The father of the present owner founded the company in 1948, a company geared to the production of fabrics for ladies’ outerwear. Originally, commission weavers located in the same area produced the fabrics developed by the company. Not until the 60’s was the investment made in the company’s own weaving operation, while continuing the association with efficient and productive commission weavers.

Upper Franconia – land of textiles
Significant advantages for Upper Franconia–a land of textiles–are historical tradition and structure comprised of medium-sized companies. Today this is the most important textile producing region in Germany. A tradition involving owner-operated companies of a manageable size, in spinning, weaving, dyeing and finishing, fabrication and last but not least a multiplicity of commission twisters, winders and weavers, together forming a unique and competitive textile industry. In this way, each individual company is able to concentrate on its core business, objectively develop its products and in consequence be in a position to quickly react to market needs and requirements. And all this without having to forego the knowhow and experience of prior and subsequent processes available from other companies located near at hand in the same area.

Parallel with this textile infrastructure are institutions that provide a workforce of qualified personnel; for example, the state-run vocational community college for textiles and apparel in Münchberg and Naila and the textile university in Münchberg.

As a result, it is not surprising that an innovative network of enterprising textile employers, the Münchberg-Helmbrechts Textile Center, has been formed. Since 1995 this innovative circle of textile entrepreneurs, in addition to Reissmann, includes a further 11 companies with collectively DM800 million in gross sales and a total of 3,000 employees. This is a rather unusual strategic alliance, since in part it is comprised of companies in direct competition with each other. Nevertheless, members place greater emphasis on securing the future of the local textile industry by working together toward common goals. In addition to collective seminars for management personnel, work-study groups have been formed for matters related to purchasing, apprentice training programs, improving the image of the industry and the introduction of the common European currency.

The manufacturing program of Reissmann GmbH & Co.
Reverting to Reissmann, today exclusive and fashionable fabrics are produced for ladies’ outerwear from virgin wool and modern blends. These fabrics are supplied to brand name ready-to-wear clothiers in Germany with 35% being exported not only to other European countries, but also USA and the Far East. Based on its own collection, the company also produces exclusive collections for individual customers.

In order to be in a position to safely and economically produce this multiplicity of basic and fashion-oriented fabrics from wool, man-made fiber, fancy and stretch yarns in counts ranging from Nm 5 to Nm 120/2, the company decided on the DORNIER family of weaving machines in 1995, the installation consisting of 12 air jet and 51 rapier weaving machines. The choice in the type of weaving machine is part of Reissmann’s overall concept, centered on a flexible and quick response to the wishes of its customers.

To be in a position to supply 500 styles per season in up to 15 colorways per design and also involving short lengths, emphasis was placed on the utilization of the QSC System for quick style change. All weaving machines are equipped with the pneumatic harness frame connection system (PSL) and combination harness frames, so that they can be used universally on both the air jet machines and the rapier weaving machines. The efficient throughput from the drawing-in department to the weaving machine with the respective utilization of support equipment provides the basis for short changeover times in the weaveroom. Sample section warping machines in combination with the most modern section warping equipment that includes automatic leasing devices complete the overall picture of a very flexible manufacturing facility.

In addition to the in-house design staff utilizing CAD/CAM, the success of the company has been decisively influenced by finely tuned logistics that enable a finished sample of fabric in extreme cases to be produced in as little as 48 hours. A fully automatic yarn storage system, requiring no personnel, indicates at any time required what the actual stock of materials is, at the press of a button, supplying the material to the production machines in a matter of minutes. All information is transferred via a computerized central control system from the CAD/CAM station directly to the production and final control machines.

It’s quality that’s produced
In this company quality is produced, not measured. However, Reissmann leaves nothing to chance. In the most modern testing laboratory available today, equipped with the Uster Tester, Uster Tensojet and a whole range of additional testing instrumentation, the company tests incoming yarn and also carries out quality checks at various stages in the production flow through the plant. This is supplemented by a 100% final control of quality.

In order to be adequately equipped for the future, each year 5-8% of gross income is invested in new technologies. And since the best of machines without good personnel is only worth half its value, Reissmann places great emphasis on the instruction and training of personnel as a major building block to the success of the company. As a result, at any given time 8% of total personnel consists of apprentices.

Innovation in manufacturing, processing and service combine to form the motor that drives Reissmann into the future and gears the company to inevitable change.