DESMA and STOLL join forces on new shoe solution

As much of the footwear industry is driven by short production cycles and enormous pressure in terms of time and cost, DESMA Schuhmaschinen and KARL MAYER STOLL Textilmaschinenfabrik have cooperated in an effort to make processes faster and reduce labour costs. These Germany-based enterprises are said to be confident that combining their specialisms at every stage of the shoe industry’s global value chain promises what they call ‘plenty of potential for optimisation’.

The two partners have reportedly developed an integrated solution that enables innovative shoe models to be manufactured in a more efficient way. The process begins with the production of seamless 3D-knitted uppers which are then hardened in order to activate the functional yarns woven into them, before these are attached directly to dual-layer sole constructions.

According to DESMA and STOLL, the advantages of this method are the minimising of lead times in the development and production processes, and the adjustment of machine settings for optimum product quality without the need for any additional investment. The machine technologies used for the procedure – involving STOLL flat weft knitting and DESMA direct sole attachment – are already in widespread use in footwear industry production. The new solution is claimed to reduce the number of time-consuming production steps required, such as making up the uppers and manually joining together uppers and soles created from different components. It is also being marketed as a sustainable innovation, as the seamless manufacturing technique produces no scrap or waste. The companies state that productivity and design considerations have also been factored into the process, and it is now possible to manufacture high-performance footwear with custom designs using industrial processes.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 40 of the July/August 2021 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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