Marc Cain goes live with TXT: one solution to integrate production and global suppliers

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TXT e-solutions, provider of integrated and collaborative planning solutions, announces that European fashion retailer Marc Cain is live with TXT's Supplier Relationship Management and Supply Chain Planning & Execution solutions.

Seamlessly integrated, the two solutions allow Marc Cain and its suppliers to act as a single enterprise benefiting from improved visibility, coordinated production and supply schedules, better use of resources and slashed lead times.

Marc Cain, a world-renowned premium brand in the womenswear sector, produces high quality and fashionable casual wear in Bodelshausen, Germany, and distributes globally. With over 800 employees and sales volumes of 210 Million Euros in 2011, Marc Cain features a vertically integrated business model, from the design and production processes, to the management of a selective distribution network characterised by 146 Marc Cain stores, 258 shop-in-stores in 59 countries and more than 1,470 specialised shops worldwide.

Matthias Behr, Managing Director Purchase & Production at Marc Cain, commented: "We approached TXT with the objective to establish a more effective production planning system and further increase transparency over operations. We soon decided to extend the project to the whole supply chain by integrating into one system and one process - not only across our own factory, but our suppliers and service providers operations too, as well as the management of raw materials and inventories. In particular, material management is fully supported across the purchasing process, goods receipt and quality control; as well as the supply of materials to subcontractors, including the management of missing materials. With TXT, we have established a single corporate platform for in-house production, external CMT (Cutting Making Trimming), trade goods and purchasing."

TXT's solutions provide Marc Cain with one system and one planning environment for internal and external production planning and control, purchase and production order creation, advanced supplier relationship management (including timelines), order confirmation and progress management through Key Performance Indicators (KPI's). Furthermore, the solution supports fast innovation with the effective management of special orders resulting from the design process - including prototype and test orders.

"In a highly dynamic sector such as fashion, the ability to integrate the end-to-end process - from design to production to supply - and establish a common frame for communication across our partner ecosystem is absolutely key," continues Behr. "With TXT, we now integrate over 150 internal users and 80 global suppliers - the whole process is streamlined."

Holger Klappstein, Sales Director SRM at TXT e-solutions, added: "We are excited by this successful go-live at Marc Cain and we congratulate their team. Synergies among our groups were strong and global implementation was seamless. Marc Cain is a best-in-class example of business integration across the extended supply chain and the sensitive results this can bring."