What Picanol does

Picanol nv, headquartered in Ieper, Belgium and founded in 1936, develops, manufactures, and sells high-tech industrial weaving machines based on airjet and rapier insertion technology. The company self-describes as the world's largest weaving machine manufacturer, with a cumulative installed base exceeding 400,000 machines since production began, and a current product portfolio of nine platforms spanning airjet (OmniPlus-i Connect, TerryPlus-i Connect, OmniPlus-i TC Connect) and rapier (Ultimax, Ultimax Terry, OptiMax-i Connect, GTMax-S Connect, GTMax-i 3.0S Connect, Supermax) families. Its technology stack is anchored on the BlueBox electronic platform with CAN communication and Industry 4.0 readiness, supported by differentiated proprietary systems including the SUMO switched reluctance main drive (in production since 1996), the QSC Quick Style Change system, EcoBoost energy saving, SmartShed/SmartShed Pro electronic shedding, the EcoFill waste-free selvedge device, and the WeavePilot intelligent control algorithm. Manufacturing is dual-sited in Ieper (Belgium) and Suzhou (China, via a wholly-owned subsidiary established in 1994), with direct sales and service operations in Belgium, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, China, Turkey, and the United States supplemented by a global agent network across more than 60 countries.

The company monetises industrial capital equipment (no public list pricing; quotes are handled via local offices and agents), and earns recurring and aftermarket revenue from original spare parts (PartsLine online store), training services delivered at five training centres (Ieper, Suzhou, Greenville, Lahore, Tashkent), maintenance/repair and circuit-board refurbishment services, and the cloud-based PicConnect IIoT platform which provides production monitoring, energy monitoring, style management, preventive maintenance, and API-based data integration. Picanol Group became a business unit of Tessenderlo Group (Euronext: TESB) effective 1 January 2023, and remains operationally headquartered in Ieper with a new 20,000 sqm sustainable headquarters opened in April 2025; in Q1 2026 the company deepened its engineering collaboration with Siemens on the Xcelerator portfolio (NX, Teamcenter, Simcenter) and digital twin technology, with subsidiary Psicontrol also adopting Teamcenter. The customer base spans global textile mills producing fashion, home, technical (e.g., tire cord), and terry fabrics, with active go-to-market through trade fair participation (ITMA, ITMA ASIA + CITME, ITM, CAITME), an agent channel, and a digital content presence.

Name

Picanol

Legal name

Picanol nv

Website

https://picanol.be

Company type

Public

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Picanol is the world's largest manufacturer of high-tech industrial weaving machines, selling airjet and rapier platforms to global textile mills and earning recurring revenue through parts, training, and the PicConnect IIoT platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ieper

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Weaving Machines (Airjet and Rapier): Picanol's primary revenue stream from developing, manufacturing, and selling high-tech weaving machines based on airjet and rapier technology. The company offers multiple machine platforms including Ultimax, Ultimax Terry, OptiMax-i Connect, OmniPlus-i Connect, TerryPlus-i Connect, OmniPlus-i TC Connect, Supermax, GTMax-S Connect, and GTMax-i 3.0S Connect.
2. Parts & Accessories: Original quality parts to guarantee continued high performance of Picanol weaving machines. Includes Original Quality Parts, PartsLine online store, harness frames, and Weave-Up upgrade solutions.
3. Training Services: Professional training for operators, installers, and managers on Picanol weaving machines at training centers in Ieper (Belgium), Suzhou (China), Greenville (USA), Lahore (Pakistan), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).
4. Maintenance & Repair Services: Technical services including machine inspections, maintenance, performance consulting, and circuit board repair centers worldwide that can quickly detect and repair faulty machine circuit boards using original spare parts.
5. PicConnect Digital Services: Cloud-based digital services including production monitoring, energy monitoring, style management, preventive maintenance, alerting, data export via API, pattern editor, and PartsLine e-commerce integration.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Picanol develops, manufactures, and sells high-tech weaving machines based on airjet and rapier technology for textile manufacturers worldwide. Its portfolio spans nine weaving machine platforms (e.g., Ultimax, OmniPlus-i Connect, Supermax, TerryPlus-i Connect) plus proprietary digital services under the PicConnect cloud platform, original spare parts, harness frames, retrofit upgrades (Weave-Up), training, and global technical service.

Product overview

Picanol develops, manufactures, and sells high-tech weaving machines based on airjet and rapier technology. The product portfolio includes nine distinct weaving machine models: Ultimax and Ultimax Terry (rapier), OptiMax-i Connect and GTMax-S Connect, GTMax-i 3.0S Connect, and Supermax (rapier family), and OmniPlus-i Connect, TerryPlus-i Connect, and OmniPlus-i TC Connect (airjet family). The flagship digital platform PicConnect serves as the central gateway for all digital services, enabling real-time machine monitoring, production tracking, energy monitoring, spare parts ordering via PartsLine, preventive maintenance scheduling, and data export via API. This platform is supported by an ecosystem of training services at five global training centers and global circuit board repair centers. Upgrade solutions under the Weave-Up program allow customers to retrofit existing machines with the latest technologies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PicConnect: Digital platform offering industrial IoT, production monitoring, energy monitoring, and service-related applications for Picanol weaving machines.
• PartsLine

Products and services

• Ultimax Rapier weaving machine focused on ultimate performance, high-quality output, sustainability requirements, and maximum digitization with ease of use. Built on a completely new platform design.
• Ultimax Terry Rapier weaving machine designed specifically for terry cloth weaving, with a unique pile forming motor drive system that simultaneously drives cloth and backrest motion for precise pile formation at highest speeds.
• OptiMax-i Connect High-value rapier weaving machine driven by digitization and Industry 4.0 for high-production, diversified weaving; features a new beat-up mechanism with longer insertion time for handling even imperfect yarns.
• OmniPlus-i Connect Next-generation airjet weaving machine combining nearly 40 years of airjet experience with over 100,000 airjet machines delivered; features new beat-up mechanism, SmartShed Pro electronic dobby, and EcoBoost for energy savings.
• TerryPlus-i Connect Airjet weaving machine for terry cloth weaving with pneumatic pile backrest, SmartShed fully electronic dobby, and reduced air consumption via optimized relay nozzle spacing.
• OmniPlus-i TC Connect Airjet weaving machine designed specifically for tire cord fabric weaving, built on the latest airjet platform with reinforced drawing-off, feeding, and batching devices.
• Supermax Revolutionary rapier weaving machine focused on highest performance and quality output, sustainability readiness, and maximum digitization with extreme ease of operation; built around four design principles.
• GTMax-S Connect Rapier weaving machine continuing the successful GTMax-S platform, suitable for weaving decorative fabrics, linen, and clothing textiles; can be equipped with dedicated silk configuration using EcoFill.
• GTMax-i 3.0S Connect Rapier weaving machine continuing GTMax-i 3.0 platform success with proven rapier weaving technology, full electronic monitoring, redesigned SUMO main motor, and microprocessor-controlled insertion system.
• PicConnect Cloud-based digital platform serving as the gateway to all Picanol digital services, enabling machine monitoring, production tracking, energy monitoring, spare parts ordering, and data analytics for weaving machines.
• PartsLine Online spare parts store integrated with the PicConnect platform, enabling seamless online inquiry, ordering, and invoicing for Picanol original spare parts.
• Harness Frames (XLF, Hybrid*Power*, Alu*Power*) High-performance harness frames including XLF Ultra Light 152, Hybrid*Power* 158, and Alu*Power* 124, designed for high-speed weaving with optimized stiffness-to-weight ratios.
• Weave-Up Upgrade Solutions Comprehensive range of upgrade solutions enabling customers to maximize their existing weaving machines with state-of-the-art technology, covering energy cost reduction, expanded fabric range, and increased productivity.
• Training Services Professional technical training for operators, installers, and managers on Picanol weaving machines at training centers in Ieper (Belgium), Suzhou (China), Greenville (USA), Lahore (Pakistan), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).
• Circuit Board Repair Centers Global network of circuit board repair centers that can repair all Picanol loom circuit boards including microprocessor-controlled PAT and GTM machines, with all boards upgraded to latest version.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings of up to 1.5 kW per machine with EcoBoost feature
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• SiemenscoreTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026Picanol uses Siemens Xcelerator portfolio software including Designcenter NX, Teamcenter, and Simcenter to streamline development cycles and enable digital twin technology for performance optimization and sustainable machine design. The decade-spanning collaboration aims to reduce customizations, improve ERP and MES connectivity, and help Picanol manage the high configurability and variability of its tailor-made weaving machines.
• PsicontrolcoreTechnology or Integration · 20 January 2026Psicontrol, a Picanol Group subsidiary, will adopt Teamcenter software to strengthen the digital thread across the organization as part of the Siemens digital transformation partnership.
• Baror GroupregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2024Picanol opened a brand-new training and service center in Tashkent, Uzbekistan during CAITME 2024 together with Uzbek agent Baror Group. The center provides top-notch training on airjet and rapier technology for flat and terry weaving.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Itema Group: Italian manufacturer of weaving machines (rapier, airjet, projectile) formed from the merger of Vamatex and SMIT. Itema is Picanol's most direct global competitor across the same weaving technologies and customer base.
• Lindauer Dornier: German manufacturer of rapier and airjet weaving machines as well as technical textiles equipment. Competes head-to-head with Picanol in premium weaving segments, particularly in technical textiles and specialty fabrics.
• Tsudakoma: Japanese manufacturer specializing in water-jet, air-jet, and rapier weaving machines. Tsudakoma is a focused direct competitor to Picanol in airjet technology for Asian and global textile mills.
• Bonas (Si Group / Vandewiele): Manufacturer of electronic jacquard weaving machines now part of Vandewiele. Competes with Picanol in the high-end jacquard weaving segment serving fashion, terry, and technical textiles.

Broad incumbents

• Toyota Industries: Japanese industrial conglomerate whose Textile Machinery division produces airjet weaving machines. While much broader than Picanol, its weaving machine business competes directly in Asian and global markets.
• Stäubli: Swiss manufacturer of textile machinery including jacquard machines, shedding motions, and weaving preparation systems. While broader than Picanol, Stäubli supplies complementary components and competes in connected weaving systems.

Others

• Groz-Beckert: German manufacturer of textile machine components including weaving accessories, heald frames, and warp preparation. Supplies complementary components to weaving mills rather than competing directly with Picanol's machines.
• Tessenderlo Group (parent context): Belgian industrial conglomerate (Euronext: TESB) that absorbed Picanol Group as a business unit in 2023. Included for context as the listed parent entity, not a direct operating competitor to Picanol's weaving machinery business.

Emerging players

• Karl Mayer: German manufacturer of warp knitting and technical textiles machinery. While focused on knitting rather than weaving, Karl Mayer competes for textile-mill capex budgets and serves overlapping customers in technical textiles.

Regional players

• Müller Frick: Swiss-based supplier of weaving accessories, harness frames, and shedding components for the European textile machinery ecosystem. Adjacent component supplier rather than direct machine competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Picanolmovie/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/picanolweavingmachines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/picanol
• Instagraminstagram.com/picanolweavingmachines

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Picanol