Picanol, a market leader in airjet and rapier weaving machines, will premiere the GTMax-i 3.0, the company’s latest rapier weaving machine, at the upcoming ITMA Asia + CITME that takes place in Shanghai, next month. The GTMax-i 3.0 is building further on the success of GT-Max and GTMax-I, the company says.

The combination of a redesigned gripper drive and extra reinforced sley drive, as well as the integration of the future-oriented BlueBox electronic platform, are designed to allow for even higher production speeds. Moreover, the look of the machine has been reworked completely, with a special focus on ergonomy and user friendliness.

In total, four machines of this type will be on display at the show. At the booth, GTMax-i 3.0 will be weaving a denim fabric, another one will be weaving a zebra style curtain fabric. At the Bonas booth a decoration fabric will be running on a GTMax-i 3.0 with jacquard, whereas at the Tongxiang booth, a GTMax-i 3.0 will be weaving label.

Other highlights

Next to the all-new GTMax-i 3.0, four more machines will be present, completing the Picanol weaving machine range on display.

At the Picanol booth, two OptiMax-i 190 cm weaving para-aramid and shirting will be presented. As for the airjet machines, two OMNIplus Summum will be shown, one weaving a bottom-weight fabric and the other weaving sheeting. At the Stäubli booth, a TERRYplus Summum with jacquard will be weaving a high-quality terry fabric. In total, nine Picanol machines will be on display.

Picanol in China

As one a leading weaving machine manufacturer, Picanol has always had a very close relationship with the Chinese textiles industry. The company sent its first representatives to explore the possibilities in the Far East, back in the early 1950s. Picanol also took part in one of the first international exhibitions held in Beijing.

“The growing installed base of Picanol machines in China, as well as the increasing demand for a higher level of service and support, resulted in the establishment of the Picanol Service Centre, which was set up in Shanghai in 1987,” the company reports.

“The next step, in 1994, was the start of PST, Picanol Suzhou Textile Machinery Works, being Picanol’s first production line outside Belgium. The technology and organisation were based entirely on the assembly concept and quality standards applied at the company’s headquarters in Ieper.”

“Today PST houses a complete production unit with assembly lines, a mechatronics division, and a sales, service and spare parts organisation. The Chinese management, engineers and technicians have been trained in Belgium.”

Exintex

Picanol will also be present at the Exintex show, one of the leading trade shows for the textiles industry in Mexico and in Latin America, which takes place from 2-5 October in Puebla, Mexico. The company will present its OMNIplus Summum airjet machine.

“Our Mexican subsidiary, Picanol de México, will be hosting and attending our customers during the exhibition. They are established as a Picanol Group company since 2002 and currently perform the activities of new machines sales, spare parts, technical service, print repair and manufacturing of reeds,” the company adds.

www.picanol.be