Paris, May 18, 2006. Lectra, leader in software, CAD/CAM equipment and related services dedicated to the furniture market, presents a selection of its solutions specially designed for the upholstered furniture market at the Interzum Moscow trade show, from May 16 to 20. This appearance is Lectra’s first at the Interzum Moscow. 

Last year’s show attracted more than 62,000 visitors—20% of whom came from outside Russia—who witnessed a comprehensive overview of technologies for furniture components, materials and manufacturing, as well as trends in Russian furniture design. Interzum Moscow 2006, which coincides with the most important springtime furniture fair in Russia (Euroexpomebel-EEM), will provide Lectra with the opportunity to showcase its innovative furniture-dedicated solutions.

“The Russian furniture market is currently experiencing a period of dynamic growth, with demand increasing by 20-25% each year,” stated show organizers. According to the Russian Federal Statistical Office, the country produced furniture worth approximately $1.3 billion in 2004, an increase of 108% over the previous year. Russian furniture exports for 2004 totaled $200 million.

An innovative offering that results from partnerships with our customers

“The furniture and furnishings sector is going through a phase of profound change, marked by increased international competition, narrow market visibility, ever-shorter product lifecycles and the need to constantly innovate,” explains Bruno Blain, Lectra's furniture market director.

Resulting from partnerships spanning more than 15 years with the leading players of the industry, the solutions developed by Lectra cover the entire product lifecycle—design, product development, industrialization and production (prototyping, pattern-making, marker-making, and leather and fabric cutting)—enabling furniture companies to control costs and optimize the development and production of upholstered products.

Leather and fabric cutting adapted to small and medium runs, as well as mass production 

To optimize production while meeting the quality demands of industry professionals, Lectra proposes the market's most complete and flexible cutting solutions for leather as well as fabric. 

By minimizing operating costs and providing optimal leather cutting quality as well as unrivalled material savings, Lectra's MFC Furniture (displayed left, in its 2-zone configuration) ensures maximum quality for small and medium-sized production runs. An option to handle leather and fabric on the same platform guarantees maximum flexibility. 

Lectra’s TLS (Total Leather Solution) is a fully integrated solution that optimizes each step in the process—including identification of flaws, automatic nesting, leather cutting and piece sorting—guaranteeing high quality, material and labor savings and optimal productivity for mass production applications.
 
To handle all types of fabric, micro-fiber or woven, plain or matched, Lectra offers dedicated solutions for single-ply and multi-ply cutting, resulting in accelerated time to market and minimized costs.
 
TopSpin is a single-ply cutting solution designed for just-in-time manufacturing. It provides complete control of production and minimizes associated costs while maintaining maximum product quality. With a proper option, TopSpin can optimize the production of fabrics with motifs and motif management, handling them as easily as plain fabrics. 

The VectorFurniture multi-ply cutting solution (displayed right) is perfectly adapted to the needs and constraints of the furniture market. By observing the highest cutting quality standards even with the most complex fabrics, VectorFurniture's leading-edge technology is the ideal solution for mass production environments. Combined with the ProgressBrio spreading solution, VectorFurniture optimizes the handling of spread fabrics.
  
A 3D upholstery product development solution unmatched on the market
 
Representing the first 3D solution entirely dedicated to the furniture market, DesignConcept Furniture enables product development and prototyping specialists to explore numerous ways for creation through virtual design. With high-performance display tools, this innovative solution helps improve product style and development, both for traditional furniture and more complex contemporary models. It reduces the number of mandatory physical prototypes and shortens time to market.
 
“This cutting-edge 3D solution has given us excellent results; not only does our long-term partnership with Lectra allow us to achieve excellent performance levels, it also gives us decisive development perspectives for the future,” comments Thomas Ventzke, CEO of Rolf Benz, Germany's leading furniture manufacturer. 

DesignConcept Furniture was awarded the “Adriano Ribera–Euroclifal 2006 award for technical innovation” by a panel of furniture manufacturing professionals at the 2006 Paris Approfal/Salon du Meuble trade show.

A complete software offering to accelerate industrial processes

In association with DesignConcept Furniture, Lectra's pattern-making (Formaris Furniture), marker-making (Diamino Furniture) and specification (GraphicSpec Furniture) solutions form a complete software chain designed to accelerate the industrial processes of upholstered furniture manufacturing. 

Prior to Interzum Moscow, this complete furniture offering was presented at the Interzum Guangzhou (China) trade show, held March 27-30, 2006. This prominent event welcomed more than 60,000 industry professionals. Participation at the Interzum Guangzhou show highlighted Lectra's strategy for expansion in China, a country that holds a leading position in global furniture production.