The Future of Spinning will Be Shaped by Automation, Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence
Interview: Dilek HAYIRLI
“We are proud that in 2024 we were able to increase our order intake remarkably, with the final quarter of 2024 the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth. On top of this, we were able to strengthen our competitive position in a challenging market environment.” said Thomas Oetterli, CEO of the Rieter Group.
Rieter, one of the leading companies in yarn spinning technologies, continued to make a difference in the sector with its investments in innovation, automation and digitalization in 2024. The company’s new campus opened in Winterthur, Switzerland, hosts the development of cutting-edge technology solutions, while Rieter’s solutions for artificial intelligence, automation and energy efficiency in yarn production attract great attention in the global market. Rieter Group CEO Thomas Oetterli shared the company’s strategic investments, innovations in the sector and future predictions in an interview with our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine.
In what ways was 2024 the most decisive year for Rieter?
One of the biggest highlights was that we moved into our corporate headquarters on the new Campus in Winterthur (Switzerland). The new facility houses the most modern innovation and technology center of its kind, combining Rieter’s extensive know-how and many years of experience in the yarn manufacturing process under one roof. The development focus is on automation, digitization, artificial intelligence and recycling technologies.
“We are Proud that in 2024 We Were Able to Increase Our Order Intake Remarkably”
What were the most important developments in terms of global market dynamics, supply chain processes and innovation?
We are proud that in 2024 we were able to increase our order intake remarkably, with the final quarter of 2024 the fourth consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth. On top of this, we were able to strengthen our competitive position in a challenging market environment. And we are seeing initial signs of a recovery in some key markets.
Which systems among Rieter’s yarn spinning solutions were most preferred by customers?
Just like the rest of the manufacturing industry, the spinning industry is struggling as a result of labor shortages and a changing workforce. This is especially true in Türkiye where our automation solutions are in particularly high demand given the country’s tight labor markets for spinning mills. We are introducing key artificial intelligence applications across our product lines to improve productivity and performance. Our automated piecing robot ROBOspin, for example, will be improved with artificial intelligence to further enhance efficiency.
“We will Install The World’s First Complete Air-Jet Spinning System With J 70 Technology Soon”
Your new air-jet spinning machine J 70 is one of the fastest systems on the market. Are you satisfied with the first sales and customer feedback?
The fastest on the market, our J 70 can produce 600 meters of yarn per minute. There’s a healthy demand for the machine and we are delighted that we will install the world’s first complete air-jet spinning system with J 70 technology soon.
Can you tell us about Rieter’s biggest investments and strategic initiatives in 2024?
Each year, Rieter invests around five percent of its sales in research and development for spinning systems as well as digitization solutions. Beyond our plans to equip ROBOspin with artificial intelligence technology, we have also completed a concept study of a labor-free mill. This will be a key focus over the next two years.
One of the biggest challenges facing yarn manufacturers today is energy efficiency and reducing production costs. What are Rieter’s latest solutions in this respect? Can you tell us about your technologies that save energy or increase raw material efficiency in particular?
Rieter technology is designed to help customers reduce their conversion cost – the cost of converting fibers into yarn – through automation and digitization technologies. Spinning mills with Rieter systems thus achieve lower costs per kilogram of yarn compared with conventional or mixed systems. This is the result of higher efficiency, lower energy consumption and better raw material yields, which translates into savings for the spinning mills. Rieter’s compact-spinning machine K 48 is a shining example for energy efficiency as it saved 18% of energy consumption at one customer’s operations compared with competing models.
How do your automation and digitization solutions optimize production processes in spinning mills? What are the main benefits that your innovative solutions such as the ESSENTIAL platform and ROBOspin bring to your customers?
Rieter is committed to achieve its vision of a fully digitized mill. ESSENTIAL – The Rieter Digital Spinning Suite – is a steppingstone toward this vision as it provides spinning mills with real-time data streams and key performance indicators along with improvement suggestions for efficiency, production, energy and quality.
ROBOspin is a game-changer for spinning mills. Rieter’s automated piecing robot helps mills reduce their manpower requirements by up to 50% as the robot reliably reaches a piecing efficiency of up to 95%. Each week in spinning mills across the globe, ROBOspin pieces more than 1 000 000 yarn breaks, resulting in a reduction of about 2 000 working hours for operators. As mentioned before, we will enhance ROBOspin with artificial intelligence.
Your fully automated combing set can reduce manpower requirements by up to 50%. Does this solution only offer manufacturers a labor advantage, or does it also make a significant difference in terms of quality and efficiency?
Rieter’s latest fully automated combing set includes the comber E 90, which offers the highest productivity and a wide noil extraction range for maximum flexibility. It guarantees outstanding, consistently high yarn quality at the lowest production costs. The comber E 90 stands out for its low production costs based on sliver production of over 100 kg per hour and better fiber yield of up to 1% paired with the associated lower raw material costs. The high productivity is achieved thanks to the new intelligent drive concept, together with the improved combing technology and the newly integrated SB-D 50 draw frame technology. This draw frame technology guarantees perfect sliver quality, monitored by the Rieter Quality Monitor.
“Rieter has Stepped Up Its R&D Activities to Fully Automate the Value Stream by 2027”
What are Rieter’s product development and market strategies for 2025? What innovations do you intend to bring to the sector with regard to the new generation of spinning machines and automation systems? What are Rieter’s growth and market expansion strategies for 2025?
The future of the spinning industry is automated, digital and smart. As mills struggle to hire and retain workers, automation technology is essential in order to ensure consistent and efficient operations. Rieter has stepped up its R&D activities to fully automate the value stream by 2027 through autonomous transport systems and collaborative robotics. Rieter’s digital spinning suite ESSENTIAL will be the command-and-control center of smart and high-performing mills that lower cost and maximize returns. Customers will be able to fully focus on their yarn business by outsourcing their operations to Rieter technology and expertise.
