MUNICH, Germany — July, 20, 2010 — Effective immediately, assyst and Ahlers AG, one of Europe’s
leading men’s fashion manufacturers are to cooperate closely with one another in the development of
technological innovations. The companies’ focus will be on process and product development in the
apparel industry.
“In order to achieve our strategic, vertically-oriented objectives – and these include short
time-to-market, high quality-to-market and costs savings – we intend to expand and further optimize
our use of technology. In this respect, assyst gives us a real edge on the market and customized
solutions”, says Uwe Dubbert, Managing Director of the Ahlers Zentralverwaltung GmbH (Central
Administration). “This innovation partnership means a high level of commitment for us. We laid the
groundwork for our agreement during intensive discussions – and now we’re looking forward to a
mutually trusting and rewarding business relationship.”
One of Ahler’s partnership aims is the seamless continuity of processes, from development
right up to production – and to achieve this, the company is equipping all its CAD workplaces with
cad.assyst 2010, the new release. Ahlers is also testing the automarker.com platform for structured
laying and order optimization.
Another cornerstone of this cooperation agreement is the development of an expanded, vertical
framework collection planning program, including complete integration with the Ahlers area
management and ERP software systems.
The collection development will be harmonized throughout the entire range of Ahler’s brands.
The next few months will also see the company’s various PDM systems standardized, based on
plm.assyst. Here particular attention will be paid to the functional system expansion of the PLM
system, which will be optimally supported by the verticalization of the Ahlers Group.
The software company and the apparel manufacturer intend to use these products to realize a
seamless process. To help achieve this objective, Ahlers will participate in the further
development of the software. In return, Ahlers will receive new functions some time before they are
introduced to the market.
In the workwear sector, Ahlers will also test the use of Human Solutions products for the
Pionier Workwear brand name. The use of 3D body scanners and XFit, the mass customization software
will increase the future efficiency of employee measurement in corporate fashion customer projects.
This close cooperation with Ahlers means a huge market advantage for assyst and Human
Solutions as far as knowledge is concerned. “Close cooperation with our customers in the form of
innovation partnerships enables us to accurately gauge the requirements of the market”, explained
Dr. Andreas Seidl, Managing Director of assyst and Human Solutions. “This means we can develop the
right technologies to enable our customers to surmount the challenges in their own markets.
Innovation partnerships are therefore an important integral part of our ‘Your business first’
strategy.”
Ahlers AG
Ahlers AG dates back to the year 1919, when Adolf Ahlers established a cloth wholesaling
business in Jever, Friesland. Today Ahlers is one of the leading manufacturers of menswear in
Europe. An innovative, financially strong company, Ahlers has continually proven during its
90-years in business that it can react flexibly and fast to current market requirements. The
company has been listed on the stock exchange since 1987.
Ahlers has a multitude of brands, covering the requirements of the men’s fashion and apparel
markets. The company’s core competence is the manufacture and sale of contemporary collections,
made-to-measure for strictly-defined target groups. For decades now, Ahlers has been a reliable
partner for medium-sized, trade retailers and is one of the large European players in its sales
channels as well as in its brands and products, which fulfill the highest standards of quality.
assyst GmbH
assyst develops integrated CAD and PLM solutions for the Fashion and Interiors industries. As
the German market leader, assyst offers first-class products. The company operates on a worldwide
basis with other leading companies. The approach to success is: “Your business first”. For assyst,
the customer’s business takes top priority. This is why assyst software targets specific processes,
creating verifiable value added in product development.
The flagship products of this prestigious technology company include:
cad-assyst/smart.pattern; 3D visualization with real body dimensions; PLM for product data and
collaboration management, as well as OnDemand and local solutions for contract optimization and
laying. The assyst GmbH is now a subsidiary of the Human Solutions GmbH. The company’s registered
offices are in Dornach near Munich.
HUMAN SOLUTIONS GmbH
Human Solutions GmbH is a global software and system house with around 70 employees in
Kaiserslautern, Germany and Detroit, USA. The company develops and sells hardware and software
solutions for body scanning, ergonomics and simulation applications. Human Solution’s current
customer list contains more than 300 names, including well-known companies like Daimler, BMW,
Volkswagen, Airbus Industries and the US and Swiss Armies, plus retailers like the chain stores
Karstadt and Kaufhof, fashion houses like Hirmer und Engelhorn, apparel manufacturers such as
Odermark, Scabal, van Laack and many, many more.
Posted on July 27, 2010
Press Release Courtesy of HUMAN SOLUTIONS GmbH
