Lectra_Kuangda_EN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact - Lectra Headquarters / Press Dept.: Nathalie Fournier-Christol

Email: n.fournier-christol@lectra.com
Tel.: +33 (0)1 53 64 42 37 - Fax: +33 (0)1 53 64 43 40

Kuangda reinforces strategic alliance with Lectra to support business growth and increase competitiveness Kuangda expands operations with Lectra's automated fabric-cutting solution Paris, November 6, 2014 - Lectra, the world leader in integrated technology solutions dedicated to industries using soft materials-fabrics, leather, technical textiles and composite materials-is pleased to announce the reinforcement of its strategic agreement with Jiangsu Kuangda Automobile Fabric Group, one of the largest producers of automotive interior fabrics and car seat covers in China. To meet increasing demand and support its business development strategy, Kuangda has chosen to equip its three newest plants, scheduled to open

in 2015, with Lectra's Vector® fabric cutting solution.
Kuangda has become one of the top three car seat cover manufacturers in
China with customers that rank among the top OEMs and Tier 1
automotive suppliers in the world. The company produces up to 1.2 million seat covers per year and demand has been steadily increasing over the past three years.
Like many car parts suppliers, Kuangda's main challenge is maintaining profitability in the increasingly complex and fiercely competitive automotive industry. Part of its growth strategy is the development of a complete automotive interior product supply chain, from research and development of chemical fibers to the production of finished car seat covers. By having an end-to-end manufacturing chain, Kuangda will be able to minimize costs, shorten time-to-market, and better control quality. Integral to this strategy is the installation of a lean-ready cutting room.
Kuangda has been using Lectra's Vector fabric cutting solution for almost ten years. "The Vector's versatility and precision allows us to quickly fulfill even the most complex orders, ensure that finished product quality adheres to Kuangda's high standards, and minimize fabric waste. In addition to obtaining a return on investment in less than a year, Vector's low total cost of ownership helps us preserve our margins," says Shen Jieliang, Chairman of Kuangda.
Support from Lectra's professional services team has been instrumental in helping Kuangda optimize its cutting processes. Using a customized, multi-pronged approach, consultants advised Kuangda on the optimal cutting parameters to obtain maximum material efficiency. Their assistance helped Kuangda reach its production objectives and obtain the highest performance from the cutting room.
In addition to supporting the plant expansion project, Lectra is also helping Kuangda move toward implementing a lean manufacturing approach by supplying best-practice expertise and process optimization consulting.
"We chose to expand our partnership with Lectra because they share our vision, in terms of development strategies and a commitment to innovation. Since our relationship with Lectra began in 2005, they have proven to be a valued advisor and their continually evolving technology, combined with their industry expertise, have been invaluable in helping us to reduce production costs related to material use," concludes

Shen Jieliang.
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"To keep pace with the rapid changes in the automotive market, it is critical to have both solid processes and advanced technology in place," says Céline Choussy Bedouet, Marketing Director for Automotive, Furniture, Technical Textiles and Composite Materials, Lectra. "From overall process improvements to day-to-day operations, Lectra is honored to leverage its worldwide automotive expertise to contribute to the success of Kuangda's strategic growth initiatives."

About Jiangsu Kuangda

Established in 1993, Jiangsu Kuangda Automobile Fabric Co., Ltd. is one of China's top automotive fabric interior and car seat cover manufacturers, and a leading innovator in the research and development of automobile interior fabrics. It has a provincial engineering technology center, a national laboratory, as well as a PhD workstation, and holds patents for numerous innovations. Kuangda supplies the major auto makers in China and is the global supplier for Volkswagen and GM.

For more information, please visit http://www.kuangdacn.com/www.kuangdacn.com

About Lectra

Lectra is the world leader in integrated technology solutions that automate, streamline and accelerate product design, development and manufacturing processes for industries using soft materials. Lectra develops the most advanced specialized software and cutting systems and provides associated services to a broad array of markets including fashion (apparel, accessories, footwear), automotive (car seats and interiors, airbags), furniture, as well as a wide variety of other market sectors, such as aeronautical and marine industries, wind power and personal protective equipment. Lectra serves 23,000 customers in more than 100 countries with 1,400 employees and $270 million in 2013 revenues. The company is listed on Euronext.

For more information, please visit http://www.lectra.com/www.lectra.com

® Vector is a registered trademark of Lectra.

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