#Knitting & Hosiery

2026-03-05

KARL MAYER (China) celebrates its 30th anniversary

On February 6, KARL MAYER (China) celebrated the new year and its 30th anniversary. Employees and the management team at the Changzhou location, as well as representatives from management in Germany, Italy, and Hong Kong, were invited to the festivities. A special highlight was the visit by Lutz Wolf, CEO of KARL MAYER.

“Our subsidiary in China holds immense importance to our group. We are proud to operate in this key market with such a strong and dynamic location serving our customers. I am very impressed by the extraordinary drive, flexibility, and deep understanding of customer requirements shown by our employees,” said Lutz Wolf, commenting on the importance of KARL MAYER (China).

The establishment of a separate company in China in the mid-1990s was a bold and strategically consistent step. KARL MAYER focused on globalization early on and established production sites in its key markets in order to operate close to its customers. At that time, however, the idea that China would become the world's most important market one day was still a vision of the future.

From belief in China as a location to fully localized series production

In the early 1980s, KARL MAYER collaborated with the Wujin Textile Machinery Factory in Changzhou for joint production and to promote knitting technology in China.

In 1995, the two partners joined forces with NIPPON MAYER to found KARL MAYER WUJIN Textile Machinery Co., Ltd. The joint venture was the first company with foreign roots in the Changzhou Wujin High-tech Zone. It started with 400 employees on a 70,000 m² plot of land and was completely taken over by KARL MAYER just four years later.

Building on its own Chinese organization named KARL MAYER Textile Machinery Co., Ltd., KARL MAYER (China) Ltd. was founded in 2005 and has been continuously expanded ever since. In 2008, the company moved into a new factory with an area of 175,000 m². In 2011, the production portfolio was expanded to include the manufacture of warp preparation equipment, and a further expansion of capacity took place the following year to increase the production of high-end models. The latest milestone in the success story of KARL MAYER’s Chinese location was the opening of a new showroom in October 2024, featuring an exclusive selection of textile highlights, trend themes, and innovative solutions from all business units. By 2025, KARL MAYER had invested over 150 million yuan in technological upgrades, including the introduction of fishbone production and SAP-networked intelligent logistics.

KARL MAYER (China) currently employs around 750 people in Changzhou. In February, they all celebrated 30 years of successful development together.

RDJ 6/2 in E 32: Finesse in Motion

The appearance of sports and casual shoes is as diverse as their applications, ranging from sporty to stylish and from functional to fashionably practical. In particular, spacer fabrics produced on highly flexible KARL MAYER double needle bar raschel machines with Jacquard technology are in high demand for manufacturing these trendy shoes. These efficient production machines enable attractive designs with integrated multifunctional zones on one or both fabric surfaces, such as breathable mesh structures. Flexible in size and positioning, these features enhance both aesthetics and wearing comfort.

3D designs with a wow factor made on HKS 4-M EL ECO: When crepe, ruffles, and sheer fabrics redefine fashion

Seersucker, flip-flap items, Fırfır, or crepe materials: structured fabrics have long been more than just a passing trend. They lend timeless looks depth, dynamism, and an exciting tactile dimension. Whether classic striped patterns or modern solid-color interpretations, these versatile pieces pair perfectly with casual and business-casual outfits and effortlessly create a modern look.

SHIMA SEIKI to showcase flat knitting and digital design solutions at Egypt Stitch & Tex

Leading Japanese computerized flat knitting technologist SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, together with its sales representative in Egypt, TTS (EL MASRIA FOR TRADE & TECHNICAL SERVICES), will participate in the upcoming 24th International Exhibition for Textile & Carpet Machineries, Printing Technologies and Accessories (Egypt Stitch & Tex) to be held in Cairo, Egypt this month.

SHIMA SEIKI to exhibit at Première Vision Paris

Leading digital textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan will exhibit at Première Vision Paris in Paris, France next month. The company will exhibit in the "Smart Creation" area, dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge technologies that integrate sustainability and innovation. The knitting expert will be demonstrating solutions that optimize product development workflows and enhance sustainability through proposals in Digital Product Creation (DPC).

The new RJ 4/2 EL revolutionizes body mapping and expands creative possibilities – from smart lingerie to sporty athleisure designs

With the addition of another member to its successful RASCHELTRONIC® family, KARL MAYER is opening up new possibilities for creative product development for warp knitting mills and brands. The RJ 4/2 EL offers with two stitch-forming Jacquard bars entirely new design options for functional sportswear and bi-elastic lingerie. Available in gauges E 28 and E 32, this new model helps manufacturers set their collections apart from the competition. The fine E-32 gauges, in particular, impress with their clean surface, a pleasantly soft feel, and an exceptionally elegant look.

Coats Digital launches AI-powered GSD RealMotion for motion analysis

Coats Digital has launched GSD RealMotion, an AI-powered solution designed to provide apparel manufacturers with greater visibility into factory-floor operations. By analysing shop-floor video and applying Coats Digital’s GSD methodology, the solution turns video recordings into structured, motion-by-motion method studies.

Archroma and Lameirinho partner in pioneering deployment of InOneGO single-step dyeing

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, and Lameirinho, a leading home textiles manufacturer based in Portugal, are collaborating to bring InOneGO by Archroma, a new single-step dyeing process, into commercial production. Lameirinho’s first InOneGo bedlinens collection is now available worldwide.