SW Apr 2016

2 StitchWorld
3 StitchWorld
4 StitchWorld
Editor-in-Chief
DEEPAK MOHINDRA
Technical Editors
PAUL COLLYER (UK)
CLAUDIA OLLENHAUER-RIES (GERMANY)
StitchWorld
VOL. XIV ISSUE 2
www.apparelresources.com
Technology and Management in Sewn Product Industry
Deputy Editor (Technical)

CHANDRARK KAREKATTI
Copy Editor
VEERESHWAR SOBTI
Asst. Copy Editor
SAHIL SEHGAL
TechByte
8
Sr. Technical Correspondent

ANCHAL RAI
Technical Correspondent
SOHAM MALIK
Design & Production
RAJ KUMAR CHAHAL
PEEUSH JAUHARI
SATYAPAL BISHT
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WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TOTAL

MACHINES USE WORKAIDS AND
ATTACHMENTS ?
NewsTrack
10
SRI LANKA: AISEX 2016 TO HELP MEET

APPAREL EXPORT TARGET OF US $ 10
BILLION BY 2025
27
Flavio Cattini (R), Founder & MD, FK Group

with Sergio Gori, Commercial Managing
Director and Co-owner, FK Group
TechTalk
14
ARE WE NEGLECTING TECHNOLOGY?

EXPERTS SPEAK
22
REFLEXIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEM:

USE OF KANBAN
33
TechInterview
26
WE ARE ALREADY IN THE FUTURE

FLAVIO CATTINI, FOUNDER & MD,
FK GROUP
Syed Hafeez (extreme left), Country Manager,

Eastman CRA (Hong Kong) explaining the
nuances of the CT-3 spreading and cutting
tables to Animesh Saxena (extreme right),
CEO, Neetee Clothing
TechEvent
28
GARMENT TECHNOLOGY EXPO 2016:

UNFURLING NEW AND VIVID DIRECTIONS
32
GLIMPSES FROM GTE 2016

39
TechTease
52
TECHTEASE VII:
MEASUREMENT TOOLS
David Zhang (L), Sales Manager, Bella Sewing

Machine with Viraf Turel, Managing Director,
Turel Group
To read StitchWorld content online, visit our website

www.apparelresources.com or call 91-11-47390000
www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 5
6 StitchWorld
E D I T O R I A L
I have been saying time and again for a long time now that the technology providers need to come
forward to support small and medium manufacturers to make them more productive and efficient,
just like they did for the garment exporters in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
There is no better platform to understand it better than at garment technology fairs happening
around India. And true to expectations, the recently concluded GTE was visited mostly by the small
manufacturers, not only from Delhi and around, but also from faraway places like Indore, Meerut,
Varanasi, Jaipur, Kolkata and even from small centres in the south of India.
The fact remains that India has just 200 top garment manufacturing companies that account
for around 70% of the exports from this country and only 20 domestic manufacturers worth
mentioning in the domestic arena, and these elite companies are already in the radar of the
technology providers, who service them well.
I am not saying that they should not lure the top-end companies; all that I am driving at is that
these top-bracket companies dont need to be at local fairs. They sponsor their trips to international
fairs to show them their latest machines. This time around 120 companies have got sponsorship
from their Japanese principals for JIAM.
The fairs in India are relevant for the smaller companies or job-workers who want to grow but fail
because, for one, they do not have enough managerial skills to grow; and secondly, lack technical
support. In both these cases, I think the technology suppliers can play a major role and ignite the
second phase of development in the Indian garment manufacturing industry!
Another strong belief that I have is that today, digitisation, more than automation, is the need of the
industry that has put basic technology in place To justify automation, one needs to have the right
volumes to get a decent ROI. I am sure the technology suppliers will have many more reasons to
make you go for automation, but for me it is primarily about saving on labour and achieving certain
quality, which with all due respect is also achievable by a good and trained operator. Of course, since
the labour is quite cheap, letting go off a few of them will not make a substantial impact on the cost.
Now, digitisation of the organisation is altogether a different matter It helps increase quick
delivery, offers better price to the customer through better managed business, and helps achieve
higher productivity and efficiency. Although everyone agrees that digitisation is important, but a
mistake most companies that are getting into digitisation commit while imbibing the IT technology,
is investing in creating a strong front-end which impresses all, but fails to deliver. What is required is
an equally strong back-end interface to support the front-end.
All international companies have now allocated huge budgets to make the entire company go
digital and these budgets are divided smartly over the entire chain from front-end to the back-end
for optimal results The right synchronisation of people and solutions is the answer to take the
company towards a path of growth. You may get an order directly in your ERP system with a copy
to all departments. But how well it is understood by the people responsible and how efficiently,
regularly and diligently they pick up the required directions to execute the style, is entirely a
different matter. The smooth and effective translation of communication and quick action on the
same is what makes an organisation and defines the success of a digital initiative.
Achieving excellence in the manufacturing of a product is one thing, but ensuring that systems are
in place to guarantee that the deliveries are on time and pre-production goes as per schedule, is
another thing all together.
Deepak Mohindra
Editor-in-Chief
Read and comment on my blog at
http://stitchworldmagazine.blogspot.com
Tech Byte
T E C H BYTES
Workaids and attachments are low-cost deskilling devices for a sewing operation. What percentage of your
total machines use these devices? Do you feel you are using workaids and attachments in maximum possible
scenarios? Are there operations where you feel/think/know that using an attachment may help improve
productivity and result in consistent quality, but yet not using it, and why?
Do you think that the attachments are fairly priced, are of good quality and give value for money?How do
you choose the right attachment for an operation from catalogue/IE/machine mechanic/in-house technical
staff? Does attachment supplier help you in selecting the right attachment? Have you faced any problem
in not finding the attachment of required specification in the market? Do you have engineering workshop
facility in-house to fabricate attachments (folders/binders/hemmers, etc.)?
We are manufacturing workwear and 25 per cent of the

sewing workstations on our shop floor are equipped
with workaids and attachments. The product category
we are working on has requirements which are more
than the usual garments. Matters turn tricky due to
peculiar construction also; for example, if the belt loop
is to be inserted in the waistband; particularities such
as these restrict the opportunities for using wokaids
and attachments. Then, there are other factors such
as prohibitive costs of these tools... Consider a pocket
attach operation, for which we are using an automated
workstation. However, the style changeoverrate is
high, and so is the moulds/templatescost as it is to
be bought from the machinerysupplier and cannot be
made locally. Even the time required for procurement
is close to a month. For the attachments made and
procured locally, the cost is not high. Most of the times
one can even get away with attachments as cheap as
BDT 20-25 (equivalent to 30 cents). The quality is not
outstanding, but it lasts for the production run. Yet, we
are looking at deploying more workaids.
The onus of selecting appropriate workaids and
attachments lies with the technical and industrial
engineering teams. While right now, we have a
network of local manufacturers and suppliers in
Dhaka, eventually we will be bringing the facilities
for building workaids and attachments in-house to
control costs.
AJAY AGAL
CEO, Basic Apparels, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Workaids and attachments are now treated as an

integral part of machinery as it guarantees reduced
SMV, on even the smallest operations and process
standardisation. Unsurprisingly, this prompts us to
maximize the use. Still, there continues to be immense
scope for improvement as awareness for various aids
8 StitchWorld APRIL 2016 www.apparelresources.com
is not known by all in an organization. Also, the best

practices are not shared among the industry as it
allows increased cost competition.
SUMIT SAHNI
Factory Manager, Orient Fashions, Gurgaon, India
The percentage of machines using workaids

and attachments depends upon the style being
manufactured. Currently we are making use of
attachments and workaids on 70 per cent of
machinesin a line, wherein the attachments have
been used in around 25 per cent of machines and
the balance 45 per cent machines use workaids
and guides. It can be said quite certainly that we
are using workaids and attachments in maximum
possibleoperations.
There are many operations where we know using
the attachments will help but many buyers do not
agree on certain products we offer. Other than
that, there are scenarios, where we are working on
pregnancy and post-pregnancy products which
require additionalstitches for safety issues. These
requirements cannot be accommodated in a workaid
or attachment. Then, sometimes, the fabric being used
(like chiffons, georgettes, and high quality crepes)
is such that we do not make use of folders even
on the binding areas as it can cause seam slippage
issues during usage. When it comes to the price, not
all attachments are fairly priced. The folders and
attachments which are used commonly cost us less.
But attachments like spaghetti are custom-made
many a times and thus cost us dearer. For making the
right technical choices, we have an R&D Department
and a folder-making workshop which help control
the companys overhead costs as the folder costs
us cheaper by 75 per cent than the ones available
in market. Right attachments are chosen based on
Tech Byte
the experiences of R&D and technical/production teams

which includes parameters like fabric type and its GSM or
counts, machines limitation in operations such as needle
gauge, etc. Many a times, there are folders that cannot be
fabricated and the attachment suppliers help us select
the right attachment. These have to be bought, of course,
after paying a high value. There have been occasions when
we have faced problems while procuring attachments,
although they have been featured in the suppliers manual.
This happens when either it is out of stock or is out of
production. In situations like these, our in-house folder
workshop is quite useful. When all else fail, we go for the
local fabricators.
MANJUNATH. P
R&D & Technical Head Woven/Knit, Go Go International,
Bangalore, India
In current scenario of apparel manufacturing, close to

85 per cent of machines are affixed with workaids and
attachments. At the same time, I feel that there are many
operations that can utilize these deskilling devices to
reach maximum output with consistent quality. There may
be numerous reasons behind this but mostly it is due to
lack of technical and industrial knowledge. Sometimes,
the attachments and workaids are not necessarily fairly
priced as it follows the law of supply and demand. To
elaborate, the attachments are priced extremely high in
price in some cases due to its high demand even though
it is actually low in value. The right attachment for an
operation is chosen on the basis of technical know-how
of the industrial engineering team. Sometimes, even
the attachment suppliers are extremely resourceful
when it comes to recommending attachments, once the
requirement has been explained properly. A lot of good
companies have their own R&D Department for the very
purpose of developing attachments and workaids. This
helps build efficiency by catering to all the requirements in
a customized way and thus bring in more efficiency than an
attachment mass produced by a supplier.
TechByte
StitchWorld MAY 2016 Question
Labour productivity of Indian apparel
manufacturing industry is very low
when compared with other countries
even for commodity products. The
reasons can be technology, methods,
motivation, wastage of time (discipline,
punctuality). What do you think are the
reasons in order of priority?
Write your comments to us by 20th APRIL 2016 at:
editor@stitchworld.net or post your views online through our
website: www.apparelresources.com
NUWAN DIYAWE
Technical & Systems Director, Indochine Group,
Hangzhou, China
Approximately 30 per cent of sewing machines are with

attachments. For choosing the right attachment we rely
on our in-house technical teams and suppliers. We have
an attachment development workshop as it has become
a necessity to fulfil the requirements of production floor.
Costing-wise, having an in-house workshop does turn
out to be cheaper than buying from outside. Moreover, it
ensures an instant solution made as per convenience in
the shortest of lead times.
HARISH TYAGI
DGM, Banswara Garments, Daman & Diu, India
News Track
Indonesia: Sritex to set up facility

in Cambodia
Sri Lanka: AISEX 2016 to help meet

apparel export target of US $ 10 billion
by 2025
pparel Industry Suppliers

Exhibition (AISEX) 2016,
the largest apparel machinery
exhibition in SriLanka, is
slated to take place from
June 10-12, 2016 in Colombo,
as mentioned on the
organiserswebsite.
The new apparel manufacturing unit will be set up in Kandal province of

Cambodia by the end of this year, and would employ around 400 people
ndonesia-based apparel
manufacturer, Sri Rejeki
Isman, popularly known as
Sritex, has recently signed
a US $ 50 million-deal
with Cambodias Interior
Ministry to set up a garment
manufacturing unit in
Cambodia in order to supply
uniforms for Cambodias
police and armed forces.
According to a statement
issued by the Indonesian
Foreign Affairs Ministry, the
joint venture between the
Cambodian Government and
Sritex will be called Sritex
Cambodia. The new apparel
manufacturing unit will be
set up in Kandal province
of Cambodia by the end of
this year, and would employ

around 400 people. The
apparel manufacturer has also
promised to supply uniforms
to the Cambodian police
and armed forces from its
Indonesian factories till the
time the new plant comes up.
Besides this, Sritex has plans
to expand its reach in the
world market by entering
countries like Spain, France,
Hong Kong, and Peru this
year. The company, which was
founded in 1966, is one of
the biggest Southeast Asian
vertically integrated apparel
company. It became a Public
Listed Company in 2013 after
acquiring PT Sinar Pantja
Djaja, Indonesia.
The exhibition will be

organized by the Lanka
Exhibition & Conference
Services (Pvt.) Ltd. together
with the Sri Lanka Apparel
Institute (SLAI), and supported
by Joint Apparel Association
Forum (JAAF). The event aims
to bring textile machinery
suppliers and service
organizations from across the
world under one roof.
Sri Lankan apparel industry is

growing at a very good pace
and is on a move to scale up
its global presence with an
ambitious export target of
US $ 10 billion by 2025. The
exhibition is expected to be
fruitful in this context as it
will generate new business
opportunities closer to home,
enabling local brands to target
South Asian markets, like India.
AISEX intends to further push
the manufacturers to go for
technological innovations
in the apparel industry by
providing a platform to explore
and bring home complete
solutions necessary to move
ahead in the global market.
AISEX 2016 will provide a bubbling opportunity to further push the

SriLankan apparel manufacturers to go for technological innovations
TRADE STATISTICS
The EU registered
negative growth in
quantities of (-)4.80%,
even as values of
imports increased
substantially by
10.24% during January
to October 2015.
The average UVR of
imported apparel was
Euro 18.18 (per kg
of fabric equivalent)
during the period.
Indian apparel
exports to the EU
during the period
January to October
2015 registered a
growth of 10.73%
in values, while the
increase in quantities
was just 0.19%. The
average UVR during
the period was Euro
20.85 (per kg of fabric
equivalent).
Cotton-based apparel
imports to the US
witnessed only 1.32%
growth in quantity terms,
but declined (-) 2.53% in
value terms in January
2016. MMF-based
apparel on the other
hand registered 10.62%
increase in quantities
and 5.61% gains in
value terms during the
same period.
In January 2016,
while the US
registered 5.65%
growth in value and
13.33% gains in
quantity in the import
of ladies dresses,
India registered an
increase of 12.44%
in terms of value,
but saw decline in
volumes by (-)2.34%.
11 StitchWorld
News Track
India: Cheer
Sagar bags
National
Productivity &
Innovation Award
aipur-based
garment export
house Cheer Sagar
was recently felicitated
withtheNational
Productivity & Innovation
Award in theTextile and
GarmentSector for the
year 2014-15. The award,
presented by Union
Minister of MSME Kalraj
Mishra, was received
by Arnav Poddar and
Tanushree Poddar on
behalf of Cheer Sagar.
The exporter has
previously won the
sameaward for the year
2013-14 as well which
signifies its commitment
to excellence in
manufacturing. Till now,
Cheer Sagar has received
several awards in various
categories. The company
is now planning on further
investing in training and
skill development as well
as purchasing machinery
and equipment.
Vietnam: Addressing textile, dyeing material hurdles crucial to

benefit from TPP
hile Trans-Pacific
Partnership (TPP)
has certainly set the stage
for exponential gains in
Vietnams apparel and textile
trade, challenges loom
large when it comes to the
countrys competitiveness
in the global market.
Proactivelyenough, Vietnam
is looking at the challenges
faced by its textile and
garment industry as well as
mulling over measures to
overcome shortages of raw
materials.
According to trade data
released by Ministry
of Industry and Trade,
Vietnamhas maintained
a growth rate of over 10
per cent, while with its
accelerating productivity,
its garment industry has
come to be included among
the worlds top three
garment makers. However,
to get this far, Vietnam
also experiencedmany
challengesand barriers
relating to materials. In
2015, Vietnam exported US
$ 27.5 billion of garmenttextile products, but it had
to spend US $ 14 billion to
import raw materials. Of the
It is averred that an amount of around US $ 15 billion will be needed to

oversee the hurdles in Vietnam's textile and dyeing industry
remaining US $ 13.5 billion

in the country, it spent US
$ 6 billion to pay salaries
and over US $ 7 billion for
domestic raw materials. Thus,
Vietnam needs to overcome
the problem of input raw
materials. It is averred that
an amount of around US $
15 billion will be needed
for the countrys textile and
dyeingindustry.
In this regard, Le Tien Truong,
General Director of the
Vietnam Textile and Garment
Group (Vinatex) said, This
figure is really a challenge
for local businesses. So
when the market opens, the
arrival of foreign investors is

unavoidable. So, to ensure
healthy competition, the
state needs to manage
the market properly, with
strict legal institutions
in both technology and
environmental protection.
Truong added that it is
extremely difficult for small
and medium enterprises
to invest in the textile and
dyeing industry as businesses
need only around US $ 3,000
to invest in a position of
garment worker (people and
technology) but up to US
$ 200,000 for a fibre or dye
worker in Vietnam.
USA: Tukatech launches Career Connection for production & supervisory personnel
ukatech has launched

Career Connection
section on its web portal. The
Tukatech Career Connection
serves as a platform for trained
and experienced individuals
to find a workplace where
their Tukatech skills can be
of use. Elaborating on the
resource pool developed by
it, the company shared in a
press release,Over the past

20 years our specialists and
engineers have trained over
30,000 operators to work on
various Tukatech systems in
numerous positions; from
pattern engineers, fabric print
designers, 3D virtual fashion
designers, and fabric planners,
to cutting room managers and
supervisors. In addition, 500
fashion institutes have prepared

thousands of graduates to
enter the apparel industry with
knowledge of the TUKAcad Suite
and TUKA3D. The resource pool
is further enriched with hundreds
of experienced freelance workers,
equipped with their own
Tukatech software license.
With a deep resource pool,
Tukatech will be catering to
apparel industry-specific
requirements of production
and supervisory personnel.
Business professionals
looking for new talent who
can immediately add value
to their company, now have a
job-seeking site that connects
them directly to these
equipped individuals, the
statement further elaborates.
News Track
India: Lectra helps Maxwell Industries reduce fabric consumption by 5%
ased in Mumbai
Maxwell Industries
designs, manufactures and
retails affordable quality
undergarments for men,
women and children. The
company produces over
37 million pieces a year for
brands such as VIP Innerwear,
Frenchie, Frenchie X and VIP
Feeling. Approximately 70 per
cent of its product is destined
for more than 1,10,000 points
of sale in the local market,
including the companys
own-name stores, while the
remaining 30 per cent is
exported to other countries.
Maxwell Industries wanted
to expand its presence in
India and its two other main
markets: Africa and the
Middle East. To do this, it
needed to replace its partially-
outsourced manual process

with an automated lean
pre-production process
that would streamline
operations and reduce
costs, without sacrificing
the quality on which
the company had built
its reputation. Maxwell
Industries was also looking
at moving to automation,
and this is when Lectra
came in.
Lectra, which provides
technology solutions &
associated services for
industries using fabrics,
leather, technical textiles,
etc., helped Maxwell improve
their development process
and boost productivity in
their cutting room at their
main plant in Thingalur. After
conducting an in-depth
end, says
Kapil Pathare,
Director of
Maxwell
Industries.
Once the
changes
were made,
Looking at expanding its presence in India, Africa
the company
and the Middle East, Maxwell replaced its partiallyoutsourced manual process with an automated lean
was able to
pre-production process
speed up its
development
process, reduce its fabric
analysis, Lectra experts
consumption by 5 per cent,
worked with the company to
and thanks to fewer errors,
create a customized action
it produces a better quality
plan that would allow them
product. This gave Maxwell
to move all their cutting inthe agility it needed to pursue
house and automate certain
its goals for expansion. We
aspects of development and
are now very much convinced
production. As workflow
that we made the right choice
improved in the cutting
in selecting Lectra as our
room, it improved in sewing
partner for our technology
too, which gave us a smooth
solution needs, avers Pathare.
process from beginning to
Tech Talk
In the last two issues of StitchWorld, Dr. Prabir Jana, NIFT Delhi has been highlighting the
gross neglect of technology in garment manufacturing organizations, stressing that there
is probably overemphasis on HR and management interventions. The reasons behind
management functions gaining prominence, is the increasing inter-industry movement
of top-level executives, no capital investment involved, ease of comprehension by top
management and popularization by consultants. The reasons behind overdoing HR in
place of technology is compliance mandate from buying houses, compliance initiative
from NGOs, and to overcome the shortage of manpower. The reasons behind technology
getting marginalized were cited as lack of knowledgeable experts in technology
improvement and additional capital expenditure. StitchWorld quizzed several experts on
specific questions related to the issue
Are we neglecting technology? Experts speak

Apparel industry adjusting to the shifting gears of time, requirement and priorities
Personnel Department in
garment manufacturing
companies has merely graduated
to HRD. Is this transformation
being looked at as overdoing
HR?
Rajesh Bheda I dont think
that this transition can be
termed as overdoing HR at all.
Garment industry is a labourintensive industry and it needs
to give sufficient attention to
human resource management.
This is especially important
these days as finding and
retaining workers is becoming
difficult in the garment
industry. In fact what is being
done under HR is still at
nascent stage, and much more
focused work is needed in the
area of HRD as at the end of the
day Your supersonic jet aircraft
is only as good as the pilot that
flies it.
Paul Collyer I agree that
HR has grown in most RMG
companies and replaced

personnel but the real
problem in India is that the
role of HR has not been
defined. It has become a
major power; and while the
components of the role such
as compliance and working on
retaining workers is crucial, it
should be remembered that
it is production that pays the
bills. HR when related to the
production areas, as against the
other parts of the organization,
should be a service to
production and not a separate
entity with its own objectives.
May I give the (true) example
of an HR Department that was
targeted to recruit 60 workers
every week and duly did so, but
production did not need that
many recruits and the training
area was totally incapable of
processing such quantities.
Result training area had 20
machines and recruits sat idle
for 2 hours before working

for 1hour and then again
returning to waiting!
Devadas P M I agree with
majority of the point of
views shared by Dr. Jana.
However, the factors that led
to these need to be analyzed
onebyone.
Our country is not the India
which we saw 25 to 30 years
back. That was the time when
people were queuing up in
front of the factory in need of
a job, largely to take care of
hunger. Some of the people
who started as operators later
turned out to be supervisors
and production managers.
They had sewing as well as
managerial skills, developed
over the course of time. That
was the time when the number
of B.Tech engineers or NIFTians available in the apparel
industry was limited.
Tech Talk
Today hunger is not the prime

motivation for work. The
welfare schemes offered by the
Government, like NREGA, etc.
prompt them to stay back in
their village with their family and
relatives. Many are not willing to
migrate to a city. Those who do
so cant afford to live in the city
with mere minimum wages. Many
of them in cities like Bangalore
and Chennai send their children
to English-medium schools
paying huge amount of fees.
Therefore, they expect higher
wages and better standards of
living. Some of the HR activities
(welfare measures) that Dr. Jana
had mentioned are to be seen
as a helping hand by employers
to offer a better living to those
who sweat it out for 8 to 10 hours
daily. We as managers should
feel proud about this good act
for someone who is working
with you for years. That is our
responsibility to our employees.
You may call it welfare or HR or
CSR. If you need to get employees
to run your factory, you need to
go with the wind. 25 years back
I had seen workers of an apparel
factory in UK coming for work
daily in cars. How many years will
India take to reach there? But
in those countries the industry
itself disappeared. So at least if
we offer a good quality of life, the
operators will work happily for
the organization. However, the
extent to which the buyer who is
talking about compliance, welfare
and CSR is ready to pay extra
remains a constraint.
Badri Narayana I do not
think this is overdoing HR, it is
a transition of moving from IR,
Recruitment, Payroll Management
to People Management. With
focus on compliance-related
requirements and a drive for
improvements coming from
buyers side, the organization has
to move on, get into HRD and
eventually OD to be competitive.
In general, theres a prevalent
trend in the industry for being
prepared to retain both buyers

and growth. I do not believe of
any overdoing of HR without
a clear context. An example of
overdoing HR is dishing out
increments and promotions with
no performance linkages. A 360
OD intervention will encompass
buyers or customers, people
andtechnology.
Ganesh CK No technology
intervention is likely to produce
exceptional results, if there are
no related HR intervention(s)
complementing these. Plurality
for HR interventions is critical,
as these will have to address
the entire Maslows Hierarchy of
Needs. In fact, the other element
of HR intervention here is the
needs of the entrepreneur/
board itself. Much of angst
expressed in the article is also
because of this latter aspect
which hasnt got its due space
and importance. Regardless
of levels, humans have a herd
tendency. Employee engagement
activities as a means to an end
(better productivity, higher
profits), and not supported by an
underlying philosophical connect
to employee engagement will not
yield any sustainable results.In
fact context-less incentive
programmes have made most of
employee-employer relationships
quite transactional these days...
This is across many industries.
Aisshvarya I believe this
topic is skewed.If a garment
manufacturing company is
targeting effective results can
technology or management
do without support from each
other?Is there an option to
choose from between the two?
Whether it is a technology
improvement initiative or HRD
initiative the failure or success
depends on goals identified,
planning and execution.
The process of designing
and executing a technology
improvement initiative or a HRD
initiative is a science. A consulting
firm or consultant may have
Paul Collyer is a UK-based

Self-Employed Apparel Trainer
and Consultant who has
spent 46 years in the apparel
manufacturing trade. Although
Paul had retired from the industry
earlier this year, he is still running
the Train the Trainer Program
back in the UK where sewing
trainers train trainers to recruit
and train new workers.
Aisshvarya S Shah is the

CEO and Chief Trainer at
Chennai-based Work Senses.
Being an HR-specialist, she
has invested over 16 years
in working with some of the
most respectable organizations
such as Infosys Ltd., ICICI
Group, NIIT, Sutherland Global
Services, Ashok Leyland,
Murugappa Group, and Larsen &
ToubroGroup.
Tech Talk
mastered it, and practicing it with

such grace and flow that it looks
like an art (management).
Is there a separate budget

allocation for different activities
like technology upgradation and
training/re-training?
Rajesh Bheda, Principal and

CEO, Rajesh Bheda Consulting
has a diverse experience in the
apparel manufacturing trade
spanning close to three decades
in the industry as a professional,
later as an academician and
now as a consultant and
trainer with special focus on
Productivity, Quality, CSR
andCompetitiveness.
Devadas P M is the
GMOperations Excellence
at Madura Clothing. Being a
professional so deeply engaged
with the floor and industry,
Devadas lends critical insight in
terms of how the industry views
the HR and Technology crevice.
Rajesh Bheda This depends on

the organisations. Most do not
have a separate well thought-out
budget for training. It is looked
at on need basis, and funds are
allocated based on the urgency
of the training need. Whereas
technology upgradation is
something that would have
some allocation done in advance
as factories do give it relatively
more attention. For example,
phasing out non UBT machines,
adding a few specialized
machines, etc., have to be
planned. This is especially done
for technology solutions with
well-established ROI/payback
period. In last decade substantial
investments have been made
by companies in computerized
product development
and cutting. Information
technology has also seen
significant investment; these are
investments in technology. As
cost of labour is constantly going
up, many companies are going
for labour-saving technologies
or solutions that deskill the
manufacturing processes/assure
quality and consistency.
Devadas P M Yes, we do
have different allocations for
technology upgradation and
training as they are addressing
two different issues. To elaborate,
technology upgradation is done
to meet the buyers requirement
about the product, productivity,
quality and delivery. Whereas,
the industry has training/retraining requirements for new
employees recruited for capacity
addition or replacement of an
employee who has left. Trainings
are also done to improve the
skill level of low performing
employees. Additionally, new
operations associated with the

changing styles also bring in
trainingrequirements
Ganesh CK Very often,
interventions and training
sessions focus on What is being
done, to be done and not on
Whys and the Hows of the
interventions To me, that is the
core issue.
Badri Narayana There are
budget allocations whenever
there is a growth/foray planned
for very much different
categories, say from woven to
knits or to jackets, etc. This is
linked to growth, competitive
and hence limited to a few
companies. It is more often
than not exigency-driven
andminimalistic.
Has there been a cautious

distinction between training and
welfare? Some of the activities
mentioned by Dr. Jana under the
aegis of HR, actually fall under
the category of staffwelfare
Paul Collyer HR is very
much about welfare. For
operators recruitment, HRs
role in training should be
adhering to a plan laid down
by the production team. The
operator training department
should be responsible for
production, not HR. For all
other trainings, HR should play
the role for coordination and
training provider identification.
Again, training should be the
responsibility of each individual
line manager and not HR.
Badri Narayana I think there
is a clear difference between
training and welfare. Welfare
is providing amenities and the
like to employees for better
care, suitable environment,
well-being and safety. Training
is a separate activity done
externally and on the job. These
are distinct. However, some of
them do lie under the purview of
staffwelfare.
Ganesh CK HR interventions
may have to be categorized
17 StitchWorld
Tech Talk
S Badri Narayana, Director Operational Excellence, FLAME TAO Knoware,

has rich industrial experience of over two decades spanning a wide field covering
project management, product development, techno-commercial marketing and
quality assurance systems.
between those impacting

factors of Hygiene (absence of
which cause dissatisfaction, but
presence of which need not
cause satisfaction) and those
of Motivation (Herzberg's two
factor theory). Factors that
regulation and compliance
are pushing are often those of
hygiene factors, from a sociology
angle (e.g. no child labour,
limitations on work hours, etc.).
Do you agree that there is a

shortage of experts in technology
consulting? Do you agree with
Dr. Janas observation that
consultants are offering services
in management areas and not
technology? Have you used
services of any technologist
during the last 5 years? Can you
list down the type(s) of services
you may have used from the
consultants during the last 5 years?
Rajesh Bheda There is indeed
a shortage of consultants
in technology consulting.
Traditionally, garment companies
relied on the technology
suppliers to propose the options
and then negotiating the price
for buying machines. The focus
generally was on buying basic
equipment at competitive
price than doing thorough
analysis of the features of the
equipment offered against needs
of the organization. One of the
limitations here is that most
of sales staff of the machinery
suppliers are not technical
experts and are not able to guide
the users very well. This is where
a technology expert/advisor
can play a value adding role for
garment companies.
In regards to consultants offering
services in management areas
than technology, yes it can be

said that there is greater demand
for management consulting than
pure technology consulting.
However, consulting firms with
domain expertise, provide
both technology as well as
management consulting advice.
Paul Collyer No, I can think
of consultants being unable to
secure work. The problem is, as
Dr. Jana says, that companies
are unwilling to pay or use
consultants in this field.
Devadas P M I agree with
most of the points. There are
not many Indian technology
consultants available in India.
Most of them are expats who
have spent more than 40-45 years
in the apparel industry in many
roles starting as operators. They
have grown up in a systematic
and disciplined environment.
Not many Indian engineers or
apparel technologists are ready
to take up a role like this. We
have availed the services of these
technologists in areas like fit
development, sewing technology,
industrial engineering, training,
machine experts, etc. The sudden
growth of India is offering faster
growth to many of our youth,
making this an unattractive field.
The growth offered by software
industries and other related
industries make them shift
theircareer.
The most preferred jobs of a
fashion technology graduate
joining the industry are
merchandising, retail buying,
planning, etc. How many of them
are prepared to work in a factory
in a technology role for more
than 5 years? Even if anyone
doesthat, what is the growth

that he/she gets in comparison
to his/her peer who has joined a
buying house or a retail setup?
We also observe a dearth in
the number of technology
subjects taught in colleges to
create technology experts.
Most of the topics are centred
on fashion sketching, trends,
merchandizing, costing,
yarnspinning, weaving,
fabricprocessing, etc. Not
manycolleges modify the
subjects based on the job
opportunities available to their
students either.
One of the colleges in south
India, where I am a member
of the board of studies as an
industry expert, increased the
number of papers on industrial
engineering from one to two
when we highlighted that 80 per
cent of the students are joining
apparel manufacturing. One of
the colleges in Bhubaneswar
didnt have a single subject on
industrial engineering and they
found it difficult to include them
as they are not autonomous and
getting an approval from the
university is not easy.
We also have excellent machine
mechanics or technicians who
are not B.Techs or NIFT-ians.
What is required is an aptitude
to do those jobs and an attitude
to learn. It is also questionable
as to how many mechanics can
become maintenance managers
or GMs. So what is practical
is to form a team of someone
with deeper knowledge on
machines and a professional
with managerial and technical
abilities. The professionals in
Tech Talk
the industry have to mature

from being a trouble shooter to
a problem solver, further to a
process improver and finally to a
system improver. Only then will
the industry benefit from them.
Badri Narayana I agree
partially. There are consultants
offering technology on the
project front and not as much
on the operational front. As the
nature of styles and categories
vary so much that expertise is
rather home grown or researched
from the internet. There have
been cases of companies hiring
industrial designers to generate
automation solutions.
Usually, technical expertise
is found in technicians,
sampling masters, in some
cases in engineers, based on
experiences and difficulties
in production and in meeting
performancerequirements.
Technology consulting is
rare in all sectors and not
just in apparel sector as it is
domain-specific and generally
companies consult the suppliers
and derive knowledge and/or
latest information from them.
Companies do build their own
expertise and in niche areas they
do request consulting services
where services are available. In
some companies they do have a
department of R&D that handles
this aspect in fairdetail.
Do you also agree with

Dr.Janas observation that cost
of technology intervention
is generally higher than
management and/or HR
intervention? Are there higher
chances of failure in technology
intervention in comparison to
management or HRintervention?
Rajesh Bheda Let us not
generalize by saying that cost
of technology intervention
Ganesh CK, Associate Consultant,

FLAME TAO Knoware
are higher than management

intervention. Technology
intervention can be of various
types. These could be specific
solutions for particular
operations, processes or much
wider intervention. Based on
the scope of the technological
intervention, the investment
will vary. So its difficult to say
Tech Talk
Technology is an all-time requirement as it is continuously evolving, whereas on the

management expertise once the right DNA is set over a period of time, it only needs coaching
and mentoring, and in mature organizations it can be internally facilitated. As there is so much
competition and changes in terms of fashion, technology needs to be evolving to be in sync.
S Badri Narayana, Director Operational Excellence, FLAME TAO Knoware
that one is more cost-intensive

than other. Again the chances
of failure also cannot be
generalized. One of the most
important factors that make
significant difference to success
of any project, say technology
upgradation or management
system implementation, is the
top managements commitment.
The implementation of relatively
new or unexplored technologies
will have higher risk of failure
than well-established solutions.
Paul Collyer Usually, the outlay
for technology intervention
is generally higher than
management or HR intervention.
However, as far as chances of
failure are concerned, they
are higher in management or
HR intervention because with
technology, one is dealing with
an absolute. Whereas, with HR
a softer and a less certain role is
inquestion.
Ganesh CK Management
Fads is just a manifestation
of this herd tendency. Many
activities being adapted by
companies under the garb of HR
interventions (5%improvement
in productivity!) is also due
to this. It has given results
there, but does not have much
investment anyways; and thus
thekarne do! attitude... Quite
unfortunately, less the stake,
lesser the accountability... and
greater theangst.
Devadas P M Yes, technology
interventions are expensive
as most of it is coming from
overseas and the charges are in
USD or Euro. The technology is
also developed in those parts of

the world and when we buy that
equipment we need to use their
services to learn. Most of these
consultants have experiences
of more than 2 to 3 decades.
Management on the other hand
is available at lesser cost as we
have plenty of management
institutions and young graduates
pass out of them every year with
excellent communication and
soft skills. To be an expert in
technology the effort required is
at least five-fold.
If the organization does not
nurture and retain the personnel
trained on technology, all
the learning will leave the
organization as the individual
leaves and that can cause failure
of technology.
Badri Narayana No, I do not
agree. A good OD intervention
is also quite intensive and has an
equivalent or sometimes more
costs, as it is long-term. In todays
Internet of Things, (on the
technology front) to a discerned
searcher, a lot of adaptable
solutions are available. However,
to explore, there needs to be a
self-drive and/or a deep need
which OD enables. To address
the chances of failure specifically
are more in OD intervention
as people may not embrace
change or do things differently
for better performance, any
lasting change means everyone
works and behaves differently
to attain desired results,
which is easier said than done.
Whereas in technology there is
always a learning, continuous
improvement as based on any
failure one improves it further,

and once successful, it is there
to stay. The method stays, till
the next challenge or change
comesin.
Aisshvarya Depends on the
depth and the extent of the
intervention. The notion that
cost is high suggests doubt in
the mind of the user on ROE and
ROI doesn't matter whether
it is technology intervention or
HRintervention.
Do you agree with Dr. Janas

observation that management
expertise is an all-time
requirement, whereas technology
expertise is only a one-time
requirement in any organisation?
Rajesh Bheda Technology
needs assessment, and advice on
selection of right technological
solutions would not be a
regular need, but at the same
time its not a one-time need
either. As the organization
progresses, newneeds are
felt and expertisein this area
would be needed. However
the organizations alsoneed
expertise on how to use the
technology to its full potential
and this expertise needs to be
developed in the organization.
External expertise for the
same may be needed. Indian
garment industry does not have
a very good record of using the
available technology to its fullest
potential. This also adversely
affects the Return on Investment.
Its true that management
expertise is needed all the
time. But the organisations
hire professional managers
Tech Talk
30 years ago, there was a time when people were queueing up in front of the factory in need
of a job, largely to take care of hunger. Some of the people who started as operators later
turned out to be supervisors and production managers. They had sewing as well as managerial
skills, developed over the course of time. Today, hunger is not the prime motivation for work.
Devadas P M, GM Operations Excellence, Madura Clothing
for performing management

function to deliver desired
results. Certain organisations
prefer to have management
consultants to guide the internal
management teams on ongoing basis whereas others
hire services of management
consultants on need basis
for specific advice or specific
business need.
Paul Collyer No! The frequency
at which technology expertise
is required depends upon the
product, i.e. a mans suit that
rarely changes than in a fashion
product. Also, methods should
be challenged constantly.
Devadas P M I disagree. It
may be true in an organization
dealing with commodity
products where a technology
is acquired and retained for
decades. In todays speed at
which fashion and products
are changing, it is in the good
interest of the organization to
have a full-time expert. This
will help them to cater to the
changing needs of the buyer or
customer faster than anyone.
On the point that machinery
suppliers give all technical help,
this is true but they are also
businessmen who want to sell
their products. As Dr. Jana said,
they would try to sell those
which give them favourable
benefits. An inside expert can
evaluate various option looking
at Lifecycle Cost and hence
suggest the best suited.
Badri Narayana No, I do
not agree. Technology is an
all-time requirement as it is
continuously evolving, whereas

on the management expertise
once the right DNA is set over
a period of time, it only needs
coaching and mentoring, and in
mature organizations it can be
internally facilitated. As there
is so much competition and
changes in terms of fashion,
fabrics, style construction and
consumer shifts, technology
needs to be evolving to be in
sync. There is only so much that
management expertise can do,
whereas technology is vast,
starting from simple problem
solving work to innovations. To
reiterate how can technology be
a one-time requirement when
there is continuous change in
designs, construction, fabrics,
embellishments and consumers
wants and needs.
What are the kinds of consultancy

assignments you have done
during the last 5 years? What kind
of help the companies are asking
from your organisation? Do you
provide training services or
consultancy services? Have you
done any factory set-up projects
or technology upgradation
projects in last 5 years?
Rajesh Bheda Consulting
assignments of Rajesh Bheda
Consulting Pvt. Ltd. have
mainly covered performance
improvement strategy
formulation and strategy
execution. This has required
us to look at how to optimize
the usage of present resources
including technology and
human resource for generating
maximum value for the
organization while improving the
customer service levels. We have

advised our clients on selection
of right technological solutions
as well as partnering with them
for optimal utilization of heavy
technological investments as
done in certain critical processes.
We largely provide consulting
services and some part of our
business also consists of training
services. We have been involved
in a few factory set-up projects
and technology upgradation
projects in last 5 years.
Paul Collyer Both... Although
I am not sure where in the
RMG sector training and
consultancy have a divide; they
should be intertwined and
mutually dependent. As far as
the technology upgradation
projects are concerned, we have
undertaken these projects as
a part of general productivity
improvement initiatives.
Badri Narayana The
consulting assignments we
have taken up have been on a
model of teach-train-transfer and
coaching till the best practice
is part of regular activities, and
are more of transformation,
encompassing people, process
(layouts and methods) and best
practices. We have also setup factory layouts and in the
process explored technology
upgradation. The kind of help we
have been asked for, are in areas
of Lean Implementation, Culture
Building, Role Effectiveness,
Factory Design, Improving
Market Growth, Goal Alignment,
and through these demonstrate
high capability to buyers. All are
linked toperformance.
Tech Talk
A common challenge faced by the apparel industry on shop floor is the production of
goods in excess of demand, and production of goods earlier than required. The lean
term that we use to describe this manifestation is Overproduction, which can be avoided
by using Kanban (Production and Withdrawal) cards in conjunction with Supermarkets.
Kanban ensures that the entire production system becomes reflexive and follows the
principles of a Pull System.
Reflexive Production System: Use of Kanban

Setting up a Supermarket between Cutting Room and Sewing Floor
he ultimate manifestation of a
delay in production is airlifting
the shipment or receiving the
buyers debit note, and these often
drive the operation scheduling in
factories. The scheduling accounts
for several vagaries and buffers. The
main factors that lead factories to
overproduce are:
Fear of labour absenteeism.
Variability and dependency that
exist in the system.
Ignorance of frequent changeovers.

Absence of production
feedback loop, especially from
downstream operations.
Poor planning and scheduling.
Capacity imbalances in the
production system.
Capacity utilization when order
pipeline has dried up.
Sales forecasts are way off
themark.
Instability in the production
system.
Longer set up times between
product changeovers.
Shortage of skilled operators.

Machine breakdowns/
repairdelay.
The concepts of Kanban find
relevance in these scenarios to help
build Reflexive Production Systems.
Imagine Kanban to be a series of
links in a cycle chain. Any force
exerted at the end of the chain is
felt by the first link in the chain.
Kanban ensures that a feedback
mechanism is created on the
production floor and only what is
required by customer is produced.
Figure A is a simple illustration
of a Pull System in an apparel
production plant. A signal
is generated by the actual
consumption at the downstream
process (at Finishing). The last
process downstream received is the
consumption from the customer.
Therefore, the customer exerts pull
on the entire production system
in this way. The Pull Signal keeps
moving up, based on the actual
consumption till it reaches the
upstream process (i.e. cutting). In a
Kanban System, the pull exerted
Anand Deshpande, Founder

& CEO, AdmaaConsulting,
illustrates the concept of a
Pull System, Application of
Kanban and Supermarkets
between Cutting and
Sewing, and Setting up of
Supermarket between Cutting
Room and SewingFloor.
by the downstream customer

is manifested visually to the
supplying upstream process.
A Pull System has many
advantages. While it schedules
work based on information from
inside the system, it also establishes
prior limit on the Work in Progress
in the system and authorizes the
work to upstream processes based
on Kanban Cards.
Tech Talk
Application of Kanban
System between cutting
andsewing departments
inan apparel factory
Figure B is an illustration of a Kanban
System that could be created
betweencutting and sewing
departments. The cutting works
onbatch production principleswhereas
sewing nowadays uses single piece flow
or unit production system.
Let us understand some terms that
have been used in the illustration
Supermarket: A Supermarket is an
area identified in the factory that stocks
goods in the finished form (ready for
shipping) or in WIP (Work in Progress)
form. In a typical apparel factory a
Supermarket Area could exist between
cutting and parts sewing, parts sewing
& assembly, assembly & finishing and
also in the finished goods warehouse.
Supermarket ties the consuming
process and the supplying process
in a Pull System. The withdrawal of
the inventory from the Supermarket
is authorized by a Pull Signal (e.g.
a Withdrawal Kanban Card). The
inventory in the Supermarket Area is
kept in trolleys or bins.
Kanban Cards: Inventory for the
items authorized by these cards is
kept in the Supermarkets. These cards
are recycled through the production
systemcontinuously.
A Kanban Card typically has

the following information
displayed on it:
Material, part number, etc.
External and internal
supplyingprocesses.
Consuming process (could be
sewing if parts are stitched in
sewing or finishing if parts are
consumed in finishing).
Container Quantity (container here
refers to a trolley or a bin, and the
quantity refers to the amount of
stock that should be stored in the
trolley or bin).
Supermarket Address
(Supermarkets have a designated
address like A1, H2, etc.)
Figure A: Pull System

Material
Flow
Cutting Process
Sewing Process
Finishing Process
Pull Signal
Figure B: Kanban System between Cutting and Sewing

Authorization Line
Kanban
Post
Kanban Board
A
Prodcution
Kanban
200 pcs.
Cutting
Every
200 Pcs.
Card Serial Number.

An illustration of the part (a typical
component drawing).
The base Colour of the Kanban Card
could be white or red. It is a choice that
management makes. These cards are
attached to standard containers and
are placed into a clear plastic sleeve
firmly attached to each container.
Container quantity for all cut panels
from cutting could be 200 pieces. This
again depends on the order quantity
and cutting machine capacity or type
of cutting (manual or automatic) being
practiced on the floor.
Withdrawal Kanban Card authorizes
the consuming process to withdraw
the inventory from the Supermarket.
Once the stock begins to be used in
consuming process, the Withdrawal
Kanban Card accompanying the
container is removed from it and
kept in the Kanban Post. In the same
vein, the production Kanban Card
that accompanies stock kept in the
Supermarket Area is kept in the
Kanban Post once the stock is taken
out for consumption.
Production Kanban Card authorizes
the supplying process to produce the
Withdrawal
Kanban
100
pcs.
Every
100 Pcs.
Parts Sewing
required amount, which is stored in the

Supermarket Area.
Kanban board is a visual display
board: The production Kanban
Cards are accumulated in the board
after removing them from empty
containers (trolleys or bins) no sooner
they are withdrawn by the consuming
process from the Supermarket. The
accumulation of cards continues
till a predetermined number of
cards are achieved as defined by
the common authorization line. In
Figure B, the common authorization
line is achievedafter two cards (each
card bears production quantity of
100pieces).
A robust Kanban board design is
adaptable, scalable, and communicates
visually and at the minimum has the
following key information:
Locations to position the
Kanban Cards in either rows or
columns, by product (A, B, C, or
D) as they are returned from the
consumingprocess.
A visual indicator, known as
the authorization line, of when
replenishment is authorized
andnecessary.
Tech Talk
SOME FAQs FOR SETTING UP A KANBAN SYSTEM

Can electronic data
processing or barcode
scanner be used?
A. Yes it can be. It depends on how
inventory is being managed on the
production floor.
How to determine the

number of Kanban Cards
to be used?
A. To arrive at the exact number of
Kanban Cards to be used, the following
equation by James Vatalaro is useful.
Number of Kanban Cards = {Average
Daily Demand x (Order frequency
+ Lead time + Safety time)}/
Containerquantity
FIFO tracking to indicate which

product is to be processed first in
cutting and then next one as well
based on FIFO priority.
The common authorization line
in Kanban board functions in the
following manner (Refer Figure B):
Product is consumed from
Supermarket by the consuming
process (Sewing). When the
consuming process empties a
container, the card and container
are removed from the Supermarket
Area. The card is then removed
from the container (trolley or bin).
Thereafter the empty container
is staged in close proximity to
the Kanban board which could
be placed in a designated area in
cutting.
The Kanban Card is placed on
the Kanban board at the lowest
locationavailable for given
product (A, B, C or D). This process
repeats until enough Kanban
Cards representing a specific
product accumulate to reach
the authorization line on the
Kanbanboard.
To apply the equation, let us consider

creating a Kanban System between
cutting and parts sewing (first process):
Container quantity = 250 pieces (one

container in the form of trolley holds
250 pieces).
Let the Average Daily Demand be

500 pieces of jackets.
Replacing the value of all the variables

in the equation we get:
Order Frequency = 1 day

(i.e. produced daily).
Number of Kanban Cards =

{500 x (1+0.75+0.5)}/250 = 4.5 cards
rounded off to 5.
Lead Time = 6 hours (time it takes to

refill the Supermarket, i.e. time it takes
to start laying until it is bundled and
kept in the Supermarket) = 0.75 day
(converting hours into days by dividing
the number by 8, i.e. 6/8 = 0.75).
Safety time = 4 hours (time that is
factored in for breakdowns, quality
losses, etc.) = 0.5 days.
Working time = One shift = 8 hours.
Immediately upon the authorization

line being reached, all the Kanban
Cards for all those part numbers are
removed and individually placed
in transparent sleeves attached to
empty containers (trolleys or bins).
The empty containers with the
attached Kanban Cards are delivered
to the supplying process (cutting).
This action authorizes replenishment
by the supplying process.
Once the containers (trolleys or bins)
are filled again with the completed
product, the containers with the
attached card are returned to their
specific Supermarket location. As
the line stock at the part sewing
process is depleted, product is
removed from the Supermarket and
delivered to the consuming process
by a withdrawal Kanban Card. The
process repeats itself.
The Kanban System works in the
following manner (Refer Fig. B):
Parts sewing operator uses parts
kept next to assembly line, removes
the Withdrawal Kanban Card that
accompanies the container (trolley or
bin) and places it in the Kanban post.
Thus number of Kanban Cards required

is 5, which actually means that if the
trolley is 250 pieces, there would be five
trolleys recirculating between cutting
and parts sewing. There is no specific
rule to round up or round down. In
the above numerical, one could round
down to 4 cards as well. The only risk
here is that safety available is reduced
in practical sense.
Operator takes the Withdrawal

Kanban Card to the
Supermarkettofetch items.
He picksup the 100 pieces of
cut panels and deposits the
ProductionKanban Card that
came along with them into the
KanbanPost.
The Production Kanban Card is then
moved to the Kanban board.
As soon as two cards accumulate
onthe production board (in
thecase of order D), the two
production cards are issued to
cutting machines authorizing
production of the same.
As soon as they are produced, 200
pieces (two Kanban Cards 100
pieces per card) are transported to
the Supermarket and stored in the
location (trolley or bin).
The principles of Kanban are as follows:
The downstream process
(consuming process) will only
consume what is needed.
The supplying process will
only produce if Kanban System
authorizes it to produce.
Tech Talk
Can containers be used

instead of Kanban Cards;
can they function as
Kanban Card?
A. Yes, there could be a system wherein
an empty container is taken to the
supermarket and a full container is
picked. However the operator must
know which container to pick.
How is the Authorization

Line ascertained?
A. While the best estimates come
with experience, to begin with a
quantity equivalent to the batch size
of the upstream supplying process
(in this case cutting) can be set as the
Authorization Line.
Defective products will not be sent

downstream processes.
Kanban should reflect changes
in demand as demands
keepsfluctuating.
The number of Kanban must reduce
in time as they only are reflection
ofwaste.
The rules are non-negotiable.
Let us consider the Case of Installing
a Supermarket between Cutting and
Sewing processes. Supermarket ties
the consuming and the supplying
process in a Kanban Pull System by
keeping a buffer inventory authorized
for replenishment by a pull signal.
If we did not have a Supermarket,
a Kanban Card at supplying
process would mean immediate
replenishment, which is difficult in
a typical apparel-manufacturing
environment because of variability
and dependency. Hence the need for
Supermarkets.
In case of the above example, sewing
parts assembly will withdraw cut
panels from the Supermarket, and the
cutting will replenish the Supermarket
when signalled to do so by the Kanban

board. The signal provided by the
Kanban board can be in the form or a
production card or merely an indicator
light or an indicator flap. A green flap
would mean no replenishment required,
whereas a red flap would mean
replenishment required immediately.
then the inventory level can be kept

at 2 days initially. Simultaneously
the factory should start working
on improving the breakdown
maintenance efficiency and then
reduce the inventory to one day.
Transport mechanism
currently available.
Cutting has more capacity

than sewing parts as sewing
section could experience
wandering bottlenecks due to
skill dependency. If a skilled
operatorinthe sewing parts is
absent, the line is slowed down
because the slowest operation
on the line defines the speed of
the line. The speed of the flow of
product through the bottleneck
also determines the cost of
theproduct.
In the apparel industry it makes

sense to have one Supermarket
between cutting and sewing parts,
a pairing Supermarket between
sewing parts and sewing assembly, a
WIP Supermarket between finishing
andsewing.
Since we work on a Pull System,

we observe that flow in sewing
parts is often interrupted due to
variability in inputs leading to
operator skill dependency and
breakdowns. Therefore mostly one
day inventoryis fine.
Once the Supermarket and Kanban

board are institutionalized, we can
move on to decide the inventory to
be kept between departments in the
Supermarket.
Also, by keeping less inventory in

the Supermarket, the production
system becomes more responsive
and agile. The moment the cutting
maintenance team knows that
inventory between cutting and
sewing parts is slashed, they look
for addressing problems quicker
and therefore mean time to repair
alsoreduces.
The best choice of position of

the Supermarket depends on the
followingfactors:
The number of supplying
workstations vs. the number of
consuming workstations.
Travel distance.
Availability of space.
The inventory or buffer to be kept in

the Supermarket largely depends on
the variability and dependency that
exists between the two processes on
either side of the Supermarket. The
rationale is to ensure that you neither
starve nor block the bottleneck. In
most cases, sewing parts (i.e. Front,
Sleeve, and Lining) is a bottleneck in
the industry. The reason being that
sewing assembly, traditionally, has
relatively shorter cycle times and
hence more capacity.
Keeping a days inventory in the
Supermarket between cutting and
sewing parts is recommended for the
following reasons:
Any breakdown in the cutting
could be repaired under four hours,
therefore with one day inventory
in the Supermarket, supply to the
sewing parts will still be alright.
If the mean time to repair a
breakdown in cutting is 1 days,
The inventory between sewing parts

and sewing assembly however can be
limited to1-2 hours as:
Pairing becomes more real time.
Container clearance is easier as
maintaining FIFO (first-in-first-out)
becomes easier with lesser stock.
Production lines become more
flexible and can accommodate any
other product at short notice.
The entire system becomes
morereflexive.
Quality improves naturally as lesser
stock lead to improved process
efficiency.
Defects can be detected sooner and
by keeping only 1-2 hours of stock
can reduce excess rework.
Tech Interview
WE ARE ALREADY
IN THE FUTURE
Flavio Cattini, Founder & MD, FK Group
SW: What prompted you to make

machines for the garment industry
and that too at the young age of
20years?
In late 1950s, Flavio Cattini, Founder & MD, FK Group,

was attending an apparel manufacturing technology trade show
Guided by an epiphany of building his own empire, and his passion
for the apparel trade, he chose to research in the area of automation
for cutting room and do away with lack of Made in Italy spreaders
and cutters. He bore the fruits of this effort in 1961 when he
produced the first spreading machine in the world with electrical
parts under the label CARON. Since then, he has gone on to institute
FK Group, hold multiple patents, win Tecnica Della Confezione
International Award and take the market by storm with his pursuit
of innovation. With the core strength of first-entry advantage
in various fields, the company recently completed 50 years of
existence. As FK Group braces for the next 50 years, Flavio, in an
exclusive interaction with Team StitchWorld, looks back at his
journey with a hint of nostalgia and pride. He also unveils the future
of spreading and cutting automation at FK Group.
FC: Alongside my technical and

mechanical studies, the Italian
economic boom marked the
beginning of my career From
the age of 18 years to the start
of my own enterprise, I practiced
at a wood working company for
five years. During this time I was
working with the projection team
on the mechanical development of
machines. After having graduated, I
decided that it was time to start my
own innovations. My family used
to work in the textile business for
private clients, which brought me
to my first international apparel
manufacturing technology fair in
Milan, where I was surrounded by
sewing machines. That moment
stoked my passion as it seemed
there were no Italy-made auxiliary
machines. Since then, there has been
no looking back. I have never stopped
innovating, and my prerogative
is to study systems but never to
copythem.
SW: Many patents are attributed to

you. Please mention a few How have
they helped in the development of
theindustry?
FC: The first 20 years of my career as
a CARON Co. partner featured various
non-patented inventions, until the
moment I became CEO and founded
FK Group in order to start my research,
especially in spreading machines.
In fact, four of my inventions are
stillvalid, which incluede:
Tech Interview
fabrics, especially towelling

and bathrobes for hotels. But
this market was too small
andhasshowed its limits. A
limited application indeed,
but clearly it has been a
greatexperience.
The variable cradle with parallel

single ring belts which can be
multiplied for the number of rings
according to the fabric width.
The cutting group for the spreading
machine with two controlled belts:
one for transversal movement and
one for variable blade rotation.
SW: Today, what according to you is

the USP of FK Groups CNC cutters?
In the cutting machine, the only

innovations are the bi-composed
brushes, allowing greater aspiration
even when there is an obstruction.
Under plates lubrication to bring
any type of lubricant to keep a
360 rotation necessary on every
material.
SW: You were honoured with the

prestigious Tecnica Della Confezione
International Award in 2001, which is
like the Oscars of technology. For what
particular invention you were awarded
for and how has that motivated the
company towards greater passion for
innovation. What are the noteworthy
developments after the milestone?
FC: During the 90s, the market saw
the domination of three competitors,
specialized in the cutting room
business; and for about 10 years, I
fought my way up, trying to learn this
discipline. Around the same time, I
was felicitated with the award.
Since 1987 I have been able to
combine my well known spreading
systems to my CAD for fashion design
and to the newly launched FK cutting
units. This made FK Group the only
Italian complete line manufacturer.
This fabulous gratification is about
the continuity of innovation
(true business motor) with huge
investments in the exportmarkets.
SW: You claim to be the first in this

segment with inventions in 1961 and
1969, but CAMSCO, a US company
which was later taken over by Gerber,
claims to be the first developer
of CNC cutter... Pleaseshare your
viewsonthis.
FC: I began researching on the CNC
project when I was working on CADCAM systems in 1987 until my first
presentation of a functional CAM
in 1991. Obviously, the American
constructor had already been in the
market for a while, which may not
Flavio Cattini (R) with Sergio Gori, Commercial

Managing Director and Co-owner, FK Group
have been clear from the different

presentations. Nevertheless, I have
become the first Italian constructor
of CAD-CAM and high speed plotter.
SW: As claimed, you were also the

first to introduce a mechanical handoperated cutter, which is still popular
with countries like India where small
quantities is a norm. Do you still have
those cutters in the market? If not,
then why not?
FC: There has been a
misunderstanding in definitions
of manual cutting devices, which
in my case is relative to spreading
machines cutting group. In the 60s,
spreading machine producers used
the horizontal cutting movement
to cut the layers after laying, which
caused quality problems. By using
a vertical blade and hence turning
the cutting system by 90 degrees,
FK Group not only revolutionized
the system, but the whole spreading
aspect. First, the absolute laying
length precision; second the
speed of spreading; and third,
the electromechanical accurate
controls, which in the 70s made our
spreading machines truly advanced
something that set a benchmark for a
myriad of competitors.
SW: FK Erna used to have the

industrys thickest (15 cm)
compressedheight cutter, but it has
been discontinued. Why?
FC: Around the year 1995, we built
cutting machines for spongy soft
FC: Today, FK consists of

solutions for the complete
cutting room CAD, Spreaders
and Cutters for every kind of
fabric, along with the 5-table
systems, handling and loading
systems and their automation,
and finally the 8 different cutting
systems. Of course, everything
is made in order to meet clients
requirements. Our strength
lies in our capability and our
willingness to satisfy customers
specialrequirements.
SW: Which are FK Groups

biggestmarkets?
FC: It is not the countries that
matter but the areas. We are
exporting a lot to South America,
Africa, Western & Eastern Europe,
and Asia. We hope to consolidate
and expand further in the future.
After all, nothing stopsquality.
SW: Moving forth, what is the next

area of development and why?
FC: Our constant target is the
adaptability of our machinery
to changing fabrics the
only way to satisfy our clients
requirements. Obviously we keep
in mind uncompromised quality
with a realistic focus on costs to
avoid compromising the payback period of the investment.
SW: Where do you see FK Group

10years from now..., as you write in
your journey that the first 50 years
are over and FK Group begins the
journey for the next 50 years!
FC: To be honest, we are already
in the future. Our companys
philosophy has always been
focused on innovation,
continuous investment and not
just on profit.
Tech Event
Garment Technology Expo 2016
Unfurling new and vivid directions

Congregating the worlds best technology providers and the entire spectrum of Indian apparel
manufacturers for long, Garment Technology Expo (GTE) has set the momentum for Indian apparel
manufacturing industry year after year. Living up to its reputation, GTE 2016 proved its mettle in
providing directions for the industry pan-India. Thronged by the exporters as well as domestic market
manufacturers, and small-scale suppliers as well as representatives from big names of the industry,
insights into market and technology dynamics were galore. StitchWorld connects the dots and brings
a detailed analysis of the show...
Retrofit energy-efficient
motor
Cost was the prohibiting factor during
the mid-90s, resulting in manufacturers
adopting machines with UBT as luxury.
However, even though the price
came down during the last decade,
manufacturers were unable to upgrade
the old working machines as retrofit
solutions were not available. What was
new at GTE 16 was the influx of Chinamade servo motors, those that can be
retrofitted with old sewing machine by
replacing the clutch motor. With potential
of energy saving, and at a surprisingly
affordable price, it is to be seen how
successfully the retrofit servo motor can
change the industrys infrastructure in
coming years!
Digital printing solution:

Assembled in India
Digital printing has come a long way,
walking the isle of Mimaki and Texsoco.
Buoyed by the proliferating domestic
sports league and associated merchandise,
there is a growing market for digitally
printed sportswear in India. Luxury sarees
and ladieswear are adding the extra
bounty. As the market is maturing, the
key performance parameters are being
highlighted for successful implementation
and customized solutions are aplenty

now. Sadly no India-built digital printer is
out in the market yet, but more and more
India-assembled digital printers are now
showing up.
Absence of automated
workstations
Automated workstations were the signature
display of key players attracting visitors
during the past few years. However, similar
display was missing this time. It should be
kept in mind that most of the automats
were for trouser manufacturing and there
are multiple reasons for the same which
includes the status quo of NCR as noncommodity producer, the Indian trouser
manufacturers losing their competitiveness
to Bangladesh and last the popularity/
advantage of a private showdemonstrating
complete sewing line vis--vis general
exhibitions. The show did not display any
CNC cutter and spreadereither!
Strategic absence of
software solution providers
Software solutions like ERP and PDM were
more or less absent from the fair barring
SpeedStep and ThreadSol. A complex
data-centric software solution is always
customized during implementation as per
organizations demand post-procurement
Tech Event
The event was thronged by exporters, domestic market manufacturers, small-scale suppliers as well as representatives from big names of the industry
and mere PowerPoint presentations

highlighting the features and advantages
of a software actually does not answer
most of the queries of visitors. The
exhibitors and visitors have begun to
realize that exhibition is not a great media/
venue for understanding the functionality
of a software. Although the ERP solutions
providers consciously avoided putting up
stalls, they were present as visitors and
resorted to networking by meeting more
people at the fair.
Visitors look for value
was the focus of many export houses

who visitedthe show. Sanjay Gulati,
MD, Growel Impex, Noida exploring
material handling/traceability systems
at the event was of the opinion, Further
dollar depreciation and more systematic
approach of Indian manufacturers should
bring more orders to India in the coming
days. To grab and successfully deliver
these orders one should have to be lean
and green. Apart from few advanced
models in machines and technology,
there were some small but interesting
developments at the show that attracted
visitors. I have found a Chinese vendor
who manufactures trimmer-cum-scissors
suited for thread trimming and is not as
intimidating and dangerous as a full-size
scissor when it comes to compliance,
shared Animesh Saxena, CEO, Neetee
Clothing, Gurgaon. He was also looking
for upgrading the washing infrastructure
at his factory. Another visitor Rahul
Malik, Senior VP, (Strategy & Product
Development), CTA Apparels, Noida,
along with his team was busy mainly
exploring options in washing and value
addition segment. The company has
plans to invest in digital printing and
processingtechnology.
Be Lean and Green and catch the

small but interesting developments
Few visitors exploring advanced

technology were busy interacting with
Renewed interest in
extra short tail by
under-bed trimmer
The advantage between UBT and nonUBT machines and post-thread trimming
requirement is an ongoing debate. Since
these machines were introduced in India
about a quarter century ago, nothing
much has changed. Surprisingly there is a
renewed interest on having extra short tail
after thread being cut by UBT, and several
brands have highlighted this feature. Can
the industry finally get rid of the laborious
and time-consuming thread trimming
operations in finishing department?
The
partnership
of Juki with
H&Hto offer
stitchless
fabric joining
solution is
one of most
happening/
interesting
developments
inthe industry
today.
Dr. Prabir Jana,
NIFT Delhi
Tech Event
Sanjay Gulati (R), MD, Growel Impex with Viraf Turel,

Managing Director, E.H. Turel & Co.
Having a
USB drive
in all sewing
machines,
through
which sewing
operators can
charge their
mobile or
phones run
small fans
during summer,
is one of the
most promising
sewing machine
feature for the
future.
Dr. Prabir Jana,
NIFT Delhi
Sanjay Sethia (4th from left), MD and Ravi Shanker (3rd from left), GM Operations of
Spectra Fashions at the booth of Turel Group
the technologist to understand the

technology, like Sanjay Sethia, MD
and Ravi Shanker, GM Operations of
Spectra Fashions, Kolkata, who spent a
good amount of time at the booth of Turel
Group. We have plans to adopt some very
innovative technologies in future and GTE
is a good platform in this regard, they
said. On the other side, Suresh Dureja,
Director of Manufacturing, Roots
Canada Ltd., Toronto (Canada) was not
too happy with the overall technology on
display. I was expecting a larger number
of technology suppliers with specialized
machines and machines for seam sealing.
I have not seen any good machines for
saddle stitch either. The exhibition should
have more companies that offer really
advanced machines, he suggested. Roots
Canada Ltd. is into manufacturing of
leather jackets, bags and luggage.
Brijesh Kumar Singh, Production
Manager and Saurabh Srivastava, IE &
PPC Manager, Blackberrys, Gurgaon
informed,We saw stitching machines
which have their in-built electric panel,
and monitoring system which counts
the number of stitches the operator
has done. It is something good. On the
contrary, BPTrivedi, GM Production
and Devendar Kr. Upadhyay, Sr.
Manager, Cantabil Retail India Ltd.,
were of the opinion that the fair was
missing on packaging solutions, especially
automaticfolding.
Value Addition:
Sublimation printing
taking the lead
More than 50 visitors from Indore
visited the show. Still dominating
in kidswear segment, Indore is now
moving towards sublimation printing
as embroidery is on a downward trend.
Mayank MaheshwariofKrishna
Sales, Indore confirmed, In last
one year Indore has seen almost 10
installations of sublimationand this
number is going to increase very soon.
Krishna Sales has also appointed service
engineers for sublimation and other
allied technologies.Similarly Sunil
Agarwal ofShree Balaji Company,
Kolkata offering more than one lakh
pieces per month of ladies garments
(Indo Western) informed, There are
15 good fabricators in Kolkata doing
sublimation printing andthis number is
going to increase further. Even we are
getting our sublimation done on job
work. Value addition is a segment which
always attracts visitors; laser cutting
machines and advancement in multi-head
embroidery follow suit.
The show also witnessed a good mix of
visitation from various textile associations,
faculty of fashion/textile colleges, NGOs
working in garment sector, training
institutes, few medium-level retailers
planning to enter in manufacturing,
consultants, Government officials, etc.
31 StitchWorld
Tech Event
GLIMPSES FROM
GTE 2016
Taiwan-based Siruba attracted attention for its recently launched series of
lockstitch machines
The inaugural ceremony of GTE 2016
Suresh Dureja, Director of

Manufacturing, Roots Canada Ltd.,
Toronto (Canada) was expecting more
number of technology suppliers and
the specialization machines for seam
sealing
Ajay Pasari, Director of Papcon

Indore, is pioneering adoption of RFID
in Indore
(L-R) Suharsh Srivastava, Management Trainee; Rajesh Kumar, Project

Manager; Monika Singh, Consultant; and Rohit Vasawade of Apparel
Consultancy India
Tech Event
Krishantha Ekanayake (C), GM Technical, Richa Global Exports Pvt. Ltd.

examining the recent launches from Juki
Shima Seikis booth was thronged with visitors throughout the event. Seen
here are students learning the finer details of flat knitting on SSR112
(L-R) Din Bandhu, Sales Manager, Macpi; BP Trivedi, GM Production; and

Devendar Kr. Upadhyay, Sr. Manager, Cantabil Retail India Ltd., Delhi
Syed Hafeez (extreme left), Country Manager, Eastman CRA (Hong Kong)
explaining the nuances of the CT-3 spreading and cutting tables to Animesh
Saxena (extreme right), CEO, Neetee Clothing
Neeraj Verma, President Woven Division, Orient Craft liked the digital
printers, advancement in wash processes and sewing attachments
showcased at the fair
Jatindra Grover (L), GM; and Vineet Nagpal, GM, Groversons Apparel
Tech Event
IIGM setting stage for unlocking next-level performance

of Indianmanufacturers
echnology today
is not an option,
it is an imperative to
grow, to perform and
to be in business, avers
Pavan Kapoor, MD, IIGM.
Pavans stance reflects the
phenomenon that Indian
manufacturers are not
negotiating on price points
anymore. The emphasis is on
quality, brand reliability and
performance. Reinforcing
its focus on upgradation
of the industry through
automation, maintenance,
proper asset care and
production enhancement,
IIGM was present at the GTE
show with a large repertoire
of exhibits from Eton, Wilcom,
Gerber, Hashima, Juki, Jack
and Eastman.
Gerber Technology, a leader
in CAD/CAM solutions,
has been focusing on
providing complete
package of technological
solutions for the apparel
manufacturers. At GTE 2016,
the company displayed a
wide range of solutions
including YuniquePLM,
Gerbers product lifecycle
management solution for
brands to manage their
product, design, sampling,
and manufacturing.
YuniquePLM has been in
demand among the big
retailers of India. IIGM has
also entered into a strategic
alliance with PointCarre
a software solution for
textile design making the
company an end-to-end
solution provider for apparel
value chain.
Apart from that, AccuMark
10, the CAD software offered
by Gerber, attracted a lot
of attention and is already
famous in the Indian market

with lot of installations done
at Indian manufacturing
setups.The latest update
in AccuMark has been
developed according to
the feedback received from
existing Indian customers,
while keeping the future
in mind, informed Sajith
Kumar, Vice President, CAD/
CAM & Automation, IIGM.
Further, AccuPlan another
exhibit at the show, fetches
data from AccuMark, which
has a database of Microsoft
SQL. On account of it, the
software memorises the
orders which have been
processed in the past. If a
new order is similar to an old
order; its planning is fetched
by AccuPlan, and planning
options are submitted to
the user. This function finds
immense utility in suits
manufacturing. The company
also displayed its recently
launched Paragon cutter,
which has already been
installed at Arvind, Go Go
International, Royal Classic,
Eastman Global, etc. in India.
The Swedish pioneer of unit
production systems Eton
Systems, which has found
widespread application
in Indian home furnishing
manufacturing sector, was
represented by Anupam
Naha, Regional Manager
India, Bangladesh and
SriLanka, Eton Systems
at the fair. The concept
has found unprecedented
acceptance in the market
on account of evidence.
Depending on how welldesigned the factorys
processes are, our clients
have registered 20-50%
improvement in their
production rates, shares
Sajith Kumar, Vice President

CAD/CAM & Automation, IIGM
Anupam Naha, Regional Manager

India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka,
Eton Systems
Khaja Nasiruddin, Country

Manager (India), Hashima
Anupam. What makes

Etons UPS solution from the
company relevant to the
manufacturers, in addition to
savings in handling time, is
its real time data capturing,
report generation and
analysis abilities.Today
the manufacturers want to
exert control not just on the
financials but the operations
as well which Eton enables
because delayed decision
making will induce loss
of production. With Eton,
users can implement
quality standardization and
operations management
through information system,
avers Anupam, who cites
that if it is determined which
workstation is producing
the maximum defects in
the first 30 minutes of the
shift, a sea of change can be
achieved. He is confident of
improving the count of total
25 installations (equivalent
to 5,000 workstations) across
India by a significant margin.
In the sewing section,
Japan-based Juki put
together an extensive display
of machines for all major
product categories including
shirt, jeans, knits and other
heavy-duty applications. The
company introduced 13 new
sewing machine models for
the Indian market, which
range from single-needle
lockstitch, overlock, bartack,
button holing and button
attaching to pocket sewing
machines for jeans.
Juki has been increasingly
focusing on automation in
machines, as the company
finds a growing demand
of automats in the Indian
market. Apart from the
rising wages and increasing
Tech Event
Syed Abdul Azeez (L), Executive Director, India Agencies and Leo Hu,
Director of South Asia, Jack with the newly launched A4 sewing machine
infrastructure cost, the Indian

apparel manufacturers
are turning to automats,
in order to increase their
productivity, explains
Toshiyuki Yamanaka,
Managing Director, Juki
India. Also, the company
is focusing on reducing
manpower on the sewing
floor by introducing shortthread trimming device in
their new range of machines,
which leaves only about
3mm of thread, eliminating
the requirement of a person
to trim thread.
On the first day of the
GTE show, Jack unveiled
A4 a multi-speciality SNLS.
Designed with a striking blue
colour, the machines design
is a strict departure from the
existing colours of machine,
making it easily identifiable
on the shop floor. The
distinction shines through in
terms of performance, as well
as it is well-suited to value
addition-oriented growing
manufacturing setups and
frequent style changeovers.
Since the machine has
been manufactured on a
completely automated line, it
is less prone to wear and tear,
and hence least subsequent
spare parts requirement,
shares Leo Hu, Director of
South Asia, Jack. With this
new launch we expect to
continue our growth story at
a rate of 30% in the coming

year, adds Syed Abdul
Azeez, Executive Director,
India Agencies the dealer
for Jack machines in the
Indian market.
Famous for its needle
detectors and fusing
machines, Japan-based
Hashima has been noticing
a surge of about 20 per cent
in the sales of their needle
detectors since the last
3to 4 years, with increased
stringency in compliancerelated issues. Present at
the IIGM booth at GTE 2016,
Hashima displayed twinhead conveyor type needle
detector HN-2870C, which
has been recommended by
all the major international
brands , especially in India
and Bangladesh. Based on
the process of magnetic
induction, the detector can
detect as minute as 0.8 mm
steel at the belt speed of
40m/min.
The company also supplies
X-ray machines and is
expecting it to find scope in
the apparel industry in the
near future, as only footwear
and bags manufacturers
prefer to use the technology
at present. We havent
sold the X-ray machine in
India yet, but have sold a
few pieces in Japan and
Bangladesh. It is more of a
futuristic technology, which
(L-R) Shinetsu Ishida, COO; Toshiyuki Yamanaka, MD; and R Gopal Kukreti,
GM, Juki India
will start trending in another

4 to 5 years, explains Khaja
Nasiruddin, Country
Manager (India), Hashima.
The Australian embroidery
software pioneer Wilcom
showcased its latest e3
software, which is now
the industry standard for
embroiderers all over the
world, the company claims.
The EmbroideryStudio
of Indian garments like

sarees, and other women
dresses. The modules from
the package which have
been the most popular in
the Indian marketinclude
Textile Embroidery,
Advance Digitizing, and
Vector Digitizing. We have
developed Update 5 in a
manner that it eradicates the
manual sequin application
Janos Horvath (extreme right), Vice President International Sales,

Wilcom with his team
e3 product family was

present with the latest
Update 5 (e3.0Y), which
was released in December
2015, in India. The update,
also being addressed as the
Indian Update, has been
developed on the basisof
the feedback received from
the Indian manufacturers,
and thus solves several issues
faced by manufacturers
process furthermore, as
it can now be used to
develop a wider range of
artworks, informed Janos
Horvath, Vice President
International Sales, Wilcom.
Band knives (EC-700N),
roundknives (EC-45) and
semi-automatic end cutters
(EC-6N) from Eastman
were also exhibited at the
IIGMbooth.
Tech Event
MAGNUM RESOURCES focusing on providing survival kit

for productivity improvement
eeping pace with latest

requirements in the
Indian apparel industry,
Magnum exhibited a diverse
range of solutions from
different key vendors at
the show which included
sewing solutions from
Japanese pioneer Brother,
chainstitch solutions with
labour-saving devices from
Pegasus, heavy-duty sewing
solutions from Zoje, cutting
room CAD/CAM solutions
from Eastman, bonding &
welding machines from H&H,
and embroidery solutions
segment as well, he adds.

Corroborating the claim,
Akshay apprises the purchase
of 200 units of Brother
S7300A by a Ludhianabased kidswear giant (in the
domestic market).
Speaking about the footfall
at the fair, he informs, Most
of the footfall is from south
and west India, but expected
reputed names from north
India were missing. The
Magnum booth featured
Brothers latest release
S7300A. The highlight
features of the machine are
Syed Hafeez (L), Country Manager, Eastman CRA

(Hong Kong) with Taisuke Miyahara, Executive
Director, Eastman Garment Equipment (Ningbo)
from Ricoma. The focus of

our exhibits is on innovation
for improved productivity
and today even the factory
owners know that if they
have to survive, they have to
invest in the best technology
because the labour is
getting expensive and the
industry is moving away from
metropolitans to fringes with
ample but unskilled labour,
shares Akshay Sharma,
CEO, Magnum Resources
Pvt. Ltd. The awakening
is not just in the export
segment but in the domestic
Another proven name that

was enlisted in Magnums
exhibits was US-based

CAD/CAM specialist for
cutting room Eastman.
The technology provider
exhibited CT-3 spreading
machine cum cutting table.
The table comes with a
smooth face board, 100 per
cent solid wood and has
strong resistance to wear
and tear. The face board also
has a double-sided stainless
steel edge. The table comes
in two classes standard
and air floatation. While the
length of the table is 1,200
mm, the thickness of the
Akshay Sharma (R), CEO, Magnum Resources Pvt. Ltd with Rajesh Kumar, Project Manager
Industrial Sewing Machine, Brother International
its electronic feed control

system and an under bed
trimmer which has brought
down the remaining
thread length to 3 mm as
opposed to an average of
6 mm left by most of the
contemporary machines.
The actual applications in
production with solutions
to all types of garments
like knits/shirts/ladies tops/
bottom were exhibited at
the show. The feed motion
can be changed with one
touch of a button to provide
best sewing quality for
various materials. In another

important development, the
automatic material thickness
sensor detects the thickness
of the plies being sewn to
reduce clogging at cross-over
seam and needle breakage.
By the virtue of this sensor,
S-7300A corrects the stitch
length automatically, autopicks the feeding mechanism
required, hence offering
stable stitch length and high
quality sewing for unskilled
operators as well.
The factory owners

know that if they
have to survive, they
have to invest in
the best technology
because the labour
is getting expensive
and the industry
is moving away
from metropolitans
to fringes with
ample but unskilled
labour.
Akshay Sharma,
CEO, Magnum Resources
Pvt. Ltd.
face board varies from 27-30

mm and the height 800-900
mm as per the customers
requirements. Syed Hafeez,
Country Manager, Eastman
CRA (Hong Kong) feels
that investments in auto
spreaders have increasingly
become a norm in the Indian
market. People are shifting
to automation, especially in
spreading. If done manually,
at least 3% of fabric is wasted
but with auto spreaders, only
0.5%, he reasons.
Talking about Eastmans
latest generation of
Tech Event
cutters Raptor 75, Syed

shared that the number of
moving parts have been
reduced in the cutters to
minimize breakdown and
maintenanceissues. The
users at the most need to
replace knives, grinding
stones and fewbearings.
Present in the Indian
marketfor 10 years,
Zoje hasentered into
a dealership alliance
with GTSPL a Magnum
subsidiary. Jimmy Xu,
Overseas Marketing Centre
Sales Representative, Zoje,
flexible sewing of various arc

stitches, thereby making the
machine suitable for using in
a wide range of applications.
Devoted to innovating
and designing the lean
electrical plan for garment
enterprises,Magnum
rounded up its extensive
display of solutions with the
launch of bus bar trunking
system for apparel industry
from China-based HGT.
Being the exclusive agents
for HGT in India, we are
focusing on providing R&D,
sales and after-sales service
Jimmy Xu, Overseas Marketing Centre Sales Representative, Zoje
enthralled with the response

received at the fair shared,
Zoje is among the top two
Chinese sewing machine
brands and our machines
have been accepted across
the Indian market, especially
the heavy-duty machines.
The highlight exhibit of
the company at the show
was ZJ-9610SA-D3-H-3-13
series of high-speed
direct-drive computerized
post-bed machine. The
vertical post-bed makes
sewing operations easy and
convenient and enables
for this intensive power

distribution product. The
range of solutions provided
by HGT includes lighting
bus bar to provide lighting,
power bus bars for running
machines, and lighting and
power bus bars to provide
lighting and power in one
bus bar. The catalogue also
features a trolley bus bar
to provide mobile power
for mobile equipment
like cutting machines,
etc., and trolley ducts to
provide mobile power for
spreadingmachines.
Tech Event
MEHALA assisting race to automation

India today is facing
unprecedented shortage of
skilled labour and the only
answer is deskilling the job
which can be achieved solely by
automation. Being the solution
providers, we are ushering in
solutions of similar capacity,
shares RSelvan, Executive
Director, Mehala Machines
India Ltd., emphasizing on
Mehalas focus on enabling
the automation revolution.
Apprising of the current pace
of adaptation to the changing
scenarios, Bharath,Director,
Mehala Machines adds that
Bharath, Director (L), Mehala Machines and R Selvan,

Executive Director, Mehala Machines India Ltd.
the manufacturers for domestic

market are also pursuing
the concept of deskilling
throughautomation.
From a humble beginning in
a small town of Tamil Nadu to
being one of Indias leading
technology providers with
14branches across India, Mehala
Machines has come a long way.
With its careful selection of
principals, Mehala today has built
a wide catalogue of machines
to cater to all segments of the
industry from small to big players
with machines from Siruba,
Duerkopp Adler & PFAFF, Bullmer,
Schips, JAM, Pisani, MACPI, etc.
and also their in-house brand
ORBITO. The company also

offers to its customers, industrial
engineering and retrofitting
services to help build efficiencies
for increased productivity.
At the event, the Mehala booth
resonated with emphasis on
automation solutions for the
sewing room with various
products from German sewing
technology provider Duerkopp
Adler and PFAFF. Also on display
was ORBITOs complete range
of CAD solutions Photo Digitizer
and Plotters. Apart from the
standard features to create,
edit, grade patterns and import
IntelloBuy and IntelloCut.

IntelloBuy is an accurate material
estimation solution which helps
save about 10 per cent material
cost at the buying stage and
IntelloCut is a solution that
helps save at least 10 per cent
material consumption at the
productionstage.
Demonstrating its prowess
over the knits product category,
Mehala showcased Sirubas
LKS-1900-ANSS/H high speed
electronic bartacking machine
with thread trimmer and a Juki
tech-authorised programming
panel. The panel can be used to
MP Maharajan (2nd from left), Regional Manager, Mehala and Henry Bindhak (3rd from
left), Area Sales Manager, Duerkopp Adler with the support team
and export patterns, ORBITOs

CAD has features like MADE TO
MEASURE, which enable you to
create patterns automatically by
just feeding in the measurements,
and AUTOMARKER which runs
loads of markers on complex
servers, in order to bring
maximum efficiency.
Together with Mehala, ThreadSol
the pioneer in Enterprise
Material Management also
marked its presence. The
software package provider has
built a reputation for products
which help manufacturers boost
their topline by reducing material
usage hence production cost.
Threadsol offers two products
program the tension on a stitch-bystitch basis. Auto-lifter can be set

as one-step stroke or double-step
stroke, which offers easier sewing
material handling. With 30mm x
40 mm (L x W) sewing area, the
machine can sew 50 patterns of
bartacks while being able to sew
at 3200 RPM. The needle thread
nipper prevents thread slipping
off from the needle hole at the
beginning of sewing, and birdnest problem on the bottom side,
while also helping control oil
stains by the virtue of a dry-head
technology. With active tension
mechanism, it can set a needle
thread tension that matches
various sewing conditions.
Tech Event
E.H. TUREL housing radical interventions for incremental innovations
mong the oldest sewing

technology solution
providers for the apparel,
leather and home textiles
industries, Turel Group
marked its presence strongly
at GTE 2016. Viraf Turel,
Managing Director, Turel
Group identifies that the
Indian apparel industry today
stands at a critical point. While
the export market-oriented
manufacturers need to
respond to rising costs and
labour shortage, the domestic
market is looking at improving
quality and productivity for
growth.These manufacturers
have distinct requirements
and it is important that
they are catered to, shares
Viraf. Furthering E.H. Turels
agenda of facilitating world
class production, the booth
featured a wide range of
choices from Vibemac, TYPICAL,
Naomoto and Maier, to astute
interventions like auto thread
trimmers from China-based
Bella Sewing Machine and
automats for finishing and
pressing from the Chinese
company Weishi.
On display was TYPICALs
latest model GC 6150D series
of high speed direct-drive
lockstitch sewing machine,
which has been redesigned

based on the feedback from
Indian customers, for the
Indian market. The machines
in the GC6150D series have
4-row feed dog, Teflon-coated
two-piece needle bar, a single
switch for stitch inching, LED
light, aluminium oil pump,
head mounted bobbin winder,
and user-friendly 4-button
panel for machine speed and
needle positioning. To improve
the user friendliness, the
machine has been redesigned
with an eco-friendly motor
which is connected to the main
shaft by four screws for easy
maintenance.Alongside the
GC 6150MD , TYPICAL is now
also focusing on the emerging
market in Kolkata and Chennai
for its heavy-duty machines,
shares GaoBo, Assistant GM
& Sales Manager, TYPICAL.
Vibemac, the Italian
jeans sewing automation
frontrunner was represented
at the event by VeeruMaknur,
Office Manager VBM
India. Exhibited at the show
was its bestselling belt loop
setter 4650EV9. The machine
is equipped with a new
user-friendly 7" coloured
touchscreen panel, a double
compensatory presser foot,
David Zhang (L), Sales Manager, Bella Sewing Machine

with Viraf Turel, Managing Director, Turel Group
new loop aligner system,

new loop cutting device,
new electronic and an autodiagnostic system to avoid
errors. The exhibit was very
well received for its features
like preview of new patterns
visible on the screen, error
history reporting, possibility to
work without the touchscreen
panel in case of breakdown,
and a thread blowing device to
facilitate the needle threading.
The Guangdong-based
company Bella is known for
its automatic thread trimmers.
Its bestselling models in the
country include T322C a
brushless fixed style thread
trimmer machine. Not only
does it automatically trim
but also collects waste.It is a
small investment but it reaps
rich dividends as it improves
productivity, reduces waste
and is extremely easy to
operate, shares DavidZhang,
Sales Manager, Bella
Sewing Machine. Developed
especially for knitwear, the
trimmer is equipped with
a long lasting and easy to
maintain ceramic blade and
titanium-coated steel blade.
The company also offers
retrofit direct-drive motors
and vacuum waste collection
systems for overlock machines.

We work closely with our
dealers E.H. Turel and I come
often to India to get more
feedback on our products
so that we can make an old
machine as good as the latest
with small retrofits, adds
David who is certain that India
is an important market for the
company.
Neil Wu from Weishi notes
that today India is becoming
open and friendly to
automation solutions as it is
maturing and battling scarce
expensive labour.To ease
out any reservations against
automation, we even provide
machines for a trial to the
factories so that they see the
differences for themselves,
shares Neil. The machine
maker has established its niche
for automation in finishing
room. One of its bestselling
machines in the Indian market
includes AZT-C65 a sleeve
final pressing machine. The
3D-pressing machine comes
with a carousel mode with
two stations which results in
improved on-standard time
for the operator. It also has an
auto sleeve expanding system,
which can adjust automatically
according to the sleeve size.
(L-R) Lhu Huang, Representative, Typical; Vincent, Typical International Corporation; Viraf Turel,
Managing Director, Turel Group; Gao Bo, AGM & Sales Manager, Typical Sewing Machine
Wanping Machinery; and Ding Fengshi, Product Manager, Typical International Corporation
Tech Event
H&Hs bonding & welding

technology to thrive through
domestic market
RAJASTHAN INTERNATIONAL
bringing world-class
consumables for best
utilization of machinery
oday the focus on quality is immense, especially

when it comes to spares and consumables,
notes Rajesh Bihani from Rajasthan International.
He reasons that in an age where every manufacturer is
egotistical at extracting maximum productivity while
maintaining quality, looking after the machine and
needle is gaining significance. The negotiations now
begin easily which corroborates that the industry has
acknowledged the requirement of quality spares and
consumables, Bihani adds.
(L-R) Team H&H: Anshuman Dash; Sayed Jahiruddin; and Rajesh Sarangi
nnovations in product
development by
manufacturers for domestic
market will drive forth the
opportunity for bonding
and welding technology,
averred Anshuman
Dash, representative of
H&H, the highly popular
brand of bonding and
welding machines. H&H
is already marketing with
Magnum Resources for
distribution in the Indian
market. Anshumanfurther
shared that evidently till
now there has not been
enoughpush from the
buyers to incorporate
these concepts as they are
perceived to be expensive.
Certainly, bonding and
welding is notan easy
or cheap paradigm. But
investors needto take the
challenge and theleap
becauseif perfected,the
results are strikingly
different,both aesthetically
and functionally, he adds.
In order to push the
technology further in
the market, H&H has
entered into a marketing
alliance with Juki.
Optimistic of the alliance
ToshiyukiYamanaka,
Managing Director, Juki
India shared, We see
immense potential in
stitch-free sewing because
it will slowly find relevance
in jackets and foundation
wear. With this alliance,
Yamanaka is now confident
of catering to all the sewing
requirements with the best
of the machinery whether
with stitch or without stitch.
Celebrating the alliance, the
fair also featured a booth for
Juki and H&H.
With more than two
decades of experience in
manufacturing welding
and bonding machines,
H&H has developed a
rangeofsolutions for
bonding, ultrasonic
weldingand pressing.
Whilethe AI series of
machines are suitable
for sealing of the already
furnished seams, regardless
of how the seam has been
made through sewing,
bonding or welding, SF series
of machines are specifically
designed for tape laydown
operation on straight and
curved seams of 2D and 3D
constructions.
Since the nature of these products is not as tangible

as machines, the Rajasthan International team
categorically trains the production floor personnel so
that the results are realized at the earliest. For example,
PULIMAK 2 is a spot cleaning spray that removes
various spots. Another product, PULITEX is a spray
which can be used to clean knitting needles, spare
parts, while eliminating glue, dirt and rust. At the same
time, it can also be used as a lubricant for spare parts
and needle. If the operators are not taught how to
use these products, the benefits will perhaps never be
realized, avers Bihani.
Bihani goes on to add that today in the Indian apparel
manufacturing industry, southern India has matured
well in comparison to the rest of the nation. Other
than south India, mostly the purchases will be made
only if the machinery manufacturer nominates a
particular make, he elaborates. India has its own
niche, but it cant continue to play on that for long
if it must sustain the global competition from hubs
like Bangladesh and Vietnam, Bihani cautions. The
company trades products from Groz-Beckert, Cerliani,
Siliconi, Memminger, etc. in the Indian market.
Rajesh Bihani (L) and Rahul Panchal from Rajasthan International
Tech Event
KRISHNA LAMICOAT harnessing

on spill over business from China
Among Indias foremost
producers of specialty
papers and films for garment
industry, Krishna Lamicoat
had sublimation paper among
other products to offer at this
edition of the show.Weve
introduced sublimation
paper in India for the first
time, says Ashok Chhajer,
Director, Krishna Lamicoat
Pvt. Ltd. Krishna Lamicoat
has also come up with micro
perforated paper available
India will be at maximum

benefit from it.China will
not be able to sustain their
customers for more than
a year now, which is the
whole purpose of increasing
our capacity, says Chhajer.
Krishna Lamicoat is focusing
on markets of Middle East,
EastAsia and Africa. According
to him, in next 2-3 years, 1015% spill over business from
China and other countries
ought to come to India,
SHANGGONG GEMSY
re-strategizing stance
on quality
hangGong Gemsy Co. Ltd., has been doing great

work in India from last 20 years. Following its
acquisition by ShangGong, Gemsy has re-strategized
its stance on quality as it is now in a technical alliance
with Duerkopp Adler, PFAFF and KSL. With support
from Duerkopp Adler, were going to launch a
series of high quality automated machines at a very
competitive price, shares Victor Xu, South Asia Sales
Manager, International Department, ShangGong
Gemsy and adding, Chinese brands persist with an
image of cheap technology and low quality in Indian
market, but were working on changing this impression
to good quality technology with competitive price.
ShangGong Gemsy displayed GEM 9820-A/B the
machine for electronic eyelet button hole at GTE. The
machine is capable of locking various button holes of
formal suits, overcoat, work suits, trousers and jeans
of different material thickness and even the shape of
the button hole can be customized through computer.
With sewing speed of 2500 RPM, it is claimed to be one
of the worlds maximum. Equipped with lower head
to reduce operator fatigue, and a large arm pocket to
allow smooth material handling. This machine also has
auto-trimmer for bottom and top threads.
Ashok Chhajer (L), Director, Krishna Lamicoat with his team
in 70, 80 and 100 GSM. This

can replace perforated and
plotting paper in the cutting
room, reducing the price of a
garment, which is the foremost
agenda of anycompany.
Chhajer expects a sales volume
of 2,000 rolls per month after
the introduction of sublimation
paper and adds,This should
generate huge turnover for our
company, since this segment
has not been addressed by
anybody else in the country till
now. He also shares that the
company is planning to double
the capacity in future.
Since paper cost and labour
cost have increased in China,
since India has more skilled

labour with lesser minimum
wages. But he feels that a
transformation in Indian laws
and policies is required.The
policies act as a barrier to our
business and allows other
countries to fulfil the demands
of the market, reasonsChhajer.
Other offerings from the
company include 50 grams
recycled paper which
Ashok claims is a suitable
replacement for the traditional
60 and 70 grams white paper.
The company has also taken
up the initiative of taking
back the cut paper and plastic
used in cutting room for the
purpose of recycling.
The company received huge response and enquiries

especially from exporters, for which the company
gives credit to its dealer Beacon International. We
are now working on improving the after-sales service,
mentions Victor. In this context, Gemsy has started
a feedback process of asking the customer about
furtherimprovements in existing machines, services
and technologies.
RK Bansal (L) from Beacon International with Victor Xu, South Asia
Sales Manager, International Department, ShangGong Gemsy
Tech Event
MORGAN TECNICA
receiving enquiries from domestic market
ately, weve been

receiving enquiries
from domestic players who
are planning to expand,
informs Prakhar Singh,
Country Manager, GA
Morgan Dynamics. The
cutting room machinery and
software premier, Morgan
Tecnica S.p.A., offers solutions
to the customers with

qualified engineers. We are
now also coming up with
training centres.
According to Nicola
Messale, Sales Director,
Morgan Tecnica S.p.A.
has an edge over its
competitors, with the full
line solutions that it offers.
GA Morgan Dynamics Bangalore-based subsidiary of

Morgan Tecnica S.p.A. for the Indian market has been
receiving enquiries from the domestic players who are planning
to expand. The company is also looking at replicating its north
India success in south India.
Prakhar Singh (2nd from left), Country Manager, GA Morgan Dynamics and Nicola Messale (3rd
from left), Sales Director, Morgan Tecnica S.p.A. with their team at the fair
which are an amalgamation

of technology and design
of superior DNA, strictly
Made in Italy. In markets of
south India, Morgan is an
established name but now
growth is seen in North India
as well. Prakhar details on
Morgans services in Indian
market which include serving
the customers directly. He
adds, We already have our
subsidiary office in Bangalore
to provide after-sales services
We offer solutionsfor full

line, and also with solutions
for cutter and spreader
separately, as per the need
of the customer, says Nicola.
Prakhar further explains,
The configurationof
our machines makes us
stand out from the crowd
because of elements like
CAD software, cut order plan
and analytics software. The
range of products Morgan
offers are aligned to modern
day requirements and are also

claimed to be user-friendly.
In the Indian market, Morgan
offers 5 models of spreading
tables, one automatic
labelling system and a fully
digitally controlled cutter.
Among the 5table models
namely Tab 101, 102, 103,
140 and 152, Tab 101 is an
air-blowing spreading table
with metallic oven painted
structure. The table top is in
medium density. Tab 102 is
also a conveyor spreading
table with metallic oven
painted structure, whereas
Tab 103 is a three conveyor
levels table for the storage of
lays ready to be cut. Both Tab
102 and 103 are equipped
with PVC conveyor belt and
double side guide. Tab 140 is
a pin table for the spreading
of checks and stripes fabric,
available in modules of 4and
6 metres of length. The top has
grid holes of 10 cm x 10 cm.
Tab 152 is a transfer table for
Morgan spreaders over two or
more parallel spreading lines.
The height of all 5 tables is
adjustable from 87 cm to 93
cm with fabric width 180 cm
to 230 cm.
Joker 380 is the automatic
labelling system for fabric lays.
With its wireless technology,
the machine allows to
directlyinterface the labelling
machine to CAD system.
Morgan Next 70 is claimed
to be most flexible cutter,
with extremely low power
consumption. It possesses the
flexibility to cut any thickness
of lay, from single ply to 7 cm
compressed, with any kind of
material. Morgan is coming
up with new prototyping
software to reduce sampling
cost and time, by the middle
of the year.
Tech Event
GROZ-BECKERT: Consultancy is a part of

customer service
ndustry has a category

of manufacturers who
make ample number of
products with changing
style, says Sanjay Sharma,
Country Head Sales (India
& Nepal), Groz-Beckert.
Such demand calls for high
precision machine parts
and fine tools with expert
advice over new fabrics and
styles. Groz-Beckert has been
among the worlds leading
providers of such systems
and services that support
the field of knitting, weaving,
felting, tufting, carding and
sewing. Since the year 1852,
Groz-Beckert has represented
diversity, precision and
quality in over 150 countries
and claims to provide its
customers and partners with
comprehensive support
along with full length of the
textile value chain.
In case of a new fabric or

style, the manufacturers
send samples and GrozBeckert provides them
with recommendation
on needle type/size and
sewingparameters.The
number of reports has
gone up by 3 times in
last 4 years, and being
in Gurgaon(India)were
geographically in the hub
to provide such services,
informs Sanjay. He further
avers that since the firm
claims to be a solution
provider, consultancy is
a part of their customer
service. The processes
customers adopt are
optimized by us so that
customer gets full value
out of a product, states
Sanjay. For each process,
Groz-Beckert experts help
customers establish a needle
exchange program, which

comprises of a different
timeline style-wise. Apart
from consultancy, he also
claims that Groz-Beckert
provides products that
perform to its value.
Groz-Beckert was seen
focusing on the sewing
segment at the fair,
highlighting Sewing5 the
5-Star Service Concept,
assuring consistent Supply,
technical Solutions, Service,
Superiority in products, and
Sustainability. The response
at Groz-Beckert booth was
good, especially on the
weekend. If the market is
growing at 5 per cent, then
we aim to grow at 10 per
cent, Sanjay says. This is
the growth strategy of the
company, since growing at
the rate of economy would
nullify the growth.
Groz-Beckert provides recommendations to apparel manufacturers onthe needle type/size and

sewing parameters while establishing a needle exchange program. The number of manufacturers
seeking such services has only gone up in the past 4 years.
Team Groz-Beckert at GTE 2016
Tech Event
HCA offering solutions and business case for technology and quality
CA with over a century

of experience in offering
apparel manufacturing
technology solutions, spares
and folders, holds the
reputation of understanding
the needs of the Indian
apparel industry. With a
penchant for bringing to
the fore latest and most
relevant technologies for the
manufacturer, Anil Anand,
MD, HCA shared that the
industry is now recovering
from its slump of last two
years. To make sure that
the Indian apparel industry
remains competitive, we
must now step out of our
comfort zones and diversify.
Diversification of any
kind will take the industry
forward whether it is in
terms of location, products or
manufacturing paradigms,
avers Anil. Sharing his views
on the burgeoning domestic
industry, Anil highlights
the opportunities available,
Quality in domestic
market will continue
gaining prominence as
there are consumers in
the domestic market who
want to spend money, but
for quality; therein lies the
huge business opportunity.
Of course, it comes with
investment in technology.
Anil Anand (R), MD, HCA with

Megha Anand, Director, HCA
Present at the HCA booth,

AMF Reece, the American
automation pioneer,
launched TH-5500, an
automatic bottom hemming
machine at GTE. If hemmed
manually, an operator
can produce 70 pieces an
hour. But with TH-5500, an
hourly output rises by 3.5
times to 250 pieces, shares
Cenk Oflaz, Managing
Partner, AMF Reece. The
cylinder bed, needle feed,
lockstitch machine comes
with an auto trimmer and
adjustable servo motors for
independent top puller and
bottom puller. Capable of
running at a maximum speed
of 3500 RPM, the accurate
start and finish of sewing
is obtained on account of
photocells. The overlapping
of hem-joint start and finish
seams can be programmed
from the control panel,
even for garments with
more than two pieces of
trousers and skirt panels.
The self-compensating right
fabric tension mechanism
automatically adjusts to
inconsistencies in hem
diameter. Cenk feels that a
significant fraction of Indian
apparel manufacturer is yet
to take the quantum leap and
upgrade their technology
Xuenqin Xu, Foreign Trade

Department Manager, HIGHLEAD
practices. Thecompany is now

focusing on promoting its
technology more extensively,
so that the manufacturers
take notice of the potential
of automation. Cenk, echoing
Anils thoughts, shares that
the adoption of technology
in the domestic market
will rise.Today retail and
manufacturing is being
looked after by the same
business. Soon it will change,
people will do what they
do best and the rest will
be outsourced. Naturally,
manufacturing will receive a
push, he asserts.
The eyelet buttonhole
machine is so famous in
India that it is called the
Reece-hole, shares Cenk
speaking about ES-505
the new generation
electronic eyelet buttonhole
machine. Designed with
patented mechanisms for
balancing and sewing drive
mechanism, the machine
can run at a speed of 2,700
RPM. The modular design of
the machine integrates the
sewing head with the motor.
The machine also comes
with a vertical cutting system
instead of standard lever
cutting for clean and reliable
results. The cycle sewing
allows up to 21 different
buttonhole combinations
to be sewn in 47 different
programs.
Also present at the booth,
Xuenqin Xu, Foreign Trade
Department Manager,
HIGHLEAD shared that
the company will now be
focusing on expanding its
range for catering to the
diverse emerging needs of the
heavy-duty machine market.
HIGHLEAD is optimistic
about GC24698-5/-6 which
is a series of long arm high
post-bed extra heavy-duty
compound feed lockstitch
sewing machine. This series
is especially designed for
stitching large and extra heavy
articles and is sub-classed
into two needle types single
needle left-side post-bed type
(L) and single right left-side
post-bed type (R). With long
arm, high post-bed, compound
feed mechanism, large vertical
rotating hook, powerful servo
motor, pneumatic presser foot
lift and pneumatic backtack.
These features along with the
large working space of 508 mm
x 335 mm and stable feeding
mechanisms provide quality
sewing of multiple layers of
heavy-duty articles like tents,
sails, umbrellas, car covers,
safety covers, camouflage
nets,etc.
Cenk Oflaz, Managing Partner, AMF Reece
45 StitchWorld
Tech Event
TUKATECH expediting 3D revolution
Sameer Pauriyal,
Vice President Asia,
Tukatech
With
TUKAcloud,
all the data
for a style
can be stored
at one central
location.
Once a style
is approved, it
can be easily
used as a
reference for
future styles
instead of
starting from
scratch every
time. This
helps register
savings of
time and
cost.
ukatech has been

developed in
collaboration with
3D-rendering pioneers
Autodesk. The collaboration
is crucial in distinguishing
the software package since
it is a completely integrated
solution and the users
can drape the garment,
add simulation, analyze
fit, create the look, and
render images or videos all
in one system. Unlike other
3D product development
software systems, TUKA3D
does not require third party
plug-ins to create powerful
presentations, informs
Sameer Pauriyal, Vice
President Asia, Tukatech.
The US-based CAD/
CAM solutions provider,
debuted its latest versions
of TUKAcloud, the cloudbased digital sample room
and assets library which has
been developed based on
feedback from the customers.
TUKA3D is integrated with
TUKAcloud, enabling vendors
to upload their 3D garments
on their buyers profiles on
TUKAcloud. Each digital
sample can include any
colourways or variations,
videos and images for
fit analysis, TUKA3D e-fit
project, TUKAcad pattern
file, measurement charts,
and even tech packs (all of
which can be viewed and
downloaded to any device).
The respective designer,
buyer, or merchandiser
can then log on to the
TUKAcloud website and
view all of the 3D garments
developed for their brand.
Styles can be sorted by
year, season and garment
categories for easy searching.
Comments for changes to
a style are e-mailed directly
Ram Sareen, Founder and CEO of Tukatech
to the operator, who can

quickly make the necessary
adjustments, and upload a
new 3D sample. As all the
data for a style is stored in
one central location, once
a style is approved, it can
easily be used as a reference
for future styles instead of
starting from scratch every
time. With each digital folder,
the product development
time for the next style
isdecreased.
By introducing TUKAcloud,
we expect to bring down
the sample development
time from what used to
be 45 to 60 days, to a bare
minimum of 5 to 7 days
as we have combined the
multiple fit iterations into
just one final physical
sample as everything
is pre-approved on the
cloud, informed Sameer.
Not only does this solution
close the communication
gap between buyers
and vendors, but it also
accelerates the approval
process and cuts cost

tremendously.
Tukatech also recorded a fivefold increase in the number
of annual installations of
their softwarepan-Asia.
We have been trying to
keep the Indian apparel
manufacturers up-to-date on
the technological platform
since the past 15 years,
avers Sameer. Part of this
effort is achieved with the
companys worldwide focus
on educating the apparel
industrys future decisionmakers. By enabling schools
to train their students to
use various CAD software
systems, more graduates
are entering the workforce
readyto add value to
companies looking for
highly-qualified individuals.
Other key exhibits at the
show included the latest
updates of TUKAcad for
pattern making, grading,
and marker making
and TUKA3D for digital
designdevelopment.
Tech Event
IMA focusing on accuracy

in machines
henever a part gets

damaged, customers
can immediately procure it
from us, thereby reducing
the machine downtime, says
Guna, Managing Director,
IMAsia CAD CAM Services
Pvt. Ltd. A newly founded
IMAsia, the Indian subsidiary
for IMA S.p.A., will look after
the after-sales services in all
Asian markets.
The cutting room specialist
based in Italy, IMA S.p.A is
among the pioneers in design,
construction and maintenance
of facilities for the cutting
room for 35 years. According
to Guna, India is the best
market for IMA. He adds, Were
present in all markets of Asia,
except China. In Bangladesh
and India alone, IMA serves
25-30% of its annual
production. Guna claims
that IMA machines are used
by domestic manufacturers,
exporters and buying houses.
He also says that IMA has
a stabilized pricing policy,
despite which the sales figure
has grown from 1 million to
3million in three years.
The current focus of the
company is on cutters. Weve
low ply cutters with a feature
to upgrade them for mass
production by some changes
in the hardware. De-grading a

mass production cutter is also
possible at IMA, avers Guna.
IMA is also the first
company to switch to digital
communication, claims
Guna. Earlier we also used
analogue communication
when in association with
OMRON Technology, then we
switched to control systems
by Mitubishi, Japan which
offers compatible technology
for digital communication,
he elaborates. Guna strongly
advocated that through
digital communication
machine can react 200
times faster as compared to
analogue, and accuracy can
be ensured.
According to him, the
companys flexibility in terms
of product and technology
makes it stand out from
others. He also says that IMA
is more inclined towards
stability and steady growth,
hence not stressing much on
promotions. In starting we
had a very small share in the
market, but in last three years
highest number of automated
cutting lines done in India is
by IMA, shares Guna. IMA has
been getting repeat orders
and their 30 per cent revenue
is from existing customers.
(L-R) Guna, Managing Director, IMAsia CAD CAM Services Pvt. Ltd.; Luca,
Area Salesman, IMA; and Bhushan Reddy, Head Marketing (Technical),
IMAsia CAD/CAM Services Pvt. Ltd.
SPEED STEP focusing on

capturing data at origin
Armin Ackermann (L) and Sateesh Gururajachar from Speed Step
ounded in 1995, Speed Step Software

Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd. a Germanbasedsoftware company, offers ERP software
package specially designed for fashion
manufacturing industries. Currently, the company
supports over 200 customers with an internal
staffof 45 persons.
In the past the buyers and buying companies
were responsible for many processes, but now it
has changed and responsibilities have shifted to
exporters, thereby a need is felt to develop platform
for buyers and exporters to collaborate. Totally in
sync with the need of the industry today, Speed
Step has brought a highly targeted ERP to the
market. An executive from Speed Step, Sateesh
Gururajachar says, Through our tools were trying
to create a platform where information and current
status can flow to the factory owner directly.
The data gathering in the factories is done by a
team who has no knowledge about the significance
of that data, and that is being understood to be
the major reason of ERP failure in companies across
the country. Speed Steps idea is to make data
collection process accurate and efficient, without
human intervention while absolutely abolishing
duplication. We ensure that the actual user,
whether the cutting master or line supervisors
would easily be able to capture real time data on
either the mobile devices or tablets. A PC is not
mandatory for it, says Armin Ackermann, another
executive representing Speed Step at GTE.
Speed Step also customizes the software according
to the users requirements. We try and understand
all processes of the company and then based on it
we customize the software. It takes 3-4 months to
implement our systems, says Ackermann.
Tech Event
OPTITEX enabling virtual

prototyping with integrated
2D-3D platforms
STUDIO NEXT highlights

equipment reliability
forperformance
Rajiv Sud (L), Sales Manager and Parvinder Singh, COO, Optitex
ptitex, the premium

provider of 2D and
3D CAD/CAM and virtual
prototyping software
solutions for sewn products,
exhibited Version 15.3 of
Optitex Pattern Design
Software (PDS), along with
Optitex CutPlan and Roll
Management module at
GTE 2016. With installations
at leading retailers like
eShakti and Ann Taylor,
the solution provider has a
diverse clientele which is now
growing to include domestic
retailers as well. The 3D
solution Photorealistic 3D (PR
3D) has gained significant
traction in the domestic
market as it creates true-tolife 3D images with the most
realistic detailing possible
like fully enhanced fabric
details and textures. The
export market on the other
hand is embracing production
optimization solutions like the
ones for roll management,
shared Parvinder Singh,
COO, Optitex India.
Looking at resolving realworld challenges that fashion
companies face daily, both
on the design as well as
production side, the latest

update of the Optitex PDS
comes packed with Printed
Fabric Tool which helps
designers and pattern makers
see how the printed image
will lie on the garment, make
adjustments and immediately
view the effects of every
change. Using Optitex 3D
Suite, users can make changes
on the 2D pattern or 3D
model and see the results
simultaneously in both.
In another upgrade, a new
add-on module has been
introduced to OptitexCutPlan
that enables improved
inventory utilization by
integrating roll inventory
data into their order cutting
process, according to userdefined priorities. With this
new module, individual
rolls of different widths are
automatically assigned to
specific markers to meet
the requirements of the
order while supporting
inventory management goals.
Usage data from the Roll
Management module can be
exported to a spreadsheet
to update the inventory
controlsystem.
ne of Indias cutting room solution providers

Studio Next Technology Pvt. Ltd., headquartered
in Mumbai, is the sole business partner for entire
rangeof solutions by the Richpeace Group, China &
Yin-Japan. Vishal Sher, Managing Director, Studio
Next Technology Pvt. Ltd. says that a constant
change in attitude can be seen regarding the
adoption of automated technologies among Indian
manufacturers. Since skilled manpower is growing
scarce, we dont need to convince manufacturers
anymore. They come to us by themselves asking for
automated solutions, Vishal adds. He also claims that
on-screen pattern making and automatic marker
making is growing popular in the Indian market.
As an important part of marker making, Studio Next
displayed the standing cutting plotter and flatbed
cutting plotter from Richpeace. Both the plotters
have inkjet technology instead of a pen, servo motor
to ensure high speed plotting and smooth working,
and hard knife suitable for cutting different kinds of
materials. The standing cutter plotter is claimed to
be 3-5 times faster than the traditional ones, informs
Vishal. The other highlight was a software upgrade
like a smart marker making system. They also offer
software dedicated to designing.
Equipment reliability and longevity is also essential for
a quick ROI. Vishal shares, Nothing goes wrong with
most of our products, and thereby our sales team is
one-eighth of our support team. Queries come from
references through existing customers. Studio Next
claims to have a strong base for after-sales service
of the products sold. They also provide training to
students who have little experience in CAD/cutting.
Vishal Sher (L), MD and Rajesh Rao, CEO, Studio Next
Tech Event
CHERAN MACHINES catering

to roll-to-roll sublimation
printingdemand
XCEL STIRO launches

international
technology for the
laundry industry
n washing/processing sector, it can

be easily assessed that domestic
technology buyers are better customers
than apparel exporters and the key
enabler of this distinction is the hospitality
sector, asserts DeepakChawla, Director,
XCEL STIRO Pvt. Ltd. an Indian company
specializing in ironing machines, laundry
machines and perc-dry cleaning machines.
Sudheer V. Nair (extreme right), CEO, Cheran Machines India Pvt. Ltd with
JN Arora team
wing to its high

productivity and
competitive costing, rollto-roll sublimation printing
has garnered a significant
demand in the market,
especially domestic,
confirms Sudheer V. Nair,
CEO, Cheran Machines
India Pvt. Ltd. The other
features of the roll-toroll sublimation printing
technique which have
reinforced the demand is
its flexibility between small
and long runs, and fabric
and garment printing, he
elaborates.
Catering to this requirement,
the company brought to
the fair SWIFT its roll-toroll sublimation transfer
machine. The machine
comes with an electric
heating drum for fast
continuous production
and easy handling &
maintenance. It also has a
customized cooling timer
setting for maintaining the
quality of prints. Suitable
for sublimation transfer on
polyesters, the SWIFT range
of machines comprises of
three models CFR 1250,
CFR 1750 and CFR 1950. All
machines in the range can

achieve a temperature of
220C and print at the speed
of 2.5 metres per minute.
The CFR 1250 comes with a
working area of 44" and has
a heater with power 6kW.
Whereas, CFR 1750 has a
working area of 65" and a
heater power of 9 kW. The
widest model in the series
is CFR 1950 with a working
area of 72" and a heater
power of 12 kW.
The company is very
positive of the growth in
the printing segment and
shared that both the export
and domestic players were
increasingly looking at
technology in this direction.
Sudheer pointed out that
though many companies
had good solutions, aftersales services and deep
understanding of the
industry and technology
were also critical when
taking a decision. We have
worked hard to establish a
name that companies can
rely on and this is what
gives us the confidence that
we are on a growth path
along with the industry,
concludesSudheer.
Pushing the frontiers for the Indian R&D

in washing segment, XCEL presented at
the show a revolutionary machine which
combines washing, extraction and drying,
incorporating the three processes in
one machine, resulting in tremendous
savings of space, labour, and electricity. It
is noteworthy that the machine also helps
saving time as the handling time between
the three operations is removed, points
out Deepak. Since the garment goes in
dry and comes out dry, the washing area
is free from water and soap residue. The
machine has a stainless steel body, soap
dozer, blanket wool insulation to prevent
heat loss, and CNC embossed perforations
for better fluid circulation.
Other key feature of the machine is the
built-in VFD adjustable drum speed
for various types of washing, making it
completely safe for delicate garments. With
an instant drain and filling through manual
valves, the focus is on making the machine
easy to use. The auto operation of water,
steam and drain are available as options.
The machine comes in three variants
XL 08, XL 15, and XL 30, where the
numerical portion represents the capacity
(in kg) supported by the machine. The
volume supported by the three models
is equivalent to 155L, 286L and 570L. We
already have a few installations in Indian
and have received positive reviews for the
XL range of machines, informs Deepak.
With a presence across all major hubs in
the country Delhi, Ludhiana, Tirupur,
Kolkata and Hyderabad, XCEL is now
gearing up to enter the Bangalore market.
Tech Event
SUNNY SALES exhibits specialized

machines from BAIHUI
pparel manufacturing in
Kolkata is gathering pace,
confirms SanjayMehta,
Joint MD of Kolkata-based
Sunny Sales. Dissonantly
enough, the surge has barely
reflected in the sales of new
machines. The share of
SLNS to the total number of
machines in the factory is
70%. Keeping this in mind,
significant growth was
expected but it has been
taken over by imported
second-hand sewing
machines, Mehta shares.
Dismissing that sewing
quality is affected by secondhand machines, he elaborates
that machines are usually
discarded by the factories
before their actual shelf life,
suggesting at an upcoming
business opportunity in
the region. The balance
30% specialized machines
however are being purchased
first hand.
Sanjay Mehta, Joint MD,

Sunny Sales
Apparel
manufacturing
in Kolkata is
gathering pace,
and the surge has
barely reflected
in the sales of
new machines.
The Sunny Sales booth at

the show featured a line-up
of multi needle chainstitch
specialized machines from
BAIHUI which included
BH-4412P a 12-needle,
24-thread cylinder-bed
doublechainstitch sewing
machine with multiple
gaugeoptions of 1/8", 3/16"
and 1/4". The machine,
as a standard equipped
with 4 loopers, can be
customizedon request.
Themachine can be
operatedat a maximum
RPM of 4500. Another
specialized machine which
attracted attention at the
fair was BH-8842-1 a
pocketfacing attaching
machine. The machine from
the series are flatbed, highspeed, high performance
double stitch sewers which
produce durableseams
with three needles and
one interlock needle. BH1412P series of 12 needles
flatbed double chainstitch
sewing machine and BH1417P series of 17 needles
flatbed double chainstitch
sewing machine were
other exhibits at the Sunny
Sales booth. Equippedwith
UOX11314 needles, and
needle gauge options of
1/8", 3/16" and 1/4", the
stitches of length between
7-17 mm can be furnished,
while the presser foot can
be lifted up by 10 mm. The
BH-1417P model hasexactly
similar specifications with
only difference of needle
gaugeoptions of 1/8 and
3/16" only.
As the competition grows
fiercer in the Indian market
and bottom lines take the
toll, Sunny Sales will soon be
expanding its portfolio.
WENLI pioneering
value addition technology
Zili Zhao (R), Director, Wenli with Gurjeet Nayyar from Wenli
International Trading
Given Chinas splendid reputation and long tryst with

product development, credibility can be attached
to the technologies for value-addition developed
in the country. Zhejiang-based Wenli was one such
innovative exhibitor at the GTE and the centre of
attraction at its booth was ZY50/180 heat transfer
printing machine. Based on oil media-heating and feltreleasing system, this machine is suitable for printing
not just roll-to-roll fabrics but printing garments as
well. The machine can print on digital printing paper
of 100 GSM at a speed of around 100 m/hour and
on gravure printing paper at a speed of 180 m/hour,
shares Zili Zhao, Director, Wenli. The piece-wise
productivity of the machine is 700 pieces per hour.
The distinction of the machine lies in its temperature
control feature wherein as the temperature of the
table rises during operation; it is controlled by
washing after every stroke without stopping the
machine. It is important to control the temperature
of the table because the rise affects the quality of the
print. This is a brand new innovation in the market
pioneered by us, avers Zili.
Another key attraction at the Wenli booth was the
Oval type digital printing machine a part of threemachine series. The LF3000A variants come with DX5
a PC digital printing head from Epson. The range of
heads that can be affixed to the machine varies from
four to eight and has an hourly output of 280 pieces
for an A4 size print. LF3000B on the other hand comes
with an industrial printing head (starfire 1024). While
the compatible range of number of heads is the same
as LF3000A, it can print 400 pieces an hour. The third
model in the range is LF3000C, with the same head of
LF3000B. While LF3000C can accommodate at least
4heads, it can be configured to use a maximum of
12heads. The productivity rests at 500 pieces per hour.
Tech Event
AURA exhibits first chainstitch

machine with 1200 RPM and
GEN 4 (80 Watts) laser system
ne of the significant
suppliers of Chinese
embroidery machines
in Indian market, Aura
Technologies has a distinct
focus on research &
development and sales &
services of computerized
embroidery machine. India
is a huge country and has
great diversity, representing
different regional markets
where each market within
the country has a very
different need, which Deepak
Chowdhary, MD, Aura
Technologies understands
Deepak Chowdhary, MD,

Aura Technologies
the best. Delhi manufacturers

look for high quality
machines with longer lives;
so the concern is more about
machine quality, company
reputation and services.
Similarly, in Amritsar and
Ludhiana, price is the major
concern, and in Surat the
inclination is more towards
productivity and brand
image, explains Deepak.
Pleased with the response at
GTE, Deepak informed that
maximum enquiries from the
export segment have come
from Delhi-NCR. The company
has recently set-up its offices
in Amritsar, Ludhiana and
Surat and has got a good
response from these markets
PMPL offering solutions

to upgrade value addition
machinery
too. Were expecting to have

a major business turnaround
from the markets like Amritsar
and Surat from this exhibition,
he asserts.
Aura exhibited fourth

generation machine of its
laser technology. Compared
to 22 Watt laser and optic
fibre medium in older version,
the new generation machine
has 80 Watt laser with travel
media via stainless steel.
Another innovation in laser
cutting showcased by Aura
and exhibited in Asia for the
first time was AURA LEO-III
SERIES a 56 heads with
GEN 4 (80 Watts) laser system
which has frame moving
mechanisms without bearing.
Weve received pre-orders for
this machine in last 6 months,
much before it was launched,
shares Deepak, further
claiming that the machine has
been engineered to minimize
wear and tear of its equipment
and parts. Aura also launched
chainstitch machine with 1200
RPM, which it claimed to be
first of its kind.
Our products are sold not only in the domestic market

but are also widely accepted by foreign clients of
20 nations from Europe, Middle East, South America
among others, says Prateek adding, Since the current
domestic requirement is more for value addition, were
catering to the domestic market also. As fashion is
evolving, a major change in style is seen every 3 months,
and according to Prateek it is not possible to buy a new
machine, so he suggests installation of a new part to
upgrade the machine. Earlier there was a need to buy
the machine, now we can upgrade existing machines
for value addition with the help of attachments like
devices for boring, cording and sequins, he shares.
Deepak foresees bright future

of value-addition in India and
shares, Were doing bead
works with bead size 8 and
11. Next project is multiple
colour beads in multiple
sizes. About competition
from Japan, Deepak says that
majority of value-addition
features offered by Aura, like
laser devices and dual framing,
are not yet available even
with reputed brands of Japan,
thus Aura has no competition
from the country. In future,
Aura aims to replace manual
operations with automated
solutions and improve the
productivity of automation.
achinery technique on a garment or a fabric

requires certain expertise in understanding the
working of the machine and nuances of the technology.
Prateek Chowdhary, MD, Peayush Machineries Pvt.
Ltd. (PMPL) is one such person who has specialized in
computer embroidery machines and spare parts as well.
The Delhi-based company established in 2006, has more
than 100 employees, 65 out of which are for customer
support exclusively. With the quality of DAYU brand
series for embroidery machines they claim to carry a
strict quality control policy.
At GTE, PMPL had two booths one out of them

was completely dedicated to solutions for laser
technology. Visitors are most drawn to laser machines,
shares Prateek. PMPL also displayed automatic
sewing machine for heavy material. The multi-head
construction is the USP of this machine, and operates
the same way as embroidery machine with multi-heads.
It is suitable for all kinds of thick material. It is equipped
with a strong motor that offers powerful drive force on
needle bar which ensures smoother needle penetration
force on thicker and heavier material.
Prateek Chowdhary (L), MD, and Isteyar Ahmed, Representative,

Peayush Machineries Pvt. Ltd. (PMPL)
Tech Tease
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the joy of precision there is only one right answer. So brush up, revise and revive your technical and
managerial acumen because the first correct entry wins two movie tickets for latest movies released (for
India only) or complimentary six months PDF subscription of StitchWorld (for outside India).
TECHTEASE VII
MEASUREMENT TOOLS
What cannot be measured, cannot be managed... Fortunately for apparel manufacturing there are ample tools to measure and hence manage
right from the fabric store to the warehouse and beyond. In the latest edition of TechTease, clues to 20 such tools are to be decrypted
1
11
12
13
14
19
16
20
18
10
15
17
CLUES
Across
2. The inventory that must be liquidated at a reduced price, or sold as scrap.
4. Measure to determine the actual machine running time; the level of utilization of
machine running time; and the quality of good output.
5. The time period between the placement of an order and the shipment of the
completed order to the customer.
7. The ratio of the total order quantity to the maximum pieces allowed in the marker
will calculate the least possible
.
10.
can be measured in terms of number of pieces or number of minutes
of workload.
11. An indicator of the output or value generated per unit of material used is called
material
.
12. The percentage of deliveries that a factory is able to make without any delays.
14. The measure to determine the percentage of standards met by the company.
15. The total available workforce in a factory/organization to the number of operational
machines.
18. A very important metric while calculating the labour cost that will be incurred in
production of the given garment.
20. To define absence of workers from the regular work without prior permission,
notice or sanction.
Down
1.
rate is the average rate at which units flow past through a specific point
in the process.
3. An audit standard describing the maximum number of defects that could be considered
acceptable during the random sampling of an inspection.
6. The ratio of fabric actually used on the marker to total available fabric is called
marker
.
8.
time is the time taken to complete the process of changing between
manufacturing of one product to the manufacturing of another product until the required
production and quality parameters are satisfied.
9.
plan is the measure to ensure the use of least number of plies and least
number of lays while cutting an order.
13. Inventory costing method in which the first unit brought in the inventory is first to be sold or
issued.
16.
improvement is the percentage reduction of standard time of the garment.
17. The percentage of garments shipped out of total number of garments cut for the order is
called the
ratio.
19. One of the fundamental measurements for logistics performance to ensure whether the
supply chain was able to deliver or not the expected product.
ANSWERS FOR TECHTEASE VI

Across: 2. City of Gold 5. Gomorrah 10. Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke
11. Annayya 16. Last Train Home 17. Normarae 18. Garmento
Down: 1. Monte Carlo 2. Coco Before Chanel 3. Badmaash Company 4. Vartak Nagar 5. Guru 6. Minsara Kanavu
7. Uncertain Faiths 8. Jeans 9. Laadla 12. Ready-to-Wear 13. September 14. Mannequin 15. Triangle
[We also welcome suggestions from our readers for topics on which they would like to see crosswords in the future editions.]
The solutions to TechTease 7 will be published in SW May 2016. Readers can mail the images of completed crosswords to editor@stitchworld.net or WhatsApp at +919724829820 by 26th April 2016.
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2 StitchWorld

VOL. XIV ISSUE 2

Technology and Management in Sewn Product Industry

Deputy Editor (Technical)

Sr. Technical Correspondent

All Rights Reserved 2014

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TOTAL

SRI LANKA: AISEX 2016 TO HELP MEET

Flavio Cattini (R), Founder & MD, FK Group

ARE WE NEGLECTING TECHNOLOGY?

REFLEXIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEM:

WE ARE ALREADY IN THE FUTURE

Syed Hafeez (extreme left), Country Manager,

GARMENT TECHNOLOGY EXPO 2016:

GLIMPSES FROM GTE 2016

David Zhang (L), Sales Manager, Bella Sewing

To read StitchWorld content online, visit our website

www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 5

www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 7

We are manufacturing workwear and 25 per cent of the

Workaids and attachments are now treated as an

is not known by all in an organization. Also, the best

The percentage of machines using workaids

the experiences of R&D and technical/production teams

In current scenario of apparel manufacturing, close to

Approximately 30 per cent of sewing machines are with

www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 9

Indonesia: Sritex to set up facility

Sri Lanka: AISEX 2016 to help meet

pparel Industry Suppliers

The new apparel manufacturing unit will be set up in Kandal province of

this year, and would employ

The exhibition will be

Sri Lankan apparel industry is

AISEX 2016 will provide a bubbling opportunity to further push the

10 StitchWorld APRIL 2016 www.apparelresources.com

Vietnam: Addressing textile, dyeing material hurdles crucial to

It is averred that an amount of around US $ 15 billion will be needed to

remaining US $ 13.5 billion

arrival of foreign investors is

ukatech has launched

press release,Over the past

12 StitchWorld APRIL 2016 www.apparelresources.com

fashion institutes have prepared

India: Lectra helps Maxwell Industries reduce fabric consumption by 5%

outsourced manual process

www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 13

Are we neglecting technology? Experts speak

companies and replaced

for 2 hours before working

Today hunger is not the prime

prepared to retain both buyers

Paul Collyer is a UK-based

Aisshvarya S Shah is the

www.apparelresources.com APRIL 2016 StitchWorld 15

mastered it, and practicing it with

Is there a separate budget

Rajesh Bheda, Principal and

16 StitchWorld APRIL 2016 www.apparelresources.com

Rajesh Bheda This depends on

operations associated with the

Has there been a cautious

S Badri Narayana, Director Operational Excellence, FLAME TAO Knoware,