Ken Mills Engineering Rejoins SMART

28 May 2025

Strengthening Ties with the U.S. Textile Recycling Industry

We’re proud to announce that Ken Mills Engineering (KME) is once again a member of SMART – the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association.

SMART represents the leading textile reuse and recycling companies across the United States, and our renewed membership marks an exciting step forward as we strengthen our ties with the most innovative and forward-thinking textile firms in America.

With over four decades of engineering experience and a global reputation for robust, efficient waste handling machinery, KME has long been at the forefront of textile recycling technology. Our range of equipment including high-throughput balers, integrated sorting lines, and our industry-unique textile bale breaker with metal detection is designed specifically to meet the demands of modern textile recovery.

We’re especially proud to be the original designers of the textile bale breaker with integrated metal detection, a game-changing system that improves material flow, protects downstream equipment, and ensures a safer, more consistent operation. While others have since tried to replicate the concept, KME remains the trusted name in bale breaking innovation. With systems already operating successfully across the UK and beyond.

Joining SMART allows us to connect directly with U.S. operators, recyclers, and industry leaders, many of whom are looking to scale up their operations and increase efficiency as the demand for sustainable textile solutions continues to grow.

“We’ve always seen the U.S. as a key market for textile recycling innovation,” says Adam Moore, sales director at Ken Mills Engineering. “By rejoining SMART, we’re making it clear that we’re committed to supporting the North American industry — not just with proven machinery, but with long-term partnerships and technical expertise.”

KME’s machinery is designed and built entirely in-house at our site in Littleborough, Greater Manchester, and delivered to customers around the world. As we expand our global footprint, we’re excited to take more of our British-built machinery overseas and help SMART members improve productivity, safety, and profitability in their operations.

We look forward to working with SMART and its members once again, and continuing our mission to keep textiles in use — and out of landfill.