This article is based on a speech given by our CEO Ronnie Hagin to the Indian Textile magazine about the consequences of the COVID emergency on the future of textile industry.
Datatex has many offices in the world, so we had a global point of view on the COVID crisis.
It had a huge impact on our business, but it is important to underline that we didn’t let one person go. We were running a hiring campaign before this pandemic, which we decided to slow down. In this way we could preserve all our staff who had full access to their offices remotely and were able to do what is called “smart working” from home. In fact, our solution NOW is completely web based and thanks to this we could continue all our activities almost without interruptions.
During this period of uncertainty and widespread panic, the legacy of COVID – 19 will be closely related both to our daily lives and to how each company should reinvent itself in order to cope with these changes.
In particular, it is important to focus on the NEW SUPPLY CHAIN PARADIGM, due to workers’ and customers’ new lifestyles. In fact, during this forced quarantine they have discovered new habits and needs.
Especially the request for home deliveries in a very short time, is a relevant element that organizations should take into account. Hence, companies can accelerate their response to orders received through the adoption and adaptations of digital technologies to handle the entire supply chain. One solution is the usage of barcoding or RFID technologies in order to collect data and automate the warehouse management process. This kind of automation is linked to the need of making all production and storage data available to all employees, from any location. This goal can be achieved through the adoption of an ERP system able to gather all data that are necessary for the management of business activity. The technology used is Cloud based and allows all employees to work remotely from home.
Datatex ERP Solution NOW, being completely Web-based, has facilitated smart working activities, mostly for administration offices, thus allowing the users to carry out their tasks from any location, using a browser accessed with their credentials.
This type of management system, enables to keep track of all ongoing projects, gathering all information in one single place, which is available at all times. Moreover, the creation of Dashboards, directly linked with the managing system, allows to monitor all progress made by a single project and understand its relevance for the business activity.
A fundamental element of an ERP, is the ability to work as a Document Management System, allowing each department to have on hand every necessary document, modify it in real time and thus keeping the entire system updated.
The adoption of an ERP System can be crucial especially for manufacturers of medical and PPE equipment. In particular, modules devoted to Quality Checks are necessary, in order to assure a quality level complying with the standards. Also important is a real-time digital control 24/7 of received materials, the use of an ERP for production, inventory and maintenance, shall accelerate the entire production and supply chain activities.
NOW has a simple application, adaptable to every need and enables many companies to quickly convert their processes, in order to produce the medical equipment which is so essential nowadays. In this case they are producing face masks and other types of PPE, monitoring both the product quality and the production costs.
IMPRIMA, the first multinational company dedicated to development and innovation in the textile printing and finishing sector who adapted its manufacturing plants to the production of masks for civilian use.
Another company that has implemented the software NOW to convert its business Parkdale Mills in the USA a world leader in yarn manufacturing and fiber technology. Indeed, it added to its current offer, also reusable cotton face masks.
