A new textile finishing plant built in east of Stuttgart in the region of Ostalbkreis, GtA (Gesellschaft für textile Ausrüstung)in Germany has been equipped with a range of stenter equipment from finishing machinery specialist Monforts to service the growing demand for digitally printed warp knitted fabrics for the rapidly expanding soft signage market.

It is said to be now running 24 hours a day to meet the growing demand for digitally printed warp knitted fabrics

More specifically, the plant features a new fully automated 72 metre long finishing machine, which compromises a washing machine integrated within the 3.6 metre wide ‘Montex 6500’ stenter provided by Monforts.

The seven-chamber stenter – purpose built at Monforts’ Austrian production facility – is equipped with a horizontal chain, a padder and an integrated weft straightener.

Using this equipment, GtA is finishing warp knits for digital printing in the soft signage market, as well as for producing garments, automotive interiors and technical textiles.

The substrates used are 100 percent polyester warp knits, which Monforts said has become more common place as the industry moves away from PVC coatings due to more stringent environmental regulations.

These substrates are also said to allow excellent take-up of inks and provide vibrant colours and clear images. The resulting warp knitted fabric construction also has the advantage of elasticity, which is a plus in terms of flexibility for installers.

The raw fabrics are supplied in weights of 50–350 gsm in rolls of up to 600 kg or 1800 metres. Depending on the fabric weight, GtA is running the stenter at speeds of between 20–50 metres an hour, at an average temperature of 200ºC.

GtA started production in February 2016 and for the first five months ran single eight-hour shifts per day. In July last year, this was increased to two eight-hour shifts per day, and since January this year, the company has been operating a three-shift system 24 hours a day.

Zeki Yagiz, production and quality control manager, said that they are fully in control of all production and quality parameters with Monforts technology line.