Santoni Shanghai acquires German knitting machinery maker Terrot

The global circular knitting machine market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years, with a July 2023 report from Consegic Business Intelligence forecasting a 5.7 per cent CAGR from 2023 to 2030, propelled by an increasing consumer preference for breathable and comfortable knitted fabrics as well as increasingly diversification of demand for knitted apparel. To seize this market opportunity, Santoni Shanghai has developed an ambitious strategic plan centred around innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation. The new partnership with Terrot aims to further this strategy by enhancing Santoni’s integrated and scaled-up ecosystem, while also driving the sustainable development of the global knitting machinery industry, Santoni Shanghai said in a press release.

Gianpietro Belotti, CEO of Santoni Shanghai, said: “The integration of Terrot, which also includes the well-known Pilotelli brand, will bring an immediate and extraordinary boost to our products portfolio. Terrot’s incredible technical capabilities, extensive product range, and vast experience in serving customers all over the world will enable us to better achieve our shared aspirations. We are very excited about this partnership and look forward to working with Terrot as we move towards establishing a pioneering industry ecosystem, realising our mission to providing customers with an utterly new knitting experience.

“We see our machines not simply as isolated units of production, but rather as parts of a holistic and integrated ecosystem. Each part of this ecosystem is interconnected with the entire industry chain, bolstered by our recent advances in digitalisation and our century long expertise. The new synthesis will offer now the largest range of technical solutions available in the market, which we believe will enable us to satisfy the needs of all the investment levels. Through our partnership with Terrot, we are one step closer to fulling our vision of innovatively consolidating the entire industry.”

“With the strategic investment of Santoni, we aim to strengthen our position as the preferred solution provider to many of the world’s leading textile manufacturers and top brands as well as continue working with industry talents as we provide valuable and essential know-how to drive premium ‘Made in Germany’ textile machinery. We have found a strong, globally active partner with clear dedication to quality, performance, and excellent expertise in all circular knitting segments, who understands the unique value proposition and potentials of our portfolio and with whom we can realise our growth objectives,” said Robert Czajkowski, managing director of Terrot GmbH.

Terrot GmbH co-managing director Dirk Lange expressed his similar conviction that Santoni was the perfect partner for Terrot’s ambitions. “Having defined our strategic growth targets, we are now embarking on the next exciting chapter in our long and successful history, one that includes a 160-year tradition of textile machinery manufacturing,” said Lange.

By creating synergies and integrating capabilities in production, sourcing, innovative technologies, sustainability, software, and digitisation, both parties are confident that future joint projects will present numerous opportunities to serve all of the major textile manufacturing centres like China, ASEAN countries, South and Central Asia, Mediterranean countries and the Americas by unlocking exceptional value for all global textile and apparel players.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NB)