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Shima Seiki looks for wider market share with fresh partner, Voltas
With the market evolving very rapidly and new directions presenting growth avenues that are diverse and dynamic, technology providers are strategising to grab these opportunities. Shima Seiki which has earned the reputation of being a very progressive and futuristic company with technologies that are far beyond their time, has recently aligned with a new partner – Voltas – for wider market access and penetration. Both companies are very upbeat about the potential of this partnership and are excited to present to the Indian market much more than flat knitting machines, which are synonymous with the Shima Seiki brand. In an exclusive interaction with Apparel Online, Ikuto Umeda, Executive Director & Senior Director of Sales Headquarters, Shima Seiki MFG., Ltd. and C Kamatchisundaram, Vice President – TMD, Voltas share the purpose and vision of the partnership.
Shima Seiki is not a new name for India, but most companies associate the brand with flat knit technologies to make sweaters, and consider ti to be limited to production centres like Ludhiana, Delhi and to a much lesser extent, Tirupur. Very few realise or even know that the product basket of this Japanese company is very wide and includes CAD / CAM systems, 3D Design system, supply chain planning and management software – Total Fashion System, printing options, shoe-upper and glove knitting machine, besides the unique Whole Garment technology and fashion knitting machine.“ With the Indian retail market booming, we are looking to mark a strong presence in the entire supply chain with our diverse products that will support our growth strategy in the country,” says Umeda. And supporting this vision is Voltas, which has the network and supply chain presence to deliver.
As a Tata enterprise, Voltas has the backing of trust that is synonymous with the brand. The 65-year-old company represents numerous technologies, both national and international along the textile value chain, and though flat knitting is not a new area for the company, the timing of earlier efforts did not match industry requirements.“ Flat knitting has always been considered a sweater making machine and was never really associated with fashion and other diverse industries like shoe and automobiles. But Shima Seiki has
ESSENTIALS
Most companies associate Shima Seiki with flat knit technologies to make sweaters. Very few realise that the product basket is very wide and includes CAD / CAM systems, 3D Design system, supply chain planning and management software – Total Fashion System, printing options, shoe-upper and glove knitting machine, besides the unique Whole Garment technology and fashion knitting machine.
United we succeed – The Shima and Voltas team: Naoto Nishiki, Knitting Machines Sales Section; Mohamed Nizar Ali, DGM, Voltas; C Kamatchisundaram, Vice President-TMD, Voltas; Tadanori Ueno, GM, Bangladesh Office; Ikuto Umeda Executive Director & Senior Director of Sales Headquarters; and Masaki Karasuno, Planning Division changed that perception completely and today flat knitting has a much wider application base. Also, the company is now offering other technologies besides flat knitting machines, which will greatly increase the market penetration,” says Kamatchisundaram.
The partnership between two market leaders has many advantages that will be mutually beneficial not only to both parties, but also to the industry.“ The biggest edge that we provide is our wide and deep-rooted office and service network that spreads across every textile / garment manufacturing hub in the country,” adds Kamatchisundaram.
Voltas has 16 branch offices and 300 textile engineers working closely with the industry to provide service backup that is far beyond expectations. In fact, the company is the biggest employer of textile engineers in India and these professionals are continuously trained for understanding of latest technologies as also optimal application of technologies sold.
Interestingly, Voltas has already found takers for the APEX software in the non-knit industry, which opens many new market possibilities for Shima Seiki products.“ The market possibilities are immense and because of our activities in many diverse industries, we can offer Shima a much bigger canvass than they were working for earlier,” reasons Kamatchisundaram. He adds that the promise to save wastage in the design process and the ability to link the software with the manufacturing process is exciting for many industries and they are getting many requests to demonstrate the robustness of the software.
Umeda shares that the software which was launched 30 years ago by the founder, was too futuristic at that time and it is only now that the industry is waking up to the
56 Apparel Online India | AUGUST 16-31, 2018 | www. apparelresources. com