On 20 April 2026, members, guests and interested parties from XX countries came together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the International Federation of Knitting Technologists (IFKT). The anniversary event took place on the eve of Techtextil at the exhibition centre in Frankfurt am Main and offered numerous opportunities for professional exchange between representatives from research and industry.
The event was opened by the President of the IFKT, Dr Mutschler. In his address, he emphasised the importance of personal interaction within the industry and highlighted in particular the added value of in-person events. Mr Küperkoch then presented the historical development of the Federation using a specially produced video.
In the subsequent presentation, the Secretary General of the IFKT, Prof. Dr Beer, provided an overview of current developments and future activities of the Federation. The focus was particularly on measures to further strengthen and internationalise the IFKT. Among other things, the launch of a new website, the production of advertising materials and the creation of an exclusive members’ area featuring specialist content from the world of knitting technology were highlighted. Furthermore, a significant increase in membership has been recorded in recent months, underlining the Federation’s positive development.
The first round of presentations was concluded by Ms Ohrn-McDaniel, who has been serving as Secretary General of the US National Section since the start of the year. She outlined the activities and potential of the American section and reported on the second KNITfuture conference, which took place on 5th and 6th of March at Kent State University.
The subsequent coffee break was put to good use for personal discussions and networking. This was followed by the second round of presentations featuring technical papers from industry. Groz-Beckert KG presented a new AI-supported communication platform designed to simplify customer support, particularly in the Asian market. Dr Mutschler then presented a joint cooperation project with Culimeta GmbH & Co. KG. The aim of the project is to replace glass fibre-knitted liners for trenchless pipe rehabilitation with hemp bast knits in future. Initial results and the project’s prospects were presented.
Memminger-IRO GmbH concluded the second session with a presentation on innovative developments in the field of thread feeding. Using selected examples, new technical approaches were illustrated with the aid of 3D simulations.
Following another coffee break, Mr Kirschbichler from Kitech GmbH presented Shima Seiki’s range of machinery and provided insights into the latest technical developments. Finally, Ms Leichsenring from Strickmanufaktur Leichsenring introduced her company and a project carried out in collaboration with the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. The focus was on the development of special jumpers for people who are permanently wheelchair-bound.
The anniversary event proved to be a great success and offered participants numerous professional insights as well as valuable networking opportunities. Special thanks go to Messe Frankfurt, which provided the venue and thus contributed significantly to the success of the event.
The next major IFKT meeting will take place in September 2026, when the Croatian national section will host the 52nd International Conference in Zagreb. Further information and registration details are available at 52nd IFKT Conference
