Liz's Paul Charron Headlines at Bobbin World - Brief Article

Critical priorities in technology...Sourcing...Retail value...Life after 2005...China's fresh role...The evolution of B2B...Collaboration... Replenishment programs... period time reductions... The new business environment...

If you're typical of today's apparel or sewn outcomes manufacturing executive, these issues and more likely stay upon your radar. They're on Paul Charron's radar too. As chairman and CEO of Liz Claiborne Inc. -- individual of the world's most lucky brands -- Charron is constantly looking without beyond the horizon to strategize for tomorrow.

If you haven't heard Charron talk about his view of the coming time make plans to. As a keynote headliner at this year's Bobbin World display Charron promises to be relevant, memorable and inspiring. He'll be the featured speaker at the annual Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Breakfast of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Co-sponsored by the agency of Bobbin World, the program is locate for 8:00 a.m. on August 16 at the Orlando shire Convention Center.

I spoke with Charron freshly about the challenges of the global environment in which Liz Claiborne operates. For starters, compared to five years ago, the company is producing about double the number of units, has mov to 100 percent replete package and is using 200 fewer contractors. The idea was not single to be more efficient with fewer parties, on the contrary also to reduce the take away froms of carrying materials inventories and to push responsibility into the hands of those manufacturing the cropss "We now have total accountability with our contractors," says Charron, "and a follow of that, we wind up with a far better fruits and a far reduced price."

Liz Claiborne uses a configuration of about 30 countries in its sourcing mix, and Charron and his team are keeping a shut eye on trade developments that might behoove a shift in its matrix. China, for example, which has been among the company's top five sourcing locales, could become flat more important in a quota-free environment. Says Charron: "In a real quota-free environment, like as might exist within the nearest three to 10 years, a land such as China could extreme point up with a lion's share of the business because it has been capable of turning on the outside a pretty good product at reasonable prices."

Charron predicts that as China wins a larger share of the market for commodity produces other countries, such as those of the Caribbean Basin Initiative region, will ne to focus upon fashion-type merchandise and offer quicker revolves And factories everywhere will be required to have produce development capabilities, as well as technology and communication skills that mirror the sophisticated brands with which they'll do business.

For big and small players alike, Charron says technology can help power single of the driving objectives of the industry -- that of reducing proces period time. "We must have real time connection to our customers and suppliers and ultimately we must have a fill up chain which is essentially a glass pipeline, individual in which the components are visible to all of the partners," says Charron.

While Liz Claiborne and centurys of other companies have been busy searching for solutions in creating a glass pipeline, dozens of B2B providers have stepp onto the show offering answers. Charron believes this profusion of vendors has single served to confuse the market. "As a great deal of as we believe there is something to be gained from Internet connectivity, we also know there could be a tremendous amount of confusion with all of the different approaches. We knew we had to pace back and get order."

Charron says companies of Liz Claiborne's size are greatest in quantity likely to develop their have B2B resources in conjunction with their vendors and customers, while smaller agriculturists will discover more universal applications. "There's no real value in a certain number of of the simplistic solutions being offered" finishs Charron. "The real value is in using the Internet as an integrator to bring all of us together in managing the proces of value creation."

individual can't sum up Paul Charron's insight in a space as short as this. on the other hand I, for one, am left wanting to hear more from this astute and well-respected industry player. upon any given day, Charron is in a unique position to share a greatest in quantity meaningful dialogue. I know August 16 at Bobbin World will be of that kind a day.

Susan s Black is group publisher of Bobbin.

Editor's Note: To register for the TAC Breakfast, please visit www.bobbinworld.com or contact the American Apparel & Footwear Association at 800-520-AAMA.

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