply chain leaders together around cotton innovation

Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton ConneXions Insight to Impact brought together more than 300 industry leaders from 140 companies across 10 countries, including more than 45 top global brands and sourcing organizations, underscoring strong global interest in cotton-rich product development, sourcing and supply chain collaboration.

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.