retail industry news
TRANSCRIPT
Retail Industry News
Deepak Mohindra Editor-in-Chief
Read and comment on my blog athttp://stitchworldmagazine.blogspot.com
E D I T O R I A L
The buzzword today is Industry 4.0… Every international forum, seminar and trade fair is discussing and deliberating on disruptive innovations such as IoT, M2M, Vision Systems Integrated Sewing, 3D Sewing, and Robotics. The topics are relevant today in the wake of efforts by Western countries – the US and Europe – to bring back the sewing industry… I think the industry is on the cusp of evolution since the talk on such subjects is overwhelming.
In a new series starting this issue, we will bring to our pages the leaders driving the innovation in the industry. The first part of the series is an excerpt of the discussions I had during a recent tête-à-tête with the management team of the ShangGong Group, which has acquired some really big names in European technology, including Duerkopp Adler.
During my regular visits to Bangladesh, I have noticed that the country is fast moving towards high-end technology, much more than compared to India, though India is the largest importer of sewing machines today. While India is importing a lot of basic machines, established brands are very happy working with Bangladesh for their automated machines.
It seems that the garment export industry in India has reached a plateau and now the domestic market is at the stage which was occupied by export market in the early 80s, providing good opportunities for technology providers to work in large numbers, but in basic machines. Perhaps that is why we see large number of domestic players at technology events in India these days.
I hope it is not the end of growth for the garment export industry… There has to be a lot more juice left in the industry than generally perceived. The drive to skill people in huge numbers for the sewing industry and the overtly active State Governments inviting industry to set-up units for exports with lucrative incentives, will surely not let the export industry die out.
This is one editorial in which I have not offered any solution, but only raised my concerns… If you think otherwise, please send me your views.
In the meanwhile, we bring to our readers another edition of StitchWorld which is a gamut of technology and management tools. INH Quality Management by Groz-Beckert facilitates an interconnected process for the entire history of a needle from its entry into the company through the documentation of needle breakage to the point at which it leaves the factory in a recyclable condition.
Our content remains incomplete without the experts sharing their valuable strategies and experiences. Piyush R Vyas and Anand Deshpande are there in the issue to share on how to reap the advantages from implementation of lean, not only benefiting the factory, but Indian apparel industry as a whole.
How did you set up IE Department in your factory? Did you face any problem in setting up the IE Department? How did you set the eligibility criteria for IE staff?Do you feel fresh college pass-outs are a better choice over the experienced ones?What is the staff-strength of your IE Department? What should be the reporting structure? Should an IE report to Production Manager or General Manager?
IE concept is the core and essential one for every manufacturing unit. Especially, in garment sewing sector, IE Department tells everything relatedto costing and garment making and helps in improving processes and methods of working to increase a factory’s overall performance.
Firstly, we decide SAM for an operation and then plan productivity and costing. Industries nowadays use General Sewing Data (GSD) software for deciding SAM and we are not an exception. GSD enables us to handle and analyse the breakdowns easily. We generally recruit experienced engineers to handle software and look after breakdownsas they are more technically inclined towards the problem.Though we hire freshers, we also train them first before handing over anything that has an impact on mainstream operations. At present, we have 4 junior IEs who directly report to 1 senior IE and this team of 5 IEs is responsible for breakdown maintenance of 3,000 machines (production specific).
PIYUSH TIWARIAssociate Vice President (Operations),
Texport Syndicate India Ltd., Bangalore, India
Subject of setting up an IE Department in an organization is very vast.To establish an IE Department, we need to set all core areasinto subgroups based on the factory size and requirement. Different organizations will have various challenges based on their factory’s current work system and setup. To get real benefits of IEs, we have to be open-minded and ready to adapta culture which is more feasible to a particular organization based on their setup. A person who
has good intellectual ability and common sense will be a better candidate for the IE Department at different levels. Normally, we prefer people from IE background or NIFT. In any organization, IEs will have different levels of structure for various responsibilities. For an IE Management Trainee, definitely college pass-outs are better but for IE Manager; a candidate should have basicexperience in terms of process and team handling.For a 1,000-machine factory, the total strength of the IE Department is 11, including IE Manager.An IE has to report to the person who owns the responsibility of the factory in terms of cost and productivity, and can be GM, VP or any topmanagement person who is directly involved with the organization’s cost and profit.
DINESH SHARMAAssistant GM, Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd.,Faridabad, India
IE concept is not new to professionally-managed Indonesian factories and has always been apart of the manufacturing setup. PT Ameya Livingstyle Indonesia is one such professionally- managed organization.We have an IE Manager from Sri Lanka since 2008 who has a team of IEs monitoring all areas of production from cutting through sewing till finishing/packaging.
We recruit fresh graduates generally with Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering (10+2+4 system) with a minimum CGPA of 3 out of 4 from some of the prestigious universities around and train them. For every 2 lines, we have 1 IE for Cutting Department – 1 IE; and for Finishing Department 1 IE who report to IE Manager. An IE
TECH BYTE
TECH BYTES
Manager does not report to Production Manager but to VP – Manufacturing.
PARAMVP – Manufacturing, Ameya Indo, Indonesia
We had set up IE Department in the late 90s, probably the pioneers in India.We looked around for an experienced IE Manager who has worked in good organizations, known to be‘masters’ in IE (like the British, Sri Lankan organizations). Once the candidate joined, we recruited about a dozen fresh engineers from NIFT and local engineering colleges who were trained under the IE Manager. We also got all of them certified under General Sewing Data (GSD). So the foundation of our IE Department is the expertise from the world’s best IEs and a team of smart engineers. Once the team was in place, we workedon the IE strategy and focused on the step-by-step implementation.The benefit is that the lines which were operating at about 50 per cent efficiency in early 2000 are currently operating at 80 per cent efficiency.
We faced many issues like:‘What is to be done?’,‘How to prioritize?’,‘How to do it?’,‘Who is to be benchmarked?’; Resistance from floor production personnel who at that point believed that having more manpower is the only way to improve production; Production personnel who were not ready to change the method as they were worried about the temporary loss of production; and in Unionized factories, we had to take the union through the IE concept to get the buy-in.
An IE should have analytical skills, observing skills, a will to challenge the status quo and determination to achieve what he/she targeted even when there is resistance from everyone in the organization. Heshould be very good in mental mathematics, willing to spend a good amount of time in the shopfloor helping and guiding operators to achieve the targets. Also, the person should have good convincing skills and be able to present his thoughts to the senior management and get their support.
I do feel that fresh IE engineers from colleges are a better choice to a certain extent, provided there is a senior IE to guide them and challenge them.The young engineers generally have an open thought process which needs to be channelized to the direction in which the organization wants to move.My recommendation is that the new engineers should
work in the IE Department for a maximum of three years and take up other high-profile jobs. You don’t need so many senior IEs in an organization.
To be honest, there is no straight answer on ‘how to decide the staff strength of the IE Department’. Itdepends on what the organization wants to achieve and at what level it wants the IEs to work. I have observed that lot of organization use IEs to chase the hourly production. This is a supervisor’s job. An IE needs to be a ‘problem solver’, not a ‘fire fighter’.
I would recommend an IE for a manpower of 250 to 500 with one or two time study experts under him.The time study experts can do work study, follow up on training, bottleneck clearance, etc., on which an IE focuses as a whole. The new engineer will be ready to take up this position if he does a 6 months structured training along with the time study experts. A factory with a manpower of more than 1,000 can have an IE Manager.
The IE Manager should focus more on strategic initiatives like capacity building projects, productivity enhancement projects, technology implementation projects, etc. IEsare to be seen as the extra brain of the unit head. Do not degrade them to be‘production chasers’, which many of the Indian apparel units are currently doing.DEVADAS P M,Assistant Vice President – Business Excellence, IE and Sustainability, Madura F&L – Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd., Bangalore, India
Have you heard about joining fabrics by welding or bonding rather than sewing? Have you seen any garments commercially where welding or bonding is used?What all types of garments do you think can be made using welding or bonding? What are the advantages and disadvantages of welding or bonding over sewing?Are you aware about some machine brands which are offering welding or bonding machines for fabric joining?Write your comments to us by 20th March 2017 at: [email protected] or post your views online through our website: www.apparelresources.com
TechByteStitchWorld APRIL 2017 Question
In the first eleven months of 2016, trousers import by the EU registered growth of 5.61 per cent in volumes and 1.28 per cent in value.
Undergarments Babies wear Though the China witnessedexport from exports from decline in value negative growth inVietnam to the India to the US of exports by sweaters export toEU recorded grew both in India to the US in the US in January-63.60 per cent value and volume trousers category November 2016.surge in during January was (-) 0.16 per There has been aquantities, while to November, cent, volume saw downturn in bothvalue increased 2016. The country a surging trend value {(-) 19.03by massive recorded rise in by 2.19 per cent per cent} and68.51 per cent value by 4.67 during the initial volume {(-) 14.87during the per cent while 11-month period per cent} in theJanuary-November volumes were up of 2016. review period.period of 2016. by 16.46 per cent.
Bangladesh registered growth in export of ladies blouses to the US. Value roseby 40.15 per cent while quantity too saw an increase of 41.69 per cent.
TRADE STATISTICS
India: Silver Spark Apparel’s Ethiopian factory to be operational by May
Apparel, a subsidiary of Raymond Group, is expecting to start its Ethiopian (in Awasa) factory in May this year. As per the schedule, the factory was to start in April, but the date has been pushed further by the company, which has been working on this project for almost one and a half years.
The apparel exporter noted a turnover of almost Rs. 450 crore in the current fiscal and is expecting to grow by around 150 per cent in
next 2-3 years once this new factory in Ethiopia starts operations.
Prashant Jain,DGM – Marketing
& Merchandising of the company
told Team StitchWorld,“A few issues were there, but slowly we are overcoming those and in May we will commence production. Initially the capacity of the factory will be 4,000 suits per day.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Ethiopia has become a major attraction today for apparel manufacturers due
to duty-free access. Low-cost labour availability is another advantage in this country.Also, the Government is giving some relaxations for ease-of- doing business.
Silver Spark Apparel is being provided land on long lease by the Ethiopian Government, and electricity at one-third price compared to India.Known for quality suits, the company was set up in 2003 for suits and formal trousers manufacturing. Its factoryin Bangalore was recently honoured by Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), an official body of apparel exporters in India.
Prashant Jain, DGM – Marketing & Merchandising, Silver Spark Apparel
Gokaldas Exports will set up four apparel manufacturing units in Andhra Pradesh over the next three years
India: Andhra Pradesh to get 12 new apparel units
outh Indian state ofSAndhra Pradesh is setto get 12 new apparel units which would attract an investment of Rs. 963 crore and create 46,000 jobs in the state. This was announcedby K Srikanth Prabhakar, Joint Director in the office of the Commissioner of Handlooms and Textiles.
“These projects will come up in the next one to one-and- a-half years. Four of the units will come up in the Brandix apparel park here, five units in Anantapur district and the remaining in Chittoor district,” he mentioned during an interactive session with entrepreneurs in Visakhapatnam.
It may be mentioned here that Gokaldas Exports has already signed an MoU with theState Government of Andhra Pradesh for setting up four apparel manufacturing units over the next three years in Chittoor District, involving an investment of approximately Rs. 200 crores, which is likely to generate nearly 5,000 new jobs.
“The investment is however subject to such terms and conditions as requested and sought by GokaldasExports, including appropriate infrastructural supportand relevant incentives and subsidies being made available to GEL with the Government of AndhraPradesh,” the company said.
India: EESL to ink MoU with two Surat textile processing unitsnergy EfficiencyEServices Limited (EESL) is all set to signan MoU with two textile processing units in Surat, Gujarat, to be suggested by the SouthGujarat Textile Processors Association (SGTPA),for setting up the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and the caustic recovery plant at the Common EffluentTreatment Plant (CETP) in Pandesara GIDC.
Jitu Vakharia, President, SGTPA informed a leading Indian daily that the CETP there is unable to process the waste generated from the textile processing units. The automation of the processing units will help in reducing energy and carbon emission.
The project will be undertaken by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in Surat’s textile cluster in collaboration with Ministry of MSME (MoMSME) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
S P Garnaik, Chief General Manager, EESL said,“The main aim is to improve production and save energy. After the success, other units may also join in the project.”
India: Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks fails to realise objectives: Report
India: Tiruvuru Expor ters Association to set up 10 units in Warangal Textile Park
ack of coordinationL among the unitsin the textile parks, inability to attract the right investors, failure to achieve economies ofscale, absence of collective approach in raw materials sourcing and marketing, small size of the parks,and dearth of marketing support from the Government have emerged as reasons behind failure of Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP), launched in 2005. This has been statedin a report commissioned by Indian Textiles Ministry. The scheme was launched
T Rama Rao, IT andK Industries Minister,Telangana (India) recently
to provide the industry with state-of-the-art world-class infrastructurefacilities for setting up their textile units.
The report has suggested launching of new parks having minimum land size of 1,000 acres, andinfrastructure support in the form of readymade factory sheds, warehouse, incubation centres and testing labs,with express connectivity to seaports and airports under the scheme Mega Textile Parks.
The scheme has so far achieved limitedclusterization. Industrial
visited Tiruvuru and Palladam Textile Parks in Tamil Nadu. There he met
corridor or areas near seaport have been recommended as an ideal location to set up mega textile parks. Out of total sanctioned 74, only 30 parks are functional which are involved in production of spun yarn, fabric weaving and knitting, fabric processing, garmenting, made-up manufacturing, and technical textiles,while eight have applied for cancellation. These functional parks have managed to provide employment to only 68,000people which is 57 per cent of their planned employment.
industrialists and enquired about the measures taken for developing the textile industries in these clusters.
Rao also met representatives of Tiruvuru Exporters Association and explained about the handloom policies of Telangana and the proposed textile parkin Warangal. The exporters association has agreedto set up 10 units at the textile park. The Minister has promised to allocate a separate block to the association in the park.
Out of total sanctioned 74, only 30 parks are functional while eight have applied for cancellation
KT Rama Rao has promised Tiruvuru Exporters Association to allocate a separate block in Warangal textile park
China: High labour cost driving out Japanese apparel firms
hina’s reputation as the world’s factory of apparelsC appears to be standing on the edge as labourcosts continue to rise, making the country a costly manufacturing location. As a result, Japan, which runs apparel factories/stores in China, is focusing to shift out of the country; with some getting back to domestic production.
Womenswear retailer Honeys, headquartered in the city of Iwaki, in Fukushima Prefecture, has begun closing flagship stores in Chinese department stores. The company has decided to close down its 270 outlets in China in three years starting in Spring.
In 2016, Tokyo-based women’s apparel company, Itokin, withdrew all its operations in China after the company came to realization that there is no prospect of improving there. Although the company had 300 stores in China at its peak, but intensifying competition from local rivals had cut the profits. Other Japanese apparel companies are also reportedly reviewing their manufacturing strategies in China.
It’s worth mentioning here that many Japanese manufacturers moved their production facilities to China in pursuit of cheap labour over the years, but surging labour costs is shaking China’s image. Even though the country is no longer registering double- digit economic growth, average wages are increasing by 10 per cent a year which is driving up the production costs exponentially.
India: Job working units get Government’s nod to impor t machinery under EPCG scheme
Bangladesh: Shima Seiki displays knitting machines at DTG 2017
ndia’s Tirupur Exporters’IAssociation (TEA) haswelcomed the Government’s decision to permit job working units to import machinery under Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) scheme. EPCG is one of the schemes provided by Governmentof India to importers and exporters to promote exports from the country.
“The new relaxation in condition for registration with indirect tax authorities pave way for this much expected and required relief to the job working units in
eading Japanese knittingLmachine manufacturer,Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd., exhibited at the recently held Dhaka International Textile & Garment Machinery Exhibition (DTG 2017), in cooperation with its partner Pacific Associates.
Shima Seiki’s 5 knitting solutions: SWG061N 10G(WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine) MACH2SIR123- SV 14G, SVR123SP-SV 14G,SSR112-SV 7G (Computerized flat knitting machines) and SDS-ONE APEX3 (3D designsystem) were up on display during the 4-day event.
The manufacturer says SWG061N 10G has been developed to provide opportunities for highly flexible WHOLEGARMENT production over a wide range of items in a compact, economical package.
Tirupur cluster,” said RajaM Shanmugham, President, TEA. He further expressed his gratitude to NirmalaSitharaman, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, A. K. Bhalla, DGFT for relaxing the condition of registration with indirect tax authorities.
Job working units like knitting, dyeing, compacting, printing, embroidering, labelling, calendaring, etc., registered as Common Service Provider (CSP) in Tirupur are now permitted to import machinery under the scheme.
SVR123SP features a loop presser bed mounted above the rear needle bed and is capable of inlay technique for producing unique, value-added hybrid knit-weave fabrics. The SSR series machine will also be on display, featuring thetechnological advancements, such as DSCS Digital Stitch Control System; spring-type moveable sinker system; stitch presser; yarn gripper and cutter and takedown comb.
Shima Seiki also displayed SDS-ONE APEX3 3D design system that is capable to minimize the time and simplify the entire process of knitwear production from planning and design to production and sales promotion, as well ashas capability for Virtual Sampling.
Average wages are increasing by 10 per cent a year in China, which is resulting in mounting production cost
Myanmar: Government to develop specialized textile and garment zone
yanmar GovernmentMhas decided to develop a specializedtextile and garment zone in the country to attract investment from both local and foreign players. A joint assessment by the Ministry of Industry and a Japanese company is underway to set upthe zone at 127 acres land of garment factory in Shwe Taung thatwill generat jobs in the country. MyanmarInvestment Commission (MIC), a Government- appointed body under the Ministry of Planningand Finance that appraises domestic investment proposals in Myanmar,has recommended several fiscal incentives for companies interested in starting projects in Sittwe, to encourage investment in a less developed region.
The proposed incentives include an income tax exemption for seven years and exemption on customs duties and local taxes, on import of raw materials and partially manufactured goods. The relaxation of duties and taxes would be for those companies, which import raw materials to export finished goods.
Over 300,000 people are employed with over 400 apparel manufacturing units in Myanmar.
India: Global Investors’ Summit Jharkhand reaps benefits for T&C sector
India: Lux to manufacture women intimatewear at its new unit
harkhand has immense“Jpotential to growin textile sectors. Textile and apparel sectors are expected to be second largest employers inJharkhand after agriculture,” underlined Raghubar Das, Chief Minister, Jharkhand, India at the recently held Global Investors’ Summit in the state.
Ensuring of expanding in the state, Sudhir Dhingra, Chairman and Managing Director, Orient Craft
ndia’s innerwearImanufacturer Lux Industriesis soon going to start a new 30,000 sq. ft. manufacturing unit at Ghaziabad in Indian state of Uttar Pradesh for the production of lingerie and loungewear for women. The intimate wear from Lux will hit the market by the endof March or by beginning of April this year, and will be available at all retail outlets that sell Lux products. Thewomen intimatewear line will be launched under the brand
Limited said,“We promise to generate lakhs of jobs in the state. We had started Orient Craft in 1972 with merely four people and investment of Rs. 15,000. Now, over 32,000 people are working under the company,” he added,“I see a great future of Jharkhand which will attract domestic as well as foreign buyers. We will invest Rs.3,000 crore and open six skill development centres.”
Jalandhar Giri, Director, Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd. also informed
name Lyra, which is currently into leggings.
“Our legging business is growing by 50 per cent a year and currently we command a market share of 38 per cent in the mid to premium segment. With that kind of credibility we are hoping to make a place for ourselves in the lingerie segment too,” said UditTodi, Senior Vice President, Lux Industries.
It’s not only innerwear, the manufacturer is also planning
of his plan to open a unit in Jharkhand soon.
Additionally, Dr. Ajit Kumar Sinha, Director, Central Tassar Research and Training Institute stated that tassar culture has employed 1.80 lakh farmers and 30,000 weavers in the state. Jharkhand is progressing fast in tassar production which increased to 3,238 metric tonnes in 2016-19 from 143 metric tonnes in 2007-08.The by-product of it could be used to generate large scale employment.
to increase manufacturing and selling of their outerwear range launched by one of their premium brands ONN. “Last calendar year, we sold 50,000 pieces but by the end of 2017, we are targeting the sale of 10 lakh pieces of ONN active wear, sold through our distributer and retailer chain,” added Todi.
Furthermore, the Rs. 950-crore Lux Industries has set a target to achieve annual turnoverof Rs. 2,000 crore by the end of 2020.
Orient Craft will invest Rs. 3,000 crore and open six skill development centres in Jharkhand
India: Textiles Minister inaugurates apparel making centre in Meghalaya
ndia’s Union Minister ofITextiles, Smriti Irani, hasinaugurated first ever Apparel and Garment Making Centre at Ampati, Meghalaya. An approximate cost of Rs. 14.26 crore was spent on settingup of the centre spread in the area of 45,000 sq. feet. The construction of the centre began in the year 2015.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma expressed his confidence that the garment centre would grow to become the most sought- after export unit in the state.He also spoke of the advantage provided by the availabilityof international market in neighbouring Bangladesh, and the opportunity it offers in forging business partnerships with investors of Bangladesh.
While dedicating the centre to the people of Meghalaya, Irani said that once this centre functions to its full potential, it would be an indication to investors across the country that the youth of the region are ready for economic engagement and expansion.
North-east region has huge potential for investments, particularly in the field of textiles and handicrafts due to its inherent strength for skilled workforce and locally available raw materials.
It is pertinent to mention here that Apparel and
Investment of around Rs. 14.26 core has been made in the construction of the centre
Garment Making Centre is being established as part of a landmark initiative announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nagaland, on 1st December, 2014, accordingto which a centre shall be constructed in all north eastern states.
PEOPLE
The principles of global business are changing and today standing alone among many similar placed companies in a market where customers are exposed to so much information and choices, is like committing suicide… Collaborations and synergies to offer customers more than just product, is the key to success. And a company which has seen growth on the back of this philosophy is ShangGong Europe (Holding) Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of ShangGong Group, China, the first state- owned company in the country with a foreign collaboration. The company’s success can be gauged from the fact that last year, ShangGong Europe registered a two-digit increase in sales income of sewing equipment when many other players in the segment struggled.
DISCUSSING STRATEGY WITH SHANGGONG EUROPE…
riving the change isDZhang Min, who rose from theranks to become the Chairman & CEO, Senior Engineer (Professor), SGSB Group Co., Ltd. in 2005.Zhang Min has also been on the Board of Directors at China Sewing Machinery Associationand awarded the Title of National Outstanding Entrepreneur; indeed, the way the company has grown under his guidance is exemplary.Supporting him on this mission is Dietrich Eickhoff, Co-CEO,ShangGong Europe, and now also the member of the Supervisory Board, who is responsible for ensuring continuity of the strategic orientation of the company. Having held the position of Chairman and Board Member at Dürkopp Adler AG since 2011, Dietrich Eickhoff has a global vision with an approach i.e. German-quality all the way.
ShangGong Europe started its international journey ofcollaboration when it acquired Dürkopp Adler AG and became its majority shareholder in July of2005. An aggressive company that
understands the need of multi- brand presence in the market to be competitive, ShangGongsubsequently went on to acquire Pfaff, KSL and Gemsy. Last year, the company also acquired a 26 per cent holding in H. Stoll AG, one of the most innovative and largest manufacturers of automatic flat knitting machines in the world.
In an exclusive interaction with the two, Deepak Mohindra, Editor- in-Chief, StitchWorld debates on the new strategy. Below are the excerpts of the debate…How will the presence of such diverse brands under one identity – ShangGong Europe work as a strategy?
Zhang Min: The company has been working on business integration so as to create a special platform and facilitate the opening-up of international markets for ShangGong products and the penetration of Dürkopp Adler, Pfaff andKSL products into Chinese and Asian markets. That way we
have market presence across the globe with distinct and diverse product/technology offerings.
But when I look at the brands under the SG umbrella and their market positioning, I feel confused as a customer…, there is too much difference in the technology levels. Dürkopp isabout high-level automation andcannot be brought down to the level of Gemsy, so why not use the Dürkopp Adler name, which is a premium brand to uplift Gemsy and create a vertical platform rather than a platform which looks very horizontal in terms of technology…?
Dietrich Eickhoff: What you are saying is one strategy, but we are targeting another strategy wherein each brand retains its core competenceand addresses market needs of different segments, instead of having a company that is only about high-end technology. The strategy is about segmenting our brands and customers and providing a common platform
We target to be the No. 1 technology providing company worldwide, in terms of profitability, volume ofbusiness and market reach, and I am not talking only about those segments that we are already working in,our influence will be felt in technical textiles and in future technologiesas well.– Dietrich Eickhoff, Co-CEO,ShangGongEurope
for easy movement along the options.
Zhang Min: We want to be a global supplier oftechnology in all segments.So, whatever the need is, we can offer the best solution in that segment at the best price forbest value.Why not have a common
brand image maybe that of Dürkopp Adler, as itrepresents high-end reliabletechnology and carry it on all products instead ofkeeping multi-brand names,wherein the customer first has to understand the individual brands?
Dietrich Eickhoff: Some companies have triedto provide a very wide selection of technology options under one brand name, but it has not worked as each brand has a strong market association; for example, KSL is about robotics and if all of a sudden it starts selling basic stitching machines, its value at its original position will also get diluted. So, multi-brands work better. What is needed is shared synergy. Our branding strategy contains premium and commodity brands.
Zhang Min: That is why we are developing a common platform for marketing that will study customer’s requirements and suggest what best suits its needs. Like if it is a shoe or jeans line than Pfaff which will be at the forefront, similarly in heavy duty industrial sewing segment like automotive or technical textiles, it is going to be Dürkopp and for basic automated machines in lockstitch, chainstitch, overlock, etc., SG Gemsy is the key product.
What has been the experience of this strategy; is the customer reacting positively to this consolidation?
Dietrich Eickhoff: We have seen good growth and in Bangladesh alone we doubled our sales for Dürkopp. Asia is the place to be and now that we have the right strategy in place and the right thrust, we are really excited with the possibilities.
Zhang Min: The reaction of the customer has encouraged us to expand our portfolio and we have already added Stoll for knitting machines and now we are exploring technologies along the textile value chain. Atthe upcoming CISMA, you may see many more technologies under our umbrella.
What next?
Dietrich Eickhoff: We target to be the number one technology providing
company worldwide, in terms of profitability,volume of business and market reach, and I am not talking only about those segments that we are already working in, our influence will be felt in technical textiles and in future technologies.
Zhang Min: Putting it very simply, the aim is to be the best in the sewing related industry and take the expertise of the DNA to the complete value chain in textiles. For that the focus is on accelerating R&D in shirts, suits, and trousers automatic sewing unit, new thick material machines, high-end electronic control, and continuing promotionof R&D, production and customer application of Industry 4.0 intelligent sewing equipment system.
It is already proven that sewing machines can be networked very similar to network of computers
over internet. This will give unprecedented control of machine setting remotely, tracking machine downtime anywhere in the world, tracking sewing workers’ efficiency remotely, toname a few. What is your take on this? DoesShangGong Europe have any plan of development in this direction?
Zhang Min: It is certainly a direction, the company has continuously increased investment in independent innovation, and achieved a substantial increase in the number of patents applied for. We will always put‘innovation- driven’ as the core power of development and continue to increase investment in innovation, cultivation of innovative talents in the futureto accelerate the integration of Internet and networking technology and industry. The R&D will keep innovating in the direction of“automatic, modular, smart” and aiming at the new materials, new technology and new industrial areas in direction of Industry 4.0.
Dietrich Eickhoff: We have proven that robotics in sewing industry is not a dream anymore andwe already have in place robot and programmed manipulator for large scale production of automotive interiors seats and bags. Now with industry being encouraged to moveback to western countries and even China’s labour getting expensive, it is a real need even in standard products. The only challenge is the speedof the R&D and the cost performance ratio i.e. ROI for the end-user.
Zhang Min (left) with Dietrich Eickhoff
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
DESIGNING A LEAN PROCESS – IIDevise a Plant-Wide Strategy
Lean has become a key transformational buzzword in the apparel manufacturing industry. However, a lot of confusion exists in understanding the principles and applying them practically on the shopfloor. Understanding the connection between strategy and principles is key to implementing LEAN on the shopfloor. In this series of articles, Anand Deshpande, Founder and CEO – Admaa Consulting connects the principles with measurables and strategy to achieve those measurables on the apparel shopfloor. In short, it provides a structured approach to design a lean process and suggest major factors and strategies to consider in doing so.
he second part of the seriesTdiscusses how to develop aplant-wide strategy for designing a lean process with a total of 19 strategies with brief examples.
StrategyStrategy: 1Ensure materials flow in the direction of assembly area
To avoid the back and forth movement of materials, generally speaking, the materials must flow from the parts section in a linear manner into the assembly area. This strategy will also reduce the throughput time, inventory and operating expense.
Strategy: 2Incorporate feeding areas next to the point of use
Having feed areas next to the point of use eliminates the need for a remote storage or double handling.
Strategy: 3Reduce material transfer distance between processes
Reducing the material transfer distance between departments has many advantages:• Reduction in lead time• Decrease in amount of inventory
required between departments• Reduction of space
requirements• Reduction in transportation
requirements• Support to single-piece flow• Quick communication between
departments
Strategy: 4Allow waste after processing to flow away from assembly lines
Strategy: 5Get rid of multiple storage locations for same parts
By deploying single storage for threads as shown, we can save space and reduce communication.
Strategy: 6Create a SuperMarket between cutting and sewing processes
Application of Kanban System between cutting and sewing departments in an apparel factory.
Strategy: 7Develop a single-piece flow wherever possible (reduce lot sizes continually)
Single-piece flow refers where
Strateg y: 1
We usually find a spaghetti-kind-of flow on the apparel shopfloor. In the trouser parts assembly, pocketing, zippers and small parts production are typically arranged as shown (sub-assembly) in the ‘before’ illustration. We suggest the flow to be like the ‘after’ illustration.
Process 3
Process 2
Process 2
Sub Assembly
1
Sub Assembly
1
Sub Assembly
2
Final Assembly
Final Assembly
Process 1
Sub Assembly
2
Process 1
Process 3
AfterBefore
Process
Receiving Stores
Feed Area
Feed Area
Remote Storage
Process
AfterBefore
Strategy: 2
Usually, feeding areas must be closer to the stores and unlike the one shown in the ‘before’ picture. The suggestion is to create a feed area close to the process where the canvass is being used in further processing as shown in the ‘after’ illustration.
AfterBefore
Process 1
Process 2
Process 3
Process 4
Process 5
Process 1
Process 2
Process 3
Process 4
Receiving Stores
Process 5
Strateg y: 3
During layout designing, material transfer distance could increase because a subsequent process may not be in line as shown in the ‘before’ illustration. Ideally, we would prefer having process laid out in a sequence as shown in the ‘after’ illustration.
First part of this series discussed ‘how to’ establish the guiding principles for designing a lean process; define goals and objectives of lean design process; and identify the measurablesat plant and department levels.
The final article of the series will talk about translating vision into strategies at a department.
AfterBefore
Strateg y: 5
Thread Storage Thread Storage
Thread storage for jacket sewing lines occurs in multiple places on the shopfloor as shown in the ‘before’ illustration, which leads to duplication of work i.e. double handling. The suggestion is to create a feed area close to the process where the canvass is being used in further processing as shown in the ‘after’ illustration.
Material Feeding (Single piece or batch)
Waste Collection
Production Lines
Strategy: 4
The suggestion is to ensure that fabric waste, thread, etc. created post processing are collected always in the direction perpendicular to the direction of the parts or assembly flow for the ease of disposal or collection for disposal.
Parts Sewing
Cutting Every 200 pieces
Every 100 pieces
Kanban Post
Withdrawal Kanban
Production Kanban
200 pcs
Strategy: 6Authorization line
Kanban BoardA B C D
200 pcs
SupermarketApplication of Kanban System between cutting and sewing departments in an apparel factory
In order to stop overproduction in the case of upstream batch production (i.e. cutting department), we introduce a Supermarket that holds inventory (for example) for a day to be used in assembly line. Now if the inventory in the Supermarket goes higher than one day, the space is unavailableto store, which in turn forces the cutting to stop production – ensuring no overproduction. Also, what is withdrawn from the Supermarket for assembly is controlled using a Kanban System.
Strateg y: 8
If we are to successfully produce 500 units per day from finishing department, let us plan for the 600 pieces output from cutting and 550 pieces output from sewing. This strategy ensures that stock buffers between processes are enough to cater variability and dependency in production operations. Let finishing set the pace for the entire production line.
Material Flow
Pull signal
Capacity: 650 piecesPlanned output: 600 pieces
Capacity: 600 piecesPlanned output: 550 pieces
Capacity: 550 piecesPlanned output: 500 pieces
Upstream Process (Cutting)
Production Process (Sewing)
Downstream Process (Finishing)
one item is produced at a time. Each piece is moved to the next process step without any stagnation in between. The single-piece flow reduces process and lot delays.
Process delay occurs when an entire lot is waiting to be processed while the previous lot is processed, inspected and moved. Lot delay occurs when one piece is processed, the other pieces in the lot have to wait.
In garment industry, all the processes after cutting are usually run in a single-piece flow. This type of production reduces lead time and quality defects.
Strategy: 8Production capacity and output must be higher in upstream process
The illustration is an example of a typical apparelmanufacturing unit. Generally speaking, the cycle timesin assembly lines are faster, therefore they pull the line quicker than feeding rates from parts assembly. The strategy should be to have higher capacities output in the upstream process.
Strategy: 9Create Visual Constraints on the floor to reduce inventory
Markings on the shopfloor to mark the machine location, inventory storage areas, physical barriers, etc. helpin ensuring production compliance.
Strategy: 10Integrate parts production into assembly lines (create value stream)
We observe that in most production plants, the parts assembly is run separately as a unit whereas thefinal assembly is run like a value stream. The biggest disadvantage of this
approach is that operators doing parts assembly do not know the immediate priority of final assembly. For example, in trouser making, pocketing, small parts, waistband and zippers are produced in a separate section. This leadsto chaos as far as production priorities are concerned.
In order to avoid this, create an end-to-end value stream, wherein cutting, parts assembly, final assembly and finishing are all part of one value stream and arranged in a sequence wherever possible.
Also, bring related parts closer to each other. If you have the waistband, zippers attachments, operations, etc. integrated into the mainassembly line, communication gap will reduce and production priorities will be adjusted accordingly.
Strategy: 11Level production volume
An apparel manufacturing unit receives an order of 1,000 pieces on a weekly basis. (Refer Table 1) Assumingthat the plant operates on a five-day schedule, the average daily volume scheduled at pacesetter would be 200 pieces.
We must plan the production on the basis of a constant volume of 200 pieces per day. Basic levelling helpsin takt time planning and therefore processstandardization. If we fail to plan on a constant volume basis per day, the resultant outcome would be an overburden on the system.
Takt Time = Available time per day/demand per day
If available time is 480 minutes and demand is 200 pieces, then takt time is 144 seconds.
improve the response-speed to correct an abnormality.
The strategy would be to:• Eliminate excess stocking
of threads, etc. in cupboards.
• Avoid satellite storage of same items.
• Remove boards from the middle of the lines that obstruct the view.
• Create a common communication centre to hold meetings.
Strategy: 14Mandate material conveyance routes and avoid traffic jam
In order to have accurate material deliveries on time, the conveyance route must be mandated as much asit is possible. This strategy can also reduce the material transfer distance between departments…
Strategy: 15Control inventory by stipulating SWIP
SWIP is Standard Work in Progress and WIP is Work in Progress. We can stipulate the SWIP in each section and also in the stockbuffer zones. This has to be followed up by reviewing the WIP to SWIP report for each section and the buffer zone.
The purpose of tracking WIP to SWIP report is to:• Determine the inventory
balance in the production line.
• Measure the effectiveness of the pull system.
• Support workplace organization.
Figure 1 helps us to understand the WIP to SWIP Ratio.
Let us assume that this a lining section of the jacket assembly line.
This means that each operator in a sequential process must complete his/ her work within 144 seconds per piece. In order to do that we must devise a standard method that delivers an output in each cycle under 144 seconds.
Strategy: 12Follow-up on colour clearance on daily basis
The most common reason for late shipments is colour clearance. We invariably observe that container isdelayed because a few pieces are left out (somewhere in the production floor in a semi- processed state) to complete the shipment.
To improve this aspect, focus on the following:• Reduce unnecessary buffer
stock.• Reduce WIP.• Insist on clearing an
alteration piece within a time window (e.g. 4 hours after being discovered).
• Improve FTT% in the finishing and packing section.
• Use 8D for causal analysis and permanent corrective action.
• Monitor the top five defects daily and aim to reduce them.
Strategy: 13Remove visual barriers from the line
Excessive stock storage (thread, button storage, etc.), cupboards, unnecessary boards in the wrong location result in the creation of visual barriers along the line.
Control on production line stems out from the fact of observing an abnormality or defect as soon as it occurs. By reducing barriers to see through the line, we in fact
Standard WIP is 20 pieces (one in each workstation, three at entry point and three at exit point)
WIP on a Monday was calculated and was found to be 24 pieces
Strategy: 15Figure 1
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Customer Demand (Pieces) 150 250 150 250 150
Daily production (Pieces) 200 200 200 200 200
Shortfall/Excess +50 -50 +50 -50 +50
Strategy: 11Table 1: Daily customer demand is as follows:
Visual Constraint
Strateg y: 9
Thread Storage
Markings on the shopfloor (visual constraints) can particularly be helpful in restricting the inventory of threads in that location as shown above in the illustration. If the inventory of threads exceeds the designated storage area, an abnormality occurs triggering elimination of the same.
AfterBefore
Strategy: 14
What you see in the illustration above in the ‘before’ picture is the material conveyance route indicated by an arrow of a material feeder. You can observe that the flow is both ways. We recommend a flow as shown in the ‘after’ illustration.
After Before
orders now come in smaller quantities. Typically the style changeover time varies from 2 hours to 1 day in jacket production. This can be brought down toat least under 30 minutes. Application of ‘Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED)’ is a very practical technique to achieve these ends.
Through SMED, the changeover time is reduced in four phases as follows:
Phase 1: List all activities required to do a changeover from one product to another.
Phase 2: Separate the activities into External Work and Internal Work. External Work is the activity that is conducted without stopping the machinelike bringing threads for a changeover, while Internal Work is the activity that can only be done by stopping the machine, like changing guides on the machine.
Phase 3: Convert as many activities into external work as possible.
Phase 4: Reduce the time taken for Internal Work.
The 19 plant-wide strategies discussed above are practical implementation action points to translate a flow-centric productionmanagement vision into a reality. The success of plant- wide strategies depends on organization’s action.
Strategies are not one-time exercises. They require evaluation and review on a regular basis. The strategies mentioned above can for sure manifest the vision of creating a lean organization by designing it around these strategies.
The SWIP is stipulated at 20 pieces as against the actual WIP of 24 pieces.
The WIP to SWIP is (24/20)= 1.2
If the ratio is greater than 1, there is more inventory and therefore overproduction. If the ratio is less than one,then there could be starving in the system and therefore underproduction. It is also possible that the Cycle Time is more than the takt time.
Strategy: 16Eliminate unused, non-value add space
This strategy aligns best with increasing the density of machines on the production floor. More availability of space will attract defects, overproduction and excess machines.
Strategy: 17Bring related processes close to each other
To promote single-piece flow and reduce the material transfer distance, related processes must be brought close to eachother. Consolidate existing operations into available area.
Strategy: 18Introduce visual and communication centres on shopfloor
Meetings on new product introduction or style changeover happen typically somewhere in the middle of the assembly line. The facility should have dedicated space to hold hourly meetings and communicate with operators on technical specifications of a new product.
Strategy: 19Reduce style changeover time continually
Production lines are expected to be flexible as
Unused Space
Unused space attracts defects and unnecessary buffer stock
Strategy: 16
Unused space on the production floor typically becomes a dumping ground for defective jackets/trousers or excess stock (of threads, buttons, shoulder pads, etc.). In order to pre-empt this situation, you can reduce the unused space by increasing the machine density on the shopfloor.
AfterBefore
Strategy: 17
Related Departments (e.g. waistband making)
We see that typically a waistband making operation is scattered across the production floor as shown in the ‘before’ illustration. We propose having waistband operation consolidated as shown in ‘after’ illustration.
AfterBefore
Communication Centre
Strategy: 18
AfterBefore
Running a compliant factory would mean spending approx.Rs. 1,200per machine every day. We only have 480 minutes in a day to make efficient use of this resource. Needle only operates for 20-25 per cent of the available time. Rest istreated as (lack of) efficiencyin terms of percentage.
The tide is ‘surprisingly’ turning in favour of Indian apparel industry, not because of its good performance, but due to the ‘adversities’faced by the competition… Bangladesh is struggling with political and labour unrest, coupled with the compliance issues; and China,Vietnam and Cambodia all are dealing with the same problems, like labour shortage and high labour wages. Piyush R Vyas, an old industry hand and currently a Management Consultant, writes…
AT TANGENT… IS ‘LEAN’ THE SOLUTION TO INCREASE EFFICIENCIES?
henever a discussion starts onWthe country’s performance,inadvertently our comparison is with Bangladesh. But let usunderstand that the business model of both the countries is entirely different.While Bangladesh’s focus is ‘return’ on each (sewing) machine, India works on raw material cost+ conversion cost + rejection + overhead + profit involved. There is no way India can compete withBangladesh, which is enjoying tariff benefits; also, it cannot beat the neighbour on ‘pricing’. Hence, very rightly, India’s focus is (and should be) on small- to medium-size orders with value addition, targetinglow- to medium-price levels. In fact, I would suggest why not go beyond the medium-pricing mark and takeit to the next level… Whenever the topic of (out) pricing is raised, the focus is always on productivity and efficiency of production floor. Everybody has a picture of ‘blue collar’ worker – tagging them as ‘culprit’ for all the inefficiency. And always a simple and sure antidote suggested is ‘Lean Production’.
Is Lean the solution?Lean is not a tool to increase efficiency, it helps in single piece movement.The inherent problem (characteristic) of an assembly line system remains: balancing the line. Balancing 40-60 workstations (not
machines) is a‘big’ task in itself and mind you, it is not easy to even decipher the bottlenecks. Lean can help reduce the work in progress and also in giving output initially. But the moot point, in any assembly line production, remains balancing of operations. In a small office environment, five people cannot work in cohesion, and here we are expecting 50 people to work in sync with having exactly the same timings for differentkinds of operations…, and then we term them as ‘inefficient’ workers.
The bottleneck may shift through the day – not because of the inefficiency of an operator, but could be a simple reason of not having sufficient workspace around the machine/non-operator. As usual, the line supervisor (and so the floor in-charge) is lost –not knowing what/where the problem actually is. The supervisor merely acts as a postman (feeding helper) and of course occasionally indulges in (an improvement) yelling and shouting toimpress (who?). Many have rightly suggested the need to look at alternate production systems – the age old tried and tested – Group System, where a group of workers makes a complete garment and the target is achieved (or even exceeded) at the end of the day.
Going back to the topic of competitiveness in respect of pricing (meaning cost)...What is the cost of production and how much can it affect the pricing? I am putting across a generalized cost breakup of a basic blouse – close to a real scenario:
Considering CM (Refer Table) as a job working cost – even if it is one’s own factory, the factory works as an independent cost centre, working on revenue model i.e. the factory needs to bill the parent company for a job done and sustain on the revenue generated. CM is just 20 per centof the FOB; even if you consider 25 per cent of the FOB, then also the efficiency from this component (only) will not have a major impact on pricing.
Even then let us see how much and where we can squeeze out of this dollar...Area(s) of concern:Sweating of machineries (capital)
It is strange that the industry has been utilizing the machines only for 8 hours a day – 33 per cent of the time and we have accepted it as a norm (of the industry). If at all we work two hours extra, it is ‘overtime’ – double the cost of
labour, plus energy cost and output – not pro-rata to the extent worked.
At any given time, in present scenario of shortage of labour, 10-15 per cent of themachines are idle. Utilization of machines – if you study your operation bulletin of last six months, it will be evident how many workstations are not used i.e. even 80 per cent of the workstations are not fully utilized due to style and order (flow) constraints.
Wages – directly related to manpower employed
1. This is a fact – a factory with output of just 1 lakh garments per month has cutting stock of 20,000 pieces. Now do I call it‘efficient’ cutting department or an ‘inefficient’ General Manager – who has overstaffed the cutting department? Cutting, at times, is the easiest process, bulk lay, bulk cutting and done.
2.Quality – A big phobia for all of us – quality is taken very seriously, where we have a Quality Manager and under him galore quality supervisors. Cutting Department has a Quality Supervisor – even then cutting gaps are being noticed in sewing.
Sewing line has ‘roving’ (I mean roaming) QCs, and then mid checkpoints and then end-of-line checking. Finishing Department is of course full of quality checkers
– redoing what others have done (or not done).
And then ritually, AQL checking after ironing
– proper reports are maintained. At the end, inspections still fail and all over again start rechecking,
refinishing and re-packing.
3.The industry is working onnorms of 1:2.25 machine
to man ratio, meaning – for
every 100 sewing machines there are 225 workers in total. Now can we make a concerted effort towards bringing down the ratio to 1:2 or 1:1.9?
Seasonal phenomenon, where the industry faces shortage of operators…, it is during this time the ratio has to be maintained more judiciously as otherwise it may rise to even 1:2.5.
4. HR department with close (friendly) interaction with IE & Production Department should work towards bringing down the ratio – which will have net effect (savings) on wages.
Energy:
Electricity is getting costly but the usage (wastage) of electricity goes unnoticed. A few lights switched off here and there – for a few weeks, under pressure ofmanagement, is a temporary phenomenon.
1. Ironing – Major energy guzzler; where there is a lot of room for improving the output. Even at 2.0 minutes per garment, each ironer should be able to give an output of 240 garments
or say even 200 garments. But at the end of month if you tally the total output of
factory, each ironer would have contributed say 100- 125 pieces per day.
2. Fusing Machines – How often (yes, very often) we see fusing machine belt surface area is used only for 20-25 per cent of the area/ time. Everybody around is oblivious to the misuse of fusing machine. Unmindful of the requirement, a factory may use 1.0 metre width fusing machine instead of 600 mm fusing machine or when a job can be done on a smaller 450 mm machine, they continue to use the bigger machine. In fact, if the production (of fusing) is well planned, the machine can run for say four hours to complete the total factory production – and shut down thereafter.
3. Regular cleaning of lights can give much brighter light to the extent that if you are using double tubes in certain areas, you can try to use a single tube with sufficient lux level. More lux is a buyer’s phenomenon – but how much? In fact, continuously working in a bright light of 900-1000 lux can be harmful to a worker.
4. Connected Load v/s demand from Electricity Board (EB): This is one area, where your past usage pattern can help you reduce the demand from EB and thus save on minimum charge levied. Also, I have observed that even if a factory is using100 KVA load, they have installed a DC Generator of 250 KVA. Surely a smaller DC Generator can help save on fuel and maintenance cost (besides the capital cost).Another scenario where a larger factory needs to run a packing department, still have to run a 250 KVA DC
Generator because a smaller DC Generator’s need was never thought of.
Connected Load – is easier to work out – a basic arithmetic; but to determine the actual usage of power is whatcalls for ‘experience’. No pun intended, but the so called ‘Electrical Consultants’ are not well-versed with garment industry working and thus donot work out proper demand- diversity factor, hence over specify the power and infra requirement. Have even seen a factory with 600 machines installed, having a transformer of 1500 KVA, where even a 500 KVA transformer would have sufficed.Efficiency in sewing – Yes,
this ought to be improved
Today, running a compliant factory would mean spending approx. Rs. 1,200 per machine every day. We only have 480 minutes in a day to make efficient use of this resource. And if you have an option of viewing your factory FROM THE TOP – bird’s eye view, you will see how many are employed but ‘unemployed’ workers– evident waste of minutes. Please visit factory ‘as an outsider’ and you will see quite a few unemployed workers. Are the workers to be blamed for this loss of precious minutes out of the available 480 minutes?
A garment is literally sewn when a needle functions, and it is said that the needle only operates for 20-25 per cent of the available time. Rest is treated as (lack of ) efficiency in terms of percentage.
Let us try to squeeze as much as we can from the CM component and then there is a lot the‘white-collar’ workers need to contribute (squeeze) in other areas to make the business competitive and profitable.
BROAD HEADS USDA Fabric & Trims 3.00B CM 1.00C Washing 0.06D Total (A+B+C) 4.06E Rejection 3% 0.12F Sum (D + E) 4.18G Overhead 10% 0.42H Profit 10% 0.42I FOB (F+G+H) 5.02
The sewing floor of any apparel facility face a number of challenges such as productivity increase with demands of high output; minimal proportion of waste and rejections; reduced machine downtime; occupational health and safety; different environmental aspects like smallest possible footprint required and recycling of materials; and adoption of lean production, 5S or Kaizen. Alongside are the ever-stricter regulations obligated by brand owners and buying houses relating to the handling of sewing machine needles. None other than Groz-Beckert, a premier supplier of comprehensive and high-quality sewing needles, offers a standard process for the handling of broken and damaged needles on the shopfloor. Ron Russell, Groz-Beckert, USA shares on how the company is also a partner to their customers before, during and after the production process also.
INH QUALITY MANAGEMENT BY GROZ-BECKERT
ifference of regulationsD regarding sewing machineneedles varies from brand owners, buying houses as well as countries. International brand owners and buying houses impose strict regulations related to handling of needles, withthe intention of making clear that it is critical that no parts of a broken needle remain in the garment, in order to avoid compensation claims from
subsequent end-consumers of sewn products. Non-cohesive regulations highlight the need of a uniform standard for sewing machines handling. Furthermore, different practices for needle exchange, needle storage and needle disposal, and thoroughsearch of needle fragments results in production bottlenecks and requires excessive time and effort. Born out of such experiences gathered from numerous sewing
plants and brand owners, INH (Ideal Needle Handling) ensures a trouble-free, time saving handling of broken and damaged sewing machine needles.
The patented INH process supports all the aspects such as handling of needles,occupational safety, environment and productivity. It offers the individual creation of a process which takes into account all previous operating procedures.
INH defines the process for handling ofsewing machine needles in sewing plants right from needle storage, issuing needles for production, procedureused for needle exchange to the event of needle breakage.
FactoryFactory
INHCompliances Compliances
Carbon footprintCarbon footprint
Low prices
Low prices
Internal processes
External systems(5S,Kaizen etc.) External systems (5S,Kaizen etc.)
Internal processes
Brand owners andbuying houses
Brand owners and buying houses
INH helps in standardizing and streamlining needle management process
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
to the principles of a 5S workstation and form the basis for the “needle change’’ work cycle in compliance with Lean.
TrolleyIt is the centrepiece of INH that replaces the entire needle exchange station. It is used for the storage of new needles and various tools, and as collection point for used/broken needles.
WorktopThe black worktop with recessed work areas for the documentation of sheetsis suitable for right- and left-handed users and for all customary paper sizes. It also offers space for a writing tool i.e. a pen ora pencil. It also features a chute for damaged needles through which the used needles can be posted in the acrylic container for collecting used needles in the top drawer. The worktop also has a freely fixable dispenser for adhesive tape.
Along with ensuring best possible care of sewing personnel with the determined handling of broken needles and optimum ergonomically designed working equipment, the qualitymanagement also ensures sewing needles leaving the factory complete and in a condition capable of being recycled, thus minimizing the carbon footprint. INH reduces the amount of time and work involved in dealing with broken and damaged needles, hence higher work performance due to fewer production downtimes.
Developed in keeping with the 5S and Lean Production Method, and with elements of Kaizen, in particular the different types of waste (Muda), INH is based on another Muda: unused expertise.
How INH works?INH defines the process for handling of sewingmachine needles in sewing plants right from needle storage, issuing needles for production, procedure used for needle exchange to the event of needle breakage. In this way, a cohesive process is shaped for the entire history of a needle fromits entry into the company through the documentation
of needle breakage to the point at which it leaves the factory in a recyclable condition. It closes the gapbetween existing processes and regulations to be adhered to.
Three defined application stages are applicable: INH Balance (finding the right balance between allrequirements), INH Secure (secure the existing) and INH Environment (strive for maximum protection of the environment). A team of qualified trainers remaininvolved in the analysis of all related divisions within the factory, hence logging and integrating the individual requirements of the respective company.
Analysis of existing value stream in the factory
When the existing procedure regarding broken and damaged needle handling is analysed at the factory, the common practice there isa central needle exchange station in the factory where the sewing operator carries the used needles/ part of broken needles to the exchange station. Suchsystem could lead to the loss of needle parts. The sewing operator stands in a line at the exchange station to get a new needle. If the operator is unable to present all the needle fragments, he would
Working of INH Quality Management
Current processes/ status quo
Execution of requirements analysis
Consideration of operating procedures
Individual INH process
INHSecure
INHBalance
INHEnvironment
INH Trolley
return to his workstation to find the missing parts. If the missing pieces of needle cannot be located, procedures of arduous searching, documentationand approval procedures are followed, which ultimately results in long downtimesat the production time as the operator will be busy in searching. This type of situation depicts the irregular capacity utilization at the needle exchange station.
Generating the new value stream in cooperation with the factory and brand owner/buying house
After the introduction of INH in the factory, asignificant change could be observed in the needle handling procedure, better than the chaos in the caseabove. The needle exchange station is replaced by a mobile INH trolley. When the needle exchange person is notified, he/she movesto the machine. The search for the needle fragments begins at the same time. The advantage of INH trolley is that the operatordoes not have to leave his workstation. He can safely deposit the needle fragments and determine whether the needle iscomplete or not. The trolley offers leaner searching, documentation and approval procedures.
Selection of required accessories
Groz-Beckert also provides the necessary accessories designed specifically for INH Quality Management which comply with the highest standards of quality, are designed for maximum ergonomics, conform Worktop of INH Trolley
Needle Storage SheetsThe needle storage sheets are used to stick on and store broken needlesand for documentation purposes. Up to 10 needles can be stored on the needle sheet. The date and time of needle breakage, the machine number, line and machine operatoras well as the number of needle fragments can be recorded in seven columns. The fragments are pasted on in the last column.
Collecting bin in the INH trolleyMade of acrylic, a container is placed besides the hanging folder whichis used to collect empty packages.
Needle return boxThe needle return box is used for the collection and return of broken and damaged needles. Theinserted needle log contains
all the relevant data required for documentation.The length of the slot for the broken needle is calibrated to compare with total needle length and quickly estimate if all broken parts are collected or not. While the low strength magnetism keep the needle parts securely at the slot, a cello tape can very quickly help transfer the broken parts from the needle box tothe needle storage sheets. The intelligent ergonomic design helps the needle pasting in storage sheets to be very quick, neatand complete.
Collecting cylinderThe collecting cylinder facilitates a secure disposal of used needles outside the trolley. It is firmly shut
at the top by a lid which, depending on the model, has a suitable posting slot for needles or empty packages. The cylinders are also ideally suitable for placing in a clearly visible location to denote application of the quality management system.
ConclusionWhile INH helps an organization in standardizing andstreamlining the needle management process, some loose ends need to be tied to make it a technologically superiorand sustainable process. The pen-paper documentation still leaves scope formanual error. To facilitate the documentation, the company is currently working on an electronic system, so that there is a technical storage channel to document the movement of needles and quantity of needles per needle system, so that it sends a systemfor ordering or re-ordering needles and replenishing them. The disposal of broken/damaged needle is currently in the handsof the manufacturing organization. A sustainable and responsible recycling system is the need ofthe hour to take INH to new height.
Container to collect used needles besides hanging folder
Front view of acrylic container to collect needle packets
Needle box to collect broken needle fragments
Present on the side of the trolley is a magnetic broom with a very strong magnet to pick up the needle pieces on the floor. A slight twistof the handle deactivates the broom in order to drop the broken metal parts.With this range of functions, the worktop functions as a “depot” for needle transfer.
Storage of unused needlesThe storage area for new needles is arranged nicely for quick retrieval. The separate closing system ensures maximum safety.
Tools TrayThere is also a tools tray used for the storage of tools for the execution of INH processes and for the mechanics as well. The foam can be individually tailored for additional tools.
Hanging FolderThe hanging folder is designed for the storage and documentation of broken needles. In addition, thereis a collecting container for empty needle packs in this drawer.
Storage area for new needles
Hanging folder
Needly Storage Sheets
Collecting cylinder for used needles
Advertorial
Tap potential of savings in the cut room through Pro-cut
Every fabric house as on date is working towards a system where they can have complete control of the fabric, enabling reduction in the fabric purchases per order delivered, and in turn saving money from the beginning of the process. However, any existing system still has the scope of improvisation and yield better results.
Such is Pro-Cut smart dash board, which comes to rescue of fabric companies enabling cutting rooms to reach their maximum potential of working and efficacy. It is designed to send the profitability of order at fabric level to be reviewed by senior management on a daily basis. Sunaina Khanna, director of Methods Apparel Consultancy, explains how Pro-cut system adds value to the entire fabric cutting room and makes the entire process efficient.
Excerpts of the conversation:Q) Garment industry has been grappling with losses of fabric through improper cut mark planning. How is the cutting room practice set to evolve with the help of software systems available in the market?A) Poor cut plannings have always been a nemesis for the Apparel industry where approximately 17% of the fabric is usually lost to cutting wastage,end bits, poor fabric disciplines and improper usage of width in the cutting room. At this stage, having a system like Pro-cut helps the organizations successfully save up to 5% of fabric with an average saving of 3.6% per order.
Q) What are the revolutions brought in the cutting rooms of Apparel Industry through “cut order planning”?
A) Profit line of any organization gets affected by plethora of reasons and it is a tricky business to be able to save fabric to the very end while dealing with the costliest element of the entirevalue chain of a garment. Pro-Cut drives to block all sources of fabric wastages and helps to produce maximum number of garments to get the best possible fabric utilisation enhancingthe overall organizational profitability while minimizing the amount of labour required.
On the contours of end bits, labour reduction, quantity/colour, marker length, fabric width and shrinkages, the system can produce a cut order plan optimizing fabric utilisation, cutting room output and producing a list of markersat the best possible ply height while allowing user to plan remainder of end bits to complete the planning process.
Q) How does Pro-cut assist in achieving the desired efficiency of cutting room?A) Pro-cut produces cut order plan which optimizes fabric utilisation and maximizes cutting room output. Cutting room efficiency is directly proportional to the laying capacity, by cleverly doing the cut order plan we minimize the number of lays per order and hence the cutting roomproductivity improves. We have been able to increase the efficiency of the cutting room by up to 20%. As CAD systems now have the facility to make markers automatically, it also helps establish the most efficient marker and re-plan the whole order maximizing the use of the most efficient markers.
We have seen clients managing it well to improve the fabric utilisation and monitoring the performance of vendors on their fabric supply.
About the company 'Methods'Methods is a 35-year-old leading consultancy firm specializing in productivity improvement, high-tech software solutions, skill assessment and training for all levels in sewn products industry. Founded in South Africa by Roger Thomas in 1981, Methods forayed into India in 2004 and has successfully helped sewn production industry increase efficiency and cut cost since then.
Spreading their wings, Methods is currently present in Bangalore & Chennai in India. As an approach to have a better customer satisfaction, they have their overseas support offices in Bangladesh & Indonesia.
Sunaina Khanna,Director of Methods Apparel Consultancy, gives a sneak-peak into benefits of Pro-cut system, designed to help enhance fabric utilisation
can c h a n g e you r m e t h o d of m a n u f a c t u r i n g
Call or write to Sunaina (M: +91 9899174466; e-mail:[email protected]) orShri Rajkhaanth (M: +91 9244522911; e-mail: [email protected]) for a diagnostic study at your plant
India’s export of knitted items to US and EU markets noted a surge of 4 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, in the F Y ’14-15 and the surge continued in F Y ’15-16 as well. Ludhiana, Tirupur and Delhi-NCR are the few names in knitting hubs in India that are growing at afast pace but have still not reached the potential to achieve excellence in terms of high production and automation. In amarket where there are many circular knitting technology providers and every company stands by its product’squality, performance and longevity, it is hard for the buyers to make an informed decision for their business and invest in a particular technology. Such kind of scenario was observed in two of the industry’s biggest knitting technology trade shows – KNIT-TECH 2017 in Tirupur and GMMSA Expo India 2017 in Ludhiana where both local and foreign machine providers were present to impress the potential customers with the latest features of the machines. Team StitchWorld talked to key technology providers at these fairs and brings to you an amalgam of technical superiority offered by these technology providers.
CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES MAKING PACE WITH THE INDUSTRY NEEDS…
t the onset, technologyAproviders unanimously agreethat a renewed interest in Indian knitting hubs can be observed and all of them are very upbeatregarding the growth opportunities. Knitters are looking for high quality and high productivity machines, and in particular single jersey jacquard machines which are more in demand.
Santoni presents tubular and open width knitting machines…Italy’s Santoni, the leading knitting machinery manufacturer for seamless wear, deals in single jersey circular knitting machines and was seen promoting knitting machines by Quanzhou Jingmei Machines Co. Ltd. at the fair (KNIT- TECH). Starting with an optimistic vibe, Gianpiero Valsecchi, Sales Area Manager, Santoni SpA avers,“Tirupur is waking up after few years. I can see good demand
in the market and customers are finally willing to invest. These steps will again give it a lead in the Indian market,” adding,“We are currently focusing more on electronic jacquard machines.” The company offers the JXP series of single jersey circular knitting machines with 44-inch diameter having 6 feeders per diametrical inch and 32 gauge with speedof 40 RPM. Running at a speed of 30 RPM, the open width single jersey circular knitting machine features strong inter-convertibility in terms of conversion compared to terry or fleece machine. The machine allows production of mercerized cotton, double lacoste mesh fabric, striped fabric, and many more specialized structures.
Vanguard Pailung offers its fastest and highly productive machines…Having existence since 1977 and being a pioneer in circular knitting
Mary Kate Moody (L), VP – International Sales, Vanguard and Yogesh Agrawal, Director, Knitrite (Indian representative of Vanguard Pailung)
Narinder Kumar (R), MD, Narinder International and President, GMMSA with his colleague Yogesh Kapila
machines, Pailung presents its single jersey four-track three- end fleece circular knitting machine – PL-KF3B-LP, which is customizable and easy to upgrade. The customer can make both cotton polyester and poly fleece fabric in the same machine.“It can yield production of 500 kgs of fabric in a day (24 hours) and loop length of 18 cm due to the wire bearing system and gear system. It does not spill out the knitting oil into the fabric,” says S. Govindaraju, GM – Service Department, Yuvraj Merch-X (agent of Pailung in South India).The new Knitel series oil- based frame can stand up to heavy duty material for even 45” diameter fabric roll and it ensures that the needle oil and gear oil are absolutely separated. The circular knitting machinecomes with 34-inch diameter having24 gauge, runningat a speed of 24 RPM. It is equipped with 6 cam tracks which not can only knit plain fabric or basic polyester knit fabrics but can also use 6 track cam arrangements for more complicated patterns, like mini jacquard fabrics for modern sports and leisure garments.
Claiming its machines to be the fastest in the world,
Vanguard pailung single jersey knitting machines yield high production that offsets the factor of higher price than its competitors. The model SJ4A/T13 with a diameter of 34 inches and 28 gauge runs at a speed of 57 RPM in single jersey and has 102 feeders. “Our sinkers are inclined, facilitating less stress on yarn and enhancing high speed of machines. The width of the needle is 4.5 mm latch, thus requiring minimum height to clear the needle, resulting in high speed and fabric quality at par with our competitors,” shares Yogesh Agrawal, Director, Knitrite (Indian representative of Vanguard pailung).
The company’s another model SJ3A/T with a diameter of 20 inches and 24 gauge runs at a speed 90 RPM in single jersey and has 80 feeders.“The company is expecting 100 installations in the current year despite its high cost,”confirms Mary Kate Moody, VP – International Sales, Vanguard pailung.
Ramana International stressing on power saving…Having served for a decade in the knitting industry, Ramana International is recognized as a
reliable supplier and importer of various types of knitting machines located at Ludhiana, Punjab. It offers a qualitative range of products such as fully computerized flat knitting machines, fully computerized jacquard knitting machines, circular knitting machines, high speed universal single knitting machines, high speed single lycra knitting machines, single jersey open width knitting machines, high speed universal double knitting machines, and more. Ramana International’s single jersey knitting machine D/4 with a 50-inch diameter and 32 gauge, works at a speed of 28 RPM. Because of this large diameter, its outputis 50 per cent higher than the normal knitting.“We use feeders and cams of goodquality. Cams usually degrade after getting scratched but our cams are made of good quality steel which remain functional for 3-4 years,” says Parmesh Wassist, Director, Ramana International. The weight of the machine worth 3,000 kg ensures stability and less vibration, and thus the cams do not get hot. Parmesh also informs of using 5 ½ hp motor to gain on the factor of energy saving. Usually 7 and 7 ½ hp motors are installedin conventional circular knitting machines.
Lee Hsueh Chih (second from left), Manager, LKM Precision Machinery andR.S. Kalidas (third from left), VP, Golden Falcon India
Parmesh Wassist, Director, Ramana International (extreme right) in discussion with visitors
Gianpiero Valsecchi,Sales Area Manager, Santoni SpA
S. Govindaraju, GM – Service Department, Yuvraj Merch-X (agent of Pailung in South India)
G. Muralidharan, General Manager, Wellknit Enterprises
Team Grafica Flextronica with the digital printing machine of Aeoon Technologies, which was displayed for the first time in Ludhiana. The team was happy as it booked more than 10 orders of its screen printing machine
Happy with the response at GMMSA expo, Rajit Arora, Zonal Manager – North, EH Turel & Company, is predicting good orders in the next 3 to 4 months from Ludhiana. The company highlighted new models of its Typical brand at the fair
Team Groz-Beckert: (L-R) Vishal Nayyar, Division Knitting, Branch Office In-Charge, Ludhiana; Jaswant Jindal (Jindal International); Mandeep Kumar; and Sanjay Sharma, Country Head (India & Nepal) – Division Sewing. Sanjay was of the opinion that due to good winters, Ludhiana market has recovered, and is optimistic about future
At the booth of IIGM: (L-R) Dinesh Sharma, Sales Manager, Xcel Stiro; Satyadev Goyal, VP, IIGM; and Diwan Singh Panth, Project Consultant, Yamato. XCEL Stiro had displayed for the first time in Ludhiana under its recent partnership with IIGM. The trio was elated with the response of the visitors at GMMSA expo
Team Mehala Machines India: M P Maharajan, Regional Manager – North (second from right), shared that Duerkopp Adler (DA-261) UBT, which is the economical version of machine, was liked by visitors in the GMMSA expo. Siruba range of bartack, which has been developed with collaboration of Juki Technology, was also highlighted by Mehala Machines India and appreciated by visitors
REVIEWGMMSA EXPO INDIA 2017, LUDHIANA
The recently held second edition of GMMSA (Garment Machinery Manufacturers and Suppliers Association) Expo displayed almost 2,000 products. With a plethora of circular and flat knitting machines and parts/accessories, the event also witnessed major playersofstitching, printing machines, trim suppliers, etc. Acandid discussion with the exhibitors made it evident that they were happy with the event. Having had visitors from all over the country, even from south India and Ahmedabad, such events come as a major motivation, especially after low market sentiments created by demonetization.
Team GA Morgan Dynamics at their booth. Devaraj (third from left), Regional Manager of the company, informed that Tirupur market is aggressively adopting complete cutting room solutions. Their last two years in Tirupur have been really positive and they are expecting about 20 installations in Tirupur this year
Rajesh Biyani (C), MD of Rajasthan International, with his team. Rajesh was of the opinion that overall Indian garment market is back on track and things will be quite good by April this year. The company is also offering warp knitting sensors of Protechna
Sudheer Nair, CEO (L) from Cheran Machines India, Coimbatore discussing with visitors about their new automatic label transfer machines
Anil Anand (L), MD, HCA; and Eugenio Fonts, VP, International Sales of Atlanta Attachment International Inc. Having few clients already in Tirupur, Atlanta Attachment is looking to add few more clients soon
At the booth of DCC, the latest model of M&R (Stryker Automatic oval screen printing) was a significant attraction for the visitors. Jaisankar T, Marketing Manager of DCC, told that this model has many new features like head support to prevent vibrations, two locks for 100 per cent perfect registration, etc.
REVIEW14TH KNIT-TECH 2017, TIRUPUR
Last six months have indeed been very good forTirupur, and are expected to be so for the next one or two years. This is because alotofworkwhich hasbeen shiftedfromother countrieshave gone to Tirupur. Mostofthe technology providersagreedwith this observation at the recently concluded 14th edition of Knit-Tech. The event witnessed new technology in circular and flat knitting, stitching, dyeing as well as advance cutting room solutions and hanger systems.
KP Exim shows its latest computerized jacquard knitting machine…KP Exim is focusing mainly on the shawl industry with their latest display – FDC Series.These double computerized jacquard knitting machines use computerized selectors to select needles in the cylinder with the 2-way or 3-way technique of knit, tuck and miss, which can produce fabric with different patterns without limitation. Any intricate pattern of fabric can be convertedvia computerized pattern preparation system into the special control command which instructs the selector to make jacquard fabric. The technical specification of the machine includes cylindrical diameter of 42 inches, with 32 gauge and 84 feeders. Theprecise encoder can accurately
calculate the needle position and zero-point calibration to ensure stability.
Golden Falcon introduces special alloy steel cylinders in LKM circular knitting machines…Golden Falcon represents a Taiwanese brand LKM Precision Machinery for the customersof circular knitting in India. LKM is one of the best known company for terry towel machines.The company’s twonewest models are single jersey circular knitting machines and body size knitting machines.Single jersey circular knitting machines use 4-track and have the feature of short separation and easy adjustment.“Its cylinders are made of special alloy steel from Japan, with particular thermal treatment and increased durability.The
highlights of the machine are needles by Groz-Beckert, sinkers by Kern Liebers and an automatic oiler,” informsR.S. Kalidas,VP, Golden Falcon India. With a diameter of 40 inches, it has 120 feeders and is of 32 gauge. Lee Hsueh Chih, Manager, LKM is expecting 100 installations in Tirupurthis year.
The other model, which is a body size knitting machine, has a diameter of 21 inches, 63 feeders and 28 gauge.A heavy strong body and a low-power efficiency inverter are the main attractions of the machine. The company claims to have 20-30 per cent more production compared to other machines due to the heavy body of the machine.WellKnit Enterprises to manufacture in India…WellKnit Enterprises, suppliers of circular knitting machines of Taiwanese brand WellKnit Machinery Co. Ltd. brings to India WM-XLS-A with a 22-inch diameter having 3 feedersper inch. It can knit fabric of 32 gauge and is suitablefor pure cotton, real silk, and artificial fur.“We especially developed machines for Indian domestic customers. These high-speed machines come with 2 track cams to produce pique and lacoste unlike other machines which can only produce single jersey, and therefore these machines give more design options to users,” says G. Muralidharan, General Manager of WellKnit Enterprises. The company is now planning to manufacture these machines in India in the coming months.Narinder International brings faster version of Senher machines…Narinder International is serving the industry since
1987 as distributors of circular knitting, dyeing, finishing and related textile machines in India.The company markets single jersey circular knitting machines by Senher Precision Machinery in India.Theearlier version of the machine provided a speed of 25-26 RPM, but the latest versions of the machine run at a speed of 35 RPM. It has also improved the machine’s oiler as well as improvised metal.The SHS180 model features a central adjustment system to adjust the fabric in different GSM easily. It has a 42-inch diameter with 252 feeders and 28 gauge. “It enables the customer to knit different kinds of high quality single jersey fabric with lycra. With an extra conversion kit, the customer can knitterry fabric and fleece also,” shares Narinder Kumar, MD, Narinder International.
VRIMS International markets Yulin, a stable machineA new entrant in circular knitting machines market,Yulin, represented in India by VRIMS International Inc., has comeup with YN-S model for Indian market.This is a high precision single jersey, fleece and terry circular knitting machine which does not vibrate while running at high speed, ensuring greater stability of the machine.The machine has a 44-inch diameter, 264 feeders with 6 feeders per inch and can produce 44 gauge fabric.The needle cylinder and mono-block cam system use special steel, which is precisely processed and has excellent thermal treatment. Raman Sethi, Managing Director of the company states,“Currently we are targeting basicsegment in circular knitting machines. In future, we will add more advanced machines in our portfolio.”
Circular knitting machines displayed by Narinder International at GMMSA Expo India
Raman Sethi (L), Managing Director, VRIMS International with his colleague
TOP-LIST
10 POPULAR A U TO M ATED CUTTING R O O M SOLUTIONS
The cutting room is the first potential area where apparel manufacturers undertake automation to ensure material utilization, process optimization and manpower reduction. Because the department handles fabric, which is the most expensive raw material in apparel manufacturing, it is the most vital step that carries the potential of fabric saving, resulting in cost saving and waste reduction. Every apparel manufacturer targeted towards long-term growth and profit, is now investing in automatic cutting room solutions. Team StitchWorld presents the 10 popular automated cutting room solutions providers in the fashion and apparel industry.
LECTRALectra is a world leader in integrated technology solutions – software, CAD/ CAM equipment, and associated services with customers in morethan 100 countries. Lectra’s expertise enables companies to achieve their
long-term operational excellence and cost reduction objectives as it covers all aspects of pre-production and cutting. Lectra’s Modaris® V8 is one of the widely used 2D/3D patternmaking and grading solutions worldwide. Besides, Vector® is Lectra’s most powerful, rapid, and intelligent automated cutting solution in the market that guarantees a better throughput, optimizes production costs, and reduces the risk of error, and increases capacity.
India Office: Lectra Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
Bangladesh Agent: Aamra Resources
Vietnam Office: Lectra Vietnam Co. Ltd.GERBER TECHNOLOGYServing the companies for nearly half a century, Gerber Technology develops integrated software and hardware solutions for the apparel and industrial markets. The company’s solutionshelp more than 78,000 customers
reach their optimum by maximizing productivity and minimizing errors and waste. Its products include pattern design software AccuMark that increases the throughput by 50 per cent. The company is also a pioneer in offering cutting room solutions. The new Paragon cutter HX Series cuts up
to 7.2 cm (2.8 inches) of compressed material and is integrated with Gerber’s AccuMark® CAD and automated spreading systems.
India Agent: IIGM Pvt. Ltd.
Bangladesh Agent: IIGM Pvt. Ltd.
Vietnam Office: Gerber Scientific International (Vietnam) Co. Ltd.
BULLMERBullmer is a specialist and supplier of innovative cutting technology. It has installed automatic cutting solutions for the textile and flat material processing industry worldwide for more than 80 years. The company is known globally for single- and multi- ply cutting applications, and the corresponding material handling and storage systems. Individual customer needs can be satisfied with cutting heights of up to 80 mm. The cutting machines are known for high efficiency and productivity in material handling. The patented knife-driven system of
MORGAN TECNICAMorgan Tecnica S.p.A. offers the largest and most modern range of solutions for the cutting room, handling systems, automatic spreaders, spreading tables, automatic cutters with different lay thickness, from 2.5 cm to 9 cm and plotters, software for CAD, Cut Order Planning, PDM and Virtual Fitting, strictly ‘Made in Italy’. The company’s Fox 50 spreading machines from the Fusion range of spreading machines can spread any kind of material, from elastic, light fabrics in rolls and open folded bundles. The double PVC belt allows laying of even difficult fabrics like Lycra easily.
the cutting machine is replaceable and can be changed very quickly in caseof a breakdown reducing the machine downtime greatly.
India Agent: Mehala
Bangladesh Agent: Uni Asia
India Agent: GA Morgan Dynamics
Bangladesh Agent:Eastman Technocrafts Limited
Vietnam Agent: Hoang Ma Co. Ltd.
FK GROUPFounded in 1981, FK Group specializes in automatic fabric cutting, plotter textile, CAD, and fabric cutting machines. It offers a complete suite of software solutions, including spreading equipment, cutting room equipment. The Italy-based group offers “Super Jeans” and “Universal Cutter” that consume just 5.9 KW of electricity using Eco-Power technology, almost 5-8 times lesser than what is consumed by other cutters.
India Agent: Prospice Technologies
Bangladesh Agent: Wintex Resources
IMA35 years of its cutting room solutions in the industry, IMA S.p.A. is anItalian capital company that serves the need of fashion and technical fabrics industries. IMA Italy’s Formula Evo Plus 919 can cut up to 10 cm compressed height. It comes with a modern human machine interface that ensures maximum reliability.The IMA Cutting Control Centre is the connecting link between the machine and the operator, whichallows the user to program and better organize the work queues, displays and manage all the machine operating parameters while also monitoring the
state of maintenance and efficiency of the machine.
India Agent: Macpi Trading India Pvt.
Ltd. Bangladesh Agent: Pacific
Associates Vietnam Agent: NhabeConsultancy Technology
EASTMANPresent in the industry with more than 12 decades of experience in the field of cutting room solutions,Eastman Machine Company needs no introduction. It offers industry’s widest range of handheld and manually- operated fabric cutting machines as well as a comprehensive line of fully automated, computerized cutting, spreading and plotting systems. The company’s Raptor 75x conveyorized multi-ply cutting system, equipped with
a reciprocating straight knife cutter is capable of cutting up to 7.5 cm (3 inches) of compressed material.
India Agents: ALT and IIGM
TUKATECHFounded in 1995 by garment industry veteran Ram Sareen,Tukatech’s advanced software and hardware solutions help in streamlining operations, increase efficiency, and expand profits. It offers 2D and3D pattern making, design, and manufacturing software, garment plotters, and automatic spreaders and cutters for production. TUKAspreader, compatible with woven as well as
knitted fabrics, is equipped with a PLC- controlled, easy-to-use LCD touchscreen that gives the user the ability to enter all the parameters like marker length and ply count.The threading and rewinding of fabric is automated. Along with itis Tukatech’s CNC Automatic Cutting Machines which are capable of cutting up to 8 cm compressed under a vacuum.
Asia Headquarter: Gurgaon, IndiaSHIMA SEIKIFounded in 1962, Shima Seiki, a Japanese pioneer, offers a portfolio of computerized cutting machines and apparel CADs, knitting machines, inkjet printing machines and design systems to provide high quality and productivity in the fashion apparel industry. Thecompany’s automatic spreading machine P-SPR2 can spread fabric of width ranging from 1600 mm to 1800 mm. P-CAMseries multi-ply cutting machines can cut fabrics up to 20 mm in thickness, besides offering a wide selection of cutting widths – 160cm, 180cm or 200 cm. At present, Shima Seiki is popular in Japan for its technology, but the company is now taking its technology worldwide.
India Agent: Janaksons International
Bangladesh Agent: Pacific Associates Ltd.
Vietnam Agents: Shima Seiki Vietnam Co. Ltd. and Phenitex Co. Ltd.YINShanghai Yin Science & Technology Co. Ltd. produces CAM/CAD/CAS systems at its production base in China which is widely used in cloth, luggage, shoe & hat, automobile, aviation and furniture industries. Itproduces 600 sets of CAM/CAS systems annually. It is the first producer of body scan fit systems, automatic cutting systems, servo drive spreading systems, automatic leather cutting systems and other products in China. SM-I auto fabric spreader can handle fabric roll of diameter 50 cm and spreading width varies from 160 cm to 240 cm.Yin autocutting machine HY-S Series can achieve a maximum speed of 60 m/min.The available cutting area is 5000 mm X 1600 mm and 9000 mm X 900 mm.
India Agent: Studio Next
Switzerland:5 textile companies unite to revolutionize moisture management
ive textile industryF leaders, namely Osmotex, force behind theproduct; Schoeller Textil AG, production partner; KJUS, primary product development partner; Belginova, technology partner; and Empa, final product development partner, have joined hands to launch HYDRO_BOT,a new revolutionizing technology for moisture management. It will transport moisture to match human sweat rates in various climates, conditions and activity levels.
“HYDRO_BOT is the result of ten years of intense research and development in Switzerland. Overthe past two years, the development has reached a new level with four strategic partners involved in the developmenteffort. We are confident that HYDRO_BOT will represent a generational advancement in moisture management,” said Trond Heldal, Director of R&D and Operations, Osmotex.
Premium sportswear brand KJUS will take HYDRO_BOT to market in selected skiwear products planned for the 2018-2019 season. Besides, Belginova is providing operating systems and switches for applying the moisture management solution.
Singapore: Invengo launches slimmest UHF RFID tag
France: Lectra equips Cache Cache with Modaris®
3D
nvengo, the global RFIDItechnology provider, haslaunched a new generation linen tag, the LinTRAK-Slim, the slimmest UHF RFID tag for the laundry and textile services industry.
Specifically designed to be discreetly integrated into linen and textile products used in commercial laundries, the LinTRAK-Slim tag is a 1.2mm
ectra, the worldL leader in integratedtechnology solutions, has equipped French women’s brand Cache Cache of Beaumanoir Group with Modaris® 3D to ramp up product development and facilitate exchanges between sub-contractors.
The brand was already using the expert version of Modaris and has now acquired the3D version for its design offices located at the Group’s head office in St. Malo, France, and for Shanghai,
integrates Impinj’ Monza® R6-P chip, the latest EPC Gen2 UHF chip, designed to drive high-volume applicationsby combining breakthrough features with unprecedented bulk, stack-reading capacity and speed. Additionally, itis MRI-compatible and can be used safely in all types of magnetic resonanceimaging systems operating at 1.5- and 3-Tesla.
“We are particularly excited about this new tag and its innovative features thatare the result of fruitful discussions with our customers and end-users throughout the textile services ecosystem, including linen manufacturers, laundry groups, major hotel chains and hospitals. With this slimmer tag, we deliver unique benefits to each layer of the linen value chain, resulting in a ground-breaking product that will fuel market growth,” said Richard Bailly, President, Invengo Technologies.
Extending the solution across all of its collections was driven by the reduction in the number of prototypes possible.
“Cache Cache sub-contracts manufacturing to a vast network of suppliers. By replacing a portion ofthe physical prototypes with virtual prototypes, Lectra’s 3D technology will have advantages in saving time, saving on materials, and reducing stocks,” comments KarenElalouf, Managing Director, Lectra France.
thick woven label. With dimensions of 10mm wide and 59mm long, the new tag can be seamlessly inserted into the hem of textile items.
The tag is based on a unique and patented conceptthat couples a very small UHF device with a sewed, secondary antenna made from flexible stainless steel thread-like material. It
China. “Our design office in St. Malo is responsible for creating and developing products. We are leveraging Modaris 3D to react rapidly to evolving demands. With this solution, our stylists and product managerscan easily make choices, organized around the same screen, based on prototypes developed in 3D. The decision-making process starts as earlyas possible and is much quicker,” explains Camille Dupont, Director for Offer, Cache Cache.
LinTRAK-Slim tag is a 1.2mm-thick woven label which can be integrated into textile products
Eton helps customers in manufacturing industries increase productivity, profitability and improve the workplace environment.
USA: Eton to strengthen its services in US
ton Systems, a globalEsupplier of customizedmaterial handling solutions, will expand its business and strengthen its presence in America in 2017, which it believes is going to be the ‘year of development’.
During the last few years, the company has represented itself in North America through independent sales agents. As from the first quarter of the current fiscal, Eton will handle all sales- related activities throughits headquarter in the US in order to increase its presence and become an even better partner to agrowing American industry. Also, it is currently looking into recruiting the best people for the job, including a new sales team, after-sales support staff, education and training personnel.
Alex Vega, MD and International Sales
Director, Easton-Bell Sports Europe says,“Of course, we see many advantages being closer to our customers and having a direct overviewof the operations. It allows us to be more flexible and optimize delivery precision, thus providing a whole new service level to our current and new customers. We would like to emphasize that this transition will not have any impact on the co-operation with our customers and partners, rather than in a clearly positive way.”
Eton helps customers in manufacturing industries increase productivity, profitability and improve the workplace environment. With high labour costs, growing demand for stringent quality control and faster deliveryto market, Eton’s state-of- the-art technology has gained numerous successful installations in a variety of sectors in the textile market.
India: GTE 2017 to kick off on March 3
he 24th edition ofTGarment Technology Expo (GTE), India’slargest show of garment technology, will open its doors on 3rd-6th March, 2017 at NSIC Exhibition Complex, Okhla, New Delhi, India.
Spread over an area of 70,000 sq. mt., the four- day event will witness around 19,300 visitors from India and overseas. Over 800 companies and brands from 18 countries will display new product launches, innovations, product upgrades, and live product demonstrations under the categories – sewing machines, knitting machines, embroidery machines, laundry and finishing equipment, software and logistics, etc.
It is anticipated that25 per cent of exhibitors will display technologies under the garment making machines, followed by knitting (14 per cent), printing/embroidery machines; and materials & accessories (12 per cent) and more, thus covering all segments of the industry.
33 Chinese exhibitors will also mark their presence at the event. Some ofthe names include Xiapu Chuangkai Sewing Machinery Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Baoyu Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Cheering Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Maqi Sewing Machine Co. Ltd., Zhejiang Sunsir Sewing Machine TechnologyCo. Ltd.
USA: CC Filson opts for Gerber’s YuniquePLM In The Cloud
USA: WFX QC Mobile App eases factory quality inspections
erber Technology, theGworld leader in integratedsoftware and automation solutions for the apparel and industrial markets, hasannounced that CC Filson will install its YuniquePLM In The Cloud software, allowing them to further both internal and external collaboration.
CC Filson is a Seattle-based privately-owned outfitter company that deals in designing, manufacturing, distributing and selling men’s and women’s outdoor clothing, accessories and luggage. The company selected Gerber’s cloud-based technology to
uality control of shipmentsQis very critical when itcomes to retail, luxury and apparel industries. A solution to this problem is WFX QC Mobile App, which is an easy- to-use app that automates the quality control process by enabling QC personnel to conduct, capture and record quality inspections on-site atthe vendors’ location with any iOS-enabled mobile device.
This app has various features like inspection schedulethat creates, allocates and schedules inspection requests. With easy display of pending inspection requests on iPAD, it also has an in-built inspection calendar to plan weekly inspections. It is integrated with Google maps to track inspection locations withan ability to tag inspection start and logs start and stop times. It quickly records actual measurements and instantly highlight points of failure. Also, even in remote locations with
solutions including AccuMark® in their technical design and marker making department as well as GERBERspreaders™ and GERBERcutters® in their Seattle operations.
YuniquePLM solution along with AccuMark® willenable CC Filson to increase efficiency of workflow. Images and information databases can be transferred from one system to the other with ease; and bills of materials (BOMs) can be initiated in AccuMark and saved to YuniquePLM, thereby acceleratingproduct development.
tool. WFX QC Mobile App also facilitates customized inspection forms for both in-house and outsourced production and the inspected units can be classified into Accepted, Seconds &Scrap quantities. It allows the user to use the iPad’s in-built camera to capture and annotate inspection photos.
shorten product development cycles and improve delivery time to market.
“We are now implementing YuniquePLM In The Cloud and are excited to have a process that allows our company greater visibility and effortless communication amongour internal and external manufacturing teams. Having one source to manage all of our product development enables us to manage our calendars and costing more efficiently,” said Steve Bock, CEO of CC Filson.
The company is already using other Gerber Technology
no data connectivity, it can capture inspection data.
The configurable forms facilitate real time data capturing like deviations and defects during factory inspections. It then analyses checkpoints with instant transmission of inspection results through online sync
WFX QC Mobile App can capture inspection data even in remote locations with no internet connectivity
USA: A&E launches new reflective industrial sewing thread
USA: SMARTmark by Tukatech saves 3-15% of fabric cost
merican & Efird (A&E), aA global leader in industrialsewing thread manufacturing, has announced the official launch of a new product in reflective innovation, Anefil™ Reflector having polyester fibre type.
A&E’s Anefil™ Reflector is an industrial sewing thread designed and engineered for reflectivevisibility. Ideal for creating a decorative, reflective seam in cover-stitch and over- edge stitch applications, Anefil™ Reflector can be used in a wide variety of apparel categories including Activewear, Workwear, Safety Apparel, Swimwear, Denim and Footwear.
“A&E’s spirit of innovation continues with this new reflective product, Anefil™ Reflector,” said Mark Hatton, Vice President (Americas),
MARTmark by TukatechS is an automatic markermaking software. An add- on module to TUKAcad, it maximizes the placement of markers and utilizes every possible piece of fabric,generating enormous savings.
Saving of anywhere from 3-15 per cent of fabric cost per marker can be achieved by using SMARTmark. It also yields styles’ true estimated fabric yield, based on actual ratio to be cut, and has features like nesting by sizes that define single size or ratio markers.
The solution also allows to edit pieces without having to go back to the style file. The user can add notches,
A&E, adding,“Offered in a Tex 120 size, the new thread has twisted multi-filament thread construction. This product is a versatile, decorative sewingthread and a valuable addition to the reflective market.”
Unveiling the features of Anefil™ Reflector, A&E states this thread reflects light back to the light source, thus ensuring maximum visibility in low light situations. In addition, this adds another layer of
delete notches, cut pieces with seam, add text, change shrinkage, etc. without having to make a new order. Furthermore, thefabrics having stripes or plaid lines can be inputted directly on the marker screen, thus saving on time in placing pieces that have to be engineered to the stripe lines.
Currently, there are three options available for the software – SMARTmark single user – a basic version of the solution which allows the user to run one marker at a time. Markers can run for any length of time, with special features for complete markers, half run markers,
functionality in sewing that has traditionally onlyincorporated reflective tape. Hence, Anefil™ Reflector provides maximum luminescence and durability while maintaining aesthetic appearance.
It’s worth mentioning here that through its global network, A&E’s products are manufactured in 23 countries, distributed in 50 countries and sold in over 100 countries.
nesting blocks, placing blocks first/last. The secondalternative is SMARTmark with queue – it allows multiple marker runs in a single queue. The user simply defines the markers in a list, and the system automatically runs all the markers. Another optionis to create detailed excel summary reports with every marker made. The third option is SMARTmark NetQ – the most advanced version and a stand-alone system that does not require manual input.Any number of users can send markers. The markers will run and be sent back to the user, with a detailed excel summary report.
A&E’s Anefil™ Reflector ensures maximum visibility in low light situations
Germany: Groz- Beckert acquires Ferd. Schmetz Group
Groz-Beckert, a leading
provider of industrialmachine needles, has
taken over the Ferd. Schmetz Group. The acquisition includes the Group’s production sites in Germany, Switzerland and India as well as
the global distribution network.
With this acquisition, the company complements its existing range of products for the clothing industry. Schmetz Group will continue as an independent company within the Groz-Beckert Group. Its product range will be offered through the existing distribution channels and partners without change. Founded in 1851, Schmetz is an established producer
of industrial sewing machine needles.
Groz-Beckert portfolio includes sewing machine and shoe machine needles of 5,000 different types and stands for the fields of knitting, weaving, felting, tufting, carding and sewing. It operates with agencies, production and distribution subsidiaries in more than 150 countries around the world.
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