INTERNATIONAL
NATIONAL
India's manufacturing growth softened for the second straight month as demand eased, which alongside bigger increases in the cost of raw materials had an impact on business confidence, a private survey showed on Wednesday. S&P Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index showed factory activity dropped to an eight-month low of 55.5 in October from 57.5 in September. A Reuters poll had forecast an uptick of 57.7. However, the index has remained over the 50-mark, which separates expansion from contraction, for the 28th consecutive month. "India's manufacturing sector generated substantial growth in October, despite a challenging global economic environment. Still, insights from surveyed purchasing managers pointed to the deceleration of several measures," said Pollyanna De Lima, Economics Associate Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence. "Consumer goods was behind most of the slowdown, recording considerably softer increases in sales, production, exports, input inventories and buying levels," De Lima added. Competitive pressures and weak demand at certain plants weighed on factory growth, data showed. Granular data highlighted a particularly marked slowdown in the consumer goods sub-sector. Although a further increase in new orders was a positive development, October data signalled a deceleration in growth since September, the statement said. The expansion in international demand slowed to a four-month low. Concerns around demand and inflation dampened business confidence in October. The future output sub-index fell to its weakest since May after touching a nine-month high in September. Input prices ticked higher last month, leading companies to pass on some of the extra costs to clients, although the rate of increases in selling prices decelerated. "Qualitative evidence from the future output question revealed an interesting finding, as reports of rising inflation expectations were expected to dent demand and subsequently production growth over the course of the coming 12 months," added De Lima.
Source: Economic times
The rupee settled flat at 83.26 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday as weak domestic equity markets and sustained foreign fund outflows weighed on investor sentiments. However, a decline in crude oil prices supported the local currency amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, in a range-bound trade, the rupee opened at 83.26 and finally settled at the same level as the American currency.
Source: Tecoya Trend
The cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to waive off the stamp dutyon 410 hectares acquired at Nandgaon in Amravati district for the PM Mitra Park — an integrated textiles and apparel park. In March, the cabinet had given its approval for the setting up of the park in a joint collaboration with the Centre. An MoU was signed between MIDC, state and ministry of textiles for the park for attracting Rs 10,000 crore investment and creating three lakh jobs. We also published the following articles recently A fire broke out in a godown containing discarded cosmetic items in Thane district. No casualties were reported. The fire was in a shed-like structure where cosmetics were stored. The incident occurred between Bhiwandi and Kalyan and was extinguished by eleven fire engines. The cause of the fire is being investigated.
CCP appoints pay-parking contractor The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has authorized the pay-parking contractor to collect fees from designated areas in the state capital. The order is retroactive, with the collection of parking fees starting from August 14. The contractor must deposit the license fee and GST for August 15 to October 31.
Balotra's textiles a pride, but rivers cry for safety The textile units in Balotra, known for their printed fabrics and dress material, have caused severe pollution in the Luni River and groundwater in the region. The discharge of chemical pollutants from these units has made the water toxic and rendered it unusable. This has sparked discontent among the people and has become a key issue in the upcoming assembly polls. The pollution has also affected other rivers in the area, leading to concerns among farmers and prompting action from the National Green Tribunal. Efforts have been made to stop the discharge of pollutants, but more needs to be done to safeguard the river and the farmers.
Source: Times of India
India's textile exporters are struggling for growth and the Bengaluru-based Gokaldas Exports is no exception. However, Sivaramkrishnan Ganapathi, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Gokaldas Exports, told CNBC-TV18 that he expects a 10-12% growth in revenue.Almost all of the growth for Gokaldas will come from the recently acquired Atraco Group, a Dubai-based apparel maker, for $55 million. If you take the contribution from Atarco out, Gokaldas' attempt "is to come to the level of last year’s revenue,” Ganapathi said. Much like the rest of the industry, Gokaldas' export revenue fell over 20% in the second quarter of the current financial year ending March 2024. This, despite a 9.7% rise in exported volume. Essentially, players are getting squeezed on prices as the buyers, especially those in the US, have been trying to reduce inventory.
Source: The cnbctv18.com
15-member delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry explored the possibilities of boosting ties with Taiwan in various industrial sectors, a senior official said. The delegation, led by CII Tamil Nadu Textile Panel Convenor G R Gopi Kumar, studied areas of mutual understanding in man-made fabrics, sustainable and technical textiles and invited firms from Taiwan to invest in the state. According to Kumar, given the shared economic and commercial interests between India and Taiwan in several sectors, especially in technical textiles, the successful delegation will help businesses leverage the strengths on either side to collaborate and complement in terms of strengthening trade. The delegation focused on exploring and fostering trade opportunities between Taiwan and Tamil Nadu, particularly in the areas of functional fabrics and smart, sustainable initiatives, among others, said Kumar in a statement. India in general, Tamil Nadu in particular, can be a key destination for Taiwanese firms to strengthen their presence in global supply chains in textile products, he added. During their visit to Taiwan, the delegation attended the 27th Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show, a sourcing hub for innovative textiles in Asia. The Indian industry representatives also held discussions with the Director General of the Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce, India Taipei Association, and Taiwan Textile Research Association, among others.
Source: The Manufacturing Today India
As the Internet is flooded with stories of budding entrepreneurs attempting to spin yarns of eminence, a web search on textile industrialist KP Ramasamy will belie the legend. Unlike most of his peers, the 74-year-old Ramasamy prefers to stay away from media glare as he walks firmly into the Forbes India’s richest people list with a net worth of Rs 9,143 crore. The tags such as ‘farmer’s son’ and ‘college dropout’ have paled into irrelevance too. A visit to his native village Kalliyampudur will, however, lay bare endearing anecdotes of his philanthropy stitched across decades. The hamlet has also tucked away threads of the $2.3 billion-worth industrialist’s humble beginnings as a poor farmer. “He did his primary education in a Christian school here. Then shifted to a school in Perundurai,” said P Venkatachalam, a power loom unit owner and a resident of Kalliyampudur. To help his family make ends meet, Ramasamy, being the eldest of three sons, dropped out of school in class 10 and began to help his parents Palanisamy and Sellammal, with farming. After a year, he resumed his schooling and later completed a pre-university course from Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science at Periyanaickenpalayam. Though he had aspired to become a doctor or agricultural engineer, he could not secure a seat. He ended up in a BA course at a college in Sivakasi, only to drop out after six months and return to agriculture. He toiled in the fields to help pay for his two brothers’ education. Legends are made of humble beginnings. In 1971, he borrowed Rs 8,000 from a relative and started a power loom in the village. Business flourished and he set up a yarn unit in Coimbatore, and in 1997, he established a textile mill in Sathyamangalam. The ambitious youth set up hostels at the mill and was among the first to recruit women there. Later, a touching encounter with a woman worker led him to the education sector. The worker, with tears welling up her eyes, told Ramasamy about how she longed to pursue higher studies. But she had to bury the dream as there was no educational institution in the region. This was a watershed moment. Ramasamy realised that the situation was the same for other workers in his mill. After deliberations with stakeholders, he decided to utilize the distance mode of education at universities. In 1998, his KPR Group of companies set up the Women Employees’ Educational Division. Joining hands with Alagappa University, Annamalai University and Tamil Nadu Open University, the company has so far helped over 35,000 women pursue higher education. Some even went on to enter the government service. Besides, KPR Group has established arts and science colleges, an engineering college in Coimbatore, and an IAS academy that provides free coaching classes. In the mid 1980s, Ramasamy found huge success in the cloth manufacturing business in Tiruppur city, recalled A Sakthivel, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). “Later, he set up a knitwear export unit and that too flourished. Then he brought the cotton, yarn, and garment businesses under a single system. At present, he has one of the largest vertically integrated textile processing establishments in the country,” he added. Not just his textile empire, his educational institutions are also doing exceptional service to society, said Ravi Sam, a fellow industrialist and former president of the Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA). Efforts to reach out to him for an interview were gently rejected by his associates saying that KPR wants to stay away from media. “Over the past 20 years, KPR’s growth has been phenomenal. Through his hard work, he has now reached the number one position in the textile industry in Southern India. As fellow industrialists, we feel very proud of his achievement as he is the first person from the textile sector to enter the Forbes’ elite list,” G Arulmozhi, president of Open End Spinning Mills Association (OSMA), told TNIE. As of today, the textile empire KPR Group also intertwines with business concerning sugar, power, automobiles and education. Ramasamy’s dedication towards creating an eco-friendly environment has led to the company setting up several windmills in Tamil Nadu. He also runs a sugar plant in Karnataka. Manufacturing an impressive product range of textile varieties such as readymade knitted apparel, fabrics, compact, melange, carded, polyester and combed yarn, KPR Mill reaches customers across the world.
Source: New Indian express
With the World Trade Organsation’s (WTO) ministerial conference just four months away, India has pressed for early start of formal talks on getting the dispute settlement system at the world body functioning again. The US, whose actions led to the whole dispute settlement system becoming non-functional, has now started engaging on the issue of Dispute Settlement Body’s reforms in informal ways, a senior official said. The informal setting poses challenges to participation of other members of the WTO who have limited presence of ambassadors at the trade regulating body. Other logistics challenges including something as mundane as not having enough translators is also hampering broader participation in informal discussions. At the ‘Senior Officials’ meeting of the WTO in Geneva last week India asked for shifting of negotiations to a more formal setting of a committee so that other members can deploy resources and participate in the discussions. “We have to formalise this process as soon as possible. India stated that if you want to maintain the WTO’s credibility, we need to talk on this,” the official added. India has not submitted any paper or proposal on the reform as talks are happening informally. There are two main ways to settle a dispute once a complaint has been filed in the WTO. Either the parties involved settle it among themselves or they may move for adjudication. The ruling of the dispute settlement body can also be challenged at the appellate body. The US had derailed the dispute settlement system after it lost many disputes at the WTO. According to reports the US wants a system that relies more on negotiation and does not have an appellate body as the litigation in the legacy system is costly and time consuming. “They are talking about peripheral reforms, but our main demand is that there should be a two tier system including a system of appeals,” the official said. The dispute settlement system at the WTO has been in limbo since the US in 2017 started blocking appointments to the appellate body of the dispute settlement system as the judges there retired. By 2019 the system became non-functional. Since 2020 all seven seats of the appellate body have been vacant. This has resulted in a situation where rulings by the dispute settlement body of the WTO cannot be implemented as the system of appeal is not available. Normally more than 70% of the rulings by dispute settlement body end up in appeal. Since December 2019, over 20 appeals have been filed for appeal. At various occasions, major trading countries have committed to get the dispute settlement system functional by 2024. At the G-20 meeting of trade ministers and the summit this commitment was reiterated. During the senior officials meeting the members were encouraged to participate in the ongoing reform of the Dispute Settlement reform with a view to achieve tangible outcome by the ment Ministers Meeting of the WTO which is scheduled to be held from 26-29 February in Abu Dhabi.
Source: Financial Express
INTERNATIONAL
The partnership with Infinited Fiber is a long-term offtake agreement to secure access to postconsumer textile material through the Infinna fibre, once the commercial-scale factory starts operations in 2026. Lindex describes its partnership with Infinited Fiber as an important step in the transformation to a more sustainable and circular assortment with raw material from textile waste. Infinited Fiber offers Infinna, which it describes as a unique, patented, and regenerated textile fibre with a soft and natural look and and feel of cotton. Based on innovative technology it transforms cotton-rich postconsumer textile waste, into high-quality premium fibres. By incorporating Infinna, Lindex expands its material portfolio adding an alternative to its cotton and other manmade cellulosic fibres (MMCF). Annette Tenstam, strategic lead circularity & environmental sustainability, at Lindex, says: “With only a fraction of all textile waste in the world being recycled there must be a change and we are happy to see players like Infinited Fiber enabling this. Infinited Fiber has the technology and opportunity to close the loop and turn post-consumer textile waste into new high-quality cotton like raw material. This is a great opportunity, not only for Lindex but for the entire textile industry. Together we can drive positive change in the textile industry all while continuing our circular journey and minimising our environmental impact.” Infinited Fiber Company’s key account director, Kirsi Roine, adds: “We can’t wait to see Infinna come to life in Lindex’s clothes, showcasing once again that by using a high-quality material made purely from discarded textiles, brands don’t need to compromise between environmental performance, quality or style.” Lindex further explains that shifting to new materials and reducing the impact and dependency on natural resources is an important part of its circular transformation and sustainability promise which is to make a difference for future generations. Additionally, in 2024, Lindex says it will start to innovate and test the new raw material in preparation for scaling up the production.
Source: The Just-Style.com
Global apparel and footwear makers like Adidas to Nike have been shifting some of their supply chains out of China for the past decade. The moves, initially driven by lower operating costs, have lately been pushed by mounting geopolitical tensions between China and the west. But China remains the world’s top clothing exporter — about one-third of all garments globally come from its factories — and the limits of the viable alternatives may have been reached, as Bloomberg reports today. US and European brands say they want to further cut ties with China to reduce potential political risks. But finding established production locations elsewhere brings challenges: a lack of skilled workers, insufficient raw materials, or underdeveloped infrastructure and logistics networks. The latest headwind is a weakening of consumer demand, which makes the investment in expansion or the pursuit of a China-plus-one sourcing strategy even less attractive. So some Chinese garment manufacturers that have built factories in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations have retreated back to China, our story explains. Some paused expansion to reduce potential losses. While there’s ongoing discussion on reducing reliance on Chinese raw materials to avoid escalating sanctions, that’s going to be tough to do. The Vietnamese clothing industry, for instance, still relies mostly on Chinese-made buttons, thread, labels and packaging, with only about 30% to 40% of such materials made domestically. And even if the drive to shift production and raw material sourcing away from China, it remains to be seen if customers are willing to pay a higher cost. “Therein lies the dilemma,” said Michael Laskau, a Vietnam-based businessman who links local apparel manufacturers and overseas buyers. “Customers want the fabric produced in Vietnam but they don’t want to pay the price. They want everything to be as cheap as it can be.”
Source: The Bloomberg.com
The textile industry stands on the brink of transformation, driven by the fusion of cutting-edge digital technologies with traditional manufacturing practices. In this era of unprecedented change, the introduction of digital shop floor management and innovative solutions like Digital Production Management (DPM) by KM.ON are reshaping the landscape of textile production, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and sustainability across the industry. As the global economy evolves, businesses are tasked with optimizing production elements to maximize value and adapt to an everchanging market. The textile industry faces a complex landscape characterized by economic uncertainty, fierce competition, rising input costs, and increasing consumer demands for sustainability and ethical practices. In response, textile manufacturers are seeking innovative solutions that can streamline their production processes and enhance overall profitability. The Digital Shop Floor Management: A Paradigm Shift Enter the digital shop floor management – a concept that signifies the integration of advanced information technologies into the heart of manufacturing operations. With the ability to provide real-time data insights, the digital shop floor management is a transformative force that empowers textile manufacturers to achieve optimal operational efficiency, cost savings, and control over their production processes. It marks a departure from manual and segregated approaches to a seamless, interconnected ecosystem. At the forefront of this digital revolution is KM.ON’s Digital Production Management (DPM), a groundbreaking software solution tailored specifically for the warp knitting sector. DPM leverages the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced analytics to create transparency on the shop floor, empowering production managers with real-time, production-specific key figures. With insights into factory operations, managers can identify patterns, optimize resource allocation, and make data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency. This realtime monitoring and analysis go hand in hand with DPM’s capacity to provide operational control. From creating articles and work orders to streamlining production planning, DPM centralizes and optimizes every aspect of the production process.
Unveiling DPM’s Specialized Features Let’s delve into the specialized features that make DPM truly groundbreaking within the textile knitting sector: 1. Performance Report: DPM’s Performance Report offers a comprehensive overview of key data on factory performance. By comparing the performance of different shifts or machines during various periods, managers can identify patterns, optimize resource allocation, and drive continuous improvement. 2. Piece Overview: Keeping track of production progress becomes effortless with DPM’s Piece Overview. Managers can access real-time information on the status of each piece and estimate completion times. 3. Quality Report: Ensuring top-notch fabric quality is paramount in the textile industry. DPM’s Quality Report empowers managers to monitor and analyze quality-related data, such as stops, quality-related machine messages, and setting changes, enabling proactive measures to maintain consistent quality standards. 4. Article Management: Efficiently managing technical information on fabric is crucial for successful production. DPM’s Article Management feature provides a centralized repository of fabric-related parameters, ensuring standardized and reproducible production processes. 5. Machine Report: At the heart of DPM’s Machine Report lies real-time machine data. By providing live updates on machine performance, output, speed, and remaining time for beam changes, managers can optimize machine utilization, minimize downtime, and maximize productivity. 6. Production Planning: DPM’s Production Planning feature enables efficient work order scheduling, optimizing machine usage, and minimizing idle time. With a clear view of production plans, managers can make informed decisions, ensuring optimal resource allocation and on-time delivery.
Unveiling the Remarkable Advantages of DPM The implementation of DPM brings forth a host of benefits for textile fabric managers and owners. Lean processes on the shop floor become a reality as bottlenecks are identified and operations streamlined, leading to increased productivity and reduced costs. The reduction of paperwork minimizes administrative overhead, allowing personnel to focus on value-added tasks. Transparency into fabric quality and production progress empowers managers to proactively address issues and maintain quality standards.
Embracing Sustainability and Profitability DPM doesn’t just optimize production; it aligns with the industry’s growing focus on sustainability. By optimizing resource allocation, reducing waste, and enhancing overall sustainability, DPM ensures textile manufacturers meet industry standards and customer expectations.
Pioneering the Digital Transformation KM.ON’s DPM exemplifies the textile industry’s transformation through digitalization. By embracing DPM, textile fabric managers and owners unlock the potential for increased revenue and optimized costs. DPM’s integration of real-time data, advanced analytics, and operational control paves the way for greater profitability amid the constantly shifting market environment.
Embrace the Future Today The textile industry is no longer confined to traditional production methods. The digital shop floor and solutions like DPM are ushering in a new era of efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. As textile manufacturers worldwide navigate the challenges of a dynamic market, the digital transformation offers a beacon of potential and opportunity. Through partnership with KM.ON and the adoption of DPM, textile manufacturers can redefine their processes, drive growth, and secure a thriving future in the ever-evolving textile landscape.
Source: Indian Textile Magazine
The Eurecat technology centre and textile business Canmartex have set up the spin-off Aracne, which is to deliver predictive quality control systems for the knitwear manufacturing process. Its business plan envisages the market release of its first product in the second half of 2023 with a sales forecast of €6 million by 2025. The Aracne system predicts knitting faults in large-diameter circular knitting machines caused by broken or worn machine parts such as needles and platens, thereby reducing production defects by more than 50% and fostering the circular economy. It also monitors the drop of fabric when it is being manufactured to spot defects appearing at that time due to other reasons, such as yarn or mechanical problems or holes in the fabric. “The key difference with respect to other technologies already on the market is that Aracne’s technology is a predictive system which anticipates defects” by harnessing “photonic and Internet of Things systems coupled with artificial intelligence algorithms which predict potential manufacturing faults before the fabric is made,” says Xavier Plantà, director of Eurecat’s Industrial Area and the spin-off’s CTO. “The ability to predict defects makes it possible to warn the production manager, who can then assess them and decide what to do,” notes Enric Martí, the spin-off’s CEO. This means “we can anticipate faults before they happen and most importantly take action and remedy the causes which lead to them.” The innovation, which has been developed specifically for large-diameter circular knitting machines in partnership with textile machine manufacturer Canmartex, “helps drive the industry’s sustainability, boost production and cut costs while enhancing the innovative positioning of businesses,” adds Josep Maria Serres, a researcher in Eurecat’s Advanced Manufacturing Systems Unit. Real-time analysis of the most critical components An estimated 92 million tons of waste is generated annually by the textile industry, 25 percent of which is produced during fabric manufacture. Here, Aracne’s technological solution enables real-time analysis of the degradation of the most critical components in the manufacturing process. The idea is to carry out predictive control using digital technologies to prevent typical quality problems or defects such as holes, streaks and spots which are generally only identified after the manufacturing process by experts or automated computer vision-based systems once they have already occurred. The innovation Aracne brings to the market as a result of Eurecat’s technology transfer and valorisation has a direct impact on knitwear weavers and large-diameter circular knitting machine manufacturers. The prediction and quality control technology developed is expected to be adapted to other textile value chain processes in the future. The new company is based in Argentona and draws on a number of patents for technologies which identify and show defects. Each of them can be purchased as a module which means manufacturers can tailor the solution to their knitting machines. The project was nominated for the Innovation in Sustainability Award at the most recent ITMA, the leading trade fair for the textile industry held this June in Milan, and also picked up a prize at the Factories of the Future Awards 2023 in the category for Best Research and Development of Artificial Intelligence applied in industrial plants.
Source: Textile world
