“We Are Starting To Offer LineONE Machinery To Turkish Market”
Interview: Tuğba KARADEMİR
Autefa Solutions continues to make a difference in 2025 with its innovative systems and flexible production solutions in the field of Nonwoven Technologies. At ITM 2026, the company will present advanced technology and sustainable production solutions to visitors through both its Nonwoven and Baling Systems business units.
In our interview, André Imhof, CEO of Autefa Solutions Austria & Switzerland, evaluated the year 2025 and shared insights into the company’s achievements in nonwoven and baling systems, along with its innovative solutions responding to market trends. Imhof highlighted the advantages of the company’s airlay, needlepunch, and LineONE concepts in terms of production efficiency, product quality, and sustainability, while also drawing attention to potential collaboration opportunities in the Turkish market. With the systems to be introduced at ITM 2026, it is clear that Autefa Solutions aims to further strengthen its leading position in the industry.
How was the year 2025 for Autefa Solutions? Could you evaluate the year in terms of market demand, order intake, and developments in your key export markets?
In 2025, purchasing decisions became increasingly ROI-driven. Many producers placed greater emphasis on modernization, upgrades, retrofits, line assessments and service solutions. Whenever customers invest, their priorities are clear: consistent quality, high productivity combined with low operating costs, strong line availability, and the flexibility to process different fibers and product weights.
Autefa Solutions is known for its advanced technologies in nonwoven production. Could you provide information about your most innovative systems and solutions, and explain how they respond to the evolving needs of the textile and nonwoven industry?
Our current innovation focus in nonwovens is clearly on airlay, needlepunch and efficient line concepts. To support current market trends, Autefa Solutions offers airlay line solutions capable of processing a wide variety of natural and recycled fiber blends. Our Airlay program features modular designs that support efficient cleaning and maintenance. In addition, airlay web forming can be combined with downstream bonding technologies depending on the specific end-product requirements. In needlepunch, our core solutions include Stylus and StylusONE needle looms, Topliner and Uniliner crosslappers, nonwovens cards and thermobonding ovens as well as complete turnkey lines. Complete spunlace lines are offered together with our Chinese sister ZFJ Textile Machinery Co., Ltd., part of the CHTC Group.
Spunlace, airlay, and other nonwoven technologies are gaining increasing importance in technical textiles. What advantages do Autefa Solutions’ systems offer in terms of productivity, flexibility, and product quality?
Our systems are designed to deliver an excellent combination of productivity, flexibility and consistent product quality. Customers benefit from reliable throughput, high web uniformity, low maintenance requirements and the flexibility to process a broad range of fibers and product weights. This is becoming even more important as recycled and more variable raw materials are increasingly used. In technical textiles, needlepunch continues to offer a strong balance of performance, durability and cost effectiveness, particularly in applications such as filtration, geotextiles and automotive.
“Autefa Solutions Provides Support to Customers Throughout the Entire Lifecycle of the Line”
What kinds of automation, monitoring, or digital solutions does Autefa Solutions offer to help manufacturers improve efficiency and process control?
Digitalization and process transparency are becoming increasingly important in nonwoven manufacturing. Autefa Solutions supports customers not only with machinery, but also with line assessments, OEM spare parts, service contracts, premium support, upgrades and retrofits across the entire lifecycle of a line. In addition, our LineONE concept stands for cost-efficient performance, easy operation and quick start-up, making it especially attractive for capacity expansion and modernization projects.
How do Autefa Solutions’ technologies contribute to energy efficiency, reduced water consumption, and more sustainable nonwoven production?
For us, sustainability is closely linked to efficiency, machine availability and raw material flexibility. Our technologies are designed to process natural and recycled fibers reliably while maintaining stable product quality. At the same time, robust machine design, efficient maintenance concepts and comprehensive lifecycle services help customers extend the lifetime of existing assets, reduce waste and lower operational risk. In this way, sustainability and economic efficiency go hand in hand.
“Türkiye, Especially as an Export Hub for Europe”
How do you evaluate the Turkish market for Autefa Solutions, and what kind of cooperation opportunities do you see with Turkish manufacturers in the coming years?
Türkiye is a very important and still growing market for Autefa Solutions. It has a strong textile and nonwoven industry, skilled workforce and it is an export base, especially to Europe. We see a clear shift towards more technical and high value-added products, such as hygiene, medical and filtration applications. This creates new opportunities for machinery investments. Today, Turkish manufacturers are mainly focused on improving efficiency, reducing costs, and investing in more sustainable and reliable production. This is where AUTEFA Solutions adds value. We are starting to offer LineONE machinery to Türkiye market, produced in our China factory, by using only European components. Our technologies help customers improve productivity and lower investment costs.
What innovations or technologies will Autefa Solutions present at ITM 2026, and what kind of solutions will you highlight for manufacturers in the textile and nonwoven sectors?
At ITM 2026, our Nonwovens Technology focus will be on airlay, needlepunch, LineONE concepts and Lifecycle Service solutions for efficient, reliable and future-oriented production. In addition, Autefa Solutions will also be present with its Baling Systems business unit, a global leader in automatic bale presses and packaging systems for staple fiber and tow. Its modular and highly automated solutions support efficient bale handling, high availability and fully integrated fiber line automation.
