Case Study FuDa Design

FuDa design, manufactures and distributes textiles and home furnishings, supplying major retail customers.

The nature of the business has changed significantly over the last 10-15 years with UK textile manufacturers facing severe competition from overseas manufacturers.

Manufacturing and cushion-filling operations must be planned very precisely. In addition, due to factory space and increased requirement for flexibility in supply, the company need to constantly review, develop and improve the efficiency of product forecasting and manufacture.

The company needed to improve its response time, increase its efficiency and flexibility in order to remain competitive.

Two KTP schemes were consequently established. The first, successfully completed in the spring of 2004, enabled the company to benefit from the implementation of an appropriate ITC system.

The system allows the company to trade electronically with both customers and suppliers. The second scheme is still in progress and aims to enable the company to maximise the benefits of the 1st scheme by improving the flexibility and productivity of the manufacturing operation.

A development of the company’s material handling process and the introduction of kanban systems is therefore being established.

Company staff have been trained on the ITC system, which is now fully operational, and the 1st associate has become a permanent member of FuDa staff.

The 2nd scheme has implemented a new sack packing design, involving machinery which should reduce downtime and increase productivity.

Other modes of packing and filling, alongside relevant machinery, and factory layout are currently being investigated.