A
s part of its effort to gather information about the involvement of German textile
machinery manufacturers in the nonwovens and technical textiles sectors,
Textile World
prepared a questionnaire that was distributed by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA)
Textile Machinery Association to its membership. Responses were received from 21 out of a total of
some 120 member companies. Below are profiles of the respondents, followed by a table providing a
portfolio of the machinery and accessories offered by those respondents.
Brückner Trockentechnik GmbH & Co. KG
Brückner is active in the sectors of nonwovens, technical textiles, textile finishing,
coating, carpet, glass fibers and special applications. The most important target groups, in
addition to the typical finishers of woven and knitted fabrics, are all companies that process
nonwovens, technical textiles, and other textiles. This target group is becoming more and more
important. Brückner sees itself in a leading position for thermal treatment and finishing of plain
form substrates.
The two most important patents Brückner holds are for a Split-flow air circulation system
for tenters, dryers and nonwoven bonding lines; and a Venturi mixing system for optimized mixing of
circulating air with fresh air. Six people work in the company’s research and development (R&D)
department. New developments include a Duo-Therm heat-treatment oven, a Power-Therm FX double belt
oven and the Ener-Save energy saving systems for all Brückner as well as non-Brückner machinery.
The most requested machines at the moment are Power Frame tenters for heat-setting of
geotextiles, high-temperature ovens for high-tech filter material, and finishing lines for medical
and technical nonwovens. Brückner machinery is exported mostly to Europe, Asia and South America.
Brückner indicates the current market situation is still solid at this time, though
decreasing a little bit, but the company is looking to the future in a positive way. For the coming
years, it sees an increasing demand for geotextiles, filtration products and nonwovens finishing.
Foundation date: 1949
Number of employees: 350
Headquarters location: Leonberg
Annual turnover: 70 million euros
Owner: Regina Brückner
Website:
www.brueckner-textile.de
Dienes Apparatebau GmbH
Dienes is active in the manufacturing of whole lines, machines and components for spinning
and processing of spun yarns, filaments and other flexible products. The most important target
groups are, of course, yarns producers, but also research institutes, universities and R&D
laboratories that develop processes for all kinds of yarns, tapes, films and ribbons.
Dienes sees itself in a favorable position in the development and manufacturing of
electrically heated godets, rolls, heaters and control systems. The company also holds patents for
godets and heaters developed in its own R&D department, which is staffed by eight people.
New developments are DMC2010 process visualization and high-temperature rolls. Machinery and
components for technical textiles are currently in greatest demand. The most important export
countries and regions are Western Europe, the United States and India. The current market situation
is considered to be solid, with a demand for niche products. For the future, Dienes sees continuous
innovations in material properties leading to increasing demand for highly specialized technical
fibers.
Foundation date: 1930
Number of employees: 40
Headquarters location: Mühlheim am Main
Annual turnover: 8 million euros
Owner: Steffen Müller Probandt
Website:
www.dienes.net
Oskar Dilo Maschinenfabrik KG
The Dilo Group is one of the global leaders and a global supplier to the nonwovens industry.
Dilo engineers and builds complete nonwoven production lines comprising opening and blending,
carding, crosslapping and needling. Target groups are producers of all kinds of needled technical
felts, geotextiles, filter media, automotive interior linings, floor coverings, wipes, synthetic
leather, papermachine felts, roofing and insulation material, and lightweight nonwovens for hygiene
and medical applications.
Dilo sees itself as a general market and technology leader for any type of needled products.
It holds some 40 active patents, while about 20 are pending. Research and development are the
keystones to Dilo’s success. “We not only research and develop in the field of machinery
construction, but also develop new end-products,” the company reports. Some 20 people are working
in the R&D sector, which receives investments totaling 7 percent of turnover annually.
New developments in the pipeline are a Fiberlofter, Cyclopunch for Hyperneedling, VentoFeed
card, AlphaLine and CV1 Proximax. At the moment, Dilo is enjoying great demand for production lines
for geotextiles, automotive applications, filtration, wipes and synthetic leather. However, other
fields – for example, medical and hygiene applications – are also dynamic. Most of the machinery is
exported to China, India, North and South America, and Europe.
The company has a technical research center in Eberbach, where three complete production
lines for needled felted products and lightweight felts are installed. In addition, a test line for
opening and blending is installed at DiloTemafa in Bergisch Gladbach.
Foundation date: 1902
Number of employees: 400
Headquarters location: Eberbach
Subsidiary Companies: DiloSpinnbau, Bremen
DiloTemafa, Bergisch Gladbach
Annual turnover: 80 million euros
Owner: J.P. Dilo
Website:
www.dilo.de
Fleissner GmbH
Fleissner is a well-known producer of machinery for staple fibers, nonwovens and tufted
carpets. The company sees itself as a leader in the nonwovens, man-made fibers and carpet sectors.
In the nonwovens sector, spunlace, thermal and chemical bonding processes as well as drying and
heat-setting are in the forefront. The portfolio for man-made fiber machinery includes two-stage
staple-fiber lines, one-stage compact spinning and staple-fiber lines as well as components for
polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, carbon and bicomponent fibers. For carpet manufacturing,
dyeing lines for tufted carpets and a latex-free carpet-backing process are available. All this
machinery is protected by many patents.
Some 15 people work in the R&D department. A fully equipped lab at Fleissner’s
headquarters in Egelsbach for trials in 100-centimeter widths is at the disposal of its customers.
New developments are, among others, thermobonding for high-loft nonwovens; a high-speed chemical
bonding process of nonwovens; and a mini hydroentanglement unit for institutes, product development
and low-capacity production. Currently, the company reports there is no true top seller in the
range; the demand is generally high for all nonwovens machinery.
The most important export countries and regions at the moment are Europe, India and China.
The current market situation is seen as having some shadows in the short- and mid-term situations
for capital investment. “Only the strong companies are investing money at the moment,” the company
says. For the coming years, Fleissner sees a recovery in the United States; China continues to
invest; Western Europe will be stable; and Eastern Europe and South America are emerging with
nonwovens. Man-made fibers will see new investments, with a general trend toward specialized
products.
Foundation date: 1848
Number of employees: 300
Headquarters location: Egelsbach
Subsidiary Companies: Sales office in Beijing
Annual turnover: 50 million euros
Owner: Trützschler GmbH
Website:
www.fleissner.de
Groz-Beckert KG
Groz-Beckert is an undisputed global leader as a manufacturer of needles and accessories for
textile machines. Most of the products are protected by a great number of patents, which were
developed by its own R&D department. Groz-Beckert also operates its new Technology and
Development Center (TEZ) at its headquarters in Albstadt.
The most important export region at the moment is Asia in general, and China in particular.
The actual market situation is seen as being very bad. For the coming years, Groz-Beckert sees a
rather slow improvement.
Foundation date: 1852
Number of employees: 7,360
Headquarters location: Albstadt
Subsidiary Companies: 20
Annual turnover: 496 million euros
Website:
www.groz-beckert.com
Lindauer Dornier GmbH
The company, located on the German side of Lake Constance produces sophisticated rapier and
air-jet weaving machines for both high-end- and medium-range weavers. Dornier claims the high
standards of its machines makes them especially suitable for the production of highly demanding
niche products in the technical textiles area for both light- and heavyweight fabrics. For example,
carbon or aramid fabrics, airbags, and various filter fabrics are typical products produced on
Dornier weaving machines.
The company holds patents for many of its machine parts and processes. According to Dornier,
one of the most important processes is the positive center transfer of its rapier weaving machine.
Other specialties are the EasyLeno® technology for the production of leno fabrics and the MotoLeno®
selvage formation device. The company invests roughly 6 percent of the annual turnover on its own
R&D department, which is accompanied by a laboratory for technical trials in Lindau
The global service organization in Lindau is supported by four subsidiary companies serving
the Americas, China, India and Turkey. Rapier weaving machines for technical textiles are currently
in greatest demand. Europe is still Dornier’s most important market, with Germany, Italy and Turkey
in the forefront. But Asia, including India and China, also is becoming more and more important.
The company considers the current market situation to be “absolutely difficult and
extraordinary in the whole market history of textile machinery.” For the future, Dornier says that
considering the current market situation, it is difficult to make any estimation about market
development in the next few years.
Foundation date: 1950
Number of employees:1,100
Headquarters location: Lindau
Subsidiary Locations: Charlotte
Shanghai
Mumbai, India
Istanbul, Turkey
Owner: Peter D. Dornier and the Dornier family
Website:
www.lindauerdornier.com
Karl Mayer Textilmaschinenfabrik GmbH
Karl Mayer is the undisputed global leader in warp-knitting and raschel machinery. The
machines are used for applications including composites, coating substrates, mechanically bonded
nonwovens, geotextiles, spacer fabrics and nets for technical applications. Power wind mills; boat
materials; advertising; automotive materials; fish farming materials; construction textiles
particularly for road construction; and functional clothing are the main end-uses.
The company considers itself to be very well-positioned in all the above mentioned markets.
Karl Mayer has obtained patents for machinery and operational processes. Emphasis has been placed
on patents for machinery. All in all, the company holds 150 industry property rights, and operates
its own R&D department. The R&D expenses for technical textiles and nonwovens account for
more than 4 percent of annual turnover. For customer trials, there are laboratories for testing
machinery and structural components at its Karl Mayer Malimo subsidiary in Chemnitz, at its
Obertshausen headquarters and at its production site in China.
A new development from Karl Mayer Malimo for fiberglass and carbon is the new Malitronic®
Multiaxial machine. Multiaxial machines, especially for power wind mills, are currently in the
greatest demand, but raschel machines with weft insertion type RS MSUS-(V) for geotextiles and
coating substrates as well as types RS 2 EL-F and RS 3 EL-F for circular bale netting also are in
demand. Another new development is a Rot-O-Tense yarn tensioner with motor drive for the production
of warps made with high-tenacity technical yarns, such as glass or aramid.
North America, Europe and Asia – especially China – are the most important export countries
at the moment. The actual market situation is considered to be very positive for the technical
textiles and nonwovens sector. Because of increased environmental consciousness, Karl Mayer sees
the focus for the coming years continues to be Asia, and very prominently for the power wind mill
sector.
Foundation date: 1937
Number of employees: 2,000
Headquarters location: Obertshausen
Subsidiary Locations: Chemnitz, Obertshausen and Mönchengladbach, Germany
Uzwil, Switzerland
Shepshed, England
Greensboro, N.C.
Fukui, Japan
Hong Kong
Wujin, China
Mezzolombardo, Italy
Owner: 100-percent family-owned
Website:
www.karlmayer.com
Karl Menzel Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co.
The company is active in the sectors of machinery for nonwovens, technical textiles, glass
and carbon fibers, plastic film and rubber. Menzel ranges are used for coating and laminating of
fabrics for airbags, billboards and geogrids as well as polytetrafluoroethylene diaphragms. The
rerolling and slitting machines can produce a maximum fabric width of up to 800 centimeters and
tensile stress below 10 Newtons (N) and above 50,000 N. Menzel also is active in the nonwovens
winding and finishing sectors, and considers itself to be a leader in these sectors. The company
holds patents for its textile machinery. Its R&D department employs three to eight people, and
it spends some 150,000 euros every year for R&D activities. A laboratory for technical trials
is also at the disposal of Menzel’s customers.
Among new developments are foulards for dyeing. Currently in greatest demand are coating
lines for geogrids. At the moment, the European Union, India and Russia are the most important
export countries and regions. The actual market situation is considered to be “slowly positive.”
Foundation date: 1925
Number of employees: 250
Headquarters location: Bielefeld
Subsidiary Locations: Spartanburg
India
Annual turnover: 40 million euros
Website:
www.menzel.net
Maschinenfabrik Herbert Meyer GmbH
The company is active in mechanical engineering, machine construction, and custom-made
machines. The range goes from small fusing machines for garments and shirts; to laminating and
coating machines for technical textiles, foams and nonwovens; to thermoforming and -molding lines
for the automotive industry.
Important target groups are technical textile manufacturers, foam makers and converters,
automotive interior and acoustic parts suppliers, and apparel manufacturers.
Meyer consider itself to be a leader in thermoplastic-adhesive or material-compound
processing machinery such as flatbed laminators, powder scatters, hot-stamping presses and
thermomolding machines, which are covered by various patents. Its R&D department includes
mechanical, electrical and software sections. Most of the machines are custom-built. Twenty-four
people design and develop new machines in the engineering department, and three people work in the
company’s testing center for R&D in Rötz, which can be visited and booked for trials and small
production runs. At the testing center, Meyer shows its latest technology with all possible
features available to its customers. Machinery features working widths from 400 millimeters (mm) up
to 1,800 mm.
Meyer exports close to 70 percent of its machinery, mainly within Europe, and to China and
the United States. Among the newest developments are a laminator and flatbed laminators with oil
heating instead of electric heating. New conveyor belts are available with improved surfaces, and
laminators are available with high pressure for compressing and thermobonding applications. Top
sellers at the moment are flatbed laminators with powder scatter for technical textiles.
Because of the current financial crisis, Meyer sees the current market situation as being
quite difficult, but it is sure that with the right technology, it will always find a market. In
the future, it believes technical textiles will have a growing market – especially materials with
high performance features such as light weight, fire resistance, chemical resistance and such; or
“green” materials with an excellent ecological balance. Low energy consumption, high efficiency and
very easy operation are becoming the main focus for the company’s machinery.
Foundation date: 1949
Number of employees: 150
Headquarters location: Rötz
Annual turnover: 15 million euros
Owner: Werner and Thomas Meyer
Website:
www.meyer-machines.com
A. Monforts Textilmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG
As one of the global leaders, Monforts produces machinery for continuous dyeing,
thermofinishing on tenters, sanforizing, coating and laminating. The most important target groups
are manufacturers of technical and functional textiles, spacer fabrics, and industrial textiles
such as airbags.
Monforts sees its leading role in ranges for coating, thermobonding and finishing. Among
other patents, the company holds patents for a TwinAir drying/ventilation system, a long-term
lubricated tentering chain, a soft coating process and the MxL moist crosslinking process. Some 2
percent of annual turnover is invested in R&D, which employs 32 technicians and engineers. The
laboratory for technical trials at the company’s headquarters in Mönchengladbach includes a coating
line, thermobonding line, moist crosslinking line, soft coating line, and a tenter.
Global customer service is supported by an innovative Online Assistance Teleservice via
Internet for immediate customer support. An important new development, especially for technical
textiles, is the new Montex TT tenter with the TwinAir cross-ventilation system and a new soft
coating process. Ranges for coating and functionalizing of technical textiles and bonding ranges
for spacer fabrics are currently in greatest demand.
Customers are located in all countries where technical textiles are manufactured, especially
Germany, Switzerland, Italy and the United States. According to Monforts, the current situation for
technical textiles is on a stable level. Many projects are being implemented. For the future, the
company sees trends toward further functionalization of textiles for so-called “intelligent”
textiles. New applications will be discovered, especially for workwear, the automotive sector and
construction.
Foundation date: 1884
Number of employees: 200
Headquarters location: Mönchengladbach
Subsidiary locations: Montex, Austria
Monforts Fong’s joint venture, Shenzhen, China
Annual turnover: 67 million euros
Owner: L. Possehl & Co. mbH, Lübeck
Website:
www.monforts.com
Nanoval GmbH & Co. KG
Nanoval supplies spunlaid lines and spinbeams for its patented Nanoval splitfiber process,
in which monofilaments are picked up under the spinneret by a gas stream, which applies stress to
the surface to draw them as the melt and air flows are accelerated. Once a monofilament’s internal
pressure exceeds the external gas pressure, the filament splits into very fine filaments, often
numbering from more than 20 up to several hundred.
The beams may be installed to revamp existing nonwovens plants or integrated into new
nonwoven plants that process polymers – including polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester,
polyamide, polyurethane, polybutylenterephthalate and polylactide as well as natural polymers such
as lyocell – from melt distribution to filament deposit. Targeted applications include medical and
hygiene webs, wet and dry filters, wet and dry wipes, and agrotextiles.
Foundation date: 1988
Number of employees: 6
Headquarters location: Berlin
Annual turnover: 1 million euros
Owner: Dr. Lüder Gerking
Website:
www.nanoval.de
Oerlikon Neumag
Oerlikon Neumag is a leading engineering company offering complete solutions for the
production of bulk continuous filament carpet yarn, man-made staple fibers and nonwovens. It offers
plants and technologies for all main nonwovens applications, including hygiene, medical,
filtration, geotextiles and automotive. The product portfolio includes plants for the production of
spunmelt, airlaid and carded nonwovens as well as machines for stand-alone meltblown, aerodynamic
carding and festooning.
Oerlikon Neumag claims to be the only supplier offering multi-technology lines – for
example, the combination of different web-forming processes such as spunlaid, carding and airlaid.
The company owns a multitude of patents covering unique features of the key processes and
technology in airlaid, carding and spunmelt.
For each technology, Oerlikon Neumag operates development departments staffed by more than
70 engineers and process specialists overall. The Spunmelt Solution Center, located in Neumünster,
features a three-beam spunmelt pilot line. The Carding Competence Center in Linz, Austria, has a
production line comprising the entire carding process from bale-opening through carding,
crosslapping, needlepunching up to winding, including a complete aerodynamic carding line and a FOR
Injection Card for spunlace applications.
New developments include a new modular card system, crosslappers with improved profiling
plus a new drive technology, needle looms with features such as elliptic needling, optimized needle
patterns and automatic needle-board exchange. Currently, Oerlikon Neumag sees the greatest demand
is for carding/needlepunching lines for different applications. The most important export countries
and regions currently are the United States, the Middle East, Turkey and China.
After years of above-average investments in spunmelt and carding, demand has decreased,
additionally affected by the worldwide financial crisis. However, the market has recovered,
especially in carding, and demand is at a sufficient level, according to Oerlikon Neumag.
The company notes that the way the industry will overcome current difficulties will
significantly influence the future of the industry. In Russia, India, China and the Middle East,
there is an ever-increasing trend to produce nonwovens and fabrics locally. In general, there is a
tendency to manufacture product in the area where the final demand is, owing to the increasing
impact of shipping costs. In addition, sustainability is gaining more and more importance, which
will in the future influence the entire value chain from raw material up to the final product.
Foundation date: 1948
Number of employees: 750
Headquarters location: Neumünster
Subsidiary locations: Oerlikon Neumag Austria GmbH, Linz
Oerlikon Neumag Italy S.p.A., Biella
Autefa Nonwoven GmbH, Friedberg, Germany
Owner: Oerlikon Textile GmbH & Co. KG
Website:
www.neumag.oerlikontextile.com
Pleva GmbH
Pleva has been developing and producing sensors and control systems since 1969. The products
are systems for online controls and monitoring of industrial processes. The most important target
groups are textile machinery builders and textile plants. Pleva sees itself in a leading position
for perfect coating processes and reduced energy consumption in drying processes.
Most of the products are covered by patents. There is a broad range of contactless working
microwave moisture-measurement devices, including AF 310, AF 120 and RF 110. The Add’nDry Plevatec
control device is said to guarantee optimum coating of water-soluble substances. Additional
features such as sensors TD 595 for fabric temperature, FS 92 for exhaust humidity and RR 1 for
residual moisture during drying processes are said to reduce energy consumption, and raise
productivity and finished fabric quality.
There are approximately 10 people working in the R&D department, and some 10 percent of
the annual turnover is invested in this area. Like most of the high-end companies, Pleva operates
its own laboratory for technical trials at its headquarters in Empfingen, Germany. New developments
include automatic straightening machines for the textile industry, and measuring and control
systems for factors such as material and application moisture, web temperature, size pick-up,
residual moisture, humidity, fabric temperature, dwell time, oxygen, pick distortion and pick
density. Currently in great demand are sensors for energy savings.
The most important export countries and regions currently are India, Bangladesh, Indonesia,
Turkey, Pakistan, the Unites States, Brazil, Italy and Western Europe. The market situation is
estimated to be very difficult, both currently and in the coming years.
Foundation date: 1969
Number of employees: 60
Headquarters location: Empfingen
Owner: Dr. Ralf Pleva
Website:
www.pleva-controls.de
Power-Heat-Set GmbH Textile Systems
The company is a supplier of yarn-finishing lines targeted to yarn and carpet manufacturers.
Power-Heat-Set considers itself to be a leader in heat-setting for carpet yarns. Some components
are covered by patents. The company’s R&D department has a staff of five people, and a
laboratory for technical trials is also available.
A new machine is the Compact Heatset line for carpet yarns. The company claims this product
is the first new heat-setting development for carpet yarns. Current primary export countries and
regions include the United States, China, Russia, the Middle East and Europe. The current financial
crisis has put the markets in a difficult situation, causing customers to postpone investments that
are already overdue, as well as postponing or even cancelling planned start-ups.
Foundation date: 2002
Number of employees: 20
Headquarters location: Töging am Inn
Owner: Resch-Maschinenbau GmbH
Website:
www.power-heat-set.com
Hans Schmidt & Co. GmbH
Hans Schmidt & Co. GmbH produces and sells measuring instruments for tension, speed,
force, hardness, thickness and other factors. Products include tension meters, force gauges,
thickness gauges, shore and bobbin durometers, tachometers, stroboscopes and textile moist meters.
The company says virtually every producer of textile products is a potential or existing target
customer; and declares itself to be a leader in fiber production, circular knitting, winding and
sewing.
Schmidt has its own R&D department. New two-roller tension meters specially made for
circular knitting machines are the latest development. Currently, products are exported primarily
to the United States, the Far East – especially to China, Japan, Taiwan and India – and to European
countries such as Italy, France, and Belgium.
As with many VDMA members, Schmidt has seen a decline in sales in line with a slowdown of
textile production. The company is certain it will take two to three years for the textile industry
to start growing again, noting that additional low-cost countries will start making low-cost
textiles.
Foundation date: 1948
Number of employees: 20
Headquarters location: Waldkraiburg
Annual turnover: 3 million euros
Website:
www.tensionmeter.de
Schwing Fluid
Schwing Fluid considers itself a leader as a thermal cleaning systems supplier for target
groups such as plastics and man-made fiber industries. Trials can be conducted in its laboratory in
Neukirchen-Vluyn. The current top sellers are its VacuClean Systems, which are thermal cleaning
systems under vacuum. The company mentions India, China, Indonesia, and Turkey as key export
countries.
Foundation date: 1969
Number of employees: 60
Headquarters location: Neukirchen-Vluyn
Website:
www.schwing-sft.com
Setex Schermuly Textile Computer GmbH
Setex produces automation systems, including hardware and software, for the textile
industry; as well as sensors and systems for quality-control, monitoring, machine and energy
efficiency, wastewater treatment, and exhaust air treatment. Manufacturers of textile dyeing and
finishing machines as well as manufacturing plants are its top target groups. In the areas of
control and centralization of dyeing and finishing factories, concepts for modern plant automation
and energy/cost reduction, Setex is said to play an important role. Therefore, its own R&D
department with a staff of 18 people is a must, and also a laboratory for technical trials at its
headquarters in Mengerskirchen.
New developments are control systems for dyeing and finishing machines, sensors with
charge-coupled-device (CCD) technology for the detection of weft density and weft distortion, as
well as a plant managing software package and energy saving concepts. All these new developments
are currently in greatest demand. Setex believes the current market situation is critical and that
2009 will still be quiet, with a recovery beginning in mid-2010. However, energy-saving and
environmental considerations will lead to a change in modern machinery manufacturing and textile
manufacturing.
Foundation date: 1993
Number of employees: 75
Headquarters location: Mengerskirchen
Subsidiary companies: 3
Website:
www.setex-germany.com
H. Stoll GmbH & Co. KG
Stoll is an undisputed leader in the manufacture of flat knitting machines. The company also
is placing increasing emphasis on technical textiles. With regard to inquiries and demand, major
fields include: compression garments and orthopedic supports, in addition to other medical
treatment and care products; upholstery and support fabrics, made fully fashioned, 3-D and ready to
use; fabrics for technical and industrial uses based on special materials and 3-D shape
implementations; wire knits and conductive fabrics; and textile substrates and preshaped prepregs
for composite applications.
Stoll claims to be the leader with regard to use and adaptation of flat knitting machines
for technical and industrial textile production solutions. Patents cover specific components and
techniques of machines as well as their relevance to some knit structures and knitting techniques.
The company operates its own R&D department as well as a laboratory for technical trials.
The CMS 530 E 12 – E 14 knitting machine for medical and upholstery products is currently in
greatest demand. The most important export countries or regions today are North America and Taiwan.
The company sees the current market situation as quite positive, with steady growth for technical
applications. This also is the case for the coming years: positive with stronger globalization
effects.
Foundation date: 1873
Number of employees: 1,000
Headquarters location: Reutlingen
Subsidiary companies: 8
Annual turnover: 350 million euros
Website:
www.stoll.de
Then Maschinen GmbH
Then, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based Fong’s Group, designs and manufactures dyeing
machines for yarns and woven and knitted fabrics, controllers, and chemical- and
dyestuff-dispensing systems.
The patented Airflow® technology has applications for woven and knitted technical textiles
as well as yarns for technical textiles. There are 25 people working in Then’s R&D department
in Schwäbisch Hall. According to the company, the well-known Airflow technology has been upgraded
with the latest-generation technology. The Airflow models SynergyG2 and Lotus are currently in
greatest demand.
The most important export regions currently are Asia, South America and Europe. Then sees
the current market situation as being rather positive, owing to a high demand for high-quality and
cost-efficient machine solutions and thanks to its Airflow technology, which it notes is a proven
process with considerable savings regarding energy, water and dyestuff.
Foundation date: 1919
Number of employees: 130
Headquarters location: Schwäbisch Hall
Owner: Fong’s Industries Co. Ltd. HK
Website:
www.then.de
Wumag Texroll GmbH & Co. KG
Wumag supplies rolls and machines for textiles, nonwovens and the plastics industry. Most
important target groups are original equipment manufacturers in those industries. The company
considers itself to be a leader in the sectors of drying, heat-setting and rolls.
An induction heated roll is Wumag’s latest development. Calenders for needled felts are
currently the top sellers. The most important export countries and regions for textiles are India,
China and Turkey; and for nonwovens, the European Community and North America. Wumag also is facing
a market downturn; however, it reports niche products still sell. The company predicts a positive
upswing in the middle of 2009.
Foundation date: 1948
Number of employees: 85
Headquarters location: Krefeld
Annual turnover: 17 million euros
Website:
www.wumag.de
Xetma Vollenweider GmbH
Xetma Vollenweider offers mechanical textile-finishing technologies – including raising,
shearing, sanding, brush-sueding, fabric-cleaning, carpet-shearing, polishing, tigering and other
technologies – to manufacturers and finishers of all kinds of textiles. The company, which has
received patents for various machines and processes, considers itself to be a leader in the fields
of raising, soft-touch finishing such as sanding and brush-sueding, and shearing. Its headquarters
in Aue is home to an R&D department that employs a staff of 10 people and a laboratory where
all Xetma Vollenweider technologies are available for conducting technical trials. The company also
maintains a global service network with locations in key markets.
New developments include special combined finishing technologies, such as combined brushing
and sanding, raising and sanding, and other combinations. Among the machinery currently in greatest
demand are the company’s soft-touch finishing machinery for apparel fabrics and shearing machinery
for home textiles. Xetma Vollenweider’s key export countries and regions include India, Japan,
China and Western Europe. The company sees a slowdown in the current market situation and believes
added-value technologies will become more and more important in the future.
Foundation date: 1850
Number of employees: 60
Headquarters location: Aue
Subsidiary companies: Xetma Vollenweider AG, Switzerland
Annual turnover: 10 million euros
Website:
www.xetma.de
