However, the history of the weaving goes back even further. As early as 1977 Johannes Hansen founded the weaving mill in a barn on the farm in Lejrskov. Here the foundation was laid for many years of development and building of knowledge in the field of woven materials. Production has developed significantly over the years — from the manufacture of mailbags and curtains to today's production high quality textile materials for ventilation solutions.

Today, the weaving mill is led by Frank Hansen, third generation in the family business and grandson of the founder. Frank has been a part of the company since his grandfather was in charge, and over the years he has helped to further develop the weaving in line with new requirements, technologies and markets.

In 1986 Vagn Hansen took over the weaving mill after his father, Johannes Hansen. In 1999 — in connection with the construction of a new weaving mill in Vejen — the company was converted into a limited company and KE Fibertec bought up half of the shares. Just over 11 years later, Frank Hansen took over his father's ownership stake, and in 2021 KE Fibertec became the sole owner of the loom, continuing with Frank Hansen as director.

After 25 years, when KE Fibertec was first the largest customer of the weaving mill and today is the owner of the production unit, a unique and in-depth knowledge of the textile materialsused for the company's ventilation solutions. This applies to quality, permeability (air permeability) and durability of textiles — competencies that are essential for delivering high-quality solutions.

New developments and continuous optimization of processes are the hallmarks of weaving today. Important milestones have been reached in several areas and the weaving industry is now emerging as a modern and highly deliverable production unit. Most recently, a new air loom has been invested in and installed, which has significantly increased production capacity. With several looms in operation, today the loom can manufacture up to 600,000 square meters of textile material annually, combined with high quality and great delivery reliability.

Sustainability is a key area of focus. KE Fibertec has a strategic objective to become CO₂-neutral by 2030 at Danish factories, including the weaving. To achieve this goal, a number of initiatives have been initiated that reduce waste and reduce the company's environmental footprint.

An important area of focus has been the improvement of raw materials and dyeing processes. By moving the dyeing to an earlier stage of the process — directly on yarns and granules — the water consumption for dyeing has been significantly reduced. Today, only 5 liters of water are used per kilogram of material, equivalent to five times less water than before. Overall, the change has led to a reduction in water consumption and wastewater at 67%, which equates to an annual saving of about two million liters of water. At the same time, the primary qualities of weaving have become Cradle to Cradle Certified, demonstrating that the materials are a more responsible choice for the environment.

Waste reduction has also been a major focus. By the end of the year, the weaver can note that today there are zero waste from production. Excess textile materials from laser cutting — up to 35 tonnes annually — are upcycled at Kvadrat Really into acoustic products. Plastic cones from yarn are granulated and recycled for the production of chain blanks for Frontmatec, and approximately 8 tonnes of yarn residues are recycled internally into bead string, which is used when assembling KE Fibertec's ventilation systems. These are just some of the many initiatives already implemented -- and a focus that will continue going forward.

Although Frank Hansen chose a few years ago to sell the loom in full to KE Fibertec, the familial ties remain strong. With an average length of service of just under 20 years, many employees have been involved almost from the beginning, and the atmosphere in the weaving is still characterized by closeness and community. The family still comes to visit, and as three of the five full-time employees are related to each other, the special spirit lives on.

Therefore, it was also a natural decision to mark the anniversary together with employees and their families when the day is celebrated with an internal event in Vejen.

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