From the Sector

Groz-Beckert offers interested machine builders various cooperation opportunities to jointly develop new products or improve existing ones. In collaboration with Vanguard Pailung, a manufacturer of ultra-high-speed knitting machines for body-size products, Groz-Beckert has developed an innovative slider needle for a new generation of machines. Groz-Beckert's Technology and Development Center (TEZ) provides the appropriate framework for so-called co-development projects.

In June 2022, Vanguard Pailung approached Groz-Beckert with a cooperation request. Together with Groz-Beckert, the company wanted to develop a new needle solution for an innovative ultra-high-speed machine. Together with an innovative slide needle, the new machine was to exceed the speed and productivity of known knitting systems of large circular knitting machines.

Machine and needle development ran in parallel and were closely coordinated. The first field tests took place in the Vanguard Pailung laboratory in Monroe/NC, USA in February 2023. The successful development was presented to a wide audience for the first time at ITMA 2023 in June.

Unlike latch needles, slide needles do not form the stitch via a needle latch, but via a slide that is controlled by its own channel. The advantage of this is that the needle can withstand high speeds, as there is no latch impact, which in turn increases productivity.

The use of the new slide needle in ultra-high-speed machines ensures a particularly high level of process reliability. With the new needle variant, the closer is guided safely and precisely in the groove in the needle shank. At the same time, the base of the needle shank is closed, which ensures maximum stability. The slider needle reliably prevents the so-called latch impact and thus makes a decisive contribution to process reliability. Its use ensures a uniform and speed-independent loop structure, even at maximum speeds.

Together with the German circular knitting machine builder Mayer & Cie., Groz-Beckert has developed the optimized Relanit sinker SNK F over the past years. Independently of this, the development of the new LCmax™ energy-saving needles took place. The focus of both developments is on efficiency, energy savings and increased process reliability.

Groz-Beckert offers interested machine builders different cooperation options to jointly develop new products or optimize existing ones. The Groz-Beckert Technology and Development Center (TEZ) provides the appropriate framework for so-called co-development projects. At the ITMA in Milan in June 2023, Groz-Beckert presented some of the successful cooperations under the motto "Innovation through cooperation". Among them were two new developments realized with Mayer & Cie. Groz-Beckert presented the two new products for the first time in Asia at ITMA Asia in November 2023.

Optimized Relanit sinker SNK F
At the end of 2018, circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. approached Groz-Beckert with a request to jointly develop an improved and more efficient sinker for selected machines of their Relanit family that would run more smoothly and reliably in the needle tricks. The innovative sinker has an integral spring with a spring force that is adapted to the sinker thickness. Field tests were consistently successful and confirmed the functionality and advantages of the new sinker.

Thanks to their adapted spring, the newly developed SNK F Relanit sinkers are securely guided while they are running through the cam track, resulting in a quieter operation. This increases process reliability and ensures an improved loop structure. In addition, wear on the swivel butts of the sinkers is reduced. This increases service life and makes the process more sustainable and cost-efficient.

Higher energy efficiency thanks to LCmax™
The objective second recent cooperation with Mayer & Cie. was to develop a cost-effective energy-saving needle. After considering various variants, the common choice of Mayer & Cie. and Groz-Beckert was the LCmax™ knitting machine needle with innovative, wave-shaped shank geometry. The first prototypes were extensively tested on laboratory machines at Groz-Beckert's TEZ.

The wave-shaped shank of the LCmax™ needle ensures a smaller contact area of the needle in the needle trick. This results in less friction, which reduces machine temperature and enables energy savings of up to 20 percent compared to a standard needle. This saves costs and at the same time allows operation of the machine at the maximum possible speed.

In both projects, the cooperation between Mayer & Cie. and Groz-Beckert went far beyond mere product development. In addition to Applications Engineering and Construction, the companies' Sales and Purchasing departments were also involved in a close exchange.

Santoni Shanghai Knitting Machinery Co., Ltd. announced the strategic acquisition of Terrot GmbH, a manufacturer of circular knitting machines based in Chemnitz, Germany. The move comes as the latest development in Santoni Shanghai’s long-term vision to build an ecosystem that aims to reshape and consolidate the circular knitting industry. The transaction will be finalized pending approval from Chinese regulatory authorities.

The global circular knitting machine market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years, with a July 2023 report from Consegic Business Intelligence forecasting a 5.7% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, propelled by an increasing consumer preference for breathable and comfortable knitted fabrics as well as increasingly diversification of demand for knitted apparel. To seize this market opportunity, Santoni Shanghai has developed an ambitious strategic plan centered around innovation, sustainability and digitalization. The new partnership with Terrot aims to further this strategy by enhancing Santoni’s integrated and scaled-up ecosystem, while also driving the sustainable development of the global knitting machinery industry.

“With the strategic investment of Santoni, we aim to strengthen our position as the preferred solution provider to many of the world’s leading textile manufacturers and top brands as well as continue working with industry talents as we provide valuable and essential know-how to drive premium ‘Made in Germany’ textile machinery.” said Robert Czajkowski, Managing Director of Terrot GmbH. "We have found a strong, globally active partner with clear dedication to quality, performance and excellent expertise in all circular knitting segments, who understands the unique value proposition and potentials of our portfolio and with whom we can realize our growth objectives” he added.

Since 1 April 2023 sales and service of Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines in Bangladesh have been under new management. A new dynamic team “Mayer Bangladesh” has been formed. Mayer & Cie.’s longstanding Indian representative Batliboi has joined business activities in Bangladesh since the beginning of the month, supported by the team of Brady Services and by Almani Biz.

In Batliboi, Mayer & Cie. has set up a business partner of many decades standing as its representative in Bangladesh. For around 40 years Mumbai-based Batliboi has overseen sales and service of Mayer & Cie. circular knitting machines in India. Abhay Sidham heads Batliboi’s Textile and Machinery Group. He and his team have many years of experience in strategic marketing, and a focus on sustainability and processing recycled raw materials is part of Batliboi’s expertise.

These competences are of relevance in the Bangladesh market because “we face strong competition from Asian manufacturers here,” as Wolfgang Müller, Mayer & Cie.’s sales director, explains. The premium market was growing smaller, and the trend was toward specialities – value-added fabrics, spacer fabrics and athleisure with a high proportion of elastic. Mayer & Cie. sees in these requirements significant potential for its machines – and in Batliboi a partner able in view of its experience to put them to optimal use.

One building block in the set-up of Mayer & Cie. representatives is unchanged. Brady Services will continue with Batliboi to contribute its close ties with the local market. A significant number of existing companies will continue to be looked after by Brady Services.

The new member in Mayer Bangladesh team is Dhaka-based Almani Biz. A lubricants specialist for circular knitting machines Almani Biz has a wide network with Bangladesh knitting industry.

Mayer & Cie. feels well positioned by this new set-up. “We,” Wolfgang Müller says, “are of the opinion that the market for textile machinery in Bangladesh will continue to grow and we are confident that by strengthening our sales, service and marketing team we will be able to make good use of this opportunity.”

Customers in Bangladesh have placed large orders in the past. The latest, placed in January, was for several dozen machines to be delivered this autumn. Further orders from Apex and BEXIMCO (Bangladesh Export Import Company) are also scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2023.

While reorganising the set-up of its representatives in Bangladesh Batliboi has also taken over as Mayer & Cie.’s representative in Nepal, where the company had previously had no local representative. There is a demand for machines for interlock, 8-lock and single jersey, but sales are still in single figures.

• Turkish circular knitting market offers prospects in turbulent times

After a four-year, Covid-related break the German circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. is exhibiting with its Turkish representative Mayer Mümessillik (MMÜ) once more at the important International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITM) in Istanbul. At Booth 713 in Hall 8, Mayer & Cie. will present three machines: the D4-2.2 X interlock machine, the OV 3.2 QCe for double jersey structures and the MV 4 3.2 II for single jersey fabrics. For the Mayer & Cie. and MMÜ team the focus will be on in-person contacts with customers, suppliers and partners. Despite the tense international situation both the manufacturer and its representative are positive about the medium-term outlook for the Turkish market.

Turkey is a market with prospects
“The challenges that the global economy faces are at present enormously wide-ranging, of course,” says Mayer & Cie.’s Turkey specialist Stefan Bühler. “The Russian invasion of the Ukraine, supply chain outages, shortages of raw materials and skyrocketing energy prices all create uncertainty.” And then there is galloping inflation in Turkey and elections in 2023. Yet despite, and in part because of, this state of affairs Bühler and Kahraman Güveri, CEO of Mayer & Cie.’s Turkish representative MMÜ, hold a positive view of the market outlook for the years ahead. Large orders, especially for standard products, are on the increase, Kahraman Güveri explains. That leads to new investments, new companies and a growing demand for refurbished machines that then need to be replaced by new machines elsewhere. And former commission merchants are now enterprises in their own right.

“Apart from that, Turkey benefits from its proximity to Europe, transport routes are manageable,” says Stefan Bühler. “This location advantage attracts brand manufacturers who together with their orders bring new approaches, new designs and new technologies into the country.” And Turkey’s already very highly developed textiles sector benefits too. That, says Kahraman Güveri, is why one can be confident for the next few years, “at least for as long as nothing unforeseen happens”.

Established machines with that something special: OV 3.2 QCe for double jersey structures
The portfolio of machines that Mayer & Cie. is exhibiting at the ITM is tried, trusted and popular. The OV 3.2 QCe is a specialist for interlock fabrics and double jersey structures that it knits in both filament and synthetic fibre yarns. With a conversion kit the OV 3.2 QCe also qualifies as a producer of 8-lock structures, spacer fabrics and fine gauges. The machine is available in a choice of three frames: from open-width and industrial to giant frame. Stefan Bühler, regional sales manager for Turkey, has this to say: “Not for nothing has the OV 3. 2 QCe been one of our most popular machines for years. It is mainly used for sportswear and for leisure- and outerwear.” In Istanbul the OV 3.2 QCe on show will be a 30-inch, E40-gauge model.

D4-2.2 X for fine rib and interlock fabrics
The double-jersey D4-2.2 X is an obvious choice for knitting fine rib fabrics of up to E28 gauge. Spacer and interlock fabrics are also part of the machine’s established repertoire. And it can produce elastomeric plating in both cylinder and dial cam. No matter which of these tasks is assigned to the D4-2.2 X, it performs it with impressive productivity.

MV 4 3.2 II for flexibility in the single jersey sector
In the single jersey sector, the long-established German firm delivers a literally fine solution. The MV 4 3.2 II on show at the ITM knits to an E38 gauge. The machine can also be supplied for gauges from E14 to E60. It is, in addition, highly flexible, with a repertoire that ranges from piqué and double piqué to one-thread fleece and smooth single jersey.