Tukatech Moves TukaCenter Into FBI Facility
Los Angeles–based CAD software supplier Tukatech Inc. will shutter its 2-year-old TukaCenter design studio in Los Angeles and shift operations into the new Fashion Business Inc. resource center in The New Mart, said Tukatech Chief Executive Officer Ram Sareen. At the same time, Tukatech will expand its TukaCenter in Commerce, Calif., to answer the demands of apparel industry workers in the Vernon-Commerce manufacturing core.
“We decided to donate equipment and services worth $50,000 to help FBI set up a complete TukaCenter for training,” said Sareen. With the new equipment—which includes TukaCAD software, computer hardware and a TukaJET plotter—FBI will be able to conduct training for patternmaking, grading and marker making, as well as continue to offer CAD rentals and other services that had been offered at the TukaCenter.
FBI—an industry trade group that assists small businesses with training, placement and other services—opened its 5,000-square-foot resource center in June. Within the center is a technology room where businesses and individuals can learn the latest in CAD design and business management systems.
Tukatech’s Los Angeles TukaCenter opened two years ago at 1029 S. Broadway Ave. The company intended that the center— with computer station rentals, grading and marker-making services, as well as training classes offered for as little as $10 an hour— would become a Kinko’s for the apparel industry. Sareen said visitors had concerns about parking and security so the company made the decision to expand the Commerce center and the FBI center.
“On Jan. 5, 2004, we are opening a very large TukaCenter in our new facility in Commerce, which will be open till midnight every day,” said Sareen. “The new center in Commerce will have a walk-in, self-work facility, as well as a complete service center for all product-development services. Since most of the factories are either in Vernon, Commerce, Bell Gardens and Montebello, our customers have been requesting if they could pick up the completed work from our head office in Commerce.”
FBI Director Frances Harder said Tukatech should install the new equipment in the FBI center early in the year.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Harder said. “We’re excited about taking part in this.”
Harder added she will be working out formats and schedules for training in the coming weeks.
—Robert McAllister
