“It is high time to equip yourself with latest
technologies and move forward”
BTT Interview
Manik Lal Chowdhury is a pioneering icon in Bangladesh textile and apparel industry with his
versatile multidimensional role since the industry was born in this country. In the 80’s, he
joined in a well-known Japanese sewing machine & technology provider company’s local office.
In his long career journey of more than 33 years, he has traveled to many part of the world to
be trained himself and gathering unparalleled experience in garments & textile machinery and
technology.
Figure: Manik Lal Chowdhury, Managing Director of Eastman Technocrafts Ltd.
In 1996, Manik Lal Chowdhury started his own technology provider company named Eastman
Technocrafts Ltd. intending to provide complete solutions in the apparel manufacturing
process.
As for the educational background, Manik Lal Chowdhury completed his B.Sc (Hons.) and M.Sc
in Mathematics from the University of Chittagong adding Computer Science.
Recently he has shared his experience and industry overview with Textile Today. Here is the
glimpse of the discussion.
Textile Today: As one of the leading technology providers for the textile and apparel industry
in Bangladesh, how Eastman Technocrafts Ltd. is contributing to automate the industry?
Manik Lal Chowdhury: From cutting to sewing, finishing, packing, inspection – now a days
Technology touches every parts of the garments manufacturing processes and Eastman
Technocrafts Ltd. provides a complete range of textile and apparel technology solutions for all
related processes from the world’s leading – premium branded manufacturers from Japan,
USA, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Germany and China – technology providers.
For cutting room solutions, we are providing complete advanced solution from Italian brand
Morgan which offering complete automatic spreading and cutting solution, gives customers
around 93% of efficiency and increasing profits radically. With more and more challenges with
squeezing profits and increasing production costs, this state-of-the-art solution gives better
results in spreading and cutting of fabrics than any other available solutions presents in the
market.
For CAD (Computer Aided Design), Eastman Technocrafts Ltd. offering the CAD-MD900 of
Morgan. A modern, versatile, complete and easy to use, 360⁰ working system from A to Z, that
is working from the pattern digitizing, ensuring proper visual package with a digital camera, or
creation of the pattern directly on the screen up to the marker launch for production, going
through the pattern modification and adjusting, allowing proper size grading, measurements
checks and technical sheets. Morgan Spreader is 100% fabric alignment in by side. Also have a
unique solution in Labelling to denote the pattern name by using Thermal Stickers which is less
cost to put stickers on the top lay of the fabric.
For washing and finishing operations, we are providing world’s leading technologies from
BRONGO which is an Italian branded automatic robust washing & dying machine with 6mm
solid thickness of inner drum, made out of premium 316L grade stainless steel. BRONGO is the
best in laundry productions because of its unique design of the bitters, super-efficient holes of
the drum with only 2.0 cm Drum to Shell depth which ensuring the savings of water, chemical &
process time of every batch compared to others. With BRONGO, factories will require a
minimal quantity of water with zero discharge, low liquor ratio, 40% less space, less chemical,
less energy consumptions, minimum water consumptions, and needs 20% less time than any
other similar class machines available in the market.
PFT is the only dependable high quality sewing machine to use in Denim line. It’s save Cost,
Time with flexible & easy handling with superb production output and also thanks to its easy to
source spare parts which is available in local markets. PFT ensures productivity with very high
quality. PFT automatic pocket setting with double heads and double colors – the cold folding
device, sewing device hardware parts are separated, and the software part is coordinated to
improve the efficiency along with the quality output.
Eastman Technocrafts also offers PEGASUS one of the best Chain Stitch industrial sewing
machine which is saving 70% electricity along with the saving of time; KANSAI special sewing
machine which is also Chain Stitch for special operations, BROTHER industrial sewing machine
for lock stitch from Japan, cuTex Lebel Velcro Cutting machine from Taiwan, OSHIMA
International Apparel Machinery – waste fire boiler, USA based Eastman Worldwide
machinery, Svegea Band Cutting Machine of Sweden, HASHIMA Fusing Machine from Japan,
NAOMOTO Vacuum Table for Electric Steam Iron, Italy based MACTEC double conveyor dryer
with automatic loader for trousers which saves 80% energy with 18,000 pieces trousers
production a day, Macsa id is fully automatic double conveyor/CMT table ultra-fast laser
machines for textile applications with advanced technology & software, TONGXIN brand
Machineries is one of the best brand side loading industrial washing machines with 30% energy
saving dryers.
Textile Today: What are the recent innovations of Eastman Technocrafts Ltd. has brought for
its valued customers? And how Eastman Technocrafts’s technologies are bringing
sustainability and profit in terms of minimizing the process, time and cost of textile mills?
Manik Lal Chowdhury: As we know that technology in the textile and apparel industry is
moving fast after Industrial Revolution 4.0. Industry 4.0 creates what has been called a “smart
factory” And there is no alternative other than to adopt automation and up gradation, we
always bring the latest solutions as our partners introducing those through their intensive and
continuous research on technologies and trends. In every aspect, from cutting to finishing, we
always offer the latest solutions for our valued customers.
For example, BRONGO introducing automatic NANO bubble technology for sustainable washing
through B-Cloud systems along with revolutionary B-SAFE. B-SAFE is an automatic filtering
system is using to prevent NANO bubbles to come out from the washing machines when the
door of the washing machines needs to open during the processes. Without B-SAFE, hazardous
mist of NANO bubbles with chemicals can spread in the working environment and can go inside
human body during breathing. B-SAFE providing a better and safer working environment for the
users. Thanking to BRONGO for bringing this revolutionary SAFE Technology.
In conveyor dryer, MACTEC dryer saves up to 80% energy compared to normal rotary dryers. It
is suitable for environmentally friendly eco green washing factories for mass productions.
Besides, it helps to minimize the uses of chemicals, controls fabrics shrinkage, increase fastness
and improves cleanness of the garments.
BROTHER has the world’s first lock stitch sewing machine which adopts the Electronic Feed
Control directly connected with the stepping motor which ensures fast and versatile
productivity along with higher quality.
Textile Today: What are the prospects do you see for the Bangladesh textile and apparel
industry?
Manik Lal Chowdhury: Adoption of new technology firmly depend on a textile entrepreneur’s
mindset. Commonly the Bangladesh textile and apparel industry is worker-based. Switching for
automation is a bit sluggish in the industry. Though Bangladesh apparel offers one of the
topmost sustainable industries globally with most LEED Certified factories –the factories need
to do more investment on full fledge automation to increase environmental sustainability and
more profitability.
I see a great prospects of our textile & apparel industry right now. A lot of the fashion buyers
are moving out of China, meaning we have a lot of opportunities to grab. We have that capacity
to accommodate any sort of RMG product.
At the same time apparel orders are coming back slowly. So, I will say it is high time to equip
yourself with the latest technologies and move forward.
Eastman Technocrafts Ltd. offering total solution from cutting to packaging which in
synchronizing with all technologies. Also ECO certification in technology where ‘O’ zero
tolerance in any sector