Wire-Loom Weaving of Upholstery Moquette
 

Metex Wire-Loom, Sept 2001

Wire-Loom weaving is the process for manufacturing loop-pile and cut-pile upholstery moquette in which a wire is used to form the pile loop.

A Wire-Loom is the type of Loom usually associated with Wilton carpet weaving. The wire-loom is able to make Pile Fabrics with loop-pile, cut-pile or combinations of both the above. This makes it highly versatile, offering a wider range of characteristics than the Face-to-Face Loom but it is a slower process, restricted in speed by the insertion of a steel wire, which is used to form the loops or Tufts. The type of fabric produced with all-loop pile is often called epinglé.

At John Holdsworth & Co Ltd, the wire looms in use during the 1950s and 1960s were six made by Wilson and Longbottom of Barnsley, as well as around 36 looms converted by in-house engineers, called Smith Looms, probably after the individual responsible. All these had Dracup jacquards fitted.
In 1992, after the acquisition of the assets of Birr Fabrics in Ireland, and Firth Furnishings in Heckmondwike, all the Smith wire-looms were scrapped, and replaced with the newly acquired and somewhat dated Wilson and Longbottom wire-looms.
From 1997 to 1998 these were in turn superceded by a brand-new model of Metex wire-loom and jacquard which replaced what was already fifty-year-old plant. The new jacquards were fitted with Japanese computer controlled selection systems, which removed any further need for a Card-Stamper in the company.

From the Photograph Album

New open-grid Wire-Loom jacquard gantry flooring as required to meet fire sprinkler requirements 17 Feb 2003	The flooring allows sprinklers in the roof to drench all equipment, in case of fire it also allows ambient light through 17 Feb 2003
The rear of the Metex Wire-Loom showing pile yarn and warp yarn sheets 17 Feb 2003	The line of the Metex Wire-Looms with the last Wilson and Longbottom Wire-Looms in foreground 17 Feb 2003