Leading German circular knitting machine builder Mayer & Cie., has launched a new budget single jersey machine designated Optimal S, which is aimed at Asian markets.

Mayer & Cie., known for its high quality engineering, showed a 28 gauge, 30 inch, 96 feed basic single jersey machine which contains a high percentage of Chinese manufactured parts but which is assembled in Germany. The machine was even fitted with Organ needles which are reputed to be around 25% cheaper than the normal Mayer & Cie. choice Groz-Beckert.

Managing Director, Rainer Mayer explained to KnittingIndustry.com: “Everybody asks the question: Why we don’t assemble in China? The truth is that the assembly costs only represent a very small percentage of overall costs and it is the cost of manufacturing parts which is more important. That is why we have chosen to have certain parts manufactured in China but still assemble the Optimal S in Europe.”

Mayer added: “The most important parts such as cams and so on are still manufactured to our high quality standards in Germany and therefore the result is a machine which is technically sound but which is economical for buyers in markets like China.”

Optimal S is available 30 and 34 inch diameters and is a two track machine for single jersey, including elastane single jersey and pique fabrics. The machines control panel is visibly different to its other single jersey models such as the S4-3.2 R, indicating that the electrics are also made in China.