Recognising key areas that will maximise raw material usage.................................................
Raw material protocol from initial order through receipt, quarantine, inspection, storage, planning, requisition, issue and usage
Fabric width suitability
Pattern Engineering to ensure optimum fabric usage whilst maintaining design integrity
Multi style cutting for same fabric type
Flexibility of cutting schedule to ensure most cost effective use of raw materials
Lay planning and production planning that optimises cutting time, ply depth and fabric efficiency
Flexible working relationship with customer to ensure best unit price can be achieved
Controlling raw material usage is vital. It will have a major impact on your profitability. It is commonly believed that raw material wastage can only occur in the cutting room but this is not the case. Raw material optimisation begins with the designers sketch and should be present in every area of your business. Everyone has a part to play, from design through technical, fabric supplier pre production meetings, costings, purchase ordering, receipt, inspection, storage, planning, requisition, issue, usage and record keeping.
Any one of these areas has the potential to cost your business money. Gradeplan has experience in all of these areas and will help your staff adopt best practise to ensure you remain competitive.
Your business may operate on a CMT basis where you purchase and own all of the raw materials; this makes it imperative to ensure their most cost effective use. Before placing your purchase orders you need costings in place that will accurately reflect your production usage. Gradeplan will work with you from the design stage to ensure absolute minimum wastage; if required we will work with you on the more complex fabrics such as screen prints and plaids, engineering the layout to ensure maximum efficiency.
Many high street suppliers, and indeed some retailers who have chosen a direct routing, are working on an FOB basis with overseas manufacturers. The design process takes place in the UK and a sample garment is sent to the manufacturing base to establsh a costing. If your business uses this method and you are actively involved in this process you will understand only too well where problems can arise. Interpretation is key and it is often the case that valuable time is wasted as incorrect samples travel back and forth. Gradeplan will help you to take control and ensure that you meet your launch dates. We will plan the most efficient lay plans possible that take into account all of the key elements such as fabric matching requirements, sales ratio's and cutting room restrictions such as table lengths and cutting equipment. We will then send these lay plans as an email attachment, saved in a format of your choice anywhere in the world. These marker file attachments will be supported with all the relevant paperwork to ensure your manufacturer understands your exact requirement.
The devil is in the detail and Gradeplan helps your business retain control by giving you the data you need to make informed decisions. It is frustrating not being able to improve margin so let us offer you the solution.