Karl Mayer will stage one of its broadest India showcases on record at INDIA ITME 2026, presenting warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textile machinery at Booth 15G19 in Hall 15 from 4–9 December 2026 in Greater Noida.

The German machinery manufacturer is positioning itself for what it calls a structural transition in India's textile industry: a move toward higher-value manufacturing, technology-led production and export growth, alongside rising processing of man-made fibres. Demand from athleisure, footwear and technical textiles is driving the investment case.

What machinery will Karl Mayer show?

The centrepiece is the latest generation of tricot machines and jacquard double needle bar raschel machines. Two- and three-bar tricot machines already rank among Karl Mayer's best-selling models in India, used mainly for functional athleisure fabrics. The new jacquard raschel machines, introduced at ITMA ASIA, produce patterned shoe uppers with significantly greater design flexibility for footwear manufacturers.

"We're seeing a great deal of interest in our technology from circular knitters. They recognise the advantages in terms of output and consistent quality and want to expand their product range to include warp knitted fabrics," said Mark Smith, Deputy Vice President of Sales, Business Unit Warp Knitting at Karl Mayer.

The textile showcase adds woven-like warp knitted fabrics, four-way stretch materials, seamless body-mapping concepts and home textile applications. Smith will also join representatives from Bamag, Uster and Brückner at the Textile Horizons conference to discuss robotics and automation in yarn and fabric formation.

Where does warp preparation fit?

For India's weaving sector, Karl Mayer will push an integrated pairing of its Prosize sizing machine and Warpdirect warping machine with a V-shaped creel, aimed at staple fibre yarns that remain widely used in Indian weaving.

According to the company, Prosize technology can deliver sizing agent savings of up to 10% while achieving a cover factor of up to 100%, minimising yarn stretch and eliminating stop marks. Warpdirect combines high-speed operation with precise winding density control and reduced yarn waste.

The full warp preparation portfolio on display covers:

• Creels, direct and sectional warping machines
• Sample warping equipment
• Sizing and assembly machines
• Indigo dyeing lines

Why technical textiles matter to the pitch

Demand from India's infrastructure, transport and renewable energy sectors anchors the technical textiles segment. Karl Mayer reports strong interest in warp knitting machines with weft insertion for geogrids used in civil engineering, including slope stabilisation.

Composites are a second driver. Lightweight reinforced components are increasingly finding applications in railway vehicles, including the cabins of India's Vande Bharat Express electric trains. Wind energy expansion adds demand for multiaxial warp knitting machines producing reinforcement fabrics for turbine rotor blades.

What about after-sales support?

Karl Mayer will use INDIA ITME to launch an expanded service offering: its Care Solutions team has extended the Spare Parts Webshop in India to include commonly required wear parts for knitting machines. The company will present the expanded online service for the first time at the show, improving access to replacement components.

For Indian mills weighing diversification into warp knitted fabrics, MMF-based athleisure or technical textiles, the show previews both the machinery options and the local parts infrastructure needed to keep them running — a pairing that will shape capital equipment shortlists as India's upgrade cycle accelerates.