For over 100 years, the traditional German company Trigema W. Grupp KG has been producing high-quality sports and leisurewear in Burladingen in the Swabian Alb. The family-run company stands like no other for Germany as a production location, for social and economic responsibility, top quality and state-of-the-art technology. Since 2024, trigema has been managed by Wolfgang and Bonita Grupp in the 4th generation.
“Made in Germany” UnitesFrom the yarn to the finished product, Trigema produces the entire range in-house: from knitting, washing and dyeing to finishing, printing and making up. Around 1200 employees produce around 20,000 items of clothing every day from ten tons of raw material. The classics are still the single jersey shirt, the piqué polo shirt or the classic sweatshirt.
These products already existed decades ago – and they still account for around 70% of production today. What has changed, however, is consumer behavior and the desire for more organic quality and sustainable clothing. This is why Trigema sources its organic cotton from certified European companies and offers its customers an Organic & Recycled collection, among other things.
In production, too, great importance is attached to the conservation of resources, sustainability and efficiency. For example, when purchasing new knitting, dyeing or finishing machines, the company pays very close attention to energy, water and chemical consumption. In line with the corporate philosophy of Trigema W. Grupp KG, these machines are purchased exclusively from German or European manufacturers.
Simone Nuccio, Production Manager at Trigema in Burladingen, has many years of experience in the textile industry. He completed his training as a knitting machine mechanic at Trigema over 13 years ago, after which he gained experience in textile finishing and completed his Meister (master craftsman’s diploma) while continuing to work.
In 2017, he took over the production management at the Swabian flagship company and has since been responsible, among other things, for the procurement of finishing machines. When it was time to purchase a new relaxation dryer in 2024, he was naturally involved in the process from the very beginning.
“In order to produce sustainably in the long term and ultimately bring a competitive product to market, our production machines need to be sustainable, energy-efficient and powerful at the same time,” explains Simone Nuccio.
According to Mr. Nuccio, there were three main reasons why the POWER-DRY relaxation dryer from Brückner was ultimately chosen: a pioneering hybrid heating system, an energy-efficient air-through suction zone and a compact and space-saving design.
Brückner, headquartered in Leonberg near Stuttgart, has been a global leader in the construction of textile finishing machines and the development of innovative process technology for over 75 years. The family-run company produces its machines exclusively in Germany and attaches great importance to sustainability, high-quality products and a close relationship with its customers.
Energy-efficient machines and smart, future-oriented technologies have always been the focus of Brückner’s development work. Today, hybrid heating concepts are offered for almost all machines.
In the case of Trigema, the dryer delivered at the end of 2024 is equipped with gas burners, and one dryer compartment also has electric heating. This can be switched on or off as required.
All other compartments are already prepared for electric operation and can be retrofitted at any time without great effort, so that the machine can be heated either completely with gas or completely electrically or with a combination of both.
This flexibility creates enormous advantages for Trigema. The first dry-er compartment of the line is designed as a so-called air-through zone, which is not heated. Here, the fabric is pre-dried using the warm exhaust air from the subsequent compartments without using additional energy.
Compared to a conventional line without an air-through zone, this can save up to 35% energy and reduce production costs accordingly. In addition, Brückner has succeeded in making the dryer compartments in this newly developed system a third shorter than before – while maintaining the same high output and productivity. A typical 4-compartment dryer, which used to be 12 meters long, now only requires 8 meters of space. In addition, there are space-saving sliding doors and horizontally arranged lint screens that can be easily removed for cleaning during production.
Wolfgang Grupp Jr, who took over the management of Trigema in 2024 together with his sister Bonita Grupp, is extremely satisfied with the new relaxation dryer.
“The line is easy to operate, the shrinkage values are optimal, and the dryer produces reliably. We are well equipped and ideally positioned for the future,” reports Wolfgang Grupp. Despite the many challenges facing the textile industry in Germany, Trigema is consistently investing in the company, its products, its employees and its future.
These are the same values that have been driving the Brückner family business for decades. “Made in Germany” – a philosophy that unites.
