Lectra brought together more than 90 furniture manufacturers and industry experts at their annual seminar dedicated to the furniture industry. Taking place at Lectra`s International Advanced Technology and Conference center in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, the event was devoted to sharing insights on innovations to get ahead of the competition.
The two-day event encouraged manufacturers of upholstered furniture to think about their activities from a different perspective. In the face of growing competition and tighter manufacturing deadlines, participants delved into consumer and design trends, as well as technologies and processes, which enable them to stand out from the crowd.
"Four major trends are having an extensive impact on the industry," underlined Edouard Macquin, sales director, Lectra. "The Millenials generation and their new ways of consuming; growing digitalization in companies; the Industry 4.0 revolution; and the transformation of the Chinese market." Environmental and societal changes are also impacting the evolution of consumer habits, explained Pierre Villeneuve, co-founder of consultancy firm HxLab.
The building blocks for Industry 4.0 are operational today and only need to be optimized in order to improve performance in factories. Lectra`s value proposition already includes major technological 4.0 elements, and is pursuing their integration in 3D, mobility, Internet of Things, the cloud and user experience.
Customer testimonials at the event illustrated advances made in digitalizing processes for furniture manufacturing. High-end Italian furniture manufacturer B&B Italia, a Lectra customer for 20 years, "has the objective to make products with superior design using an industrial approach," announced Marco Piantoni, director of the factory. "The human touch is essential for us, and it must be supported through the use of cutting-edge technologies," added Federico Busnelli, R&D.
Polish manufacturer DFM, that has recently automated production with Lectra, explained the company`s approach. "Customer satisfaction is key to our success. In order to guarantee it, we have invested in the best solutions for the cutting room which will enable long term gains. Working with Lectra gives us access to innovations that we need,"underlined Krzysztof Szlachtowicz, CEO, DFM.
In a series of workshops, participants examined industrial best practices and shared their experiences in digitalizing: product development; the cutting room for leather and textiles; the running of processes. Optimizing these elements reduces production costs and delivers material gains while increased efficiency accelerates the roll-out of products onto the market.
"Smart factories will revolutionize how furniture is produced thanks to a better control of costs and quality," concluded Céline Choussy Bedouet, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Lectra. "Lectra integrates technologies, notably those based on data analysis, with its solutions in order to support manufacturers: better prepared for changes on the horizon, they can seize opportunities in Industry 4.0."
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