Germany based Christoph Liebers is a leading producer of elements for knitting machines from Italy. When Christoph Liebers started his production 40 years ago, he already looked back on a family tradition of 100 years in the fabrication of sinkers for knitting machines. The knowledge and know-how acquired by the employees since generations turned the company into a global player at a short time. The German brand manufacturer held a leading position around the world with respect to innovation, quality, precision and perfection.
Some time back, this leading producer of elements for knitting machines, introduced its innovative development, Nano sinkers. Under the slogan Sinkers are silver, but nano is golden!, the company presented a new generation of knitting elements in gold, with innovative structured surfaces, designed to increase durability of the knitting components and reduce friction during production.
During his recent visit to India, Michael Starke, one of the Managing Directors and also the son-in-law of the founder of Christoph Liebers said, “Those who want to understand the advantages of these nanos needs to look at the pieces of gold under the microscope. The surface, which is no longer flawlessly smooth, is characterised by a host of tiny inclusions, a fraction of a millimetre long. In these microscopic cavities, oil is held for the better lubrication of knitting machines.”
“These irregularities, undetectable to the untrained eye but nevertheless intentional, just like small cells, keep the lubrication film even. Each and every lubrication film, which protects the sinkers, splits at a certain temperature.
Because of a lack of oil on large parts of sinker surfaces, there is significantly more friction than with the new nanos,” Starke added. “In contrast, the lower wear by using nanos has a whole range of advantages besides lower temperatures.” When commenting on the benefits of Nano, he said, “One of the main advantages of the new surface is the reduction of friction, which is linked to reduced wear and lower temperatures.
Energy consumption is also said to be lowered by less friction, which results in a longer life of new sinkers. Another advantage is that lower friction is said to produce less abrasion, which normally pollutes the machines and the knitwear they are producing,” Starke said.
“The full aspect of the total cost of knitwear is touched by thus. If you look at the benefitsit’s not only the sinker life but to reduce the cost of knitwear also. Stains on the fabric is reduced so with this washing cost could be brought down and controlled.
We can reduce the electricity consumption so it will create a good impact worldwide with every knitting machine reducing the energy consumption and carbon footprint. Next thing is lint accumulation, again cleaning time is very important factor worldwide especially in those countries where labour cost is very high. To clean a machine more or less takes the same time whether it’s in Germany or in India but make difference in price. Though may be in India it may not be very important but in other high priced countries it is. So, where if we can skip one cleaning cycle it can a save lot of money. It’s a real benefit. All these will be enhancing the productivity,” said Starke.
Recently, Christoph Liebers has developed an animated film as part of its plan to help thousands of potentials customers who do not have foreign language skills to understand the benefits of its use of the latest nano-technology in knitting elements. The different advantages of the new nano sinker generation are presented using a range of communication messages which as well as the animated films includes a new, coordinated advertising campaign, a completely redesigned and responsive homepage and trade fair appearances showcasing the latest Christoph Liebers livery. The first film, which deals with potential energy savings, is already online. Further topics will follow over the next few years. The first scene shows Silver Sinker, who struggles hard to produce stitch after stitch for knitwear and then drags himself to the shower after a day’s shift, dirty and covered in sweat, and then experiences a miraculous transformation.
He now enters the stage as a shiny Gold Nano and winds up the day’s production with ease. The difference is that while Silver needs much higher energy consumption, this is significantly lower with Gold Nano. For Alena Stark, daughter of Michael Starke, the animated film is the medium the company wants to use to reach the many users in Asia and South America whose foreign language skills are not so strong. “The users who are working at the knitting machines often decide themselves on whether innovations have any chance at all,” said Alena.“It is not usually possible to reach them with elaborate publicity campaigns, advertisements, flyers or trade fair appearances, or it takes a very long time. For this reason, the aim is to close this communication gap with the animated film campaign.” The company’s creative team has a number of new topics to use for future films
