A company with more than 12 decades of experience in the field of cutting room solutions, Eastman Machine Company practically needs no introduction. Having been known worldwide for its manual and handheld cutting room solutions, the company has registered equal success in the newly launched range of automated cutting and spreading solutions, and the recently concluded CISMA show was a proof of that. “Generally the market has been really good. We have experienced a pick-up in demand in some countries, especially in Bangladesh, India and even in Pakistan we sold good numbers of automatic cutters. Cambodia and Vietnam are doing well, there is some weakness in the Chinese market due to the increased labour cost as compared to other countries,” asserted Wade Stevenson, President, Eastman Machine Company.
The company introduced some new models to its range of automated solutions like the raptor, a new cutting tool head for automatic cutters, new spreading machine ES 1800 specifically designed for denim fabric, which has been already installed in many companies in India and Bangladesh.“Moreover the garment industry has been picking up back in the USA as some customers are insisting that the garments have a ‘Made in USA’ label and are ready to pay a higher price for it. Hence some business has moved back to the USA and even to Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua,” added Stevenson, who believes that the ethos of quality, precision and reliability which are already established in Eastman’s manual cutting room solutions was successfully transferred to its automated solutions. “To develop the precision in automated cutting and spreading, like what we had developed in manual cutting we again relied on our expertise in providing cutting room solutions and our manufacturing facilities.The bottom line is that the bar was set very high and we achieved that,” stated Stevenson.
To develop the precision in automated cutting and spreading, like what we had developed in manual cutting we again relied on our expertise in providing cutting room solutions and our manufacturing facilities. The bottom line is that the bar was set very high and we achieved that.” Wade Stevenson, President, Eastman Machine Company
Eastman agrees that the time in which it has entered this market, the competition is very high and there is actually an oversupply. However success became certain due to the ‘legend type’ brand name of Eastman as people who like Eastman also went for their automated solutions. “No one is going to have 100% share of the market, everyone will keep servicing its set of loyal customers and supplying them new solutions,” shared Stevenson.
What really sets Eastman apart is the customer service that has become synonymous to the brand name. “We want our customer to be 100% satisfied… ‘good’ is not enough, it must be ‘excellent’. It is important that he makes money from our machine. Over the 125 years we have been in business, the philosophy of the founders that ‘customer is always right’ has been our guiding principle. Complete service inventory is something that we keep in abundance at all major locations,” averred Stevenson.
The highlight equipment for this year’s showcase included the Raptor 75x conveyorized multi-ply cutting system, equipped with a reciprocating straight knife cutter, capable of cutting up to 7.5 cm (3 inches) of compressed material. Exclusive tool head design of the cutter allows for a short and rigid reciprocating blade which ensures less deflection when cutting heavy-loads of stacked material goods – a recipe for accurately cut pattern pieces from top to bottom ply. All components of the tool head are modular, making it easily accessible for maintenance.
