Hagen Lotzmann has been appointed Managing Director of Karl Mayer Technische Textilien GmbH, taking the helm during a period of transformation for the company. A mechanical engineer and long-standing contributor to the subsidiary’s success, Lotzmann steps into the role as the business addresses both market challenges and internal restructuring.

When Lotzmann assumed leadership, the company was already in a phase of renewal. Sales had been in decline for several years, impacted by external pressures such as the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and high interest rates. Location-related disadvantages in Germany and leadership changes added to the difficulties. In January 2025, short-time working was introduced at the Chemnitz site, prompting a management-led reorganisation.

Drawing on his experience as Vice President Sales, Lotzmann worked closely with colleagues to analyse market and competitive conditions, evaluate future expectations, and design strategies for the product portfolio. Sales insights from the company’s key Chinese market proved valuable. The outcome of these discussions was a clear recognition that Karl Mayer Technical Textiles needed to take a new strategic path.

Under the new positioning, the company will operate as a strong, independent unit for sales, service, and engineering. While production will be handled at the Obertshausen and China sites, Chemnitz will remain the central hub for machine and technology development within the Technical Textiles business unit. Greater collaboration between German and Chinese teams is expected to boost efficiency, sharpen focus, and accelerate delivery.

The company’s success with the Max Glass Eco, a multi-axial glass processing machine launched in 2024 that quickly became a bestseller, illustrates the potential of this new approach. Moving forward, Karl Mayer Technical Textiles plans to streamline its product range while maintaining flexibility for customised projects and exploring new applications for its fabrics, particularly in reinforcing and weft insertion technologies.

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