CISMA has established itself as the most important fair for the global garment manufacturing industry. It is no secret that China produces 90% of the sewing machines sold in the world and lately it has evolved from manufacturing basic machines to highly automated machines. The story does not end here and today every leading brand from around the world has a technical, manufacturing or financial tie-up with Chinese sewing machine manufacturers. With the surge in the domestic apparel consumption in China many brands have limited their activities to participating only at CISMA and few other local Chinese Technology Fairs… making it even more important for the agents of machinery and garment manufacturing companies from rest of the world to visit CISMA. Team SW reports live…
The Apparel and fashion industry is moving at a fast pace, bringing in bigger challenges for the technology providers. Today, no manufacturer of garments, sitting anywhere in the world can ignore the importance of upgrading machines to meet stringent requirements of quality, timely delivery, cost efficiency and sustainability. “With our high-end machines we aim to enhance productivity, so as to increase efficiencies and reduce the manpower requirement to meet targets,” says Yoshihito Maeda, MD of Japan based Yamato. Adds Edouard Macquin, Director, Sales Lectra, “Our job is to constantly work at giving better solutions and the focus is no longer on providing solutions to simplify operations and processes, but on offering solutions for the future.”
For Indian manufacturers, the search for new technology to enhance operations has become critical to stay competitive. “The Indian garment export industry has matured and most of the players have accepted the fact that technology is the driver for growth,” says Bob Vallender, Regional Director, Sales (Asia Pacific) Gerber Technology. With a rich experience spanning more than a decade working with the Indian industry, Bob is upbeat of growth opportunities in the region. The company is having 65 dedicated people under the IIGM banner dedicated to Gerber. The biggest challenge now according to Bob is not convincing the owner to buy equipment, but to ensure that the expensive equipment purchased is optimally utilized by the workforce. “The man paying the money may know what he is doing, but if the message is not transmitted down the line, the ROIs go haywire,” admits Bob. The India operations for garments will now be looked after by John McCall.
No doubt with increased focus on upgrading technology, India along with China and Brazil are the hot selling markets for most of the technology providers. “We are exporting 49% of the machines we manufacture, while the remaining 51% is consumed in China,” informs Frank He, Manager Exports, South Asia, Jack Sewing Machine. As a leading machine manufacturer from China, India is very important to its growth strategy and there is a plan underway to set up a well equipped sales and service centre to serve the industry in the country better with training and skill development programs. “We are looking to expand our presence in India and the first challenge is to strengthen our network and reach,” says Frank. The company which has seen 137% increase in sales in 2010 over the last year and 79% from Jan. to July in 2011 is constantly updating its machines with value-additions such as non-oil design, servo motor and unified light mechanism, making their products more reasonable and optimized.
Among the various industrial sewing machines on display by Jack, around 70% were new machines including the JK-T8010 automatic pattern sewing machine, JK-5878-58B automatic placket setting machine, JK-6380/6380D heavy duty Top and bottom feed lockstitch sewing machine with automatic thread trimmer and JK-5559WD-2B direct-drive lockstitch sewing machine with automatic thread trimmer and edge cutter. “All the machines are energy-efficient and eco-friendly with significant impact on the productivity, product quality and reducing labour input,” said Frank.
For many machine suppliers Tirupur has been an important market and most of them expressed concern on the slowdown of the industry in the last few months. “Machines specific to knits and undergarments have been a major demand from the region, but we have witnessed a decline this year, but we are hopeful that the situation will improve soon,” says Yoshihito. At CISMA, the machine which attracted a lot of attention for Yamato was the hemming machine, designed for delicate operations like the hem on ladies panties that had two key features a device to fold the fabric for hemming with minimal operator assistance and a cover stitch with self feed.
With a major presence in India Lectra has enhanced its knowledge levels to redefine the garment manufacturing process and provide multiple solutions on a common fashion platform. The world leader in integrated technology solutions right from design to pattern making to entire cut order processes, now has technology to cover the A to Z of fashion. At CISMA, the company demonstrated how an apparel collection is created using Lectra solutions streamlining processes with cutting-edge technology. Stressing the importance of using PLM for fashion Edouard said, “The fashion industry is very dynamic with specific needs, to ensure that the companies deliver on time it is important to streamline not only production, but also the essentials at the beginning of the fashion cycle like designs, costings, developments, fits so that there is no risk of delays and rejections,” says Edouard.
Advocating the importance of PLM in fashion, the company claims to have the only fashion-specific PLM solution in the market. The Lectra Fashion PLM combines management tools such as flexible workflow and sourcing functions, tailored to the needs of the fashion sector, with applications and features specific to the processes found in the fashion industry, such as textile and fashion design and pattern-making. According to Lectra, the platform reduces collection development costs and leads time (workflow), ensures better quality standards with distinctive, on-trend styles and maintains a coherent brand image for greater productivity and profitability.
Pfaff continues to emphasize its importance by staying focused on producing highly innovative sewing solutions. For its basic range of machines the company has entered into a strategic tie-up with Golden Wheel. “We are extremely happy with the new association and the quality of the manufacturing facilities of Golden Wheel has impressed us the most,” said Joachim Richter, CEO, Pfaff Industrial at the gathering organized to honour the new alliance.
