"The site has been here since 1975 and for the most part we continue to do what we have done since then, making woollen yarn," he said.
"But we have redefined ourselves as a felted yarn maker, producing chunky, luxurious yarn aimed at the high-end residential broadloom market."
Cavalier is one of only a few companies worldwide that makes felted wool carpets.
"There's a noticeable swing back to wool with the anti-plastic sentiment out there," Karl said.
"Wool will be the future for us, especially in the higher end market."
Today's 50th anniversary celebrations in Whanganui will involve a function and anniversary cake for the dayshift staff, plus more than 20 former employees and guests including Cavalier Bremworth's national sales manager Dean Chandler. The nightshift team will have its own celebration, with another anniversary cake.