Marimekko Boosts Productivity with UGS' PLM Solution
Textile and clothing design company Marimekko, known for its bold, avant-garde designs, has selected Texas-based UGS' Teamcenter product lifecycle management (PLM) solution.
Prior to selecting the system, the company's workflow management was struggling to keep pace with its growing business, and Marimekko decided to implement an information management tool that would allow it to achieve growth targets.
Marimekko worked with UGS' partner, Ideal Product Data, to implement the software. It was up and running in five months, and the software was in use by two of the company's three main business units -- clothing and interior decorations -- in less than a year, the company reports.
Teamcenter has allowed the company to store all of its product information in one database, unlike the previous system's multiple repositories.
"It is more flexible and easier to find product information, and everyone has the latest, up-to-date version," says Carita Frelander, Marimekko PDM project manager. The system allows for faster searches and presents information in a more organized fashion, which helps to enhance productivity.
The database manages information for 1,200 collections, 6,500 products, 3,000 materials, 3,000 accessories, 200 labels and 6,600 product recipes as well as 5,900 documents.
Teamcenter also provides an automated system for workflow management, ensuring tasks are performed on schedule and in the proper order so that fabrics and accessories arrive on time. This enables Marimekko to have its collections ready to go, on time, for two annual fashion fairs.
"Teamcenter tells the right person what to do and when," says Frelander.
The software also offers 12 apparel-specific capabilities, including management of collections, materials/fabrics, recipes, work instructions, price estimates and sizing and grading tables.
In addition to improving productivity and helping release collections and catalogs on time, Teamcenter assists management in keeping track of operations, Marimekko reports.
"We have better visibility into our operations, from design to production," says Marimekko production director Helinä Uotila. Sales agents and suppliers benefit from the improved visibility, which allows them to plan ahead. A better understanding of collection status also reduces duplication of effort and non-value-added activities.
In other news, UGS has been acquired for US$3.5 billion by Germany-based Siemens, which purchased the company in an effort to expand its industrial software portfolio into the PLM arena. Siemens purchased the company from Bain Capital, Silver Lake Partners and Warburg Pincus.
The activities of UGS will be assigned to the Siemens Automation and Drives Group (A&D). The company said the group would become the first supplier for the manufacturing industries to provide an end-to-end software and hardware portfolio encompassing the complete lifecycle of products and production facilities.
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