­Smart technologies for green textile production

Twenty textile machinery businesses responded to an economic survey conducted by VDMA in September, which highlights the difficult worldwide environment. 54% of respondents said their present company position was poor, while 36% thought it was satisfactory. Very few businesses anticipate an improvement in the worldwide scenario within the next six months.

Looking at the sales potential by Asian regions/countries, however, the majority of responding organizations anticipate improved business conditions in the Asian markets, with the exception of China, within the next six months. At that point, the business environment ought to be satisfactory. In light of this, it is critical for VDMA members to be present at ITMA ASIA in Shanghai this year and in Singapore the following year in order to showcase their innovations and maintain a relationship with Asian clients.

The contribution of leading VDMA members and their technologies to a green textile production:

This year’s ITMA ASIA + CITME features VDMA with the topic “Smart technologies for green textile production.”
The following exhibitors exemplify the industry as a whole:
The CEO of Oerlikon Polymer Processing Solutions Division, Georg Stausberg, said:

Even while China has not been able to equal past periods in terms of large new installations of man-made fiber plants and the corresponding development of production capacity for nearly two years, China still offers a lot of potential for us. But regeneration is still desperately needed, particularly in the context of sustainability. The way forward for a more promising future with less emissions for all of us is to close down outdated plants and install new, energy-efficient ones. For many years, we have been using our technological solutions to promote sustainability. Either by processing new materials or by improving energy efficiency with every machine generation that comes out. Oerlikon takes pride in the fact that throughout the course of our 20 years of providing cutting-edge solutions under the e-save sustainability label, we have saved over 15 million tons of CO2 through the development and implementation of new machines and systems.

“Processing recycled and regenerated fibers is becoming increasingly important worldwide,” stated Hailin Xu, CEO of Saurer Group. The shift of the textile industry towards a more circular one is made possible in large part by Saurer. Energy-efficient machinery for spinning and twisting yarns made from recycled fibers is currently part of the product line. We’re still working on developing unique solutions that customers may use to process very short fibers; these can also be retrofitted into older machinery. Furthermore, our machines are designed to minimize energy usage and optimize the utilization of raw materials. The main goal is to conserve resources.

Dr. Axel Hannemann, head of business unit fiber and pellets, Gneuss Kunststofftechnik explained: “As sustainability becomes more important, fibre producers are shifting towards recycled PET materials, including post-consumer PET bottle flakes and manufacturing waste. However, the increasing demand for PET bottle flakes has led to a scarcity of affordable, high-quality flakes. One challenge in recycling polyester is moisture absorption, which can weaken the polymer during extrusion. Recycling PET fibres, particularly industrial waste, is also difficult due to low bulk density, residual moisture, and spin finish oils. Gneuss offers tailored solutions to address these challenges efficiently.”

On behalf of Karl Mayer Group, Christine Wolters, vice president corporate communications said: “At ITMA ASIA, we are showcasing solutions that support both sustainability and the profitability of our customers. A key focus is on energy consumption: In the warp knitting sector, we present an energy efficiency solution that reduces the power usage of our machines. In warp preparation, we have optimized drying processes for more efficient energy use. Energy, cost, and CO₂ savings can be monitored live.

“Groz-Beckert’s innovative textile tools enhance energy efficiency in textile manufacturing, driving down production costs. A key development is the introduction of a ‘pay-per-use’ pricing model for tools, which allows companies to align expenses with actual tool usage. This enables manufacturers to better handle demand fluctuations, reduce investment risks, and improve resource management. By focusing not only on product innovation but also on service offerings, Groz-Beckert is advancing both efficiency and sustainability in textile production” stated Eric Schöller, member of the executive board, Groz-Beckert.

Dennis Behnken, managing director of the company Herzog, the most innovative developer and manufacturer of braiding and winding machinery noted: “At Herzog GmbH, we rely on smart technologies to make textile production more sustainable. By using digital solutions, intelligent automation and high production quality, we reduce resource consumption and minimize waste. In this way, we make our contribution to a greener future without compromising on the quality of our products.“

“Customer requirements are rising and skilled staff is becoming scarce. Technologies like sensors and control systems are increasingly important for efficient operation and quality assurance”, Kathrin Pleva, member of management of Pleva GmbH said and continued: “Our process control system PLEVATEC smart is designed to meet exactly those needs. It improves operation at stenters and other drying processes with sensor modules. It enables our customers easy operation to produce faster, save resources and improve product quality and reproducibility.

Tallen Yang, Sales Director Erhardt + Leimer China stated: “Currently, many textile companies are facing challenging times. The lack of turnover, however, is giving room for improvements. How much money can be saved by a proper fabric guiding, that avoids stoppages due to insufficient pinning? How many tons of fabric can be saved by an intelligent, AI-based edge cutting? How much energy can be saved by an optimized stenter management? The time for all these questions is now.

According to Clemens Kaplan, product manager at Mahlo, a German manufacturer of measuring, control and automation systems for the textile and finishing industry, today’s increasing quality standards require intelligent, AI-supported process and quality management systems. Kaplan said: “As always, Mahlo is ahead of the curve and has reinvented the concept of weft straightening for the second time. The latest straightening technology, Orthopac RXVMC-20, with an AI-supported feed-forward algorithm, paired with a modular process control system, Optipac, revolutionizes straightening from the ground up. 

For the company SETEX, provider of MES production management software and control systems for textile machines, CEO Oliver Schermuly stated: “Manufacturers need a single source of truth for production data. By integrating all KPIs — from costs to carbon footprint — we provide clarity and enable optimization of production processes. Our SETEX controllers ensure seamless machine communication, capturing robust real-time KPIs. This interaction allows fine-tuning, maximizing machine potential beyond standard MES functions into advanced manufacturing excellence. AI-powered smart recipes reduce waste and boost efficiency. Unified data enhances productivity, supports digital product passports, and drives digitalisation for smarter, more sustainable production.

Tobias Schurr, member of the management board of Weitmann & Konrad explained: “Textile producers getting more and more pressure from brands and retailers to optimize CO₂ footprint and water consumption on their products without increasing their price level. From technology standpoint it could be mostly achieved only by integrating cost intensive, completely new machines with new, sometimes unknown technology. The total investment and running costs have to lead to a price increase which is not accepted in the actual market conditions.

No shortage of chances in China and other Asian markets

The VDMA team in Shanghai is staffed again with colleagues from the VDMA headquarters in Germany as well as from VDMA China. With these joined forces, the team is well prepared to support the exhibiting member companies on site.

Dr. Harald Weber, Managing Director VDMA Textile Machinery Association, summarised: “Although facing a difficult market situation, this year’s ITMA ASIA is an essential showcase for the member companies of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association. There is definitely no shortage of chances and opportunities in China and other Asian markets. The exhibiting members will demonstrate their smart technologies that can pave the way to a green textile production and are looking forward to welcoming numerous visitors from various countries to their booths in Shanghai.”