The big breakthrough came one year after the ITMA-exhibition in Lille. In 1952, the Royal Textile Factory Nijverdal-Ten Cate, the largest Dutch weaving mill at that time, requested a quotation for 800 looms. This gave Picañol the chance to prove itself against the 'established names' of that time. Thanks to the technical cooperation with Jaimé Picañol and Joseph Vermandere, the special needs of Ten Cate could be fulfilled. Following consultation between the engineers of Picañol and the potential new customer, the loom was reworked, and in a short period of time, a modified President was created. A number of these machines were installed at Nijverdal-Ten Cate on a trial basis, so that they could be tested extensively against those of the competitors. Due to the frequent visits of and the cooperation with the TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) in Delft, a special comb-movement was designed. By applying gradual crossing it was possible to give the poplin shirts a special character. Coincidentally, these new machines start with the number 4711, and they are known as the "eau de cologne" series. Based on the test results, Nijverdal-Ten Cate decided to place an order at Picañol for 800 looms. And along with the technical and commercial approach, another unexpected element played a role, namely that both partners speak the same language! By 1961, Picañol had supplied Ten Cate with as many as 2,500 looms.
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