2. About PTC’s FlexPLM
Need for FlexPLM
Role of PLM in Typical Apparel/footwear
product development process
How does Flex PLM works?
PLM industry analysis
FlexPLM – Cost benefit analysis
Advantages of FlexPLM on apparel/Footwear
retail value chain
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3. Most comprehensive apparel retail, footwear and
apparel product development solution in
following ways:
Opitmize supply chain by focusing on product
development (key design & sourcing) which consumes
85% time in supply chain management .
Serve as common platform for designers, merchandisers,
planners, suppliers and buyers for transparent
communication flow.
Shorten product lifecycle time by 50%.
User friendly , designed specifically to suit retail,
footwear & apparel and consumer products markets.
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4. Every one wants to be fast fashion label.
From 2-4 seasons per year, today an average fashion label has
transformed into 4-6 seasons per year
At this pace, the day is not far when fashion cycle will get
squeezed to 8-12 seasons per year.
Need for integrated responsive supply chain management to
over come stock piles and looses from stock-outs.
In order to achieve above point, software should have
following features:
Operational differences per track for stronger capabilities.
Very strong dynmic communication platform
Speedy tracking of product for shortening the lead time.
Multiple sourcing for stronger execution of line and meeting
delivery deadlines
Sustainable dedicated resources.
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PTC's Flex PLM
5. Time
effective
& cost
effective
Calendar
management
Concept
development
Merchandise
planning
Line planning
Designing/
color
development/
material
development
and testing
Database
management
&
upgradation
(search)
Product
Specification
management
Sourcing/
costing/
Quality
management
Individual product
Tracking - faster
Information
Hub
Expedite
season
planning and
control once
financial &
assortment
goals defined
Optimise
merchandise
mix & product
adoption
Precision in designs
/colors/material/
complete tech packs
Product
briefs/automate
lab dips/
material
consumption -
cost & quality
supplier
profiles,
capabilities,
capacity, social,
technical, and
environmental
compliance
Generate
RFQ, order
confirmation
s (export to
ERPs etc),
Dynamic
costings
Defines testing
standards, Real -
time quality audit
on different levels
Collaboration
Role Of PLM in typical apparel/footwear product development
process
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PTC's Flex PLM
6. PLM applications work through a web-based interface that allows all parties
involved in a garment's design and development to work on the same platform and
communicate on a real-time basis. Everyone can see the latest version of a product,
know when it's been modified or if it's been dropped from the line, avoiding
manufacturing errors and improving product quality.
It sports standards-based enterprise integration tools. The software collects a
product's 'spec' or DNA in a file that can be accessed by all product development
agents from designer to manufacturer across world. By using the real-time platform,
a designer can work on the details of a garment's spec while another department
explores different manufacturing options for the product, hedging time.
Direct integration with design tools such as Adobe® Illustrator™ to increase design
efficiency and allow designers to work with familiar applications. The technology
saves time and money compared to sequential processes which involve heavy
paperwork
PLM software also helps streamline sourcing. By using it, a manufacturer can
quickly and easily see a product's spec to draft with a cost estimate and send a
product sample to the retailer.
The retailer can then review the sample and enter any modifications into the PLM
system for the manufacturer to sew a final sample.
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PTC's Flex PLM
7. In this environment, delivering fashion-right collections on time and on
budget is often becoming a logistical nightmare, prompting companies to
seek technological solutions to bolster enterprise efficiencies and cut costs.
Consequently, the apparel and footwear industry is expected to invest
billions in product development and sales-forecasting software in the
coming years, according to industry observers.
(PLM) software, which helps manufacturers shorten product lifecycle
times by at least half to boost efficiencies in the supply chain. Then there
are merchandise management systems (MMS) and markdown
optimization solutions (MOS) to help retailers manage over-bloated
inventories and minimize losses from stock-outs.
The PLM market, worth some US$50m, could grow up to 40% annually by
2014, according to software vendors who say large- and medium-sized
apparel firms are rushing to implement the technology.
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8. PTC, which claims to be the largest PLM supplier with a 55% global
market share, is also bullish about the future. Mitford says the company's
sales could leap 40-60% annually by 2014 to mirror a similar growth rate
since 2005.
PTC has 30 apparel and footwear customers spread mostly in Europe and
North America. The firm recently signed up French sports equipment
firm Decathlon and Germany's largest department store operator
Karstadquelle. It is making a big push into Europe where PLM "adoption
is a little behind" the US.
According to Mitford, the North American PLM market (for apparel
brands with over US$2bn in sales) is maturing but she expects many sub-
US$2bn firms to purchase PLM applications in coming months. However,
in common with rivals, she says Asia is quickly becoming a hot expansion
market for PLM software vendors. "We are seeing a significant increase in
the number of Asian companies interested in PLM, specifically in China, which
will be one of the largest consumers of PLM in five years," .
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9. TARGET Benefits - quantifiable Drawbacks
Apparel /
Footwear &
retail
companies
1. Shortened lead times causing
a reduction in working capital
and increased service levels.
2. Increase Adoption rate – upto
50% (directions for designers)
3. Raw material aggregation
across styles and even
divisions, resulting in 3% to
5% reduction in materials
costs
4. Labor cost avoidance –
elimination of paper/clerical
work. 30% of design and
development labor is wasted
on clerical and other
redundant tasks related to lack
of information.
5. Reduction of finished goods
air freight to 10% to 20% of
shipments, resulting in 1% to
3% reduction in COGS (on
time deliveries)
1. Roll out time - PTC's PLM
express suite (for
organisations with under
US$1bn in sales) takes three
months to set up while the
company's more
comprehensive PLM range
(for firms with sales over
US$10bn) can take nine
months to implement.
2. Limited connectivity with
other software.
3. Change management
4. Need for robust and
integrated solutions
5. Designers sometimes feel
sidetracked due to
constraints of working in
direction predicted by the
module.
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10. 10
TARGET
SEGMENT
Benefits - Non quantifiable Drawbacks
Apparel /
Footwear &
retail
companies
6. Closer to market product
development for more “fashion-
right” assortment.
7. Maxmising full price sell thru
via full collection hitting the
floor on time.
8. Disciplined handoffs –
elimination of repetitive
documenting work .
9. Reduce SKU proliferation and
over-development
10. Improves and expedite the
communication flow among
designers, merchandisers,
factories, suppliers.
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11. HUMAN RESOURCES
PROCUREMENT
CORPORATE FUNCTION
INBOUND
LOGISTICS
OPER-
ATIONS
OUTBOUND
LOGISTICS
MARKETING
& SALES
SERVICES
G
I
N
M
A
R
PRIMARY ACTIVITIES
SECONDARY
ACTIVITIES
Increase in Confidence and
satisfaction among employees due to
process automations and riddance
from tedious documentations. Also
transparent & instant
communications boosts effectiveness
& efficiencies .
Faster Merchandise / line planning,
Costing, Material development &
testing, product specification
management, vendor management,
order management
•Concept development
•Higher adoption rates
•Quick material sourcing
•Faster sample developments &
approvals (3D modeling)
Quality management,
supply chain collaboration,
timely deliveries & arrival
to stores
Quick feedback on
collection
performance
triggers instant
actions –
reasonable
markdowns
Not relevant
Seamless functions on the
pretext of speed tracking
Reduced Costs
– increases
margins
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Source: Michael Porter, 1980
s
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12. PTC's Flex PLM
There are many vendors providing apparel and footwear-specific PLM solutions.
l Vendors that have always been apparel/footwear specific
• Freeborders
• GEAC Qwest Runtime
• Gerber WebPDM (FLM)
• Lectra
• NGC
l Vendors that have migrated from other industries to
apparel/footwear
• MatrixOne (now owned by Dassault)
• PTC Flex PLM
• UGS
l Other smaller startups to be aware of:
• MSC, Vertex, Yunique PLMon, zweave
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