Fire-Dex, a leading manufacturer of personal protective equipment for first responders, has announced its adoption of Fashion On Demand by Lectra to improve its manufacturing processes and overcome supply chain challenges. Fashion On Demand by Lectra is an Industry 4.0 solution that automates the production process, from order to cutting, based on a digital platform using smart algorithms and connected devices. This solution enables the digitisation of processes and workflows to improve business performance.
Fire-Dex has been working with Lectra since 2001 and has strived to maintain top-notch manufacturing processes to keep up with shifts in consumer demand, labour shortages, and supply chain challenges. With its improved ergonomic Fashion On Demand solution, the company has been able to improve cutting capacity by up to 30%, and it has set the foundation to grow garment production from 30K pieces per year to over 80K.
The Fashion On Demand solution is powered by cloud technology and comprises Lectra’s digital cutting platform and single-ply fabric cutting solution, Virga. By integrating Fashion On Demand with the latest version of Lectra’s cloud nesting solution, Fire-Dex has been able to improve its workflow and plan its cutting room more efficiently, while giving everyone clear visibility on the entire process.
John Karban, VP of operations at Fire-Dex, stated, “Lectra is the only company that has been able to provide us with a complete solution and not just an asset. We’re seeing the start of industry 4.0 in the fashion cutting room, and it’s very exciting.”
Lenny Marano, president of the Americas at Lectra, said, “We’ve been fortunate to collaborate with Fire-Dex over the last 20+ years, and we’re proud to see the success they’ve seen with our solution. This is the first Fashion On Demand solution currently being used in the protective wear market, and as on-demand production continues to become key for US manufacturing, we’ll continue to see companies shifting to this model to remain agile and produce more sustainably.”
The adoption of Industry 4.0 solutions, such as Fashion On Demand, is becoming increasingly important for manufacturing companies looking to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. With supply chain disruptions and labour shortages continuing to pose challenges, digitising processes and workflows will become even more crucial to maintaining competitive advantage in the global market.