Tukatech Gets Chico's Patterns
Fort Myers, Fla.-based retailer Chico’s FAS Inc. is hooking up with Los Angeles-based CAD/CAM specialist Tukatech Inc. and its TukaCAD pattern making system to help the retailer in its production efforts throughout its worldwide supply chain.
Chico’s vice president and chief information officer, Ajit Patel, said the company was looking for ways to reduce its product development cycle and liked Tukatech’s ability to produce patterns for digital transmissions to its network of suppliers in a seamless format between other major CAD systems including Gerber’s and Lectra’s.
“Tukatech provided us with a system that is user-friendly, has open architecture and is yet the most powerful of all systems we evaluated,” he said.
Ram Sareen, chief executive officer of Tukatech, said the company’s ability to keep patterns and data digital has helped it gain an edge in a competitive marketplace.
“Over 95 percent of our customers make patterns on the system compared to less than 10 percent of competitive CAD users,” he said.
Chico’s continues to invest big in technology. The 300-plus-unit chain also has purchased new software from Atlanta-based Manhattan Associates, which is outfitting Chico’s new Winder, Ga., distribution center with supply-chain solutions including a business intelligence tool that provides for real-time monitoring of activities. The system, which includes an alert messaging system, is expected to be introduced early next year. —Robert McAllister
