Paris, July 27, 2006 – Lectra announces the signature of a contract with Denim Authority, one of the largest manufacturers of jeans, for the deployment of its complete collections and product lifecycle management (PLM) solution. This enterprise software will enable Denim Authority to manage its collections development processes in real time and optimize the collaborative work of all participants involved. Initially, the 40 licenses to be installed will involve the company’s design, sourcing, product engineering and development teams.

Based in Tunisia, Denim Authority produces 12,000 pairs of jeans per day and a total of three million articles per year, destined for some of the world’s leading brands; among its customers are Lee Cooper, Kookai, Next  and Barbara Bui. With a strong orientation towards innovation and technology, the company handles the development, production and washing of its products.

Denim Authority is a long-time user of Lectra technologies. The manufacturer is convinced by the perfect fit, grading quality and material savings guaranteed by Lectra’s marker-making and pattern-making software, and also benefits from the high productivity and performance of Lectra’s VectorDenim automated cutting system for mass production of jeans.

Specifically developed for the fashion markets, Lectra’s PLM offering will allow Denim Authority to shorten lead times and reduce costs associated with the conception of products in a context of permanently renewing collections. Providing continuous decision-making support, it rationalizes and improves the reliability of product development processes, and assures the synchronization and traceability of information flows. Built on a 100% Web-based platform, it optimizes the collaborative modes used between contractors and suppliers.

“Our choice was motivated by the obvious quality and benefits of Lectra’s PLM offering,”  says Denim Authority Director, Samy Bziou. “We are already equipped with Lectra solutions, and the close link between the business applications and this enterprise software will increase the reliability of our data and the quality of finished products. It also ensures complete openness and modularity for the progressive integration of our business partners on the platform. Moreover, Lectra has a broad international presence, including a subsidiary in Tunisia, which assures us of a close relationship and daily support in the deployment of this offering,” he added.

Lectra’s PLM software includes the native integration of all the specificities of designing and manufacturing jeans, which was what initially attracted the Denim Authority team in charge of the project. Lectra’s PLM offering and its collaborative work capacities will allow Denim Authority to become a strong source of propositions to its customers.

 “Tunisia is much more than a sub-contracting country; this is perfectly demonstrated by Denim Authority’s Tunisian manufacturing facility, which initiated this strategic PLM project,” declared Philippe Heckenbenner, Director of Lectra Tunisia.

 

“Denim Authority has always considered innovation, style and performance to be the keys to the future,” said Samy Bziou. “We understand that each person is unique, which is why we propose more and more sizing, materials and washing options."

“Denim Authority has placed its trust in Lectra for more than 15 years, having chosen our pattern-making, marker-making, prototyping and automated cutting solutions,” said Lectra CEO, Daniel Harari. “I am particularly pleased with our solid partnership relations. We share the same taste for innovation and a constant search to satisfy our customers—two core values that are at the heart of our strategy.” 
 
In addition to the configuration and integration of the software, consulting, change management support, training and deployment of the PLM offering will be assured—in partnership with Denim Authority—by Lectra’s business consultants and experts, who fully grasp customers’ processes and provide them with the most relevant solutions.