New tricot, Raschel, warp-preparation and composite systems will target higher productivity, finer fabrics and lower processing costs as Asian mills face tighter margins and shorter production runs.
KARL MAYER will use ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 in Shanghai to launch a new generation of warp knitting, warp preparation and technical-textile machinery, addressing rising labour and energy costs, smaller batch sizes and growing pressure for product differentiation.
The exhibition runs November 20–24 at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre, with KARL MAYER exhibiting warp knitting in Hall 4.1, Booth C18 and warp preparation in Hall 3, Booth A24. An accompanying mega Product Show at the company’s Changzhou site
Warp knitting moves faster and finer
A central launch will be the HKS 4-S EL, which KARL MAYER describes as its fastest and most flexible four-bar short-stroke tricot machine and the finest-gauge model in its four-bar portfolio. The platform targets premium fabrics requiring greater design flexibility and surface quality.
Shanghai exhibits will also include new two- and three-bar tricot machines offering wider working widths, higher speeds and improved patterning for sportswear, lingerie, outerwear and fashion fabrics. Natural-fibre warp knits will feature prominently as mills respond to demand for lower-impact material concepts.
Warp preparation attacks waste
For weaving mills, KARL MAYER will introduce a next-generation direct warping system combining new creel and yarn-tensioning technology to improve beam quality and reduce downstream sizing waste.
A redesigned sizing box will aim for greater yarn coverage with lower sizing-agent consumption and reduced maintenance, linking preparation quality more directly to weaving efficiency.
Technical textiles widen the opportunity
At Changzhou, premieres will include new double-needle-bar Raschel machines for footwear, RASCHELTRONIC technology, an upgraded weft-insertion platform and a new composite machine for non-crimp reinforcement fabrics used particularly in wind-energy applications.
For mills, the strategic message is clear: machinery investment is shifting from simple capacity expansion toward higher output per machine, greater pattern flexibility, lower material losses and access to higher-value applications.
The key test after ITMA Asia will be whether these productivity gains produce sufficiently short payback periods for Asian manufacturers operating under persistent price pressure.
