Mizuno maximizes cutting room uptime with maintenance excellence

Founded in Japan in 1906, Mizuno is a global sportswear and sporting goods manufacturer recognized for its commitment to innovation, quality, and athletic performance. With products sold worldwide, the company relies on advanced manufacturing processes to deliver the precision, consistency, and reliability athletes expect from the Mizuno brand.

As production requirements become increasingly complex, maintaining high levels of operational performance is critical. Manufacturing performance sportswear requires strict quality standards, precise cutting accuracy, and reliable equipment availability. Any disruption in production can affect efficiency, planning, and the ability to respond to changing market demands.

To support these objectives, Mizuno sought a solution that would provide greater visibility across its cutting operations, strengthen equipment performance, and help teams proactively manage manufacturing activities while supporting the company's broader digital transformation initiatives.

Having worked with Lectra for more than 20 years, Mizuno chose to strengthen this longstanding partnership by upgrading the maintenance contracts for its three Vector Fashion cutting systems to Empower Fashion, Lectra's next-generation maintenance contract.

With Empower Fashion, Mizuno benefits from a comprehensive service commitment designed to maximize equipment availability and support efficient operations. At the core of the solution is a service level agreement (SLA) from Lectra that guarantees a defined level of availability for Mizuno's three cutting systems, allowing teams to focus on production rather than equipment management.

Empower Fashion provides a unified view of cutting room operations, enabling teams to track equipment status, maintenance activities, and production indicators from a single environment.nThe service combines preventive and predictive maintenance to help identify issues early, maintain cutting accuracy, and reduce the risk of unplanned disruptions while supporting consistent product quality.

Through its "one factory, one contract" model, Empower Fashion also streamlines service coordination across the cutting room, giving Mizuno access to expert technical support and ongoing optimization of equipment performance.

Based on the trust we have built over the years, we are adopting Empower Fashion. We expect this digital service solution to take our equipment operations and management efficiency to the next level and support Mizuno's mission of helping athletes move one step faster."

Qian Xin Director, Apparel Manufacturing Division Shanghai Mizuno Co., Ltd.

Improved equipment availability and production reliability

Mizuno now benefits from a guaranteed level of operational availability for its cutting equipment. Combined with predictive maintenance capabilities that help identify potential issues before they impact production, Empower Fashion supports smooth operations and consistent cutting quality. 

Greater production reliability enables Mizuno to plan more effectively, minimize disruptions, and maintain the high standards required for sportswear manufacturing.

Increased operational efficiency

Empower Fashion streamlines service management through a unified service model that simplifies day-to-day operations. 

By reducing administrative complexity and supporting proactive maintenance practices, the solution allows manufacturing teams to focus more time on production and process improvement.

Supporting sustainability objectives

The Empower Fashion service model helps extend equipment lifespan through expert maintenance, genuine spare parts, and optimized service practices. 

Remote support capabilities reduce the need for on-site interventions, while digital tools and knowledge resources help operators resolve issues more efficiently and independently.

For more than a century, Mizuno has pursued innovation in both athletic performance and manufacturing excellence. By adopting Empower Fashion, the company is building on its long-standing partnership with Lectra while further advancing its digital manufacturing journey. 

With advanced maintenance services that support equipment availability, cutting accuracy, and operational performance, Mizuno is well positioned to sustain its high production standards while continuing to improve efficiency and prepare for future growth.