Karl Mayer reports that the recent ITMA 2011 in Barcelona was a complete success and the best ever ITMA since the company first participated. The leading German machine builder says that the crowds flocked to its stand as soon as the exhibition opened.  

A striking textile roof structure in an umbrella like arrangement dominated the two-tier stand and created an airy and relaxed atmosphere. The textile canopy was of course made from warp knitted fabric produced on a HKS 3-M machine in gauge E 32.

With its new developments and improvements, Karl Mayer presented new solutions which focussed on both on price-performance and on developing new applications and markets. The German company showed once again its keen sense of taking up and meeting its customers' requirements.

"During the numerous conversations at the fair, it turned out that the textile producers consider our innovations a chance to keep on carrying out their business successfully in the future. It is obvious that our customers are strongly forward-looking despite the fiscal discussions in Europe. Our visitors are very optimistic and show much interest in the new developments of our machines," Arno Gärtner, head of Karl Mayer's Warp Knitting business unit commented during ITMA.

Innovative warp knits and a pronounced price-performance orientation

Karl Mayer says the superfine tricot fabric made by the HKS 2-3 E was met with particular approval among the ITMA visitors. The quality produced in a gauge of E 50 with its smooth surface, its flowing fabric appearance and its silky touch gave rise to new product ideas.

Another machine on show gave rise to new ideas: The DJ 6/2 EL double needle bar machine for seamless products was operating during the exhibition with an integrated positive pattern beam drive (PPD). By means of an additional yarn feeding at special positions, an upgrade in functionality was achieved in product by the seamless integration of stretch zones and waist bands or cuffs.

According to Karl Mayer, a third development in the group of innovative fabrics showing high potential for opening up new markets was manufactured on a JL 40/1 F. During the show the Jacquardtronic Lace machine produced plain panels without the conventional weft/pillar-stitch combination with decent elasticity and implemented basic and at the same time effective pattern spots into this closed and functional fabric band.

In addition Karl Mayer presented the new TL 59/1/24 in the field of the lace Raschel machines. During ITMA, the new machine is said to have convinced customers with its ‘high speed and its great virtuosity in manufacturing delicate lace bands'.

CFRP elements

Another crowd pleaser was said to be the new HKS 3-1 with CFRP elements which offers raised output compared with its fore runner. Velocity and flexibility at a reasonable price are also the features of the improved RSJ 4/1. The Rascheltronic showed its capacity in the fabrication of patterned net grounds. The Jacquard bars applied were fed by two beams in a laterally reversed arrangement. The RSJ 4/1 demonstrated its extremely high efficiency by making spotnet fabric on the stand.

In addition, Karl Mayer also showed solutions for the technical textiles sector. The company presented a machine for the production of functional technical textiles with tailored applications in the form of its weft insertion system for the processing of online spread and guided carbon tapes on the Malitronic Multiaxial C&L (Cut & Lay) displayed in Barcelona.

"The talks during ITMA revealed clearly the orientation towards special solutions", said Axel Wintermeyer, head of sales at Karl Mayer's Technical Textiles business unit.

"At ITMA, we proved that, due to our know-how and our experience, we are able to come up to the demands for the fabrication of special textile products."

International technical audience

For Karl Mayer, ITMA 2011 turned out to be an efficient platform for information transfer and for public relations even beyond the European borders. "Thanks to the remarkably high degree of internationality reigning on our stand, our presentation was able to attract even more attention," confirmed Arno Gärtner.

The majority of the visitors to the Karl Mayer stand came from India, followed by the USA, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Germany and Turkey. The reason for the high proportion of US visitors, Karl Mayer says, is the US manufacturers' great interest in the market of technical textiles. After India, most of the guests of the Warp Knitting business unit came from Turkey (after India).

According to Oliver Mathews, head of sales of the Warp Knitting business unit, India and Turkey, with their expected continuing demand, are a strong driving force for the market. Mr Mathews said the main reason for the positive trend was rising demand in these countries for efficiently produced products in large volumes.

"In addition, an atmosphere of change becomes clearly noticeable in South and Central America. The producers in these countries do not only expect a growing regional demand but also a stronger export to the USA," Mr Mathews added.

"Delivery periods which are becoming shorter and shorter and the resultant relocation of the manufacturing chains away from Asia towards the consumers' countries have been the basis for the optimism. With Chinese producers now concentrating more on the consumers in their own country, customers of the USA have increasingly purchased in Central and South America."

"Another reason for optimism is the economic development of the countries Poland and the Czech Republic at present. The enterprises are looking forward, are getting modernized and are expanding."

According to Karl Mayer 2011's ITMA was the best ever since the company first participated and the message could be clearly heard from the company's staff who attended the show.

"Europe is and remains the centre for innovation in the textile machinery building," explained Oliver Mathews, who went on to say that interest in new developments, the technical expertise of the visitors and the quality of the talks had been strikingly high on the Karl Mayer stand.

Karl Mayer concludes that ITMA 2011 allowed the company to improve its popularity and strengthen its reputation as market leader whilst conducting business on a large scale.