Manik Chowdhury, Managing Director, Eastman Technocrafts Ltd. is a man on a mission; he is determined to provide latest technology from around the world to garment manufacturers in Bangladesh. With a product profile covering all aspects of technology from cutting to finishing, the specialization lies with knitted and denim manufacturing. “Selling is not our motto… the vision is to become a leading solution provider and partner in growth to the garment industry,” says Manik. In conversation with Team Apparel Online, Manik discusses the areas of growth and the focus directions for greater support to the industry.
Though Bangladesh is relatively new in adapting latest technology, but the pace of growth has been very fast. “There is a clear acceptance that to grow further it is very critical to move up the value chain and for this there are two very clear requirements – better machines and more skilled workers. But as the skill levels are not very high in Bangladesh and will take some time to develop, the immediate focus is to invest in best of technologies,” says Manik.
Indeed the low skill levels are a major concern and Manik is very critical of the laidback approach of the Government in developing institutions for workers. “India has been very proactive in training its workers and it shows in the products that they make. We also need to invest more in this area and going forward that will also be a focus area for Eastman Technocrafts,” says Manik. The first step of course according to Manik is, what he calls ‘minimize skillness; by which he means to deskill operations so that high level of skills are not required. “Automated solutions are a must to overcome the low skill levels and we are educating the industry on the importance of high-end technology to bring in quality, operation excellence and advanced information management in their businesses,” adds Manik.
[bleft]Products Range with Eastman Technocrafts
- Brother Industrial Sewing Machine,
- Yamato Industrial Sewing Machine,
- Sipami Industrial Sewing Machine,
- Kansai Special Industrial Sewing Machine,
- Eastman Excellent Cutting Solution from USA,
- Cutex Leveling Machine from Korea,
- Brongo Washing and Dyeing Machine from Italy,
- Mactec Dry Process from Italy,Garioni Naval , High Pressure Boiler from Italy,
- Home Textile Machine from Italy,
- Tong Xing Side Loading Washing Machine from China, and many others… [/bleft]
He proudly gives the example of Pacific Jeans, which is one of his key customers. “The management at Pacific Jeans is very upfront and it’s a dream company to work with as they not only understand the importance of investing in latest equipments but are also looking for new solutions and invite us regularly to discuss problems and the solutions,” says Manik. Eastman Technocrafts has complete solutions for jean manufacturing and is well equipped to provide technical support to its installations.
In fact, after-sales back-up is one area that Manik is very confident of and feels has been the backbone of his growth. “We have 28 technicians in Dhaka and 7 in Chittagong have been trained by our principals ready to support any technical requirement that our customers may have. For me more than selling it is the confidence and trust that my customers have that is more important,” avers Manik. Very conscious of the faith that his customers have in him, Manik is very careful in selecting the right technology to offer. “Only the best of machines are available with me and only when I am satisfied that they will actually add value to my customers, do I take on an agency,” says Manik.
With seamless integration of operations through ERP, Manik is able to keep a sharp eye on the sales and services to ensure complete customer satisfaction. ‘I have 30 years of exposure to the garment industry and I still listen to my customers to ensure that as a company we are able to give the best. In fact, we are among the first technology providers in Bangladesh to bring sustainable solutions in washing with Brongo, and just five years ago I brought in Jeanology washing solutions with G2 technology, which is a safe ethically based colour reduction system using the atmosphere to create garment fading as if washed by the sun without the need for any chemicals,” informs Manik.
Working with some world leaders in technology, Manik claims that 25% of the industry is his customer. “I believe in relation building and am always looking at diversification. Currently I am looking around for technology in home textiles, as I believe that this segment will see good growth over the next decade,” concludes Manik.
