A : One trend that is clearly seen is that, since the labour cost is going up everywhere, and the unit price of the garment is coming down regulalry. According to our customers the prices have gone down as much as 20% - 25%, hence garment manufacturers are trying to overcome that issue and they are looking for automatic machines.

A : We are displaying AE series of edge control trimmer, this machine can automatically control the sewing edge of he material. If you set 10mm margin, it will sew exactly 10mm from the edge. Even in different materials it will match edge exactly as you set it. This helps even the unskilled operator also to sew, same quality garments.

GW : What has been Juki's strategy in terms of creating trained manpower?

A : Manpower is very important component of production. AT Juki we have been conducting various manpower training programs. We have training centre at our factory in China in which we train operators. Same way we have a training centre in Japan. Sometimes customers from placed like India, Bangladesh come to our training centres and get trained.

We also organize seminars, which are mostly organized in Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam. We conduct technical seminar, AOTS seminar and production control seminar in Bangladesh. The sewing machine need attachment to sew quality products, so we have attachment seminar in which they learn how to make attachment.

GW : You supply machines worldover, Based on your experience what should the garment manufacturer expect out of a sewing machine?

A : Of course the garment manufacturer should use quality machines. He should see whether there is oil leakage in the machine or any sewing problem and when one looks at the cheaper machine while it is true that the initial cost is very low, one should also look at the running cost which may happen due to machine breakdown, changing parts often as these affect productivity, so the garment manufacturer has to look at the quality of the machine. Quality machine helps to produce quality garments. we are also showing semi-dryhead machines, which avoid washing costs due to oil leakage.

For example, the chinese manufacturers started small and have grown big today. But, being an operator themselves, they know and understand what should be sewing machine quality and how they get benefitted with a sewing machine of good quality and less down time. So even when they grow big they come to us because they know about our quality and after sales service etc., and they do not look at our price only.

Our selling process also is different. We just don't blindly go to sell, we understand his current production line and help him to improve productivity. We study and suggest improvements if needed in the production process.

GW : How's the Chinese government encouraging the RMG industry?

A : The government is very keen to modernise the country's industry. They want to move towards per head productivity of 70,000 rmb per month, in order to move towards that they are providing incentive for modernisation. This kind of objective will modernise the entire industry and help the industry to get higher value.

Another interesting move by the government is that with the existing production clusters becoming expensive due to higher labour costs as well as shortage of labour, government is encouraging entreprenuers to move inland through incentives and subsidies. This will create employment and more modern factories coming in the interior areas also.