Reutlingen – October 29, 2026 -- A total of 186 of 228 eligible Stoll employees entered the MYPEGASUS transfer company after the Reutlingen knitting-machine maker shut down, and a large share have since found new jobs, according to the provider.
Stoll closed after more than 152 years, affecting 250 employees
Stoll, once a world market leader in knitting machines, ceased operations on October 31, 2025. Cheap textile production from the Far East first squeezed its customers and then the machine builder itself. The closure hit 250 employees and the wider region. The transfer company ran from November 1, 2025; the overall project continues until March 2028.
Ningbo Cixing buys Stoll brand, inventory and patents
Works council chief Frank Wittel told the departing staff that China's Ningbo Cixing Co., Ltd. has acquired the Stoll brand, inventory, and technology assets including patents and software. The buyer also took over parts of the Reutlingen site and plans business activity in the Reutlingen-West industrial area. The source gives no details on headcount or investment.
MYPEGASUS reports reasonable placement rate despite high salaries
Project lead Michaela Uhrig said the transfer company performed better than expected given a weak economy. She named relatively high starting salaries and long tenures as the main hurdles. The placement rate is "reasonable" in her assessment, though the source gives no exact figure. Cooperation with the Reutlingen employment agency and regular "Live Arbeitsmarktdrehscheiben" job-market events were rated especially useful by participants.
Long-serving staff used retraining and coaching to bridge to new roles
Software developer Ralf Maier, with 31 years at Stoll, used the period for further training. Machine operator Markus Molnar, with 43 years at the company, completed CNC training at the MYPEGASUS Academy and is about to start a new job. Tilo Wornath was close to his 40-year anniversary when the closure came and used the scheme to bridge the gap. All three praised application training, qualification courses and coaching.
Daniela Hauke, who spent more than 20 years at Stoll, has worked in the MYPEGASUS secretariat since early 2026.