In today’s rapidly evolving textile industry, innovation is no longer limited to machinery alone — it extends to digital intelligence, precision engineering, and sustainable practices that redefine production standards. Groz-Beckert, a global leader in industrial needles and textile tool systems, continues to set new benchmarks through its dedication to technological excellence and customer partnership.
At ITMA Asia + CITME 2025 in Singapore, Groz-Beckert showcased its latest developments, highlighting solutions that integrate efficiency, automation, and environmental responsibility. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Kabilen Sornum, responsible for Marketing and Digital Projects at Groz-Beckert’s Textile Tools Division for the Asia-Pacific region, shares insights on the company’s participation in ITMA Asia, market expansion in Africa and the Middle East, innovation strategy, sustainability commitments, and the future of intelligent textile manufacturing.
1. Exhibition Experience
“What motivated Groz-Beckert to participate in ITMA Asia + CITME Singapore, and how do you evaluate the significance of this edition for your company and the textile industry?”
• ITMA Asia + CITME is one of the most important platform in Asia for textile machinery, and Singapore offers a strategic gateway to the entire Asia-Pacific region. For Groz- Beckert, participation in this edition is driven by our commitment to be close to our customers, showcase our latest technological advancements, and engage directly with industry partners across knitting, weaving, nonwovens, tufting, sewing, and spinning.
• This year’s event is especially significant as it highlights the industry’s focus on sustainability, digitalization, and intelligent manufacturing — all key areas of Groz-Beckert’s innovation strategy.
• ITMA Asia provides an ideal opportunity to demonstrate how our precision tools and systems contribute to greater energy efficiency, process reliability, and long-term value creation for textile manufacturers worldwide.
2. Market Expansion
“Groz-Beckert has a strong presence worldwide. How do you view the emerging opportunities in rapidly developing textile markets such as Africa and the Middle East?”
• Africa and the Middle East are becoming increasingly important regions for the global textile value chain. We see growing investments in textile infrastructure, supported by favorable trade policies and a shift toward regionalized production closer to key consumer markets.
• For Groz-Beckert, these are exciting opportunities to contribute our expertise in precision tools, process optimization, and sustainability. As new mills and apparel clusters develop, we aim to support them with reliable technology, technical training, and local service — helping ensure long-term quality and efficiency.
• In the coming years, we expect these regions to play a much larger role in diversifying global textile production, and Groz-Beckert intends to be a trusted partner in that transformation.
3. Innovation Focus
“What are the latest innovations or technologies Groz-Beckert is presenting at this year’s exhibition, and how do they respond to the current industry demands for efficiency and sustainability?”
• At ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, Groz-Beckert is presenting innovations across all six product areas — Knitting, Weaving, Nonwovens, Tufting, Sewing, and Spinning — each focused on efficiency, precision, and sustainability.
• A key highlight is the LCmaxTM energy-saving needle in circular knitting, offering up to 20% lower energy consumption through its wave-shaped shank geometry. In nonwovens, our new barb design extends tool life and reduces clogging, while the InLine card clothing series ensures more consistent carding results.
• We’re also showcasing advanced sewing technologies such as the SAN™ special application needles and the INH digital needle-handling system, both improving process reliability and reducing waste. Across all divisions, our goal is to help textile manufacturers achieve higher productivity with lower resource use — turning precision into sustainability.
4. Industry Direction
“From Groz-Beckert’s perspective, how do you see the global knitting and textile machinery industry evolving over the next five years, especially with automation and digitalization shaping production?”
• Over the next five years, we expect the global knitting and textile machinery industry to become increasingly automated, data-driven, and sustainability-focused. Automation will continue to enhance productivity and consistency, while digitalization will enable real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and process optimization.
• At Groz-Beckert, we see this evolution as an opportunity to combine our precision tools with intelligent digital solutions that give manufacturers better control over quality, energy use, and maintenance cycles.
• The integration of smart sensors, data analytics, and sustainable materials will redefine efficiency — transforming textile production into a more connected, transparent, and resource-efficient ecosystem.
5. Sustainability Commitment
“Sustainability has become a global priority. Could you share how Groz-Beckert integrates eco-friendly practices or materials into its production and product development?”
• Sustainability is embedded in every stage of Groz-Beckert’s operations — from product design to manufacturing and logistics. We focus on material efficiency, long service life, and recyclability, ensuring each innovation contributes to lower resource consumption and waste.
• Ultimately, our goal is to make precision synonymous with sustainability — helping our customers achieve higher performance with a smaller environmental footprint.
6. Collaboration & Customer Support
“How does Groz-Beckert plan to strengthen partnerships and technical support with customers in Asia and other growing textile markets?”
• Asia remains the heart of the global textile industry, and strengthening our partnerships here is a key priority. Groz-Beckert plans to expand its local presence, training programs, and technical service network to ensure customers receive faster, more specialized support.
• We are also enhancing collaboration with machine builders, research institutes, and manufacturers to co-develop solutions tailored to regional production needs. By combining our global expertise with local insight, we help customers adopt the latest technologies — from energy-efficient tools to digital quality management systems — smoothly and effectively.
• Our focus is long-term partnership: supporting textile producers in Asia and other growing markets to achieve higher productivity, consistent quality, and sustainable growth.
“Textile growth has no boundaries — and neither does our commitment. As the industry moves forward, Groz-Beckert will move with it, shaping the future of the textile world.” – Kabilen Sornum
