In late 1950s, Flavio Cattini, Founder & MD, FK Group, was attending an apparel manufacturing technology trade show… Guided by an epiphany of building his own empire, and his passion for the apparel trade, he chose to research in the area of automation for cutting room and do away with lack of ‘Made in Italy’ spreaders and cutters. He bore the fruits of this effort in 1961 when he produced the first spreading machine in the world with electrical parts under the label CARON. Since then, he has gone on to institute FK Group, hold multiple patents, win ‘Tecnica Della Confezione International Award’ and take the market by storm with his pursuit of innovation. With the core strength of first-entry advantage in various fields, the company recently completed 50 years of existence. As FK Group braces for the next 50 years, Flavio, in an exclusive interaction with Team StitchWorld, looks back at his journey with a hint of nostalgia and pride. He also unveils the future of spreading and cutting automation at FK Group.
SW: What prompted you to make machines for the garment industry and that too at the young age of 20 years?
FC: Alongside my technical and mechanical studies, the Italian economic boom marked the beginning of my career… From the age of 18 years to the start of my own enterprise, I practiced at a wood working company for five years. During this time I was working with the projection team on the mechanical development of machines. After having graduated, I decided that it was time to start my own innovations. My family used to work in the textile business for private clients, which brought me to my first international apparel manufacturing technology fair in Milan, where I was surrounded by sewing machines. That moment stoked my passion as it seemed there were no Italy-made auxiliary machines. Since then, there has been no looking back. I have never stopped innovating, and my prerogative is to study systems but never to copy them.
SW: Many patents are attributed to you. Please mention a few… How have they helped in the development of the industry?
FC: The first 20 years of my career as a CARON Co. partner featured various non-patented inventions, until the moment I became CEO and founded FK Group in order to start my research, especially in spreading machines. In fact, four of my inventions are still valid, which incluede:
• The variable cradle with parallel single ring belts which can be multiplied for the number of rings according to the fabric width.
• The cutting group for the spreading machine with two controlled belts: one for transversal movement and one for variable blade rotation.
• In the cutting machine, the only innovations are the bi-composed brushes, allowing greater aspiration even when there is an obstruction.
• Under plate’s lubrication to bring any type of lubricant to keep a 360° rotation necessary on every material.
SW: You were honoured with the prestigious ‘Tecnica Della Confezione International Award’ in 2001, which is like the Oscars of technology. For what particular invention you were awarded for and how has that motivated the company towards greater passion for innovation. What are the noteworthy developments after the milestone?
FC: During the ’90s, the market saw the domination of three competitors, specialized in the cutting room business; and for about 10 years, I fought my way up, trying to learn this discipline. Around the same time, I was felicitated with the award.
Since 1987 I have been able to combine my well known spreading systems to my CAD for fashion design and to the newly launched FK cutting units. This made FK Group the only Italian complete line manufacturer. This fabulous gratification is about the continuity of innovation (true business motor) with huge investments in the export markets.
SW: You claim to be the first in this segment with inventions in 1961 and 1969, but CAMSCO, a US company which was later taken over by Gerber, claims to be the first developer of CNC cutter… Please share your views on this.
FC: I began researching on the CNC project when I was working on CAD-CAM systems in 1987 until my first presentation of a functional CAM in 1991. Obviously, the American constructor had already been in the market for a while, which may not have been clear from the different presentations. Nevertheless, I have become the first Italian constructor of CAD-CAM and high speed plotter.
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SW: As claimed, you were also the first to introduce a mechanical hand-operated cutter, which is still popular with countries like India where small quantities is a norm. Do you still have those cutters in the market? If not, then why not?
FC: There has been a misunderstanding in definitions of manual cutting devices, which in my case is relative to spreading machine’s cutting group. In the ’60s, spreading machine producers used the horizontal cutting movement to cut the layers after laying, which caused quality problems. By using a vertical blade and hence turning the cutting system by 90 degrees, FK Group not only revolutionized the system, but the whole spreading aspect. First, the absolute laying length precision; second the speed of spreading; and third, the electromechanical accurate controls, which in the ’70’s made our spreading machines truly advanced – something that set a benchmark for a myriad of competitors.
SW: FK Erna used to have the industry’s thickest (15 cm) compressed height cutter, but it has been discontinued. Why?
FC: Around the year 1995, we built cutting machines for spongy soft fabrics, especially towelling and bathrobes for hotels. But this market was too small and has showed its limits. A limited application indeed, but clearly it has been a great experience.
SW: Today, what according to you is the USP of FK Group’s CNC cutters?
FC: Today, FK consists of solutions for the complete cutting room – CAD, Spreaders and Cutters for every kind of fabric, along with the 5-table systems, handling and loading systems and their automation, and finally the 8 different cutting systems. Of course, everything is made in order to meet clients’ requirements. Our strength lies in our capability and our willingness to satisfy customer’s special requirements.
SW: Which are FK Group’s biggest markets?
FC: It is not the countries that matter but the areas. We are exporting a lot to South America, Africa, Western & Eastern Europe, and Asia. We hope to consolidate and expand further in the future. After all, nothing stops quality.
SW: Moving forth, what is the next area of development and why?
FC: Our constant target is the adaptability of our machinery to changing fabrics – the only way to satisfy our clients’ requirements. Obviously we keep in mind uncompromised quality with a realistic focus on costs to avoid compromising the pay-back period of the investment.
SW: Where do you see FK Group 10 years from now…, as you write in your journey that the first 50 years are over and FK Group begins the journey for the next 50 years!
FC: To be honest, we are already in the future. Our company’s philosophy has always been focused on innovation, continuous investment and not just on profit.
