Monday, October 9th 2017 --  With employees working around the clock and its vessels calling the Port of San Juan almost daily, Crowley Maritime Corp. said today it will have offloaded by the end of this week more than 6,500 loads of FEMA and commercial cargo from 20 vessels since Hurricane Maria struck the island in late September. And the company projects another 9 vessels, carrying between 2,500 and 3,000 loads, will arrive in Puerto Rico next week.

"I am very grateful for the extraordinary work of our teams in San Juan, Jacksonville and in other parts of the country," said Tom Crowley, chairman and CEO. "Many of these employees – as well as response professionals at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other government agencies – are military service veterans who learned disaster response logistics in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other tough environments. Many of our employees have friends and family directly affected by the disaster. Their tireless commitment and focus on getting results is truly impressive and deserves our respect and appreciation."

Noting the island will have needs extending beyond response activities, Crowley said, "While emergency response work continues, it is not too soon to begin focusing on how Puerto Rico's needs can be met over the longer term. We look forward to working as a coalition with government and business to help Puerto Rico rebuild and come back stronger than ever."

Much of Crowley's hurricane relief effort is being directed by its logistics division, which has a dedicated team providing drayage, direct deliveries, deconsolidation, inventory control, and final mile deliveries in Puerto Rico, along with a team on the U.S. mainland coordinating trucking, cross docking, and cargo deliveries to the ports for ocean transport.

"With our logistics operation, we are storing goods at our Guaynabo distribution center and releasing products once they are needed, said Ayesha Diaz, general manager of Crowley's logistics operation in San Juan. "We have also been supporting airport operations providing forklift equipment and operators to expedite the handling of air freight."

Crowley's logistics group now has more than 375 trucks being used for distribution activities on the island, and the team is supporting FEMA with regional distribution capabilities in Ceiba, Aguadilla, and the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan.

"I am very pleased and appreciative of the efforts our truck drivers have made to speed relief cargo to those in need," said Frank Larkin, senior vice president and general manager, logistics and commercial services. "We were the only logistics provider that had truck power – albeit limited at the time – available as soon as the U.S. Coast Guard reopened the port in San Juan. The port was reopened at 8 a.m. on Sept. 23, the first Crowley vessel was in discharging cargo at 10 a.m., and many of our truckers were right there to deliver relief cargo to FEMA's distribution center when no other trucking or logistics company was providing transportation services on the island."

As featured in a new video detailing the operations out of Jacksonville​, a steady stream of vessels – almost one per day – is providing the island with a pipeline of food, water, fuel, building materials, machinery, equipment and much more.

"Crowley's vessel calls and loads carried since the onset of the storm is more than double our normal weekly volume," said Crowley's John Hourihan Jr., senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico services. "Most of the additional cargo consists of water, ready-to-eat meals and other relief supplies, as well as utility trucks, fuel trucks, and many other types of rolling equipment on behalf of FEMA."

"We have responded to immediate and projected longer-term needs on the island by adding six vessels to our fleet to ensure there is plenty of cargo carrying capacity between the mainland and Puerto Rico," Hourihan said.

Meanwhile, commercial cargo operations are beginning to come back on line as customers reopen stores and begin to restock shelves.
"When you consider that many people lost everything in the storm, all cargo is relief cargo, whether it comes from FEMA, a retail store or a grocery," said Jose "Pache" Ayala, vice president, Puerto Rico services. "That's why the recovery of our commercial customers is so important."

Congestion on Crowley's Isla Grande Terminal in San Juan continues to be a challenge, though improvement has been realized. The pace of loads being dispatched from the terminal and trucked out to locations on the island has gradually improved to near the normal rate of 400 to 500 loads per day. While this has helped clear some of the backlog, the additional volumes brought into the port have kept the total loads awaiting dispatch at more than twice the normal amount.

Since its foundation in 1996, Industrias MyR has developed a reputation as a reliable, trusted supplier to leading global sports apparel brands including Puma, adidas and Charly. Recognised as a trusted supplier that is able to deliver at high speed to market, MyR was acknowledged by Puma in 2016 for the development and production of the soccer kit for the Mexican Club, Chivas.

In recent years, MyR has diversified its product lines to include a wide range of apparel and accessories for the military and police forces. The company has two facilities in Guanajuato, Mexico: a cutting and embellishment facility with state of the art cutting and sublimation equipment and a sewing facility with 1,800 operators. MyR is currently making a major investment in a fabric mill to offer vertical integration to its customers, and the opportunity to improve efficiency and reduce lead times, as well as investing in doubling the capacity in sublimation, sewing, finishing and warehousing.

Debuting at CISMA, Fully Automated Solution Boosts Apparel Pattern-Continuity with Precision

TOLLAND, CONN., USA, SEPT. 26, 2017 – Consumers are becoming more aware about the quality of their clothing purchases – holding brands and manufacturers to quality standards all while demanding new styles with every new trend. “We have taken our research and learning from our AutoMatch for furniture and applied it to the apparel market,” said Tom Gordan, director, product management, Gerber Technology.

NGC’s PLM improves workflow and standardizes product development at Byer California

MIAMI—Sept. 25, 2017— NGC Software, a leading provider of cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) applications, today announced that Byer California, the creators of on-trend, affordable clothes for young women, has implemented NGC’s PLM. Byer California has improved workflow and standardized product development with NGC’s solution, providing complete visibility and control from concept to delivery.

Former Coville executive Kevin Williams has launched EPIC Brand Management Group to help apparel and related companies better understand where and how to position their brands for greater success.

Winston-Salem, NC – September 18, 2017 – Focused on building brands and growing businesses, EPIC Brand Management Group, LLC leverages a wide range of brand management and digital marketing experience to deliver fresh insights, winning strategies, and results-driven services for apparel and other fashion-related brands and supply chains. 23-year industry veteran Kevin R. Williams founded and leads the new firm as President and CEO.

Unifi, Inc.’s REPREVE® Recycled Fiber Featured on Xploration Earth 2050 TV Show

What: The process of creating REPREVE, a leading recycled fiber made from plastic bottles by textile manufacturer Unifi, Inc., will be featured on national TV show Xploration Earth 2050.

When: Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 at 8:00 a.m.

Where: Xploration Earth 2050 TV show on FOX Channel (WGHP-TV in the Triad)

Details: Xploration Earth 2050 looks at advancements in science, technology, engineering and math to see where that might lead us and what the world might look like in the year 2050.

Paris, September 14, 2017 – The Industry of the Future Alliance (AIF) has awarded Lectra with their ‘Showcase for the Industry of the Future’ label for demonstrating the criteria exemplarity, innovation and commitment. This certification is given to companies who have concretely developed a ground-breaking project to organize their production by leveraging the potential of digital.

The AIF bestowed Lectra with this distinction for its competitiveness concerning cost, quality and delivery times, all obtained thanks to a lean approach and reflection around the design of its products. Further, Lectra received the certification for its competitiveness regarding value, achieved thanks to mastering customer use from which new associated services have flowed.

Sweepstakes offers sports buffs once-in-a-lifetime opportunities with the franchise

DENVER – Sept. 11, 2017 – The Denver Broncos have teamed up with Unifi, Inc. (NYSE:UFI) to become part of the Company’s REPREVE® Ultimate Sports Fan Experience, which kicked off in February with seven professional sports teams in the NBA and NHL. Unifi is the creator of REPREVE, a recycled fiber made from plastic bottles that offers an earth-friendly solution to brands and consumers who want to become more environmentally responsible.

“We are proud to be a part of the REPREVE Ultimate Sports Fan Experience this season and happy to be able to provide our fans with a cool experience inside the Broncos stadium,” said Darren O’Donnell, vice president of business development for the Denver Broncos.

Now expanding to the NFL, the REPREVE Ultimate Sports Fan Experience is a sweepstakes that highlights how fans can be a catalyst for environmental change and features once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. The lucky Denver Broncos winner will receive a set of prizes for him/herself and three guests, including pre-game field passes, tickets to the Bud Light Champions Club, access to the Broncos’ special halftime chalk talk, a visit to the post-game conference, complimentary gourmet food and beverages, VIP parking, a team merchandise pack, and the opportunity to mingle with Broncos cheerleaders and Broncos alumni.

“We are elated that the Denver Broncos can participate for the first year ever in this Ultimate Sports Fan Experience,” added Jessica Geymayr, partnership activation coordinator for the Denver Broncos. “REPREVE has been a great partner and this is an awesome way to reward our fans with a unique VIP experience inside our doors.”

The REPREVE Ultimate Sports Fan Experience is part of Unifi’s national REPREVE mobile tour, in which the Company travels the nation with a custom-designed, interactive trailer to educate the public about the importance of recycling and showcase the high-quality REPREVE-based products that can be made when fans recycle their water bottles. Unifi’s REPREVE fiber is used by many of the world’s most influential brands in the auto, fashion and home industries, including Ford, New Era and Pottery Barn.

“Only 31 percent of plastic bottles are recycled in the United States, which is a statistic Unifi is working diligently to change,” said Jay Hertwig, vice president of global brand/Premium Value-Added (PVA) sales for Unifi. “Through the REPREVE Ultimate Sports Fan Experience and the mobile tour, we aim to rally people’s passion for sports and help expand that passion to taking better care of our environment. Because so many performance sports brands use REPREVE in their products, it’s a great opportunity to connect fans with environmentally responsible practices and top-quality merchandise, as well as show them that they can make a positive impact on our environment just from buying recycled products.”

The sweepstakes entry period will last for approximately one month, starting today, Sept. 11, and closing on Oct. 15. Fans can enter online by visiting repreve.com/broncos.

Class of 2016 Receives First Naismith Orange Jackets During Enshrinement Event

DALLAS, Sept. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Haggar Clothing Co. and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame unveiled today a new signature jacket for inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Made with Naismith Orange wool inspired by the basketball, the jacket replaces the black jacket of years past and reflects a number of enhancements to better represent excellence and achievement in the sport.

Sri Lanka and New York, NY  – A&E, a global leader in premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles, announced this month its strategic alliance with CGS, a provider of business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing services, to improve productivity, quality and employee motivation within manufacturing operations. A&E has long been committed to assisting with the challenges global apparel manufacturers face each day and is proud to be a part of a collaborative effort with CGS that addresses these challenges.

The alliance was announced earlier this month at a special networking event in Colombo, Sri Lanka, attended by; manufacturing industry leaders; Paul Magel, President, Business Applications and Technology Outsourcing division at CGS; A&E CEO, Les Miller; along with many officials and stakeholders of A&E Lanka, a fully owned A&E subsidiary.

Many sewn products manufacturers today are challenged to improve productivity and efficiency in order to reduce throughput time and production costs and at the same time to also improve quality and reduce work in process inventory levels. CGS’s BlueCherry® Shop Floor Control provides powerful tools that automate the collection and reporting of production, enabling real-time shop floor visibility and control, improving factory operations and productivity while reducing costs.

Since its first real-time installation in 1984, hundreds of thousands of BlueCherry Shop Floor Control terminals have been installed, enabling apparel companies to achieve a return on investment (ROI) in just 6-12 months.

“Sri Lanka’s apparel manufacturing facilities are among the most sophisticated in the world,” said Miller. “These world-class operators have the ability to further enhance production efficiency through the use of A&E’s premium sewing thread and CGS’s real-time technology in BlueCherry® Shop Floor Control.”

Magel added, “We are delighted A&E is committed to the marketplace in the advancement of improved manufacturing operations and productivity. CGS is looking forward to building a strong relationship with A&E in the Sri Lanka market.”

MIAMI— Supply & Demand Chain Executive, a leading publication focusing on supply and demand chain transformation, has selected NGC Software, a leading provider of cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions, as a recipient of the SDCE 100 Award for 2017. NGC received the prestigious award for the seventh consecutive year, demonstrating the company’s consistent commitment to supply chain excellence.

The SDCE 100 is an annual list of 100 great supply chain projects. These projects show how supply chain solution and service providers help their customers and clients achieve supply chain excellence and prepare their supply chains for success.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – August 22, 2017 – The North Carolina Zoo has awarded Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) its 2017 Paw of Approval, which highlights the Company’s commitment to environmentally responsible manufacturing. Unifi is the manufacturer of a family of fibers called REPREVE®, which are made from recycled materials, including plastic bottles.

“We are honored to be recognized as good stewards of the environment throughout the Triad and beyond,” said Tom Caudle, president of Unifi. “At Unifi, environmental responsibility is more than just something we do. It is a major part of our culture, and we continually seek out ways to enhance our earth-friendly efforts.”

Inspired by the Polar Bears International organization, polar bear keepers at the North Carolina Zoo launched the Paw of Approval award in 2011 as a way to highlight and reward the Triad’s most earth-friendly businesses. Companies are nominated by zookeepers and then voted on by Zoo guests in order to select the winner.

North Carolina Zoo polar bear keeper, Nicole Pepo, remarked, "as an Arctic Ambassador Center, it's our great pleasure to celebrate local businesses for their leadership and for their commitment to helping us tackle climate change at a community level."

Since the introduction of REPREVE, Unifi has transformed more than five billion recycled plastic bottles into fiber for REPREVE-based products. Production of REPREVE conserves resources by offsetting the need to use newly refined crude oil, which is required in the production of virgin synthetic fibers. REPREVE production also uses less energy and water, and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions, compared to making virgin fibers. In addition to producing REPREVE fibers, Unifi also bolsters its commitment to sustainability through several other initiatives.

• Last year, Unifi opened its REPREVE Bottle Processing Center in Reidsville, North Carolina, where Unifi cleans and chops recycled plastic bottles into small pieces called flake, which can then be transformed into REPREVE fiber or chip for other products that can be made from recycled plastic, such as food-grade packaging, high-performance clothing, shoes and more.
• Unifi drives change through a multi-stop, national mobile tour that travels the country educating individuals on the importance of recycling and what can be made from plastic bottles.
• Unifi installed a one MegaWatt solar farm in Yadkinville, North Carolina, which allows Unifi to harness natural power to generate energy.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – August 14, 2017 – FINCH Designs, a swimwear brand using REPREVE® recycled fiber in its products, is a new recipient of the Project JUST Seal of Approval. FINCH Designs is the first-ever China-based brand to receive the distinction, which is based upon the company’s commitment to transparency and building a sustainable supply chain. FINCH Designs is one of only three brands to win the Seal of Approval in the swimwear category, out of more than 115 nominations.

A significant player in FINCH Designs’ supply chain is Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., a company that transforms recycled plastic bottles into a fiber called REPREVE. REPREVE is traceable and certified through Unifi’s proprietary U TRUST™ verification program. U TRUST is a comprehensive certification program that is designed to provide REPREVE customers with an increased level of transparency. As part of the U TRUST program, Unifi incorporates FIBERPRINT™ technology, a unique tool that allows a third party to analyze fabrics for the FIBERPRINT signature, which Unifi then uses to certify the level of REPREVE content.

Project JUST’s Seal of Approval is based upon extensive research into the brand’s environmental and social practices. In addition, Project JUST considers availability, accessibility (size and price), quality and aesthetic.

“FINCH identifies with the slow-fashion movement and repeats 85 percent of its prints and styles year after year to encourage timeless, responsible purchasing. We design all of our signature prints in-house, and work only with manufacturing partners that share our core values of social and environmentally responsible production,” said Itee Soni, FINCH co-founder.

Since launching swimwear made from REPREVE fiber in 2013, FINCH has rapidly established partnerships with some of the most luxurious names in travel, including Six Senses, W Hotels, Mandarin Oriental, Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt and Naked eco-resorts.

“When we began, we were looking for a supplier that understood our mandate of providing a transparent supply chain to our customers,” added Heather Kaye, FINCH co-founder. “We found that commitment in our collaboration with Unifi; and through the use of REPREVE, they were able to help us create a high-quality product for the good of our consumers and the environment.”

Having launched men’s and boys’ REPREVE recycled swim trunks in addition to the women’s and girls’ categories, FINCH is essentially a one-stop shop for eco-swimwear. In addition to being environmentally responsible and stylish, FINCH swimwear is also high-performing, as each item offers protection from the sun with a UPF rating of at least 50.

“We’re proud to support FINCH as they receive this well-deserved distinction from Project JUST,” said Jay Hertwig, vice president of global brand/Premium Value-Added (PVA) sales for Unifi. “FINCH creates swimwear for the whole family that is fashionable, functional and earth-friendly.”

Digital Solutions to be showcased at 2017 CISMA Tradeshow

TOLLAND, CONN., USA, AUG. 15, 2017 – Industry 4.0, smart factories, digitization, sustainability and corporate social responsibility – these terms are in the headlines of industry publications every day. Digitization is a reality, and that’s good news for the fashion industry. Cutting-edge digital design tools that integrate seamlessly with smart machines will help garment manufacturers cut costs by millions of dollars, increase throughput, reduce waste and – most importantly – stay competitive.

That’s the message Gerber Technology plans to deliver at the 2017 CISMA tradeshow in Shanghai, China September 26-29. With the high concentration of apparel manufacturers and brands attending from the Asia Pacific region, Gerber will demonstrate how they are different from others and uniquely positioned to help the industry transform. Showing how their Digital Solutions, a full suite of industry leading end-to-end integrated products, are helping companies collaborate and go from initial design to production and shipment with greater speed, quality and visibility throughout the process.

They will also launch their new GERBERcutter® Z1 with AutoMatch™ – a stripe, plaid, and
5-star automated matching solution. This new automation solution will help apparel manufacturers automate manual processes to improve quality, increase productivity, shorten cycle times, reduce labor costs and accelerate time to market.

While the fashion industry is known for setting trends, challenging cultural norms and pushing boundaries – it has also been relatively slow to adapt to the changes brought about by social media, a savvier consumer base and the advent of “fast fashion”. But there is a growing body of evidence that this adoption curve is about to shift. Today, everyone in the industry – from major players to small startup labels – are talking about the industry’s digital transformation and how it can revolutionize the way garments are designed, created and purchased. “We look forward to meeting with leaders from all around the world, to support them as they seek to understand how technology can help them solve the key business challenges they are facing as our industry evolves,” said Johnny Wang, Vice President & General Manager of Asia Pacific for Gerber Technology.

The fashion and apparel industry spends billions of dollars each year on physical samples. At CISMA, Gerber will highlight how their AccuMark® 3D can be used to validate patterns and simulate virtual garment samples so realistic that there’s no need for designers to spend the time and money cutting and sewing “real” ones.

Mohit Uberoi, CEO of Gerber Technology, said, “The time has come for our industry to embrace digitization, to leverage connected technology by eliminating manual processes, and to improve quality, efficiency and cost structures, all in a socially responsible way.”

Gerber has focused on a theme of “Embrace Your Digital Reality”. According to Uberoi, “The ‘Your’ in ‘Embrace Your Digital Reality’ is critical. Everyone is in a different place in their journey toward digitization. We know Gerber has the knowledge, customer focus and set of integrated industry leading products to help all companies progress on their journey and achieve optimum results along the way.”

CISMA attendees can learn more by visiting Gerber Technology in Hall E2, Booth #A22.

Like most of you, I travel a lot. Seldom do I fly into someone else’s vision, one that moved mountains beyond mountains, as in Fernando Capellan thinking he might be able to build a unique industrial park in Haiti, now called CODEVI. I just got back from his park. Here’s the story.

Since early 2001, I have traveled this hemisphere, top to bottom, recruiting apparel, textile and trim producers, as well as industry services, into the AAPN. On one of those trips in 2008, I visited Grupo M in Santiago, DR and, from there, was given a tour of their industrial park, CODEVI, in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, on the DR border. Nine years later, I returned to the park on Monday August 7.

Greensboro, N.C. – August 4, 2017 – Global leader of innovative and sustainable textile fiber solutions Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) today announced the appointments of Richard E. Gerstein as executive vice president, global branded Premium Value Added (PVA) products and chief marketing officer, and John Vegas as executive vice president, global chief human resources officer, effective August 14th and 21st, respectively.

Commenting on the appointments, Unifi's Chief Executive Officer Kevin Hall said: “Together Richard and John bring over 50 years of strategic experience to the team. We look forward to the insight they’ll provide as we continue to expand globally.”

Gerstein brings to Unifi thirty years of P&L and marketing expertise, and an ability to attract and build strong teams. He has served in executive roles for global companies including Procter & Gamble, Alberto Culver, Hewlett Packard, and Sears Holdings. Gerstein also sits on the advisory board of Motista, and served on the board of Lands’ End.

"Richard brings leadership experience in the US and internationally as both a manufacturer and retailer,” said Hall. “He has a diverse skill base across strategic planning, marketing, digital, and partnership development, as well as valuable expertise driving growth in consumer products, technology, e-commerce, and retail.”

Vegas has over twenty years of global business experience, with his career encompassing multifunctional roles in human resources, general management, sales and retail operations for three Fortune 1000 companies. He is a skilled strategist who proactively builds and organizes teams to solve problems and accelerate business growth. Vegas serves on the Board of Trustees for The Nature Conservancy of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

"John has a strong track record of value creation through innovation, P&L management, and organizational development, as well as a diverse skill set across HR, sustainability and retail management,” said Hall. “We are excited by his ability to recruit and retain top talent, while also building scalable talent platforms in complex labor markets.”

Adding to Hall’s comments, Unifi Chairman James Mead stated: "Richard and John are excellent additions to our executive leadership team. Their experience will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategic growth plan."

Concurrent with these additions, Unifi announces the promotion of Mark McNeill to executive vice president, global innovation. Commenting on McNeill’s promotion, Hall said: “This promotion reflects Mark’s outstanding contributions and leadership in technology and innovation efforts at Unifi for the past 20 years. Mark will also continue to lead the expansion efforts of our Asia business unit as he has done so successfully over the past two years.”

The Unifi sales organization will continue to be led by Jay Hertwig on the global PVA business, and Allen Smith on the regional polyester, nylon, and dye operations.

The Company is proceeding with its search for a CFO to round out the executive leadership team and expects to announce that appointment shortly.

New Features Support Adobe CC17 on MAC and PC

TOLLAND, CONN., USA, AUGUST 2, 2017 – An increase in personalization has become an expectation with today’s technological advancements and the new YuniquePLM 7.1 upgrade delivers this to its customers. “Bringing the power of the configurability to the user of a YuniquePLM workspace is at the heart of this release,” said Clayton Parker, PLM product manager, Gerber Technology.

With the new release of YuniquePLM 7.1, Gerber used customer feedback to develop the upgrades. These included:
Artboard support within YunquiePLM Design Suite Plugin for Adobe Illustrator® CC17 on both Mac and PC, allowing customers to work with 1 multi-paged Adobe Illustrator doc and assign pages to different sections within a product in YuniquePLM.
Improvements to Configurability that was released with v7.0 and the ability to group pages when editing, allowing you to edit pages en masse.
Addition of 6 new PANTONE® libraries.

Gerber Technology has enhanced the performance of YuniquePLM – enabling the continuous delivery of new features requested by our customers. This means new features can be delivered to the core product in a shorter development timeframe so customers don’t have to wait for major software releases to reap the benefit of new functionality. “Using our user-voice feedback system, customers can request, discuss, and vote on new features to be added to the core product that will help them in the future,” continued Parker.

The YuniquePLM product lifecycle management software serves as a central repository of critical data and eliminates problems companies often face when using multiple Excel spreadsheets or tracking documents to communicate throughout the stages of product development and management. YuniquePLM creates a single version of the truth, connecting a company’s creative process with their supply chain and production processes.

NGC’s Andromeda Cloud SaaS solutions enable retailers and brand owners to protect their brand reputation

MIAMI—July 19, 2017—NGC Software, a leading provider of cloud-based Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) solutions, today announced the latest release and general availability of its next-generation Andromeda® Quality Control solution for fashion retailers and brand owners. This Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution helps companies identify product quality problems on the factory floor where issues can quickly and easily be resolved, reducing chargebacks and returned inventory.