Laser-engraved apparel is truly a great choice
DBL Group, a diversified business entity which has vertically integrated textile and apparel manufacturing facilities, has a dedicated and skilled workforce of more than 28,000 employees. With annual turnover of $365 million for 2015-16, it supplies quality apparel to globally renowned retailers and focuses on upholding the reputation of the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh. Shohidul Islam, head - marketing, talks about automation and data exchange in manufacturing.
How has your business evolved since inception?
The DBL Group started its business in 1991. At first, it was only into exports of readymade garments (RMG). Now, it is a diversified business entity which has vertically integrated textile and apparel manufacturing facilities, with operations in dredging, VLSI Design, sewing thread, dyed fibre & yarn, ICT & telecommunications and ceramic tiles. It is a conglomerate of 22 concerns. The DBL Group supplies quality apparel to globally renowned retailers and is focused on upholding the reputation of the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh. DBL has achieved many awards for its best practices.
Which are your major export markets?
We export to all the continents, mainly Europe, Asia and North America. The following is list of our garment export destinations:
- Europe: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK;
- North and Central America: Canada, Mexico, Panama, the US;
- South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela;
- Asia and Oceania: Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE.
What is the annual production capacity at your units?
DBL is vertically integrated for producing and exporting finished garment with the following capacity: our spinning mill produces 35 tonnes of yarn per day, fabric manufacturing capacity is 80 tonnes per day, printing capacity is 35 tonnes per day, while garment manufacturing capacity is 9 million pieces per month.
What is the size of the clothing industry in Bangladesh? At what rate is it growing?
The RMG sector is valued at $26 billion, which is the core of the Bangladesh economy. The average growth rate is around 12 per cent.
What is the contribution of textiles to the country's GDP?
The RMG exports to GDP ratio is around 13 per cent, 81 per cent of exports are attributed to the sector, and it is a significant source of employment for 4.4 million people, of whom 65-85 per cent are women. The industry aspires to reach $50 billion in exports by 2021.
Which latest knitting technologies have you invested in?
DBL is among the best knitting industries of Bangladesh and we manufacture the best quality garments for our clients. Over the years, our quality products and reputation have created a strong business relation with the world's famous clothing brands. In knitting, we use the latest technology, energy-efficient machinery and environment-friendly production process to deliver the best quality to clients.
How sustainable are your manufacturing facilities? Any upgradation plans?
At DBL, sustainability has a special place embedded in the core values of the organisation. It is an ongoing process that requires dedication, cooperation from the senior management and teamwork. The organisation is attaining sustainable growth through its various CSR and compliance activities, and is effectively coping up with the constantly changing concepts. Upgradation is a continuous process. We are investing in new technology production facilities for higher productivity and to go greener.
With the emergence of new digital tools, what are the sustainable innovation opportunities for apparel manufacturers?
The RMG industry is labour-oriented and skilled labour is always short. That is the reason that apparel manufacturers are adapting to new technologies. With the new digital tools, manufacturers can achieve greater productivity. Thus, there are opportunities which are also sustainable. The following points demand for considering new digital tools in apparel manufacturing:
- Using computer-aided design and digital data;
- Artificial Intelligence in designing and sourcing;
- Using virtual reality in fashion designing;
- 3D printing and designing with digital technology.
Where do you source the raw materials and machineries from? Are you planning to expand your verticals?
India, Pakistan, Sudan and the US are our main suppliers of cotton. We source yarn from India, China, Korea, Thailand and from few local spinners. Dyes and chemicals for wet processing units are imported from the best branded European suppliers. We equip our factory with the best machinery from European companies. Though ours is a vertically integrated production facility, we are strengthening our verticals with more varieties; in spinning, we introduced mélange yarn and to support this line, we introduced fibre dyeing in our own facility. Currently, we are planning for another processing unit, which will be fully dedicated to synthetics. Seamless knitting for intimates is another product line, which will enrich us in the near future.
What is the annual budget allocated to R&D?
We have a totally separate department for R&D. About 0.5 per cent of the annual turnover is spent on R&D.
What are your thoughts on Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 or the era of the fourth industrial revolution can be identified as the mechanism of automation and data exchange in manufacturing. By introducing this concept, the apparel sector would gain a number of advantages. Technological advancement in this sector will enhance vertical integration of all the layers in apparel manufacturing sector and also enhance horizontal integration of all partners in the value chain. It can maximise productivity by identifying best manufacturing practices and sustainability concepts.
What is the demand for laser engraved clothing in the domestic and international market?
In the ever-changing fashion clothing market, there is always a demand for new technology. Laser engraved clothing are used for fashion garments. Also, there is a growing demand of promotional clothing with the logo engraved (for branding). The main limitation is cost, but it has a huge market potential for fleece and thicker fabrics fashion. Laser-engraved apparel is truly a great choice.
What are the opportunities for digital printing in textiles?
Low overheads, high quality and more efficiency are the benefits of digital printing technology in textiles. A shorter cycle in production and rapid changes to new design features make it a very popular printing technology. Endless designs, limitless number of colours and easy design transfers are other positive aspects, ensuring huge opportunities.
What was the growth in the last two fiscals and what are your expectations from the next two?
We have been achieving approximately 8-10 per cent growth in the last few years. We hope to keep the growth rate steady in the coming years. Of late, we have been going for more investments and expansion; so it should result in a bigger growth.
After Rana Plaza, the spotlight turned on Bangladesh and a whole lot of brands and retailers came up with steps to help industry deal with various issues. What is the situation now, and what HR steps have you implemented that makes you stand out?
The collapse of Rana Plaza building near Dhaka in 2013 left several hundred people dead. This accident drew worldwide attention to the inadequate safety and working conditions in Bangladeshi factories. Thereafter, it took inspiration from Western companies to improve buildings' safety as well as social and environmental standards. In order to meet these public demands and accompanying requirements set by the government as well as international agreements after the collapse, working and safety conditions are improving.
DBL always runs the textiles, garment and all other business units in its own premises. From the group's inception, we built huge buildings with adequate safety measures, with sufficient fire-fighting equipment and sustainable features like enough space to move and to feel safe, huge passages and a lot of stairs and lifts for quick and safe evacuation in case of accidents. Implementing these policies will make the difference in the business:
- Good and safe working conditions for better employee safety;
- Improved working and living conditions for higher loyalty by setting up fair price shop, providing free medical services, day care centre, etc;
- Better training for higher productivity. (RR)
Tell us about the retailers and brands you are associated with.
We are working with a number of brands and retailers. Our major buyers are H&M, Goerge, Walmart, Puma, Esprit, G-Star Raw, Bonita, Gerry Weber, Decathlon, MQ, Gymboree, Lidl, M&N, Next Sourcing, etc. We also supply finished fabrics to Adidas, Reebok, etc.
