The Chennai Corporation recently invited tenders for supply of mosquito nets in bulk quantities for distribution to people living along waterways in the city. This has brought cheer to the industry in Karur which has now become a major center for manufacturing of mosquito nets. Karur has also become a major exporter of mosquito nets, thanks to the local manufacturers who have identified an opportunity in this product segment and invested in manufacturing capabilities.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is also sourcing large quantities of nets from Karur for worldwide distribution. More than 2,000 units are manufacturing mosquito fabrics and fishing nets, and more than 60 per cent of mosquito nets in India are manufactured at Karur.
A person familiar with the development says that more than 35 warp knitting machines from Karl Mayer have been installed recently for applications like mosquito nets and other product categories. Recession has definitely taught a lesson or two for the textile community at Karur, and other markets can definitely take some constructive ideas from this. Warp knitting has very versatile applications.
Groz-Beckert is trying to do its bit to support customers and bring about a change in Tirupur and nearby markets. In Tirupur, which is one of the largest knitting markets, the focus is mainly on cotton knitwear in 24 and 28 gauge. This limits the scope for creativity and expansion of the product range and has resulted in a drastic drop in margins, says Mr. S. Kumar, Sales Director (South), Groz-Beckert Asia.
Groz-Beckert is now trying to educate customers on the opportunities in fine gauge and in warp knitting. The company is now offering fine gauge cylinders which can be easily fitted on the existing circular knitting machines. This means customers can use their old machines and replace the cylinders alone instead of having to invest in a new machine, and they can also expand their product offerings.
Mr. Kumar says: “We see a change in the mindset of customers who are now willing to invest in high quality and latest technology machines. Customers are looking for better productivity, higher speeds and energy efficient solutions. This is the only way to survive in such a recessionary phase. There is need for continuous investment in R&D and expand the product offerings to the market”.
In the knitting sector Groz-Beckert is focussing on innovations leading to increased productivity. One of the key highlights is the High Speed Solution. That means the cheek geometry of the circular knitting needle is optimized, and this again enables significantly reduced latch impact speeds. The advantages of the High Speed Solution are less breakage and wear of needles and maximum machine speed. In short, the longer service life of needles and increased productivity in the circular knitting process.
Groz-Beckert has also developed the CylinderMaster, an entirely new cylinder removal tool. Cylinder changes on large circular knitting machines are often difficult, work-intensive and time-consuming. The CylinderMaster is the answer to this problem, enabling fast and user-friendly handling.