Metyx Group has concluded a major multi-machinery deal with its long-time partner Karl Mayer for the supply of new warp knitting production lines to provide 12,000 metric tons of additional glass and carbon fibre multiaxial fabric knitting capacity. 

The new capacity will increase production both in Turkey, further expanding its main factory at Manisa, as well as for additional overseas manufacturing facilities as part of a multinational strategic growth plan.

“The recent growth of our technical fabrics division and the successful qualification programmes with key OEM customers globally producing composite wind generator blades has given us the confidence to place this order with Karl Mayer,” said Metyx managing partner Ugur Üstünel.

“We are very happy to be part of Metyx Group’s growth and success in the composites industry,” added Karkheinz Liebrandt, CTO at Karl Mayer. “We cherish our long term co-operation which dates back to 1989, and we look forward to the years to come.”

The wind energy sector is a key strategic market for Metyx, which in recent years has already made major capital investments as part of an ongoing long-term programme of key strategic investments in high-end production facilities for technical textiles and composites-related products to serve this sector and other key composites markets needing technical fabrics.

In Turkey, adjacent land purchased in 2016 included additional open space for further expansion of the Manisa factory to enable more lines to double current knitting capacity for both glass and carbon fibre multiaxial fabrics, as well as having sufficient free space on the site to build more warehousing, and to further expand composite tool making facilities and kitting capacity for ’make to order’ kits for core material, glass and carbon fibre reinforcements and vacuum consumables.

This latest major capital investment will ensure the group can continue to meet the needs of its major wind energy OEM customers both globally and locally, ahead of imminent new national legislation changes in Turkey regarding the local supply of materials.

In recent years, Metyx has rapidly responded to the significant growth in the Turkish wind industry in the Aegean Region since 2011.