Argentinian firm RA Intertrading adopts Coats Digital's GSDCost

Founded in 1992, RA Intertrading has the largest apparel factory in Argentina and specialises in officially- licensed football replicas, jackets, hoodies, polos, shorts and swimwear. The company provides a full-service manufacturing offering to some of the world’s most-recognised brands, including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Kappa, Umbro, Fila and Converse. By incorporating most of the manufacturing processes in-house, RA Intertrading, has been able to consistently meet the highest international standards for quality, security, fair wages and environmental compliance. The company employs just over 800 staff and boasts 41 sewing lines and 450 machines.

Using complex time measurements based on historical time studies found in a myriad of Excel spreadsheets, RA Intertrading needed a standardised solution that would accurately record SMVs through effective, standard motion digitised codes to optimise its workforce management and costing processes. RA Intertrading required a tool to significantly enhance manufacturing efficiencies to effectively meet growing order demands, without having to take on additional staff – since this had proved exceptionally difficult due to a serious labour shortage in the area, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Daniela Rabinovich, CEO, RA Intertrading, said: “We needed to grow our business quickly due to increasing order demands. As a result of being headquartered in an area with limited labour supply, however, the only way to drive growth effectively was to improve our labour efficiencies significantly through technology adoption. Having accurate standard-minute-values based on scientifically researched data, will enable us to precisely assess labour capacity forecasts, so that we can improve our efficiencies and put the right staff in the right place at the right time.”

Coats Digital’s GSDCost method analysis and pre-determined times solution is widely acknowledged as the de-facto international standard across the sewn products industry. The solution supports a more collaborative, transparent and sustainable approach, in which brands and manufacturers establish and optimise ‘International Standard Time Benchmarks’ using standard motion codes and predetermined times. This use of a common language and standards supports accurate cost prediction, fact-based negotiation, and a more efficient garment manufacturing process, while concurrently delivering on CSR commitments.

“Coats Digital’s GSDCost was highly recommended by several of our customers who are already realising huge benefits as a result of adopting the solution. GSDCost will replace the inaccurate historical data we have been using, with a precise SMV value for each operation, which will greatly help us to realistically price products to incorporate a fair wage for our staff and achieve increased efficiencies across all departments,” added Rabinovich.

GSDCost’s enhanced feature of a globalised fair wage tool, combines the international standard time for any given style, with detailed factory efficiencies, contracted hours and the fair living wage for the country. This added tool enables brands and manufacturers to quickly agree the fair living wage allowance for any given garment, in any factory in the world.

Oscar Gonzales, agent, Coats Digital, commented: “RA Intertading is an important textile manufacturer in Argentina, and we are delighted that it has adopted GSDCost as a pivotal solution for sustained growth, as it embarks on an exciting journey towards digital transformation. Consumers are increasingly demanding faster season turnarounds, more complex style varieties and greater corporate accountability regarding fair living wages and sustainable methods of production, and we look forward to ensuring RA Intertrading meets these expectations whilst enjoying long-term profitability at the same time.”

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)