Coats Digital, the software business of Coats, the leading industrial thread company, has launched PPE Fast Start, an initiative to support manufacturers switching part of their production facilities and supply chains to help address the global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).

In the face of unprecedented demand volatility, cost pressures and the need for increased speed to market, Coats Digital has launched Fast Start for PPE versions of its best in class software solutions for apparel manufacturers.

The market leading FastReactPlan production planning and control solution now has a Fast Start for PPE version. It provides manufacturers with a highly visual, intuitive solution which supports a fast, detailed and accurate order confirmation process and a production plan which is optimised for delivery, efficiency and speed.

There is a Fast Start for PPE version of GSDCost, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) accredited fact-based solution to establish and optimise accurate time and cost benchmarks for garment costing. According to Coats, it enables staff with little or no manufacturing expertise to develop a ‘time-cost analysis’ for selected PPE products ensuring that the Standard Minute Values (SMVs) used for costing, capacity calculations, performance targets and planning are accurate, reliable and consistent.

There is also a Fast Start for PPE version of IntelloCut, the real-time, automated fabric planning solution for optimised fabric utilisation which gives manufacturers complete control over fabric usage in the cutting room. It optimises the processes of cut plan, lay plan and allocation, end bit usage and management, tracking and reporting.

All three of the PPE Fast Start solutions have been configured to support rapid, remote implementation and can be fully operational and delivering significant, measurable business benefits in a matter of weeks.

Keith Fenner, Managing Director, Coats Digital, said: “Our suite of PPE Fast Start solutions will enable manufacturers to pivot to PPE production and lay the foundations for a faster, more efficient and competitive business in the post-pandemic world. We recognise that technology will be a major driver in industry recovery so we have reduced the implementation costs as part of our commitment to ensure that our customers have the very best software solutions to manage their business and mitigate the impact of COVID-19.”

Source: Innovation in Textiles