Interview with Mr. Kin Po Boby Loo: Fong’s Brand, & ITM 2026

Mr. Kin Po Boby Loo

Managing Director,

Fong’s Europe GmbH, Germany

The TVC Media team had the privilege to speak with Mr. Kin Po Boby Loo, Managing Director of Fong’s Europe GmbH, Germany, on the Fong’s brand, its successful presence at ITM 2026, and upcoming plans for India ITME 2026.

Can you briefly introduce the Fong’s/CHTC Fong’s Group heritage and how the integration of European brands like THEN, GOLLER, Monforts, and Xorella has strengthened its one-stop dyeing and finishing solutions??

The history of Fong's/CHTC Fong's Group is a story of strategic acquisitions and integrations that transformed it from a local Hong Kong-based dyeing machinery workshop into a leading global "one-stop" supplier of dyeing and finishing machinery. Indeed, it’s a “Legend” of Hong Kong's textile industry.

The group's story began in 1963 when the founder, Mr. Fong Shou-lam, manufactured the first dyeing and finishing machine in a very small workshop in Hong Kong. Early Development and Listing (1960s-1990s): In 1969, the company began operating under the name "FONG’S," and in 1990 became the first company of its kind to be publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Fong's key to becoming an industry leader lies in being the first Hong Kong Chinese textile machinery manufacturer to acquire European companies. By bringing European brands with a century of technological accumulation under its wing, Fong's quickly built a complete technological portfolio from yarn conditioning, wet finishing, dyeing, and dry finishing processing industry. It is a powerful alliance with a series of integrated European Brands to build a Technological Moat.

The group has become an international enterprise with dyeing and finishing equipment manufacturing as its core business, while also engaging in stainless steel casting “Tycon” and trading in stainless steel business as a part of supply chain operations.

Joint-venture partnership with A. Monforts, Germany in 1999 and initially established a company branded “Monfongs” to produce stenter frame at Fong’s factory for the mainland China market; and progressively expanded the market to Asia regions in 2012. It is also laying the foundation for the full acquisition of A. Monforts Germany in 2012.

Milestones of acquisitions through the years:

Xorella | Switzerland | acquired in 2002 | Yarn conditioning equipment – machinery produced at Fong’s
THEN | Germany | acquired in 2004 | Airflow dyeing technology, dyeing plant automation control systems
GOLLER | Germany | acquired in 2006 | Open width wet finishing lines in washing, bleaching, mercerizing, and other pretreatment equipment
Monforts | Germany | acquired in 2012 | stenter frame, dryers, and other dry finishing equipment

Key Transformation and Expansion (2010s-Present):

2011: Fong’s Group was acquired by China HengTian Corporation Group (CHTC), becoming a key member (one of the majority shareholders) of Fong’s Group.
2018: Renamed "CHTC Fong's International Company Limited".
2019: Following the overall merger of China HengTian Group into China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH)

"One-Stop" Solution: The Power of Integration

The integration of these brands enables Fong's to provide a "one-stop" solution covering the entire dyeing and finishing process. Its value lies in:

Comprehensive Product Line Coverage: From GOLLER's wet finishing lines in pretreatment, THEN airflow, and FONG'S dyeing, to Monforts' dry finishing, and Xorella's yarn conditioning, seamless process integration is achieved.
Technological Synergy and Innovation: Integrating top technologies from Europe and Asia, achieving a synergistic effect of 1+1>2. Fong’s makes it happen by combining European technology and German engineering, precision control with Mainland China manufacturing advantages, to launch the joint brand MONFORTS FONG'S.

The most important thing is to establish the global service network, providing comprehensive support from machinery to the entire dyeing plant management in technical service support worldwide.

How does Fong’s Europe balance German engineering precision with Chinese manufacturing scale to deliver competitive, high-performance machinery?

Fong’s Europe GmbH (the former name of the company is THEN Textilmaschinen GmbH) is rooted in over a century of experience in designing unique high-end aero-dynamic airflow dyeing machinery. Through a series of acquisitions over the years at Fong’s, its portfolio includes traditional high-end European brands such as GOLLER, THEN, and XORELLA, representing the essence and precision of German engineering. Simultaneously, the company is integrated into the global network of its parent company, CHTC Fong’s Industries Co. Ltd., a leading China Hong Kong textile machinery manufacturer representing efficient, large-scale manufacturing capabilities.

"Synergies" are at the heart of the company's strategy, with an operating model driven by "dual cores":

Schwaebisch Hall, Germany: Serving as the unique "core technology" for aerodynamics applications and engineering, and working together with the R&D and engineering design team in China, ensuring the technological leadership and precision of products. It aims to consolidate the knowledge and experience with the resources from Asia and China because the majority of the dyeing industry is currently situated in Asia and China. The end-users are our motivators to inspire the new technology and applications from the end-users in China and Asia. Fong’s Europe GmbH's approach is to complement German engineering expertise in airflow technology with China's manufacturing strength. The German team is a key pillar of this strategy, responsible for safeguarding technological excellence while integrating group resources to ultimately deliver products that combine German quality with Chinese value to global customers. On one hand, we can consolidate the resources of hardware to China by reducing the fixed operational costs in Germany, and on the other hand can optimize the functions and operations in manufacturing in China through a series of collaborations between Germany and China.

In manufacturing, the company fully leverages Fong’s China's scale advantages. By transferring German engineering designs and technical specifications to modern production bases in China, large-scale, efficient, and cost-controlled production is achieved. This model allows Fong’s to provide high-performance dyeing and finishing equipment to the global market at more competitive prices.

Ultimately, these integrated advantages are delivered to customers through its global technical service network. The company relies on its global service network and sales agency partners to provide localized technical support and sales services. Its comprehensive solutions and advanced dyeing automation technology aim to enable customers to achieve "fast, economical, and environmentally friendly" operations.

What were the key innovations and highlights that Fong showcased at the recently concluded ITM 2026 in Istanbul?

In 2004, Fong's acquired THEN, a German company renowned for its pioneering aerodynamic airflow fabric dyeing technology. By integrating THEN's technology, Fong's launched the AIRJETWIN high-temperature airflow dyeing machine, combining the advantages of hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

Latest Model Showcase: At ITM 2026, Fong's showcased its latest THEN SMARTFLOW high-temperature overflow dyeing machine, which was also exhibited as an important part of its product portfolio.

Its airflow dyeing technology, through an optimized VPR system and uniform spraying device, ensures dyeing uniformity while shortening process time and reducing water consumption. For example, the THEN SMARTFLOW model can achieve an extremely low liquor ratio as low as 1:3.3.

CHTC Fong's presentation at ITM 2026 clearly outlined its technology strategy: based on its advanced airflow dyeing technology originating from THEN, deeply integrating AI and automation technologies to build an efficient, water-saving, intelligent, and sustainable dyeing and finishing solution. This is not only a demonstration of equipment but also a concentrated embodiment of its "German Engineering, Made in China" global strategy.

With over 1,000 machines already installed in Turkey, how did ITM 2026 help strengthen your partnerships and address regional needs like energy efficiency?

Fong's success at ITM 2026 is a direct result of its strong installed base of over 1,000 units, its commitment to customer trust through customized solutions, and its precise response to the Turkish market's core demands for energy efficiency and sustainability with products that combine European technology with Eastern cost advantages. Of course, the agent ITEKS is playing a vital and professional role for Fong’s to establish the reference of the end-users in Turkey from ground zero. This solidifies our position working with a key and reliable partner, “ITEKS,” for the region's textile industry.

Energy efficiency and sustainability are core challenges facing Turkey's textile industry. Fong's showcase at ITM 2026 directly addresses this need.

Fong's unique "European R&D + Chinese Manufacturing" model allows its equipment to combine the precision and high performance of German engineering design with the cost advantages of large-scale production in China. This is highly attractive to Turkish manufacturers facing energy and cost pressures.

Core Energy-Saving Technology: Fong's THEN brand boasts globally renowned airflow dyeing technology, which significantly reduces the liquor ratio in the dyeing process, thereby substantially saving water and energy.

Investing in the future of intelligent and sustainable manufacturing. Fong's has clearly focused its R&D efforts on artificial intelligence (AI) applications, aiming to comprehensively improve equipment performance through intelligent automation and help customers achieve more efficient resource utilization. This foreshadows future equipment that will not only be energy-efficient but also achieve sustainable optimization across the entire process through intelligent management.

What is your message to partners and customers in India and the region regarding Fong’s future commitment to innovation and service?

Fong's commitment to the partners and customers is clear and unwavering: we will become your most trusted long-term strategic partner in the textile printing and dyeing industry, leading you towards a smart, green, and efficient future, through continuous technological innovation, practical green and sustainable solutions, excellent localized services, and sustained global investment.