The merger of KARL MAYER’s subsidiaries, LIBA and MALIMO, marks the formation of KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH. The contract to seal the merger between KARL MAYER MALIMO Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH and KARL MAYER LIBA Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH was signed on August 24, 2015.
Mr. Arno Gärtner, Managing Director, KARL MAYER
The new company will operate from the two existing locations in Chemnitz and Naila, and the head office will be in Chemnitz. The Managing Directors of the old subsidiaries, Jochen Schmidt, Marcus Kube und KarlheinzLiebrandt, will head the new company.
KARL MAYER’s Managing Director, Arno Gärtner, explained that the merging of these two important companies, which specialise in weft-insertion warp knitting machines and composite machines, is the logical consequence of a process of change that started at the beginning of 2014 and led to the formation of a strong alliance.
The merger will consolidate the strengths of the two companies, and KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH will profit from the advantages offered by both partners and from a large number of synergistic effects. The employees in both Saxony and Bavaria are ideally placed to react quickly and extremely flexibly to the wide-ranging requirements of their customers worldwide. They work closely with the users of KARL MAYER’s machines and have a wealth of knowledge that they have gained over many years.
What is more, these two companies, which used to operate separately, enjoy the confidence of the market where they have an excellent reputation. They are synonymous with high-quality machines, maximum customer benefits, trend-setting innovations and excellent co-operation. They are already co-operating successfully with many manufacturers within the sector, with whom they have strong historical ties.
The focus on ongoing technical innovations based on market requirements and customer benefits will also play an important role in the strategic organisation of the new KARL MAYER Technische Textilien GmbH. As the CEO, Jochen Schmidt explained: “The most important thing for me is to develop new products to meet the requirements of the market, thus enabling our customers to further develop the existing and new end-uses.”
KARL MAYER TechnischeTextilien GmbH will show how successful it has been in this strategy at the JEC 2016 trade fair for the first time. The company will be exhibiting at this important show to be held in Paris during March 8 to 10.
At ITMA, the company showcased nine ground-breaking machines and nine new developments for the textile and services sectors.
Warp knitting machines that set standard
KARL MAYER’s new HKS 2-SE machine presents a multitude of innovations: a novel machine design, KAMCOS 2 as a new automation platform, integrated monitoring functions with the new camera system and, with the Low Energy Option (LEO), a very efficient means for cost saving. Moreover, the HKS 4-M EL, with its high productivity and maximum flexibility, especially in combination with KARL MAYER’s DS OPTO-EC, intended for the efficient manufacture of patterned sectional beams.
At ITMA, the HKS 4-M EL was running at a speed of 2,100 min-1 and, despite its high dynamics, was operating with a high degree of precision. At maximum speeds, the shog movement for the underlap is executed precisely in just 6.3 ms.What is more, the extensive patterning potential of this new machine, which is the result of the EL function, is extremely impressive.
For the lace sector KARL MAYER is able to offer the most suitable product for every requirement: Whereas the new TL 79/1/36 FASHION is designed to produce high-end lace articles featuring relief-like patterns, thus being of special interest to lace manufacturers of the premium segment, the highly productive MLF 46/24 machine attracted the attention of mass producers.
Trend-setting warp preparation machines
The extra-wide MULTI-MATIC was one of the exhibits of the KARL MAYER Business Unit Warp Preparation that attracted a great deal of attention. With a working width of 3,600 mm, the new MM 128/3.600 is 1,350 mm longer that its predecessor for the same number of yarns processed. Another highlight was the VSB Size Box, which is as good-looking as it is functional. The key element of the PRO SIZE sizing machine offers numerous advantages in terms of process efficiency and quality.
In the sectional warping machine sector, KARL MAYER was showing a study in concept and design in the shape of the PRO WARP, which is an extremely flexible machine. This new machine combines the “best of” technologies of the OPT-O-MATIC and the ERGOTEC. The standard machine is a good all-round machine, but it can be expanded to create a specialist machine to suit specific customer requirements.
KARL MAYER also showed an innovative system for the denim sector: a dyebath featuring the Double Vario technology as a key component of the PRODYE denim dyeing machine.
Machine for producing completely new weft-inserted textiles
The Business Unit Technical Textiles showed a new machine featuring KARL MAYER’s modern corporate design: the WEFTTRONIC® HKS. The next generation of the HKS MSUS was running at a speed of 1,500 min-1 during the fair and was equipped with a needle gauge of E 40, which is something new for the technical textiles sector. The machine was processing a yarn having a count of dtex 33 to produce an interlining that was lighter and more flexible than any interlining ever produced before.
In addition to its product repertoire, the WEFTTRONIC HKS was impressing people with its quiet, accurate running.
In addition to its new technical developments, KARL MAYER also displayed some pioneering online systems designed to make life easier for its customers. For example, the new KARL MAYER CONNECT app provides a quick link to the manufacturer for sending out service requests, and the customer benefits from faultless, efficient communication with the manufacturer.
This app works with a QR code. This is scanned in via a mobile phone or tablet at the operator interface of the machine and displays important machine data.
KARL MAYER also provides more support with obtaining spare parts – in the shape of the SPARE PARTS WEBSHOP platform and the KARL MAYER CHECK PARTS app. About 1,500 wearing parts for all the current warp knitting machines can be ordered directly from the webshop, just by clicking on the mouse.
For other spare parts, the webshop offers an easy-to-use request function via online access to the electronic spares catalogue for machines built from 2006 onwards. Once the spare part arrives with the customer, it can be checked to ensure that it is not a copy using the new KARL MAYER CHECK PARTS app and a QR code.
This digital element is a feature of the new seal of authenticity. After scanning, the QR code provides the information on the quality status. If there is any doubt about the origin, a report, together with a photo, can be sent to KARL MAYER via a simple menu navigation system.