LECTRA: Lectra insources cutting equipment production in China

Lectra insources cutting equipment production in China

Paris, December 1, 2023 - Lectra, leader in technology solutions accelerating the transition to Industry 4.0 for the fashion, automotive and furniture industries, will now directly manage the production of its cutting equipment manufactured in China, primarily dedicated to its Asian customers. The Suzhou site, located to the west of Shanghai, will thus benefit from the standards of operational excellence already implemented by Lectra at its two other plants in Bordeaux-Cestas, France, and Tolland, USA.

Lectra's teams have over 35 years’ experience in the Asia-Pacific region, which in 2022 generated 25% of the Group's revenues.

Since the acquisition of its competitor, Gerber Technology, in 2021, Lectra had been relying on a plant belonging to Dutch group VDL Groep (VDL), to manufacture Gerber-brand multi-ply cutters and spreaders.

For its industrial activities, Lectra aimed to adopt the same standards of operational excellence in China as those currently in effect at its Bordeaux-Cestas and Tolland sites. The Group therefore created a new subsidiary, Suzhou Lectra Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., to take over from subcontractor VDL as of December 1, 2023.

“Our objective is to offer our customers unrivalled quality, wherever they are located. This means applying the same standards of operational excellence to all our equipment manufacturing sites. We must also ensure that we optimize our production lead times, while contributing to the dynamism of our local supplier ecosystems. That's why we favor local production sites in each of the major regions where we operate. Today, we are the only company in our sector to have three manufacturing sites, in China, the United States and France”, explains Jérôme Viala, Executive Vice President of Lectra.

Following the takeover of in-house production at the Tolland site in October 2022, the creation of the Suzhou Lectra Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd. subsidiary marks a new milestone in the deployment of Lectra's industrial excellence strategy on a global scale. The Group intends to give priority to regional industrial production, which is beneficial to the local economy.

About Lectra:

As a major player in the fashion, automotive and furniture markets, Lectra contributes to the Industry 4.0 revolution with boldness and passion by providing best-in-class technologies.

The Group offers industrial intelligence solutions - software, equipment, data and services - that facilitate the digital transformation of the companies it serves. In doing so, Lectra helps its customers push boundaries and unlock their potential. The Group is proud to state that its 2,500 employees are driven by three core values: being open-minded thinkers, trusted partners and passionate innovators.

Founded in 1973, Lectra reported revenues of 522 million euros in 2022. The company is listed on Euronext, where it is included in the following indices: SBF 120, CAC Mid 60, CAC Mid&Small, CAC All Shares, CAC All-Tradable, CAC Technology, EN Tech Leaders and ENT PEA-PME 150.

For more information, visit lectra.com.

Media contacts:

Hotwire for Lectra
Alexis Bletsas - t: +33 (0)1 43 12 55 71
Laura Bandiera - t: +33 (0)1 43 12 55 70
Elise Martin - t: +33 (0)1 43 12 77
email: lectrafr@hotwireglobal.com

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• Lectra insources cutting equipment production in China