#Software

2023-09-28

Lectra appoints Frédéric Morel as President of the Asia-Pacific region

Lectra, leader in technology solutions for the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, announces the appointment of Frédéric Morel as President of the Asia-Pacific region and as a member of the Group's Executive Committee, where he replaces Edward Wang, who previously held the same position. This nomination comes as Lectra prepares to present its latest software and connected equipment offers at the CISMA (China International Sewing Machinery and Accessories) trade show in Shanghai, China, to enable Asian industry players to accelerate their transition to Industry 4.0.

Lectra's presence in the Asia-Pacific region began in 1985 with the opening of its first office in Japan. Today, Lectra employs 16% of its workforce in the region, which accounted for 25% of the Group's revenues in 2022. Thanks to its dynamism, economic fabric and position in world trade, China is a key market in this region, generating 9% of Lectra’s revenues in 2022.

Daniel Harari, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lectra says, “We would first like to thank Edward Wang for his contribution to the development of Lectra's activities in the Asia-Pacific region, and wish him continued success in his future career. Frédéric Morel joins us after more than 20 years' experience in international groups, where he held various management positions in the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and China. His international exposure, his understanding of the challenges faced by a technology company like Lectra, and his ability to support dynamic and sustainable business development are major assets for our Group. I am delighted to welcome him to our team.”

Prior to joining Lectra, Frédéric Morel held the position of South East Asia & Pacific Executive Vice President at Vallourec. He had previously been appointed Sales Director and then Sales Vice President for Vallourec in the Middle East, after holding various sales and general management positions for the company in the Asia region. A graduate of the Institut d'Etudes Politiques d'Aix-en-Provence and the EMLYON business school, Frédéric Morel began his career in 2000 with Saint-Gobain.

He says, "I'm particularly enthusiastic about joining Lectra as we prepare to present solutions in Shanghai that perfectly illustrate Lectra's leadership in Industry 4.0. In China, as in the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, I look forward to contributing to the success of our customers. I am eager to meet them at CISMA in a few days' time, to show them how we can not only optimize the operation of their cutting rooms, but also accelerate their digital transformation through our software, data analysis solutions and associated services, while contributing to more sustainable growth."

Lectra launches the Observatory of innovation and transformation in the fashion, furniture and automotive markets

As a leader in technology solutions accelerating the transition of fashion, furniture and automotive companies to Industry 4.0, Lectra announces the launch of its Observatory to mark its 50th anniversary. The Observatory will focus on innovations and changes in the fashion, furniture and automotive markets, to help these sectors stay informed and adapt to new opportunities. The Lectra Observatory’s first white paper on the advent of Industry 4.0 is already available online.

Lectra insources cutting equipment production in China

Lectra, leader in technology solutions accelerating the transition to Industry 4.0 for the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, will now directly manage the production of its cutting equipment manufactured in China, primarily dedicated to its Asian customers. The Suzhou site, located to the west of Shanghai, will thus benefit from the standards of operational excellence already implemented by Lectra at its two other plants in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, and Tolland, USA.

TextileGenesis now enables the fashion industry to trace the origin of all materials, sustainable or generic, via its platform

TextileGenesis, a Lectra Group company, announces the integration of a new Supply Chain Discovery module into its SaaS platform. The traceability solution developed by TextileGenesis has already played a pioneering role in providing the fashion ecosystem, thanks to its Fiber to Retail module, with reliable, secure and fully digitized chain of custody of sustainable materials. The new Supply Chain Discovery module completes this offering by identifying the origin of conventional materials. TextileGenesis users can now meet the traceability requirements for all the materials they use on a single platform.

Embee International Selects Coats Digital’s GSDCost Solution to Drive Accuracy, Efficiency, and Global Competitiveness

Coats Digital is pleased to announce that leading global apparel manufacturer, Embee International Industries, has implemented Coats Digital’s GSDCost solution across its operations to eliminate inaccurate costing, streamline production processes, and boost competitiveness in international markets. The move forms a key part of Embee International’s digital transformation strategy to drive greater efficiency, improve quality, and strengthen partnerships with its portfolio of top global brands.

Mayer & Cie makes circular knitting machines IoT-ready

Albstadt, Germany, May 20, 2025 – The new machine control system Control 5.0 from Mayer & Cie. is now available. It makes the company’s circular knitting machines Internet- and knitlink-ready, preparing them for the digital future of textile production. Control 5.0 is the prerequisite for accessing knitlink, Mayer & Cie.’s digital platform. The new machine control system is available as an upgrade kit for all machines built from 2001 onward. From now on, every newly delivered mechanical circular knitting machine will be equipped with Control 5.0 as standard.

Nike unites innovation, design and product teams to accelerate athlete-centered innovation

Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse are joining forces under a new, athlete-focused creation structure aimed at accelerating innovation and driving growth across NIKE, Inc. The new setup unites the Innovation, Design and Product teams from all three brands into a single “creation engine” that will enable greater sharing of insights, technology and manufacturing methods throughout the innovation process. This integration is part of Nike’s new Sport Offense strategy and is designed to enhance the creation of products that help athletes perform at their best.

DORNIER celebrates its anniversary at ITMA Asia + CITME

To mark its 75th anniversary, machine and plant manufacturer Lindauer DORNIER will be presenting the latest developments in its rapier and air-jet weaving machines at ITMA Asia + CITME in Singapore (Hall 2, Stand B401) from 28 to 31 October 2025. The focus will be on energy-efficient weaving technologies, new IoT solutions for networked textile production and systems for the series production of modern fibre composite components.

BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.

Pioneering open-source framework shows how early innovation drives a just and net-zero fashion future

The non-profit H&M Foundation, in collaboration with Accenture, has unveiled From Signals to Systems Change, an insight report calling on the fashion industry to rethink its role in transformation. At its core is the Reimagined System Map, a pioneering open-source framework that visualises how early-stage innovation could drive a just and net-zero textile future.