314 Albert Street Brunswick,
Victoria 3056 Australia
Phone +61 3 9380 3888
Fax: +61 3 9387 2674
www.auspinners.com.au

Australian Country Spinners (ACS) produces high quality, pure wool, wool-blend, synthetic hand-knitting and machine-knitting yarns. It was formed in 1991 through the merger of Wangaratta Woollen Mills, Cleckheaton and Panda Yarns. Wangaratta Woollen Mills began production of wool worsted yarn in 1923 and was soon acknowledged as the most progressive spinner of high quality knitting yarns, growing to become Australia’s largest mainland woolen mill. Today, Australian Country Spinners is Australia’s largest producer of wool hand-knitting and industrial yarns.

The solution

The management and production staff at ACS recognized the need for an integrated textile information system as a support in the achievement of their goals of productivity, customer service and profitability. They had been evaluating systems for approximately five years, visiting trade fairs and viewing demonstrations. At the end of their long search, staff at ACS found the textile information system they were looking for – from Datatex. The ACS Project Manager outlined the main reasons for their choice: “TIM has provided a high level of control and discipline over our textile manufacturing activities. We streamlined our business processes, replacing fragmented operations with an integrated approach removing manual costly procedures”. “We obtained, soon after the Datatex installation, measurable results on the reduction of work in progress and inventory. The cost savings were significant. Afterwards we appreciated a more efficient use of the manufacturing resources: it is difficult to quantify the benefits, being a plant of fast changing production. However, we are now positive and confident in our choices, supported with reliable information”. “We are now appreciating the planning functions, with improved customer service, and the calculation of contribution margins to support the best choices for profitability.”

We are now appreciating the planning functions, with improved customer service, and the calculation of contribution margins to support the best choices for profitability.”