BTMA Members to Present Advanced Textile Machinery at Techtextil 2026

Members of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) will present a range of textile processing, inspection and testing technologies at the Techtextil and Texprocess exhibitions in Frankfurt this April. Eight companies will demonstrate engineering developments aimed at improving precision, monitoring and efficiency in fibre and fabric production. The technologies cover several stages of the technical textile manufacturing chain, from yarn handling to final product inspection.

As demand grows for lighter, stronger and more sustainable technical textiles worldwide, machinery and testing systems used in their production continue to evolve. At the upcoming Techtextil and Texprocess exhibitions in Frankfurt this April, eight member companies of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) will present technologies designed for advanced fibre and fabric processing.

The exhibiting companies collectively cover multiple stages of the technical textile manufacturing process, including yarn processing, monitoring systems, inspection technologies and product testing.

Airbond

Airbond will display developments in pneumatic splicing technology at Techtextil in Hall 12.0, stand E31. The technology, originally introduced by the company in the 1960s, is used to join yarn filaments without knots. Pneumatic splicing intermingles fibres to create flatter and stronger joints, which helps maintain material performance and reduce waste.

The company’s latest patented splicers are produced using 3D printing technology. The new design enables the processing of yarns up to 16,000 tex, compared with around 1,200 tex for most standard splicing systems. Pneumatic splicing is used in conventional textiles as well as in carbon and aramid components for aerospace, automotive and wind power applications.

Ascotex

Ascotex will present its range of yarn guidance and monitoring components at stand C75 in Hall 12.0. The company manufactures ceramic and hard-chromed yarn guides, tension devices, yarn break detectors, sensors, cutters and threading tools.

The ceramic yarn guides are produced using high-grade technical ceramics designed to resist wear and maintain consistent geometry during long production cycles. Their surface finish is intended to reduce friction, heat generation and abrasion, helping maintain yarn quality and package formation during spinning and winding operations.

Dent Instrumentation

Dent Instrumentation will focus on yarn monitoring technologies at stand E61A in Hall 12. Its contactless yarn sensors operate across a speed range from 3 m/min to 8,000 m/min. Detection response can be adjusted to suit different processing conditions.

The sensors are encapsulated in epoxy resin to protect them from spin finish, oil, wax and water. The system also includes an optical compensation design intended to reduce cleaning requirements. These sensors are used in processes including POY and FDY winding, DTY processing with wrap detection, ring spinning, open-end spinning, friction spinning, creel operations and glass fibre twisting.

Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET)

Fibre Extrusion Technologies (FET) will present polymer processing solutions at stand A78 in Hall 12.0. The company has developed more than 70 customised multifilament, monofilament and nonwoven polymer systems for specialised applications.

Among its latest developments is a system designed for the production of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The company has introduced an industrialised lab and small-scale gel spinning system that incorporates a patented batch solvent extraction process using supercritical CO2. The system is designed to enable smaller-scale production of customised fibre quantities.

As Managing Director Richard Slack explains, the system responds directly to demand from biomedical customers for tailored fibre sizes without the constraints of large-scale infrastructure.

James Heal

James Heal will present testing instruments from its Performance Testing range at stand B66 in Hall 12.0. The AirPro air permeability tester supports multiple test standards and includes interchangeable test heads for woven, knitted and nonwoven fabrics.

The HydroView hydrostatic head tester measures water penetration in materials used in sectors including medical textiles, geotextiles and protective clothing. TruRain is designed to evaluate water repellency while reducing water and energy consumption.

The company will also present Martindale Motion, a nine-station abrasion and pilling tester based on the original Martindale testing concept developed by James Heal in the 1940s. Each station can operate independently, allowing multiple tests to run simultaneously.

SDC Enterprises

SDC Enterprises will exhibit testing consumables at stand B65 in Hall 12.0. The company supplies materials used in BS, EN and ISO colour fastness and performance testing procedures.

Its product range includes colour fastness consumables, adjacent fabrics and verification materials used for testing abrasion resistance, dimensional stability, light fastness and visual appearance. These materials are supplied with batch traceability and certificates of conformity.

Shelton Vision

Shelton Vision will demonstrate automated fabric inspection technology at stand E86 in Hall 12.0. Its WebSpector system uses image processing technology to inspect fabrics with complex patterns.

The system is designed to identify defects even when fabrics are subject to shear, stretch or distortion. Applications include automotive textiles, woven airbags, performance fabrics, upholstery materials, sunscreen fabrics and carbon fibre composites.

VeriVide

VeriVide will present colour assessment systems at Texprocess in Hall 8, stand B79. Its technologies are used for evaluating colour consistency in automotive and aerospace interior materials, safety components and medical textiles.

The company’s DigiEye imaging system uses LED illumination and includes dust filtration and an enclosed camera. The system integrates lighting control and automated image capture to support colour measurement and evaluation.

Industry participation

The participating BTMA members collectively represent different areas of textile machinery engineering, including fibre extrusion, yarn handling, inspection systems and testing technologies.

“Techtextil provides an ideal global platform to demonstrate the depth and diversity of British textile machinery expertise,” says BTMA CEO Jason Kent. “From fibre extrusion and yarn handling to advanced inspection and testing, our members are delivering technologies that not only enhance performance but also support more sustainable and economically efficient manufacturing. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Frankfurt and to strengthening international partnerships across the technical textiles value chain.”