Changing times: manufacturing efficiency to information technology - Inside Bobbin

As we gathered information for our 40th anniversary salute, a barrage of facts, figures, trends and tidbits flooded forth from the pages of Bobbin's archives and the recollections of many longtime industry insiders, who shared with us their pointed views. The research revealed an overall picture of the U.S. industry as bolstered by major technological and computer advances, such as the development of numerically controlled cutting, and also besieged by the staggering weight of imports and an ever-increasing migration of sewing to countries with lower-cost production.

Although these two trends are typically viewed at the polar ends of positive and negative, respectively, when it comes to impact on the industry, they have been close partners over the past four decades. As apparel companies realized that the labor cost differential between the United States and other less developed countries would never be leveled - even with the most efficient labor reductions on the production floor - they had to find new competitive avenues.

The end result: a complete refocusing of the industry over the past 40 years. As Dean Vought, past president of the Textile/Clothing Technology Corp. [[TC].sup.2] and past executive vice president of Kurt Salmon Associates, succinctly summed up: "The emphasis has shifted completely from manufacturing efficiency to information technology."

The pages of Bobbin have paid testament to this trend, as a primary focus on industrial engineering and laborsaving automation in the '60s and '70s gave way to in-depth reporting on issues and strategies with roots in information technology. First there was Quick Response, which was propelled, in part, by advances in electronic data interchange. Innovative industry-specific software packages and systems have since made a mark on almost every aspect of the industry, from order entry to product development to distribution, while the advent and growth of the Internet has fostered computerized supply chain integration. And the prospects of mass customization have spawned developments in advanced body scanning technology, which at the end of last year culminated in the sale of two scanners designed by [[TC].sup.2].

Along the way, this evolution has become deeply intertwined with trends that have influenced which sectors are controlling production, where manufacturing takes place, what types of garments are produced, and the production technologies and methods used. Some specific examples that surfaced during a conversation with longtime industry player Mahlon Saibel. now president of Anti-Counterfeiting & Diversion Solutions, a Willcox & Gibbs Co., include:

* Retailers establishing sourcing arms, apparel makers opening retail outlets and, most recently, textile companies opening apparel facilities in Latin America, which have blurred the lines of the supply chain. ("The grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome.)

* The passing of the Caribbean Basin Initiative, NAFTA and other trade legislation, which has shuffled the production deck for U.S. companies and shifted the majority of apparel production outside the United States.

* Tremendous growth in the casual wear and branded clothing (i.e., Tommy Hilfiger and Nike) markets, which have benefited at the expense of other sectors, as well as dramatic SKU increases and more seasons, which have made it difficult to meet retail demands.

* Manufacturing "fads" (such as quality circles and just-in-time) and attempts to fully automate garment assembly, which have come and gone, and the advent of Quick Response and developments in computer technology and integrated circuits, which have offered true competitive advantages to U.S. apparel companies.

Putting all of this into perspective is not an easy task, but one that we felt was important to attempt as part of this month's special anniversary salute (which starts on page 19). Important because, as the intricate web of the apparel industry continues to weave itself further into the global economy, we must all learn from the past.

Lisa C. Rabon is editor in chief of Bobbin.

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