Türkiye has held a special place in KARL MAYER’s global operations for many years. The company’s relationship with Türkiye dates back to 1951. What began with the installation of the first KARL MAYER warp knitting machine in Bursa continues today as one of the company’s most important markets. Through the Customer Insight Week programme held in Türkiye ahead of ITM 2026, KARL MAYER met directly with its customers and comprehensively assessed current industry needs, expectations and future opportunities. The programme, attended by senior executives and technical experts from Germany and Türkiye, was not limited to customer visits alone, but was also supported by technical meetings, management discussions and knowledge-sharing events.
Türkiye Holds Strategic Importance
KARL MAYER management views Türkiye not only as an important sales market but also as one of the countries at the centre of its future growth strategy. The company’s approach is based on maintaining close contact with customers, understanding market needs on site and developing technologies tailored to those needs. During the events, discussions were held with manufacturers regarding current market conditions, changing customer expectations and the future of the industry. New applications in knitting technologies, sustainability-focused production solutions and product development processes were among the topics that stood out.
“Let’s Talk Warp Knit” Draws Great Interest
One of the highlights of the programme was the “Let’s Talk Warp Knit” event held in Bursa. Around 40 industry representatives attended the event, which featured technical presentations, practical workshops and short training sessions. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the latest developments in warp knitting technologies while also gaining preliminary information about innovations to be introduced at ITM 2026. KARL MAYER specialists discussed technical topics in detail through sessions prepared for participants with different levels of experience.
Innovations for the Turkish Market
One of the key topics highlighted during the events was the development of new textile applications for the Turkish market. Significant opportunities were identified particularly in patterned fabrics used in the fashion and apparel sectors. According to company representatives, flexibly designed jacquard patterns and lace structures are attracting increasing attention. At the same time, demand for fabrics featuring crepe-effect surfaces remains strong. These trends indicate that manufacturers are increasingly turning towards higher value-added and differentiated products.
Textile Innovation Center Comes to the Fore
The programme also introduced KARL MAYER’s new Textile Innovation Center investment in Obertshausen, Germany. Through this centre, the company aims to develop new products and applications together with its customers. By giving greater importance to customer feedback in product development processes, this approach supports the company’s ambition of being not only a machinery manufacturer but also a technology and innovation partner.
HKS 4-M EL ECO to Be Presented at ITM 2026
Following its activities in Türkiye, KARL MAYER has now turned its attention to ITM 2026. At the exhibition, the company will showcase the highly efficient HKS 4-M EL ECO model. KARL MAYER management emphasizes that gaining a closer understanding of the Turkish market and maintaining direct communication with customers play a critical role in the development of new applications. Feedback gathered during Customer Insight Week is also expected to help shape the technologies that will be developed in the coming period.
