The fourth edition of SPINEXPO New York, organized and produced by Well Link Consultants, returns to the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City today 16 July and runs until Wednesday 18 July.

The event puts the spotlight on the most comprehensive international creative offering of yarns, fibres, knitwear and knitted fabrics for the Americas and over eighty spinners and knitters will present their Autumn/Winter 2013/14 collections and showcase their latest introductions and innovations.

Show events include a seminar by Patrick Silva of Santoni on Tuesday 17^th at 2.00pm on the new Mecmor Compact garment length circular knitting machine.

“The knitwear World is not only flat! Synonymous with productivity, quality and reliability, the world renowned Mecmor open panel circular knitting machine, recognized as the most complete knitwear machine in circular motion, has now been redesigned into a smaller model called The Compact.” Silva will tell visitors.

Santoni says it has always considered that circular knitwear production is a necessary complement to flatbed knitting and a well-equipped knitting mill should have both types to reach optimal productivity in fine gauge knitwear.

View the Mecmor Compact video

The Mecmor Compact is space saving and is said to have a lower price and greater flexibility than earlier Mecmor models. The machine’s added flexibility is derived from the fact that knit and transfer systems are now combined. Each of the Compact's 12 systems is now available for knit or transfer at any time with three way technique in both cylinder and dial.

With all earlier Mecmor machines, knit and transfer systems had to be physically removed and replaced to optimise the machine for a particular fabric structure. For example, to optimise for jacquard production, transfer systems were removed and replaced by knit systems.

The new 33 inch diameter Compact has a circumference of 210cm and uses completely new electronics throughout. A new Logica programming software package which runs in Windows, makes for easier programming and uses a knit colour system similar to those employed by the leading flat knitting machine builders.

"With this new smaller model, called the Mecmor Compact, with its remarkably high productivity and fine quality of fabric, we have made circular knitwear production more accessible due to its compact space dimensions, its latest electronic management, and also due to its investment cost for rapid depreciation whilst keeping all the circular advantages of fine stitch quality and the highest productivity, especially in the finer gauges," Silva concluded.

Up to 20 gauge

The Mecmor Compact is available in a range of gauges from 10-20, with 20 being a brand new gauge. Previously, 18 gauge was the finest available. The Mecmor Compact, which is manufactured in Italy, is also able to rack for the production of cable patterns and other racking structures. Three needles racking to the right and left is available.

Traceability seminar

Other SPINEXPO events include a seminar presented by Novetex Spinners in conjunction with Gostwyck farm, Australia at 2.00pm today. “Novetex Spinners recognize the growing need by both consumers and retailers to buy into quality yarns whose origins have the right credentials. As a spinner that values these qualities they have developed the processes needed to ensure that this integrity is preserved whilst providing the retailer and their designers’ flexibility in selection of yarns”.

The seminar highlights the importance of being able to track products from original source all the way up to final retail and how this offers a new dimension to the way retailers can source and market their products. Gostwyck farm presents a case study of how this process has proved highly successful as a retail concept for a leading international brand over the past two years. From initial concept to in-store displays.

Tomorrow’s highlights include the ESP Trend Lab: Nelly Rodi Fall 2013 Color & Trend Re-Act seminar presented by Cathleen Sheehan, President of ESP TrendLab at 4.00pm - a seasonal overview of Fall 2013’s sociological references as well as trends in lifestyle, colour, material, fabric, pattern, silhouettes and beauty.