#Software

2020-05-14

Gerber technology partners with PCIAW to increase production of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the U.K.

With a large part of the global production of personal protective equipment (PPE) happening in the United States and China, much of Europe is experiencing a major PPE shortage, putting millions of lives at risk. In order to combat the shortage, the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide (PCIAW) is partnering with Gerber Technology to make PPE more widely available. Through their PPE Task Force, Gerber has already helped over 1,200 manufacturers across the globe successfully convert their manufacturing capabilities to PPE production.

“Nobody should have to go without the proper protection and risk being infected by COVID-19,” said Richard Jessup, Sales Director, EMEA of Gerber Technology. “Here at Gerber, the health and safety of people all around the world is a top priority. We are working tirelessly with our partners and customers to help and rapidly increase the production of PPE to ensure nobody is without.”

The Gerber PPE Task Force is helping their global network of manufacturers switch to production of protective masks, gowns, face shields, and other PPE by providing free resources such as production-ready patterns, sharing best practices, and connecting manufacturers and suppliers through the PPE Manufacturer Matchmaking Program.

“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Gerber as their expertise in PPE is unmatched,” said Yvette Ashby, founder and CEO of PCIAW. “Their advanced knowledge, innovative solutions, and helpful resources are going to help vastly increase the availability of PPE in the U.K. and all of Europe.”

UNIFEQ Europe adopts Coats Digital’s GSDCost and AI-powered GSDQuest to support rapid growth

Coats Digital is pleased to announce that rapidly growing Polish defence and uniform manufacturer UNIFEQ Europe Sp. z o.o. has invested in its award-winning GSDCost solution together with its AI-powered GSDQuest platform to establish a consistent approach to garment costing, improve sewing-floor productivity and accelerate labour costing for tenders and new products.

Orient Rongheng connects production planning across China and Bangladesh with FastReactPlan

Chinese apparel manufacturer Orient Rongheng is implementing Coats Digital’s FastReactPlan to digitalize production planning across its manufacturing operations in China and Bangladesh. The project aims to connect capacity, materials and order planning across multiple factories while integrating these processes with the company’s existing ERP and Manufacturing Execution System (MES).

Lectra launches Apogy with agentic AI for fashion product development

Lectra has launched Apogy, a new cloud-based solution for fashion product development that combines product data, collaborative workflows and agentic artificial intelligence. The platform is designed to connect the different stakeholders and processes between initial design and production while using AI agents to automate tasks and support decision-making throughout the development cycle.

Coats Digital launches AI-powered GSD RealMotion for motion analysis

Coats Digital has launched GSD RealMotion, an AI-powered solution designed to provide apparel manufacturers with greater visibility into factory-floor operations. By analysing shop-floor video and applying Coats Digital’s GSD methodology, the solution turns video recordings into structured, motion-by-motion method studies.

Mayer & Cie. Global gears up tor ITMA Asia 2026

Mayer & Cie. Global will focus on mattress fabric production at ITMA Asia, taking place in Shanghai from 20 to 24 November 2026. The company will showcase one of its flagship models for this application: the OVJA 2.4 EM. Joining the mattress fabric specialist will be an OV 3.2 QCe, presented at ITMA Asia in a configuration for knitting double-face fabrics in E40. This gives the OV 3.2 QCe a combination of capabilities rarely found in the market. The German textile machinery manufacturer will also introduce its new portfolio strategy and share updates from its development team at its Albstadt headquarters.

FET highlights advances in fibre spinning technology at Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress

Fibre Extrusion Technology Limited (FET) presented its latest developments in fibre spinning technology at the Dornbirn Global Fiber Congress in Austria in September 2026. In a presentation entitled “Spinning a good yarn”, Dr Jonny Hunter examined recent technological developments and challenges facing the fibre industry, highlighting the company's expanding range of specialised fibre extrusion and spinning systems.

Vietnam’s market evolution creates new sourcing opportunities at VIATT 2027

As Vietnam’s textile industry continues to upgrade and scale, new opportunities are emerging for suppliers of advanced raw materials, design-led fabrics, production technologies, and sustainability solutions. The Vietnam International Trade Fair for Apparel, Textiles and Textile Technologies (VIATT) will return 24 – 26 February 2027, presenting a cross-sector platform – spanning apparel, home and technical categories – for overseas companies to connect with manufacturers, brands, sourcing offices, retailers, and industry buyers from Vietnam, ASEAN, and beyond.