Matsuoka Corporation accelerates adoption of Internet of Things with Lectra’s multi-ply cutting solution

Lectra Industry 4.0 solutions enable reduced fabric consumption and increased production capacity

Lectra is pleased to announce that Matsuoka Corporation has decided to make a large-scale investment in the Vector multi-ply fabric cutting solution. Vector will serve as a pillar of Matsuoka’s plan to take a dynamic approach to increasing production capacity at overseas factories in Southeast and South Asia.

Since shifting production to China in 1990, Matsuoka, one of Japan's leading apparel manufacturers, has gone on to expand its footprint in other countries, such as Myanmar and Indonesia. Since its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at the end of 2017, the company has focused on becoming an industry leader by increasing its investment in automating the cutting process in order to increase quality and production capacity, and using the Internet of Things (IoT) to improve production visibility. Matsuoka is actively leveraging its global footprint and expanded production capacity to attract new customers.

Lectra’s proven experience in helping its customers secure stable quality and flexible production capacity capable of adapting to different products, despite geopolitical circumstances in the region, were key factors in their selection for this investment. The latest generation of Vector, Lectra’s multi-ply fabric cutting solution which integrates Industry 4.0 technology and a cloud-based dashboard, is used in factories in multiple countries into which Matsuoka has expanded.

Noriyuki Matsuoka, President and CEO of Matsuoka explains, "At Matsuoka Group, ‘Responding to our customers’ needs’ is the foundation of our business. As customer needs continuously change, we must ensure that we can meet these needs no matter what region or country we are working in. Looking at Lectra's over-40-year track record in global sales and support in the fashion industry, as well as its leadership in incorporating Industry 4.0 technology into its solutions, we believe Lectra will be a valuable partner in contributing to our future global development. We have used cutting machines from other companies but the fabric savings we achieve thanks to minimal buffers between parts and the high cutting quality sets Lectra solutions above the rest."

Akihiko Tanaka, managing director of Lectra Japan, states, "We are very pleased that Matsuoka Corporation selected our Vector multi-ply fabric cutting machine series for this investment. Dynamically changing production items and quantities according to the customer's situation are essential for the rapidly changing global fashion industry. Vector ensures that Matsuoka can attain a high level of productivity and capacity. In addition, it will help the company support sustainability efforts and ensure the traceability necessary intern for realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, high-yield production to reduce fabric waste, optimization of production lines, visualization of production status, etc. are required. Lectra will continue to innovate and evolve its digital cutting room technology to support our customers in solving such problems. We will also continue to build a long-term partnership with Matsuoka and help them in their global expansion."