Epson To Host Fourth Annual Digital Couture Project Where Fashion Meets Technology

LONG BEACH, Calif. — January 30, 2018 — Epson today announced it will host its fourth annual Epson Digital Couture Project on February 6, 2018, leading up to Fashion Week in New York City. Designers from North and Latin America will leverage Epson’s world-class textile printing solutions to create fashion designs built around the theme “Cosmopolitan Couture with Impossible Colors – How Does Your Culture Dress-up?” This unique fashion presentation will showcase the design possibilities made possible with Epson’s digital imaging technology.

“The future of fashion is customization — from the colors and prints, to the size and shape of garments — all on-demand,” said Keith Kratzberg, president and CEO, Epson America, Inc. “Epson’s digital imaging technology is changing the business of fashion, providing a platform for designers to print higher quality, more unique designs for customers on-demand, as well as the ability to print just in time. This Digital Couture event showcases how the design potential and impact on the fashion marketplace is limitless.”

Prior to the fashion showcase, Epson will host a Fashion and Technology panel — a thought-provoking conversation about how digital technology is evolving the fashion industry, as well as market trends and technology’s role in fashion. Anthony Cenname, vice president and publisher at WSJ. Magazine will moderate, with opening comments from Kratzberg and closing comments from Agustin Chacon, Epson America’s vice president of international marketing. Panel participants include interior designer Ryan Korban, Mark Sunderland from Thomas Jefferson University, and Aliza Licht, EVP Brand Marketing and Communications for Alice  + Olivia and author of “LEAVE YOUR MARK.”

At the Digital Couture Project event, each designer or design team will tell a story through their collection via textiles created with Epson dye-sublimation printing technology. These technologies enable limitless design possibilities, with the result being original prints of the highest quality unique to each designer, on fabrics that convey their signature style. The fourth annual Epson Digital Couture Project event will showcase the design capabilities through the featured collections of designers from North and Latin America:

  1. Brazil – Lua Luá (Michele Gevaerd)
  2. Canada (Toronto) – Hayley Elsaesser
  3. Chile – Karyn Coo
  4. Ecuador – Stephanie Ruiz
  5. Guatemala – Eduardo Figueroa
  6. Mexico – Emilio Mata
  7. Paraguay – Ilse Jara
  8. Peru – Ana María Guiulfo
  9. Colombia – Lina Cantillo
  10. United States (Los Angeles) – Candice Cuoco
  11. United States (Miami) – Fernando Alberto
  12. United States (Philadelphia) – Thomas Jefferson University (Alexandra Pizzigoni and Patricia Franklin)
  13. United States (New York) – threeASFOUR (Gabriel Asfour, Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil)

More about Epson Digital Textile Printing Solutions
Epson offers the textile and fabric printing market three printing solutions, allowing entrepreneurs and established fashion brands to print on a variety of fabrics in real-time, including cotton and synthetic fibers, for a new level of creative freedom.

  • Epson SureColor® F-Series: Epson’s dye-sublimation printing technology provides designers an accessible means to bring their ideas and inspiration to life with outstanding quality. The newest SureColor F9370 is ideal for high-speed, economical, medium- to large-volume dye-sublimation transfer printing, delivering speeds up to 1,169 square feet/hour1. The SureColor F-Series leverages PrecisionCore® TFP® printheads and Epson UltraChrome® DS with High-Density Black ink to produce fabric output with exceptional color saturation and high contrast. Including a Wasatch SoftRIP workflow with specialty features for textile and fashion printing, the SureColor F-Series enables designers to create and print original designs with greater flexibility and control.
  • Epson SureColor F2100: Designed exclusively for direct-to-garment printing, the SureColor F2100 offers an entirely purpose-built system for high-quality prints at production speeds. With the ability to print directly onto garments ranging from 100 percent cotton to 50/50 fabric blends, the SureColor F2100 offers fashion entrepreneurs a high-quality, affordable printing solution. The SureColor F2100 offers four color ink technology, plus White ink, to deliver improved image quality, speed, and efficiency. Additional improvements, including a quick-load platen and robust Epson Garment Creator Software, take productivity even further, while the all-new integrated self-cleaning system means less downtime.
  • Monna Lisa: The Monna Lisa printer is the ultimate solution for the industrial textile market. It is produced by F.lli Robustelli and equipped with Epson PrecisionCore printheads and Genesta inks, designed by Epson in collaboration with For.Tex. Available in three widths (180, 220 and 320 cm), it offers numerous advantages, including the ability to print custom designs on a wide range of fabrics and the flexibility to produce low-cost samples. Fabrics printed with the Monna Lisa machines have high color yield, color fastness and reproducibility – essential features for fabrics used in the home textile industry, obtained also by means of pre-treatment processes.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Epson America, Inc.

Maverick Industrial Services Certified Hygienically Clean For Healthcare Laundering

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — January 30, 2018—Maverick Industrial Services of Weslaco, Texas, has earned the Hygienically Clean Healthcare designation, reflecting their commitment to best management practices (BMPs) in laundering as verified by on-site inspection and their capability to produce hygienically clean textiles as quantified by ongoing microbial testing.

The certification confirms the laundry’s dedication to compliance and processing healthcare textiles (HCTs) using BMPs as described in its quality assurance documentation, the focal point for laundry plant inspectors’ evaluation of critical control points that minimize risk. The independent, third-party inspection must confirm essential evidence that:

  • Employees are properly trained and protected;
  • Managers understand legal requirements;
  • OSHA-compliant; and
  • Physical plant operates effectively.

In addition, Maverick passed three rounds of outcome-based microbial testing, indicating that their processes are producing Hygienically Clean Healthcare textiles and diminished presence of harmful bacteria. To maintain their certification, laundry plants must pass quarterly testing to ensure that as laundry conditions change, such as water quality, textile fabric composition and wash chemistry, laundered product quality is consistently maintained.

This process eliminates subjectivity by focusing on outcomes and results that verify textiles cleaned in these facilities meet appropriate hygienically clean standards and BMPs for hospitals, surgery centers, medical offices, nursing homes and other medical facilities.

Hygienically Clean Healthcare certification acknowledges laundries’ effectiveness in protecting healthcare operations through testing and inspections that scrutinize quality control procedures in linen and uniform service operations. The Hygienically Clean standard provides for two inspections every three years. OSHA compliance is closely examined, particularly toxic and hazardous substance handling rules governing textiles containing blood and other potentially infectious materials.

Certified laundries use processes, chemicals and BMPs acknowledged by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and others. Introduced in 2012, Hygienically Clean Healthcare incorporates the international cleanliness standards for healthcare linens and garments used worldwide by the Certification Association for Professional Textile Services and the European Committee for Standardization.

Objective experts in epidemiology, infection control, nursing and other healthcare professions work with Hygienically Clean launderers to ensure the certification continues to enforce the highest standards for producing clean healthcare textiles.

“Congratulations to Maverick on their certification,” said Joseph Ricci, TRSA president and CEO. “This achievement proves their dedication to building their customers’ confidence that their laundry takes every step possible to prevent human illness.”

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: TRSA

KARL MAYER Reports Its Denim Business Is Booming

OBERTSHAUSEN, Germany — January 29, 2018 — Jeans are, and will continue to be, a top fashion trend, and its denim business is extremely lucrative for KARL MAYER. With its Centre of Excellence for the denim sector, Karl Mayer ROTAL, this global player can offer one-stop solutions for slasher and rope dyeing.

Compared to conventional machines available on the market, the PRODYE-S and PRODYE-R indigo dyeing machines from this Italian subsidiary consume less water, produce less waste and enable deeper, brighter indigo shades to be produced. The dye add-on as a percentage of the total yarn weight is 5.5 percent maximum. This warp preparation equipment is also highly productive. The PRODYE-S can double output when processing lightweight denim. The market has been extremely impressed by the performance offered by Karl Mayer ROTAL’s indigo dyeing machines. Demand has been increasing continuously since 2015, and has been especially high this year. Turkey, in particular, has placed a large number of orders.

A large number of orders was placed in 2017

Turkey is a lucrative market for Karl Mayer ROTAL. Many large denim producers there are already working with the PRODYE-S machine and have placed follow-up orders this year. Follow-up orders have also been received from companies in Mexico. Machines have also been delivered to companies that are new to this technology — in Turkey and Iran as well. Turkish companies are also contributing to the success of the PRODYE-R. This rope dyeing machine was only delivered in May 2017. It was sent to Algeria as part of a large project, under the auspices of TAYAL, a joint venture involving the participation of the Turkish company, Taypa. Turkey invested in another PRODYE-R machine in the autumn of this year.

Karl Mayer ROTAL invited any specialists who were interested to travel to Vietnam to see a practical demonstration of its indigo dyeing machine. One customer, who has been working with the PRODYE-S since February 2017, made his company available for the open-house show, and reported on his experiences. The event was attended by a small yet highly qualified group of people. The visitors came mainly from the host country, but also from Hong Kong, Indonesia and China. The next opportunity to see Karl Mayer ROTAL’s DENIM machines will be at the ITM International Textile Machinery Exhibition in Istanbul, which will take place from April 14-17, 2018.

Designed by experts

What makes PRODYE so interesting for the denim sector is that it is based on well-thought-out components. One of these innovative elements is the Double Vario dyebath, which operates on the basis of a well-thought-out cross-flow system for perfect dye liquor circulation to give a uniform dyeing result. Additionally, the Quick Oxidation zone operates with temperature-controlled air flow to guarantee uniform dye uptake. Rejects are also reduced and the colour tone of the warp yarn sheet is more uniform than with conventional techniques.

The third important guarantee of success is the PROSIZE® sizing machine, which is equipped with the VSB and HSB size boxes. “These size application systems are becoming more and more popular, since they offer numerous advantages,” says Dieter Gager, the Sales Director. The PROSIZE uses up to 10-percent less size than similar conventional systems on the market. Uniformity is improved and less fiber dust is produced, which improves weaving efficiency. It is ergonomically designed and provides greater process transparency. With an operating rate of up to 180 m/min, it is extremely fast and can also be used flexibly. The yarn sizing range, which depends on the number of yarns and the yarn count, may be up to 20-percent higher than on conventional sizing machines. The working width is 3,200 millimeter maximum. Another advantage of the PROSIZE is that it reduces the number of rejects, because stoppage marks caused by over-sizing are greatly reduced, even when the machine is stopped for long periods.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Karl Mayer

Alterra Pure Launches A Textile System Designed To Change The Way We Think About Organic Bedding

OJAI, Calif. — January 2018 — Organic home goods company, Alterra Pure, announced today a new model for environmental and social sustainability. Introducing slow living methods to the home goods market, the company weaves its products in equitable partnership with a collective of villages, farms and facilities in Odisha, India, practicing zero-impact production and non-irrigation techniques. To set this new model into motion, the company is, today, introducing organic cotton sheets and duvet covers to conscious consumers through a crowdfunding campaign launching on Indiegogo.

Alterra Pure’s “farm to fabric” business model assures environmental and social sustainability through deliberate design, organic verification and fair trade partnerships with farm co-ops. Committed to aggressive water conservation, the company uses an innovative water reclamation process at its LEED-certified production facility to effectively recover all water used throughout the production process. In addition, the company is dedicated to transparency—sharing every detail of its fabrication, from the elimination of toxic chemicals to its verification processes—providing customers with peace of mind upon purchase.

Alterra Pure’s bedding has a 310 thread count and is made of 100 percent GOTS-certified and verified organic cotton. Sheets are available in four different sizes — twin, queen/full, king and cal king — and two colors: pebble gray and off white. All sheets and pillowcases are oversized for complete coverage; duvet covers feature all natural coconut button closures, while packaging is created from upcycled scrap cotton and recycled paper. Featuring a more traditional, tight weave, the Percale bedding is durable, crisp and cooling.

“We are the first to add verification to organic standards, personally assuring our bedding is free from pesticides and toxins. After all, you spend one third of your life in bed,” said Alterra Pure co-founder Kevin Dixon, formerly of Tecnica Group and Standard Fiber. “We believe by leading through example, our business model and message can be replicated on a global scale.”

After a successful crowdfund launch, Alterra Pure products will be available at alterrapure.com.

“By honoring the practices of traditional farmers in India, we will bring deliberate design, craftsmanship and slow living production methods to western markets,” says Alterra Pure co-founder, Wanda Weller, formerly director of design for Patagonia. “We were the first company to personally verify the practices of our farms and facilities in Odisha, India, to ensure we are working with the most credible manufacturers possible, that sets us apart from the other direct-to-consumer bedding disrupters on the market.”

By crowdfunding on Indiegogo, Alterra Pure will meet the crucial next step in bringing this regenerative, slow-living production to scale, as well as provide an innovative model that can set a new standard for the industry. With initial backing for its organic sheets, the company can successfully transition to introducing additional home products made with the same transparent formula. Moreover, funding will also be used to finalize Alterra Pure’s fair trade certification, and further support community and social projects. Alterra Pure aims to not only certify social standards, but to also engage directly in projects that empower the community to advance their organic methods. Working with co-op coordinators in the villages involved, Alterra Pure will partner on projects that go above and beyond current fair trade benefits.

Alterra Pure’s Indiegogo backers will receive exclusive rewards, including being the first to experience this new system at pre-launch pricing.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Alterra Pure

Monforts At Filtech 2018

MÖNCHENGLADBACH, Germany — January 30, 2018 — Monforts will once again be the only manufacturer of finishing and coating equipment exhibiting at the forthcoming Filtech 2018 filtration show which takes place in Cologne, Germany, from March 13-15.

As it goes from strength to strength, the Filtech show has this year attracted more than 140 new exhibitor companies, including some of the industry’s biggest players such as Mann+Hummel, Pall Corp. and Porvair for the first time.

Also making its debut at Filtech 2018 is Monforts customer BWF, a leading provider of filter media for industrial filtration and solid/liquid separation, with manufacturing sites throughout the world.

BWF produces over nine million ready-to-install filter media annually under the brand names needlona and PM-Tec. Some of the chief areas where its nonwoven media are employed are in biomass or coal-fired power stations, in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry and in asphalt, steel and cement plants.

Of specific interest to BWF when selecting the latest Montex 8500TT stenter was its ability to thermally set PTFE fabrics without oil greasing in the stenter chain and in the width adjustment.

“This protects workers and the environment from harmful oil vapours and keeps the filter material clean,” explained Jürgen Hanel, head of Technical Textiles at Monforts. “The guarantee of reaching 320°C with a very low temperature tolerance and with an excellent housing insulation is a major advantage, so that an outside temperature over 60°C is never reached at any position.”

Hanel and his colleagues will be on hand at the Monforts booth, T8 in Hall 11.1, to provide information and advice on the wide range of production machines for filter materials made by the company — all of which are developed and manufactured in Europe.

A Montex 8500TT stenter in special execution is ideal for the preparation of filter materials for the drying and finishing of both wovens and nonwovens. It is characterised by high stretching devices in both length and width of up to 10,000N, and can accommodate operating temperatures of up to 320°C.

In addition, the company offers coating and printing heads for the application of chemical compounds together with padders and foam-padders for foam and liquor applications. Calenders for the flattening and compaction of the filter materials can be added for lines with working widths from 80 centimeters up to 7 meters. Explosion-proof dryers are also available for the risk-free application of solvents.

According to the latest analysis from BCC Research, the market for global nonwoven filter media was worth $4.3 billion in 2017.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Monforts

Lectra: Guangzan Fuels Rapid Growth With Leaner Operations And Increased Productivity

PARIS — January 2018 — Seeking to improve profitability, the China-based automotive trim cover and headrest supplier turned to Lectra to digitalize fabric-cutting processes in the face of evolving market challenges.

A Fast-Growing Automotive Supplier

Based in Shanghai, Guangzan is a supplier of automotive headrests and interior trim. Initially an automotive injection molding manufacturer, the company expanded into automotive seating trim covers, from the cutting of fabric parts all the way to sewing and assembly. With the vision to grow its business, Guangzan upgraded its product line, making the company more attractive to customers.

New revenue opportunities also brought challenges to productivity and cost control, a drag on the company’s overall growth. Guangzan found that it was difficult to satisfy demand with inflexible production capabilities based mainly on manual die press operations. Increasingly sophisticated seating designs involving smaller, more intricate parts added a further degree of manufacturing complexity.

Guangzan’s business underwent a major transformation once a contract was signed with an OEM, resulting in a company-wide initiative to streamline production. Guangzan then sought a digital cutting solution that could provide a higher production capacity while ensuring premium quality.

A Foundation For Long-Term Growth

At the end of 2015, Guangzan acquired two automotive fabric cutters from a rival CAD/CAM system manufacturer. It was only after implementation that the company determined the equipment was not suited to cutting the multi-fabric material used in headrests. The technical limitations of the cutters restricted the number of plies that could be cut due to the risk of material fusion. Additionally, the buffer required to achieve small, detailed shapes contributed to low cutter productivity and material waste.

Guangzan needed to both acquire more efficient equipment and benefit from cutting room expertise to streamline existing operations. Determined to build a foundation for long-term growth, Guangzan began researching alternative fabric-cutting solutions on the market. With the support of Lectra’s Professional Services, Guangzan reevaluated its technological needs and re-outfitted its cutting line with DesignConcept 2D prototyping software, Diamino marker-making solution and VectorAuto iX6 precision fabric cutting equipment.

A 50-Percent Increase In Overall Productivity

To manufacture its headrests, Guangzan uses a pour-in-place (PIP) process requiring an especially high level of accuracy for the production of cut pieces. Any deviation beyond the tolerance of less than ± 1 mm can compromise sewing quality, resulting in foam leakage. Lectra’s Vector iX6 features a 2×7 mm blade that exerts less pressure on synthetic materials than the rival CAD/CAM cutting solution it replaced, minimizing friction and the risk of fusion. Combined with Vector iX6’s more sensitive stress sensor, the precision blade enables a reduction of buffer between pieces, significantly lowering the waste ratio.

Together with Lectra’s automatic nesting solution, Vector iX6 furthermore enables the best possible placement of pieces, saving time and maximizing fabric efficiency. Lectra’s integrated solution comprising advanced software, cutting equipment and value-added professional services has enabled Guangzan to significantly optimize production. Overall productivity per machine has improved, and the lower waste ratio and superior cut quality of the Vector digital cutting solution have increased productivity by more than 50%.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Lectra

Chinese Spinning Mills Exploring Africa: Loepfe Talked With Zhou Ye Jun, President, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill

WETZIKON, Switzerland — January 2018 — The level of China’s investment in Africa is increasing fast. Until recent, investments from China in Africa have been largely focused on large projects in a few sectors, including mining, oil and infrastructure. Chinese companies are the major players in the world’s textile market and important customers in the cotton market. Cotton exports from Africa to Asian countries are increasing. Textile production in China is today confronted with rising wages, higher energy bills and mounting logistical costs, as well as quotas on the import of cotton. The combination of these reasons is leading Chinese textile companies to invest overseas. One of them, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill Textile Group Co. Ltd., recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a partner in Ethiopia to invest in a 300,000 spindles spinning mill.

Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill Textile Group Co. Ltd. (Wuxi YGM Textile Co. Ltd.) established in 1919, is today the largest producer of high quality compact yarns worldwide. The group today produces in China with 500,000 spindles annually 26,000 tons of yarn.

Loepfe believes that such development is quite interesting and has spoken with the president of Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill, Zhou Ye Jun about the motive of this partnership as well as the current state of affairs of their China operation and their focus on quality as their key factor for success.

“The encouraging message is that Africa has some unique advantages for Chinese investors,” said Zhou. “In comparison with Asia, Africa’s location is physically closer to the European and American markets. Africa also enjoys more favorable trade policies with the European Union and the United States. Today’s African market of textile manufacturing has less competition as well. The huge population and immense space in the continent provide great potential for manufacturers to develop. Africa’s rich natural resources and low labor costs are very attractive to Chinese investors as well. As an investor, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill is bringing advanced technology and management techniques to their southeast African partner that will help improve local production processes and finally ensuring that the investment will be sustainable and profitable for all parties involved.”

Also for their China operation, innovation is the key factor to work successfully in the market. Today, Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill aims to strengthen the existing product lines and is constantly upgrading their manufacturing facilities. The quality demand for cotton yarns is ever increasing. To operate a spinning mill profitable, 2nd quality must be avoided by all means and contamination free yarn is expected from the demanding worldwide markets. That’s why Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill has only recently invested heavily in upgrading all their existing Savio winders with Loepfe’s yarn clearing technology with foreign fiber functionality. Contamination, even if it’s a single foreign fiber, can lead to downgrading of yarn, fabric or garments to second quality or in the worst case, the total rejection of an entire order.

“Loepfe Brothers Ltd. is the pioneer and worldwide market leader in foreign matter detection in yarns and we rely 100 percent on their competence in this field,” Zhou said.

“Industry 4.0 is the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. Loepfe’s MillMaster monitoring system is connected to all our existing Loepfe yarn clearers on our Savio winding machines. The information provided by Loepfe’s MillMaster systems allows us to be promptly informed when there is a need to intervene and to steadily optimize the entire yarn manufacturing process in our mills. For Wuxi No. 1 Cotton Mill, we rely on this proven combination of total quality control by Loepfe Brothers Ltd. since many years.”

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Loepfe Brothers Ltd.

MetTel Expands Federal Footprint To Meet Government Demand For Digital Transformation

WASHINGTON — January 30, 2018 — MetTel, a leading communications solutions provider, today announced that it has doubled its Federal team and tripled its Washington office space in the fourth quarter of 2017 to meet the rising demands of US Government IT digital transformation. Former executives and advisors of Verizon and NATO lead the new wave of talent.

“2018 is projected by leading analysts as a tipping point for digital transformation with up to $13 trillion in IT spending across businesses and government,” said Marshall Aronow, CEO of MetTel. “Running our government more efficiently, effectively and securely through upgrades spurred by the GSA’s Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions program and the Modernizing Government Technology Act will help restore US competitiveness.”

MetTel has added a range of new positions in security, sales, management and engineering, including key executives in charge of information security and sales management. Dr. Curtis Levinson will serve as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for MetTel as well as its Federal team. Levinson of Washington, DC, will oversee all IT security for MetTel and the EIS solutions it provides to Federal agencies. He has worked as a strategic consultant providing cyber security guidance to a range of clients for more than 30 years. Levinson continues to serve as US Cyber Defense Advisor to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Harry Squire joined the company as vice president of Sales for MetTel Federal and will run all sales management operations for the MetTel Federal team. Squire, of Alexandria, Va., previously served as area vice president for the Verizon-Public Sector team for nine years, successfully aligning Verizon services to customer needs while managing effective sales teams.

Diana Gowen, executive vice president, general manager of MetTel Federal added: “We are building on MetTel’s base of expertise to match the needs of government customers. Federal agencies increasingly require digital infrastructure that can withstand the shifting priorities of administrations and flex rapidly to provide new or improved services to constituents regardless of budgetary considerations.”

MetTel grew overall by 20 percent in 2017 and saw increases in sales within its key growth initiatives including enterprise mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), cloud connectivity services, software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) as well as core network integration services. Its most successful year to date, 2017 saw MetTel win a position in the $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract, managed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

With a successful track record of assisting Federal agencies such as the US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Energy to meet their communications objectives, MetTel is currently working with several government organizations under the EIS contract. These include a wide variety of communications and networking solutions designed to help government centralize communications, reduce costs and digitally transform operations for greater adaptability to funding and market changes.

Distinguished by its unique ability to aggregate and integrate major carrier networks and pool network resources, MetTel gives organizations the broadest and best quality of coverage available. The company is extending its portfolio of advanced managed services and solutions including IoT, SD-WAN, cloud computing, enterprise mobility, data analytics, procurement and telecommunications management as it expands globally.

MetTel provides services to some of the largest brands in industries such as airlines, apparel, energy, financial services, healthcare, consumer electronics/mobile devices, food & beverage, retail and others. These customers benefit from MetTel’s network convergence, advanced solutions, and award-winning customer service.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: MetTel

Miroglio Fashion Deploys Oracle Retail Omnichannel Solutions In 7 Months

REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. — January 30, 2018 — Today, Oracle announced that Italian fashion company Miroglio Fashion deployed the Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service and Oracle Retail Customer Engagement to drive innovation and create connections between product, data and people. The Italian fashion retailer operates more than 1,100 stores, six commerce sites and 2,400 wholesale outlets in 34 countries and has 12 distinctive womenswear brands as Elena Mirò, Fiorella Rubino, Motivi and Oltre.

“As the consumer continues to evolve, our business must follow and innovate. With Oracle Retail, our physical and digital locations can now operate as part of a network to better serve our customer with unified stock management and unified shopping experiences across channels. Customers are empowered to engage with our brand as they choose,” said Hans Hoegstedt, CEO of Miroglio Fashion.

Miroglio Fashion launched the Retail 4.0 program as an initiative to foster innovation, drive efficiency and increase performance. With the help of Oracle Retail Consulting, Miroglio Fashion implemented Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service and Oracle Retail Customer Engagement. In 2013, Oracle quickly declared Oracle Retail Xstore Point-of-Service as the strategic Omnichannel platform to deliver more innovation to the market.

“We needed speed, efficiency and reliability to execute toward the vision of our Retail Innovation Program. Our leadership team declared explicit business targets. We designed the roll-out and a progressive migration process in advance of the implementation,” said Francesco Cavarero, group Chief Information Officer, Miroglio Fashion.

“We are thankful for the collaboration with the IT and business leadership teams of Miroglio Fashion. The clarity and focus of the project and commitment to a vanilla implementation allowed my team to deliver on-time and on-budget in seven working months,” said Lou Frio, vice president of Global Consulting, Oracle Retail. “Miroglio Fashion leverages a remote deployment process to keep an aggressive yet healthy pace for the rollout.”

Oracle will convene a global community of retail leadership at Oracle Industry Connect April 10-11, 2018 in New York City. Oracle Industry Connect provides attendees with intimate peer networking opportunities in addition to over 30 customer-led presentations on adapting to market changes, simplifying operations and empowering authentic brand experiences.

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Oracle

Columbia Sportswear Activates Microsoft Cloud To Strengthen Consumer Engagement

PORTLAND, Ore./REDMOND, Wash. — January 30, 2018 — Columbia Sportswear Co. and Microsoft Corp. have announced plans to collaborate on enhancing Columbia Sportswear’s global consumer experience and drive its digital transformation using intelligent cloud technology.

As consumers continue to change the way they engage with brands, Columbia Sportswear is working to deliver a more personalized, seamless experience to those consumers by leveraging Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Microsoft Azure cloud platform for its retail, call center, customer relationship management and merchandising operations. With a single, holistic view of its consumer and improved omnichannel capabilities, Columbia Sportswear will be able to personalize engagement at every touchpoint by providing employees with enhanced digital tools and information across its global customer relationship management database. Columbia Sportswear also intends to use Dynamics 365 and Azure to gain greater consumer insights and business intelligence through every consumer interaction, whether through its wholesale businesses, brick-and-mortar retail stores, ecommerce experiences or mobile channels.

“At Columbia, we have a long history of leveraging innovative technologies to help connect active people with their passions,” said Michael Hirt, chief information officer at Columbia Sportswear. “This practice extends not just to our products, but across every aspect of our business. Through our collaboration with Microsoft, we’re implementing intelligent cloud technology to streamline our global operations and provide additional flexibility and convenience to our consumers.”

In addition, Columbia Sportswear will be able to manage merchandise globally and streamline operations with increased efficiency, providing the ability to garner valuable insights and improved business intelligence through customized reporting and analytics. Columbia Sportswear is implementing these innovations through Microsoft’s flexible, agile development platform, Visual Studio Team Services, and creating revolutionary data platforms at scale with Azure data services and integration platforms.

“Established in 1938, Columbia Sportswear is setting itself up to be an industry leader for another 80 years,” said Judson Althoff, executive vice president, Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft. “Columbia Sportswear will leverage Microsoft’s intelligent cloud to connect data, people and processes globally to deliver personalized shopping experiences for its customers.”

Posted January 30, 2018

Source: Microsoft Corp.

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