This year will have been one of the most successful financial years in the recent history of German circular knitting machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. In its 110th year in business, the company has manufactured and sold more machines in the past 10 years or so. ITMA gave the company?s sales curve, which has been rising for years, a further upward boost. Mayer & Cie. anticipates total sales of around EUR 93 million in 2015 ? an increase of more than 10 per cent on the previous year.
Historic records broken ?2015 was a very eventful year,? says Benjamin Mayer. He is is referring to the impressive business figures. ?Over the past year we have manufactured and sold over 1,300 machines, steadily increasing our sales in recent years. In early summer we also shipped the 70,000th knitting machine from our production facility in Albstadt ? an impressive testimony to our successful corporate history.?
In terms of sales revenue, which this year will total around EUR 93 million for the entire Mayer Group, the circular knitting machine manufacturer from Germany?s Swabian Alb region is by far the largest provider in the market. That was evident once more at this year?s ITMA, where Mayer & Cie. presented spinitsystems® spin and knit technology. The past year has marked the company?s transition to the owner family?s fourth generation. Since the death of longstanding managing and senior director Rainer Mayer, his son and his nephew, Benjamin Mayer and Marcus Mayer, have taken over as joint managing directors of the company assisted by Benjamin Mayer?s brother Sebastian Mayer. This well-planned change of generation has left the over a century old knitting machine manufacturer with an unusually young management team that has set itself the target of combining a modern corporate structure and culture with the Swabian SMB?s tried and tested strengths. Working for 40 years at Mayer & Cie. is anything but unusual, for example, and the same goes for investment in more sustainable production or in innovative start-ups.
Location loyalty and globalisation Much of this investment will be in the Swabian Alb region where the knitting machine manufacturer has been located since the company was founded.
At present, around 330 employees work there in production, administration and development.
Capacities are to be further increased, just as they have been and continue to be, at the company?s other production sites in China and the Czech Republic.
In spring 2015 Mayer & Cie. moved with around 30 employees to larger premises in China?s Shanghai province. Relocation lies ahead next year for the Czech production facility and its payroll of around 60 employees. The foundation stone for the new factory in VsetÃÂn was laid in October 2015.