FAMA Sofas increases productive capacity by 30% and reduces waste with Lectra
Vector helps the family-owned company achieve its sustainability objectives
FAMA backs sustainability convictions with actions
FAMA Sofas is Spain’s premier upholstered furniture manufacturer. The brand’s distinctive furniture is characterized by curved shapes, colorful fabrics, and mix-and-match design (6 to 7 different fabrics on one sofa).
The company currently produces 600 sofas per day, for an average of 30,000 pieces manufactured per year. FAMA exports 70% of this production to over 50 countries around the world and sells its products in the company’s 300 FAMA Living stores.
For FAMA, when it comes to sustainability, actions speak louder than words. The brand’s Zero Waste and ISO 1400 certifications attest to this. An ISO 14001 certification accredits an organization’s commitment to the environment. To obtain this certification, FAMA had to optimize its production to meet more stringent sustainability requirements and optimize waste management.
Minimizing waste and giving a second life to the waste they do produce is what enabled the company to obtain the Zero Waste certification. To obtain this certification, a company must recover at least 90% of the waste it generates; FAMA went even further and now recycles 99.985% of its waste. For example, FAMA uses recycled polyfilm and non-woven fabric, which is recycled together with the fabric itself, as underlay.
Lectra and FAMA: A common vision of growth and innovation
FAMA and Lectra’s long-standing relationship began in the 1980s, when FAMA Sofas became Lectra’s first furniture customer in Spain. In the beginning, the two companies worked on improving FAMA’s industrialization processes; Lectra has continued to accompany FAMA on its digital transformation journey throughout the past 30 years.
“Lectra and FAMA have a very important relationship because Lectra was the one that allowed FAMA to make the leap from being an artisanal company to a technology company,” explains Felix.
“For us, Lectra is fundamental to achieve our business objectives, above all in a phase as critical as cutting, which allows us to increase our production capacity by 30%,” says David Lorenzo, Production Manager at FAMA Sofas. FAMA is able to reach this level of productivity thanks to Vector, Lectra’s fabric cutting solution.
Achieving a 90% reduction in fabric consumption
FAMA’s workspace currently holds four Vectors. Adopting Vector has also enabled FAMA Sofas to achieve their sustainability goals: “We have reduced fabric consumption by 90% and significantly reduced the waste generated in the cutting process,” says Sergio Juan, FAMA Sofa’s Quality and Sustainability Manager.
Vector’s precision cutting has not only enabled them to reduce waste but also to expand their design horizons
Evolving in step with the market
Working with Lectra has also enabled FAMA to adapt its offer to changes in the market. “The fact that everything is connected on the same network facilitates production and design at levels that were not necessary a few years ago, but the trend is moving toward smaller series and products manufactured in smaller quantities,” says Felix Lopez Gil.
“A key advantage Lectra has given us is the ability to react. We can talk about designing a product and being able to manufacture a container of the same product in the same week,” continues Felix.
Vector
FAMA and Lectra are already taking the next steps to continue building their relationship. FAMA’s current goal is to double their production over the next five years.
“Industry 4.0 is essential to meet our strategic objectives. Having a partner like Lectra and its Vector solutions allow FAMA to remain a leader in the sector,” says David Lorenzo. “I am convinced that our paths will continue to go hand in hand, walking along the same path. The world is moving at an impressive speed and we believe that we should continue to go forward together. I am sure that together we will be able to contribute interesting things to the upholstered furniture world,” concludes Felix.