Introduction and Background
In the modern technical textile sector, high-performance machinery relies heavily on precise and stable auxiliary equipment and control systems to maintain exceptional production speeds and efficiency. In an automated production line, even the smallest variance or sensor failure can disrupt the entire weaving or spinning process, leading to expensive downtime and material waste. For this reason, tier-one global manufacturers prioritize highly reliable, precisely engineered components that guarantee continuous, uncompromised production quality.
At the International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITM 2026) in Istanbul, Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief of Kohan Textile Journal, conducted an exclusive technical interview with Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta, Sales Director at Erhardt+Leimer. With a rich engineering heritage spanning more than a century, the company sets the industry benchmark as a primary OEM supplier of smart sensors, web guiding systems, and inspection controls for major textile machine builders worldwide. In this Q&A feature, Mr. Pezzotta highlights the integration of artificial intelligence in sensor automation, the strategic value of the Turkish market, and their expanding footprint across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.
100 Years of Reliability: The Backbone of OEM Machinery
Kohan Textile Journal: Welcome to our interview, Mr. Pezzotta. Could you please introduce your company and share your core specialization in the textile industry?
Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta: Thank you, Behnam. Our company is Erhardt+Leimer, a family-owned German enterprise with a rich manufacturing heritage. We have been existing in the industry for more than a hundred years, and we are heavily specialized in engineering and manufacturing high-precision accessories, control systems, and sensors for textile machinery in general.
Our product development relies entirely on implementing the absolute latest technology available. The defining core of our accessories is their uncompromised quality. Being manufactured under strict German engineering standards, our products are certainly not the cheapest options on the market, but they are recognized worldwide as one of the most reliable and durable solutions available. Because of this proven reliability, 80% to 90% of the world’s leading textile machine manufacturers seamlessly build their original equipment using our products.
Integrating AI Sensors to Minimize Factory Dust and Waste
Kohan Textile Journal: High-tech instrumentation is evolving very rapidly. What kind of modern innovations are you introducing into your latest product lines?
Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta: We are constantly pushing the boundaries of automated component design. For our latest generation of industrial sensors, we have successfully integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms directly into the hardware. This allows our smart sensors to handle production data and monitor processes in an exceptionally intelligent way.
The textile industry is one of the oldest sectors, but it continuously demands new automated processes and upgraded auxiliary equipment to solve real-world factory issues. Today, our technical focus centers on designing systems that help mills reduce dust accumulation, minimize dirtiness, and allow machines to achieve the fastest possible production speeds while maintaining perfect material alignment and control.
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Expanding Capital Commitments in Türkiye and the MEA Region
Kohan Textile Journal: The local Turkish market is hosting a massive volume of international buyers at this show. How do you evaluate the current state and future potential of this region?
Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta: We have supported a very strong and continuous presence in the Turkish market for a long time. For our team, Türkiye represents a highly active, crucial, and positive industrial hub. We partner directly with numerous local machinery builders and have built many deep personal friendships across the manufacturing community.
We are fully aware that due to the current global economic situation, the market is navigating a complex cycle. However, we look past short-term obstacles; we are completely ready to invest more and more into the Turkish market because we expect it to become even more active and dynamic in the coming periods.
Kohan Textile Journal: Beyond Türkiye, which global markets are emerging as the next frontiers for Erhardt+Leimer’s specialized components?
Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta: The Middle East, South Asia, and Africa will certainly be the primary growth corridors that our industry must follow very closely. These territories are rapidly modernizing their manufacturing bases and setting up advanced spinning, weaving, and finishing lines. Erhardt+Leimer is already actively moving into these new markets to provide local mills with high-reliability parts from day one.
Kohan Textile Journal: Regarding sustainable manufacturing, how do global eco-regulations influence your micro-component production?
Mr. Gabriele Alessandro Pezzotta: Sustainability is obviously a massive talking point for the entire textile supply chain today. However, because we strictly manufacture small-scale precision accessories and micro-sensors, it does not heavily affect the physical footprint of our actual production lines. Our main contribution to sustainability is qualitative: by making our components extremely durable, we help mills prevent premature parts failure, keeping machinery running efficiently with zero material waste.
