The art of knitting has been around for centuries, but Stoll has brought it to unthinkable levels throughout the past 145 years. Inspired by customer satisfaction, Stoll America Knitting Machinery takes great pride in inviting its users to provide feedback and experience to help shape the company’s future, and it has been working.
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The company’s motto is, “Design to Inspire” and CEO North American Operations, Stephan Robertson, ensures his team embodies this spirit. Knit specialists that are hired for their genius in programming do not simply start on the computerized machines; instead, they start at the very beginning stages of knitting – by hand. With a two to three-day workshop, new hires are introduced to the art of knitting by hand before becoming involved with the mix of technology and knitting.
Stoll has become a world-renowned manufacturer of 3D robotic knitting machinery and software solutions. And while the company offers various knitting solutions worldwide, Stoll has seen an increasing demand for its ADF machines and its novel techniques that include plating, weft inlaying and quilting. With its leading-edge software and advanced technology, dreams are being created – and at top speeds! Being an enterprise that exports to more than 70 countries all over the world and offers integrated services through affiliated companies, sales, marketing centers, and numerous agencies, it is safe to say that Stoll has definitely made an impact.
In September of this year, Stoll America Knitting Machinery’s New York office will play host to the company’s 145th anniversary symposium, displaying products of the company from its very inception through today, all the while looking ahead to the future of the business. Here you will see Stoll’s IBO Handflat machine (one of its oldest machines with basic features such as two wooden toggles and a carriage sliding from left to right) as well as its modern, 3D robotic machinery.
All of the company’s machinery and software upgrades are driven by the needs of its diverse customers. Robertson is personally inspired by customer satisfaction as he works with his team, customers, designers and yarn makers to ensure their decisions will work well for all stakeholders. While Stoll’s design and development center is in Germany, its staff members worldwide collaborate to ensure they are offering the best solutions for all end users.
As Robertson says, “German engineering, German excellence, German quality and German craftsmanship. When Germans make a quality product – and Stoll is a quality product – these machines last forever. ”
Some designers who purchase a Stoll machine have no programming experience, so they require an easy-to-use, user-friendly machine that is built to last. To this end, creating Knitelligence solutions allows Stoll to thrive in the world of IoT (the Internet of Things) and Industry 4.0. In short, Knitelligence encompasses all Stoll software solutions that cover the entire knitter’s process – from design to production. In the long-term, keeping up with technology and adhering to the needs of the designer, the knitter, and the manufacturer continues to be the company’s utmost priority.
As Stoll is constantly inspired to create new knitting techniques along with technologies, machinery and software solutions, its Trend Collection is launched semi-annually. The newest Trend Collection is titled Digital Knits and was created with Stoll’s new software solution, Stoll Artwork. Mr. Joerg Hartmann, Head of Fashion and Technology at Stoll, is considered a creative genius, combining current industry trends with customer needs to create entire collections that take advantage of all the features Stoll machines and software have to offer. With Stoll Artwork being an extension of Adobe Photoshop, designers have access to an optimized, easy-to-use platform for pattern development.
Versatility, reliability, user-friendliness, and sustainability are four very important factors in the longevity of Stoll’s business plan, according to Robertson. These four pillars ensure that new customers feel confident in choosing Stoll over the competition. Proof of this is found in a machine currently still running in Mexico that was built in 1960. With a worldwide name, Stoll has consistently proven that it has the expertise and innovation needed to adapt and keep up with the advancement of both ideas and yarns.
Stoll has factories and mills all over the world that utilize its trusted knitting machinery and software solutions. However, “our subsidiaries include Bangladesh, India, Italy, and the U.S. – our parent company, H. Stoll AG & Co. KG is located in Reutlingen, Germany,” explains Robertson. “Employing approximately 1,000 passionate people worldwide, thirty of them are with Stoll America.”
It is not always easy to survive, let alone thrive in an ever-changing world. With the price pressures of knit goods, the rise of e-commerce and the mercurial nature of fast fashion, Stoll knows the importance of reinventing itself and thinking outside the box. Standing apart from its competition with 3D knitting, function integration, the mixing/blending of new materials and handling the complexity of many different knitting techniques, Stoll continues to grow.
Not only is Stoll growing in terms of new facilities and expansions, but its product portfolio is constantly expanding too. The company’s new ADF 830-24 machine creates an exemplary standard as knitters will be able to utilize the ADF machine they are used to but with an extra 34” in width.
It is easy to see that Stoll has devoted itself to making the knitting process, from design to production, as seamless as possible for designers and engineers worldwide. The company’s dedication and commitment to excellence in working with its customers has allowed it to continually out-do itself in the knitting machinery field. Working alongside fashion industry leaders such as Calvin Klein, Alexander Wang, and Ralph Lauren, Stoll America Knitting Machinery holds true to its motto, “The Right Way to Knit.” If you are interested in learning the basics of knitting, the company’s stollamericaeducation.com page offers information on upcoming classes and seminars – along with a shop and pattern library to inspire.
Not content to rest on its laurels, Stoll has also branched into the realm of technical textiles, “where versatility meets efficiency,” according to its website. “Here, applications and machine technologies can be developed to create a wide range of products using non-traditional materials and techniques,” with applications for a variety of high-tech sectors including medicine, sports, electronic and entertainment applications, and much more.
While the company continues to expand both its footprint and its product line, Stoll invites anyone interested in its products and business to visit linkedin.com/company/stoll-america and facebook.com/StollAmericaKnitting/. This will help you stay informed with all this growing company has to offer.
Or, simply visit its symposium in September where you can, for free, learn about new advancements with Stoll machinery and software and celebrate Stoll’s 145 years in business. The Stoll Symposium event will feature a variety of sessions that customers and potential customers alike can choose from, such as the new Stoll Artwork software, various knitting techniques, ADF knowledge, and technical textiles. The conclusion of the event will be an evening reception with wining and dining. This is, indeed, a forward-thinking company built on both relationships and expertise. Email info@stollamerica.com to RSVP – limited seating available!
