Stoll is sporting a revamped brand image and innovative new technology that delivers greater flexibility and creativity and more colors.
The Germany-based Stoll, with a long history, premiered a new machine and presented new, ‘intelligent’ knitting technologies in Shanghai to additionally strengthen its leading international position in the market for flat knitting machines.
Exhibiting for the first time at ITMA Asia 2012, the company showcased a new machine that offers the knitting industry unprecedented freedom. Above all, it enables greater variability, flexibility and productivity with the quality and speed that Stoll is famous for. Designers gain new possibilities for creating imaginative looks with more colors.
Stoll’s high-tech commitment is underscored by an overhauled brand image. This is evident in the company’s redesigned booth. Its trade show motto for 2012 was “Knitting Performance by Stoll”: a variety of knit patterns displayed in the booth to show customers and visitors that “knitting performance” is everyday reality for Stoll.
In a recent interview Mr. Heinz-Peter Stoll, President, Stoll spoke about the company’s strategies for future growth.
Excerpts:
Question: Mr. Stoll, how important is ITMA 2012 in Shanghai for Stoll with its long history?
H.-P. Stoll: Outside of Europe, ITMA 2012 in Shanghai was the most important trade show for us. We had visitors from China and all over South-East Asia and India.
Q: You exhibited at ITMA a completely new brand image, a new slogan (“Knit Ahead”), and a redesigned trade show booth. What has prompted these changes?
H.-P.: In a lengthy strategy process, Stoll has developed a new positioning that sums up what we offer our customers across the board: continuous, co-ordinated, forward-looking action and top solutions. Our new brand image and the slogan “Knit Ahead” both reflect our high technological standard as the world market leader and our commitment to always staying a step ahead of the competition. As for our logo, we have only modified it to give it a more contemporary look. Our motto for ITMA 2012 is “Knitting Performance by Stoll”. A range of knit patterns and our booth’s special architecture and design let our customers and guests know that “Knitting Performance” is a way of life for Stoll. With our extraordinary, innovative knitting technology, our extensive expertise and our striving for perfection, we create a steady stream of new patterns and structures that inspire and fascinate customers. It’s an impressive showing.
Q: Mr. Stoll, you showcased a prototype of the latest machine, the CMS 530 HP-ADF, on an exclusive basis at ITMA 2012. What is so special about this new flat knitting machine?
H.-P.: The prototype CMS 530 HP-ADF that we exhibited at ITMA is a high-performance, high-output intarsia flat knitting machine that offers users attractive new possibilities for making intarsia patterns.
Q: How important are fashion and technology for Stoll, and what roles do your international showro
oms play?
H.-P.: The main functions of our Fashion & Technology Knitting Centers in New York and Reutlingen are to monitor and evaluate fashion trends in order to identify new and future patterns, colors, materials and gauges. We develop our Trend Collection twice a year in Reutlingen. These collections, which we put on display in our showrooms around the world for customers to see, anticipate future trends in knitted fashions.
They also serve the purpose of building relationships with indirect customers such as international fashion companies and purchasing organizations. Another very important aspect is passing on technical knowledge and skills by training machine operators right on the machines. We offer knitting and design training at the New York F&T, in Reutlingen, and in all major markets worldwide.
We also collaborate closely with the world’s leading fashion colleges to support training in the field of knitted fashions. Some of our biggest customers in Asia and Europe regularly visit our F&T in New York to cultivate their relationships with buyers and forge new contacts. Because it is located at the heart of Manhattan’s Garment District, designers based there can easily take advantage of it to program new designs and make test knits.
Q: How do you see Stoll’s market prospects as compared to your competitors’?
H.-P.: Our product portfolio is truly outstanding in terms of quality, knitting possibilities and productivity. It fully meets the expectations of makers of knitted products. So we are excellently positioned compared to our competitors, in addition to enjoying the largest customer base.
Q. How important is the Asian market for a long-standing German company like Stoll?
H.-P.: Asian markets will continue to be the most important ones for us. We do expect our sales volumes to shift somewhat from China to other countries in the region such as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Q: In your view, how is the international market for flat knitting machines developing?
H.-P.: Apart from the Asian market, we are currently seeing a surge in demand in countries like Turkey and Romania. Italy will always play a major role in the field of high-quality designer knitted apparel and can therefore be expected to continue being an important market for flat knitting machines.