Value additions like embroidery with beads and sequins, printing, washing, tie&dye and laser work, are the competitive advantages of the knitted and woven high-end fashion garment manufacturer MM Exports, catering to customers such as Victoria Secret, REISS, French Connection, Debenhams and Diesel. The Faridabad-based company produces half a million garments per annum, while employing 800 people and having sales offices in New York and Frankfurt. But the aspects of its products which further define its USP pose the biggest challenges in terms of production planning and control, along with vendor management. Having some processes in-house and few subcontracted plus multiple processes on the same garment, it is a real challenge to manage supplier capacities, provide accurate production schedules, measure work in progress (WIP) and variances. With 95% of styles featuring these special value additions, any difficulties faced in managing them would quickly affect the bottom line profitability of the business. MM Exports after deep deliberation with the industry informed, turned to Fast React for help.
Implementing Fast React’s Evolve system and specialising in shopfloor planning and critical path management, along with an additional embellishment planning module, ensures that the complex value added processes are controlled and managed effectively. The semi-automated embellishment module is designed to synchronize each process with the master sewing plan but allows the flexibility when required to override based on other factors such as supplier capacity constraints, minimum batch quantities, etc. With the Embellishment module, as with all Fast React planning tools, ‘what if’ planning is quick and easy with the knock on effect of changes calculated and clear warnings of conflicts (with other production processes or pre-production readiness) are highlighted instantly.
Subsequent to implementing Fast React’s Evolve solution the forward visibility in MM Exports has increased, which has further reduced the decision making time, made available the right information at the right time and bottlenecks which may have risen in the future were also recognized. With the new Embellishment module, the company has attained control over its outsourcing processes with the WIP information made available for the same, ensuring that the production lines are being fed constantly. Due to the increased transparency in the last peak season MM Exports was able to increase its on-time delivery performance (OTDP) by 5%.
“Daily production updates for all operations, in a plan versus actual report, for each process has helped us to understand the rhythm of production and take necessary actions. In turn we shipped 7% more in our peak season compared to last year within the same capacity and other constraints we had. This could have been an extremely challenging task without the Fast React Embellishment module in place,” explained Kawal Preet, Vice President at MM Exports, who believes that these benefits were only possible through the professional and helpful outlook of Fast React team, as continuous consultation is really valuable to establish centralized planning and best practices.
Adding on further, Mandeep Wasu, Managing Director at MM Exports added, “We are still at the beginning stage of reaping full benefits and have to do continuous improvements in which the Fast React team are as committed to this as we are and meet up regularly every 2-3 months to find further improvements.”
