Panaz And Stead Macalpin Are Among The UK Textile Manufacturers Adopting Digital Tools To Drive Sustainability And Growth
Image Courtesy of Zimmer Austria
January 2022 : Made Smarter, the technology adoption programme, is urging textile manufacturers in parts of England to adopt digitalisation to drive sustainability and growth.
The initiative is aiming to support up to 1,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers, across the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the West Midlands regions, to adopt digital technology.
125 companies from the sector based in the North West are embracing change by tapping into impartial expert technology advice, digital transformation workshops to help them take their first steps, a leadership programme, digital technology internships, and skills development support.
Of these, 13 textile businesses supported by matched-funding, are investing in new digital technology to solve key challenges while increasing productivity, growth, and creating new high value jobs.
But with more than 1,000 fashion and textile manufacturers in the region employing around 15,000 people and with a collective turnover of £1.83 billion, Made Smarter believes the sector and region synonymous with the ‘first’ Industrial Revolution has a golden opportunity to lead the ‘fourth’.
Alain Dilworth, North West Adoption Programme Manager at Made Smarter, said: “The textile industry in the North West was at the centre of the first industrial revolution with technological advances enabling cottons, wools, silks and dyestuffs to be produced at unprecedented rates for export around the globe. It is fitting that Made Smarter is now offering its support and expertise to help the same industry embrace the opportunity to lead the fourth industrial revolution.
“Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the industry with supply chains broken, falling sales and regrettably, some businesses having to close. Rebuilding is an opportunity to create a more sustainable approach which enables better resilience by taking advantage of the new digital technologies.
“I am delighted that Made Smarter has been able to support so many of the region’s textile manufacturers to start their digitalisation journey. Our ambition now is to reach out to the hundreds of others across the region to support them to take their first steps to future-proof their business.”
The fashion and textile industry is under substantial pressure to change to reduce its environmental and social impact. It is responsible for 10% of all global carbon emissions, water pollution from the use of chemicals and dyes and microplastics in the oceans, as well as staggering levels of waste. In the UK 300,000 tonnes of clothing – worth an estimated £140m – are sent to landfill or incinerated.
With the increase in consumer awareness of the devastating impact of the fast fashion phenomenon and a willingness among millennials to pay more for sustainable goods, the UK’s £32 billion fashion and textile industry has a huge opportunity to grow greener and more ethically.
Digital transformation is enabling a move away from traditional production methods and processes to make clothes, footwear and household textiles.
Digital textile printing, for example, produces less waste, requires little set-up and equipment, and uses fewer resources like water. 3D printing also reduces waste as fewer samples, and therefore fabric, are produced.
Panaz
Rollie Attard, Chief Operating Officer for Panaz, said Made Smarter supported the investment in an end-to-end custom digital printing solution which uses a software platform to allow design customisation and order at the click of a button.
“We see Panaz as being at the forefront of innovation within its industry and, as a consequence, need to keep pushing the boundaries when it comes to technology investment,” he said. “Made Smarter has enabled us to get to where we want to be much, much faster.”
Stead McAlpin
Stead McAlpin, a manufacturer of luxury furnishing fabrics in Carlisle, has capitalised on a variety of elements of the Made Smarter programme.
Ben Soper, Managing Director, said: “We have experienced huge benefits from engaging with Made Smarter. Its digital transformation workshop helped us focus our ideas to identify some solutions, then we secured grant funding to aid with the integration of new digital technology. Meanwhile, Made Smarter’s digital internship programme gave us a valuable resource and expertise to help trial and implement the technology.
“As a traditional analogue printer this new digital technology is game-changing for us. It’s a new way of working which will enable us to become much more agile and responsive to customer requests and open up new markets. Such big change requires a careful and considered approach and Made Smarter has supported us all the way. We wouldn’t have had the confidence to take such a leap without their help.”
About Made Smarter
Made Smarter is the UK national industrial digitalisation movement to drive productivity and growth of manufacturing industries and put the UK at the forefront of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Backed by world-renowned businesses and working in partnership with the UK government, Made Smarter will make a real, everyday difference to people from the boardroom to the factory floor.
Made Smarter has produced a free guide to help businesses in the sector. To download a copy visit: https://www.madesmarter.uk/resources/guide-textile-manufacturing-how-digital-transformation-is-securing-a-sustainable-future/
