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#Spinning

Christian Straubhaar – New Head of Sales at Rieter Machines & Systems

In course of the succession planning, Christian Straubhaar will take on the position as Senior Vice President Sales at Rieter Machines & Systems in Winterthur on January 1, 2021. Straubhaar will succeed Reto Thom who will retire.

Christian Straubhaar holds an Engineering Master’s Degree in Industrial Management from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) and is a sales executive with 20 years of extensive experience in the textile industry. Recently, Straubhaar was responsible as Group Sales & Marketing Director at Itema for the world-wide sales of machines and spare parts. Prior, he held various positions in Operations and as Business Unit Head in Itema and other global textile companies.

Christian Straubhaar © 2020 Rieter
Christian Straubhaar © 2020 Rieter


His professional career shows a solid track record in identifying new market potentials and growing the business for the company. Straubhaar has a longstanding experience in selling to both large and small customers and developing key accounts within our industry.

Reto Thom has very successfully lead the Sales department at Rieter Machines & Systems for many years and made an enormous contribution to the success of the company.


More News from Rieter Textile Systems

#Spinning

"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.

#ITM 2026

Rieter at ITM 2026: Spinning Redefined with Automation and Intelligence

Spinning mills need solutions that deliver stability, efficiency and future-proof performance. Rieter has put together a powerful portfolio for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye. These innovations give customers the tools to enhance cost efficiency, improve responsiveness and actively develop their competitive edge. Step-by-step, Rieter is moving closer to its Vision 2027 – the fully automated spinning mill. With each new technology, Rieter enables spinning mills worldwide to operate with greater precision and reliability, ensuring they remain at the forefront of an increasingly demanding global market.

#Spinning

Rieter Annual General Meeting 2026: Shareholders approve all board proposals

At the Annual General Meeting of Rieter Holding Ltd. held on April 16, 2026, 342 shareholders representing 64.0% of the share capital approved all motions proposed by the Board of Directors. The shareholders adopted the Annual Report as well as the Financial Statements and Consolidated Financial Statements for 2025. They also granted discharge to the members of the Board of Directors and the Group Executive Committee for their activities in the reporting year. In an advisory vote, the 2025 Report on Non-Financial Matters was also approved.

#Spinning

Rieter advances strategic repositioning amid market volatility

Rieter successfully completed the acquisition of Barmag on February 2, 2026, and reached an important milestone in the company’s repositioning. Barmag will be integrated into the Rieter Group as the “Man-Made Fiber” Division. With this strategically transformative acquisition, Rieter is expanding its core business beyond the short-staple fiber business in a targeted way. This positions Rieter as the global market leader along the entire value chain for natural and man-made fibers. In addition, as a complete systems supplier, Rieter is further strengthening its technological leadership in the areas of automation and digitization.

More News on Spinning

#Spinning

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.

#Spinning

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.

#Research & Development

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.

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#Dyeing, Drying, Finishing

Ferraro S.p.A. acquires the “Finishing” business unit of Cibitex S.r.l.

Ferraro S.p.A. and Cibitex S.r.l. are pleased to announce the completion of the agreement pursuant to which Ferraro S.p.A. has acquired the “Finishing” business unit of Cibitex S.r.l., specialized in the development and manufacturing of technological solutions for textile finishing.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Reju opens its first R&D Center in the U.S. in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Reju, the company specializing in textile regeneration, today announced the opening of a Research and Development (R&D) Center in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, the company's first proprietary research center in North America. Located within Technip Energies' existing Advanced Materials and Catalysts research center, the lab will allow Reju to accelerate the rollout of its recycling technologies and develop its next-generation circular solutions.

#Weaving

Itema reaffirms its commitment to the Syrian textile industry at NasTex 2026

From July 18th to 21st, Itema will exhibit at NasTex at the Damascus Fairground (Hall 11 – Stand C02), marking its return to one of the Middle East’s historically significant textile markets. Itema will showcase advanced weaving technology designed to support the competitiveness and technological evolution of Syrian manufacturers and announces a new partnership with Growfast Agency as the sole agent of Itema in Syria.

#Knitting & Hosiery

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.

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