KARL MAYER delivers its 100,000th machine – a fantastic achievement

A pioneering spirit, circumspection and hard work are just some of the attributes of a successful company – and this still applies today.

Once again, the celebration recently held at KARL MAYER shows that strong management and a high level of innovation both pay off, especially in economically difficult times. On 19 February, the 100,000th machine left the production line of this traditional manufacturer. Appropriately decorated and accompanied by loud applause, it made its way to the dispatch hall at the company’s headquarters in Obertshausen. There, it was welcomed by the staff, the management board, members of the Mayer family, officials from the town of Obertshausen, and representatives of the advisory council, who all came together to celebrate this milestone in the company’s history.

The success story of this medium-sized, family run company began in 1948, when the first warp knitting machine was built. This simple production machine could reach a speed of 400 min-1 and is now on show in the KARL MAYER Academy. The technology of modern high-speed tricot machines may be more sophisticated but the principles have remained the same, and they can now operate at speeds of up to 4,000 min-1 – this increase in speed reflects the enormous progress that has been made in the last few decades.

In his speech to the assembled staff and guests, the Managing Director, Herr Fritz P. Mayer, stressed that it was not simply a question of celebrating the successful development of its machines, but also the continuity and staying power enjoyed by the company for more than 60 years.

He was particularly pleased at the timing of the production of the 100,000th machine. Although the decision to celebrate this event had been taken last year, when the order situation was dire and the mood was extremely pessimistic, the order books are now full. Customers have been investing so heavily over the last few weeks, that the company can now look forward to the next few months, and hopefully the whole trading year, with confidence, stressed Herr Fritz P. Mayer.

The question now was to carry out the tasks that lay ahead on schedule and with KARL MAYER’s usual high quality. The Managing Director said that he was relying on the workers especially to see this through. He thanked them for the great commitment that would be needed, and said that he appreciated the hard work of the staff in the past. Whether they were design engineers or assembly fitters, specialists in the production or dispatch departments, or administrative staff, every single worker at their workstation had contributed to the current success of KARL MAYER, and had every reason to celebrate, he said at the end of his speech. He then declared the buffet, which was as sumptuous as ever, open, and the entertainment was provided by the company’s own orchestra.

Still the focus of attention, and the reason for holding the celebration in the first place, is the HKS 4 EL, which will begin its journey in the next few days. Its destination is Houndey, a customer in Taiwan, which illustrates the global nature of KARL MAYER’s operations. When the 25,000th machine was delivered in 1968, 80% of the company’s production was exported, and the 50,000th machine was shipped to Brazil in 1974.