The new platform signals that the next competitive edge in textile printing will come not just from speed, but from usability, uptime and resource efficiency.
Zimmer Austria will use Techtextil 2026 to showcase a broader vision of industrial textile printing: machines designed not only for output, but for easier operation, lower downtime and greater production flexibility. At the centre of that pitch is the world premiere of the new COLARIS-TeX digital textile printer.
What is new: a printer built around productivity
The COLARIS-TeX has been redesigned from the ground up, with a strong emphasis on operator usability and service access. Zimmer says the machine reduces manual intervention, simplifies maintenance and improves access to critical components, helping mills shorten training times and reduce errors in multi-shift production.
The company is also displaying a full-scale COLARIS print carriage with up to 96 printheads, underscoring its ambition in high-capacity industrial printing for applications such as carpets and towels.
Why it matters: uptime is now a strategic metric
The machine’s commercial appeal lies in its digital connectivity and automation. Remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance and real-time support are intended to reduce stoppages, while automated calibration, printhead alignment and banding compensation aim to keep print quality consistent with less operator input.
That matters in a market where speed alone is no longer enough. Reliability, repeatability and lower labour intensity are becoming equally important.
What comes next: sustainability joins performance
Zimmer has also focused on lower water use, improved fabric feeding and more efficient drying. Together, these features suggest that future-ready textile printing will be defined by a tighter balance of precision, efficiency and environmental performance.
