By Mohan Raj
As textile mills look for ways to improve productivity, maintain quality and control costs, automation and modernization are becoming increasingly important. Coimbatore-based SKAAT Group is addressing these needs with its range of innovative retrofit solutions and digital technologies. The company is set to showcase its latest products and upgraded solutions at India ITME 2026.
In an exclusive interaction, Shruthi, Director of SKAAT Group, shared her views on the current textile industry scenario, the company’s latest innovations and its plans for the future.
Supporting Mills Improve Productivity
Assessing the current business environment, Shruthi said textile manufacturers were adopting a cautious approach to investments due to fluctuations in material prices and uneven market demand. Instead of expanding capacity, many mills are focusing on modernizing their existing machinery to improve productivity and quality.
“The environment is cautious, but far from stagnant. Mills are becoming more selective about where they invest. Both in India and globally, we are seeing a shift from capacity addition towards modernizing existing installations. Our strength lies in automation and digital control, which help mills get more out of their existing machines,” she explained.
Since 1999, SKAAT has been developing retrofit solutions that improve performance at critical stages of textile production. Its product portfolio includes digital slub systems for producing precise and repeatable slub yarns, injection and color slub attachments, and core-spun systems available in soft-core, dual-core and rigid-core configurations. These solutions help mills explore value-added and technical yarn applications.
The company’s latest linear bale plucker is designed to ensure consistent fiber opening and mixing, while reducing manual handling.
Improving Efficiency and Quality
Explaining how SKAAT’s solutions help manufacturers remain competitive, Shruthi highlighted the role of automation in improving consistency and reducing operational challenges.
“Our digital slub systems enable ring frames to produce more value-added yarns. Digital controls ensure faster changeovers and consistent quality from one lot to another. Similarly, our linear bale plucker automates fiber opening and improves mixing, resulting in better efficiency and more consistent output,” she said.
Sustainability through Retrofitting
SKAAT also sees sustainability as an important advantage of its retrofit solutions. By upgrading existing machines instead of replacing them, mills can extend equipment life and avoid the environmental impact associated with manufacturing new machinery.
“Sustainability is built into our retrofit models. Our systems help ring frames produce value-added products without requiring new equipment. Precise digital control in our slub and core-spun systems also reduces rework and yarn rejection, ensuring better utilization of every kilogram of fiber. Our linear bale plucker improves mixing and helps reduce fiber loss,” Shruthi noted.
She added that these solutions help mills respond to the growing sustainability expectations of global buyers while maintaining commercial viability.
Showcasing Innovations at India ITME 2026
At India ITME 2026, SKAAT will display upgraded versions of its product portfolio, including digital slub attachments, core-spun systems, injection and color slub attachments, and the linear bale plucker. The company will also showcase its expertise in robotics through solutions such as robopacking and autopiecing.
Visitors can meet the SKAAT team at Hall 11, Stall C26, where its technical experts will explain the solutions and discuss how they can address individual mill requirements.
Expanding Access to Digital Technology
Looking ahead, SKAAT aims to make advanced digital control more accessible to a wider range of textile mills.
“Over the next five years, we aim to bring precision digital control not just to larger companies, but also to a wider base of mills. These technologies need to be accessible and affordable if mills are to remain competitive. Our focus will be on continued innovation, efficient service and stronger customer support,” Shruthi concluded.