Lawson launches cloud-based PLM product

Supply chain software provider Lawson Software has announced the general availability of its Lawson Fashion PLM on the Cloud solution.

Lawson said the solution offers fashion companies a lower entry cost to product lifecycle management software.

Its specific software modules include Line Optimizer, Storyboard, Fabric & Trim, Product Manager, Workflow and Source.

Because it is deployed via the Amazon EC2 cloud infrastructure, Lawson said fashion companies can extend or reduce their use of on the Cloud as their business and requirements change.

"Lawson Fashion PLM on the Cloud helps simplify software ownership because customers do not need to worry about the hardware and system management – Lawson takes care of that for them through the Amazon infrastructure," said Frédéric Champalbert, general manager of Fashion for Lawson.

"Customers deploying Fashion PLM on the Cloud also benefit because they access their applications via a stable and secure Amazon platform with flexible computing power and 99.95% uptime."

Garment and textile industry should invest further in hi-value competitively priced products

Garment sector looks to boost world export standing.The garment and textile industry this year should invest further in hi-value competitively priced products to maintain its position in the world's top five exporters, with a view to making it into the top three, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai told a conference on Monday.

Hai urged the industry to focus on technological innovation, while sourcing the best raw materials and improving the quality of its human resources – including its management.

An adequate support industry was also necessary to ensure the sector's sustainable development, he said.

The sector has set an ambitious target of US$12.7-$13 billion in export earnings this year, according to the Viet Nam National Textile and Garment Group (Vinatex).

It is also aiming to source between 55 and 60 per cent of its raw materials locally to cut import costs this year.

To achieve these goals, the sector planned to focus on finding new export markets, Vu Duc Giang, Vinatex chairman, said.

To reduce reliance on imported raw materials, Giang said Vinatex was trying to encourage farmers to grow more cotton.

However, he said it would be difficult to develop a cotton growing industry that met the requirement of the garment and textile industry because of poor soil quality. He said that farmers should alternate growing cotton with other crops to boost profits.

Vinatex is preparing to establish a raw-materials manufacturing joint stock company with its member firms to work with provinces to earmark farmland for cotton growing. It will be looking for farms of 50ha to 100ha.

Despite a number of difficulties, the garment sector still generated $11.2 billion from exports last year, up 23 per cent year-on-year. The localisation ratio rose from 46-49 per cent. — VNS

Philippine-made garment exports to enter the US duty-free as long as these used American textiles.

THE PHILIPPINES has to accept the fact that its benefits under a proposed trade scheme favoring its garment exports to the US will have to be cut if the measure is to have a better chance of getting approved by the new Congress there, government and private sector officials yesterday said.

But in the meantime, garment giant Luen Thai Holdings, Inc. said it has shelved plans to put up a $5-million jean factory in the country, after the previous US Congress failed to pass the preferential program before its term ended last month.

The proposed "Save our Industries Act," first filed in Washington in 2009, would have allowed Philippine-made garment exports to enter the US duty-free as long as these used American textiles.

There were also provisions that would have reduced import duties on Philippine garments that use textiles woven from US yarns.

Competitive

This scheme was supposed to result in competitively priced apparel that are a tenth cheaper than those produced by China-based manufacturers using Chinese textiles, Rick Helfenbein, president of the Luen Thai’s American unit TellaS Ltd., told reporters in a press conference yesterday.

Backers of pending bills in the 111th US Congress, however, will have to start from scratch after the legislature’s term ended last December.

Ready for another round

"We will definitely refile [sic] the bill. The position of the government is we will certainly provide the necessary support," Trade Undersecretary Cristino L. Panlilio said in the same briefing, noting that the state agency still has some P450 million to spend from the fund of the now-defunct Garment and Textiles Export Board.

The bill is expected to add $1.1 billion to annual export sales which have currently stagnated at $2 billion-$2.5 billion since 2006, according to estimates from the Confederation of Garment Exporters of the Philippines (CONGEP).

The trade incentive granted to the Philippines should also lure $480 million worth of investments for factories in the first two years of the law’s implementation, CONGEP had said.

‘More palatable’ proposal

"But there are some technical things in the bill [that will be changed] to make it more palatable," said Mr. Helfenbein.

"We will probably delete three to four items," he said, referring to provisions that would reduce tariffs for Philippine garment exports even if these do not use American textiles but at least those cloth woven from US yarn.

This should pacify American textile groups that had raised objections, Mr. Helfenbein said.

A new provision could also be added that will allow Philippine garment makers to source textiles outside the US in case there is a shortage of these raw materials, Mr. Helfenbein said.

Trade high on the agenda

"It is very clear that trade is on the agenda of the 112th Congress," he said.

"We believe the opportunity is ripe."

Luen Thai, which is backing the lobbying effort, has facilities here that make garments and bags for high-end brands like Ralph Lauren, Dillards, Coach and Adidas.

Source:bworldonline.com

RMG sector earning may reach $30-35b in 4-5 yrs

The earning from garment sector may be taken up to US$ 30-35 billion in the next 4-5 years by ensuring power, infrastructure and port facilities, and maintaining law and order situation, said FBCCI President A K Azad.The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) chief said the local RMG industry’s growth was 40 per cent last year, and it will start increasing significantly within a short time. For this the government has to ensure logistic supports for the sector.

He said these at the inaugural ceremony of International Apparel Machinery, Fabrics and Accessories Tradeshow of Bangladesh at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city Wednesday.

The three-day fair was jointly organised by Zakaria Trade and Fair International and ASK Trade and Exhibitions Pvt Ltd. It will continue from January 12 to 15, and as many as 150 companies from 24 countries will display their products at the 10th edition of Garmentech Bangladesh and IFA Sourcing Fair.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua was present as the chief guest of the programme.

Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com