European Apparel and Textile Organisation
24 rue Montoyer – B – 1000  Brussels
phone: + 32.2.285.48.81 – Fax : +32.2.230.60.54
e:mail : william.lakin@euratex.org
Web-site : www.euratex.org

European Textile and Clothing Industry to launch a large-scale research and development programme to achieve a technology breakthrough in garment manufacture - LEAPFROG project.

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European Textile and Clothing Industry to launch a large-scale research and development programme to achieve a technology breakthrough in garment manufacture – LEAPFROG project
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European Commission selects an Integrated Project proposal from a Euratex-led consortium for co-funding under its 6th Framework Programme for Research and Development

Brussels, 12 October 2004
Euratex, the European Apparel and Textile Organisation, is pleased to announce that the European Commission under its 6th Framework Programme for Research and Development has accepted a proposal for an Integrated Project aiming at a technology breakthrough in clothing manufacture. The project entitled “Leadership for European Apparel Production From Research along Original Guidelines”, in short LEAPFROG, brings together 35 partners from industry and academia from 11 European countries and will be coordinated by Euratex. The project will have a duration of 4 years and a total budget of some 23 million Euro of which up to 14 million Euro will be funded by the European Commission, the rest coming from own contributions of the involved partners.
The LEAPFROG project goals include
- A step-change in productivity, quality and cost efficiency in the garment manufacturing process through radical reengineering and intelligent automation of garment making processes, improvement of raw material (fabric) preparation and an integration and organisation of all individual processes and technologies into a highly efficient and flexible manufacturing shop floor
- A radical move towards rapid customised manufacturing through flexibilisation and integration of processes from fabric processing and product design and development through to customer delivery by a flexible organisation of garment production in extended supply networks and the application of methods and systems for efficient product development and fast production ramp-up and roll-out in geographically spread manufacturing networks
- A paradigm change in customer service and customer relationship management with a focus on value-adding product-services through further development of industrial mass customisation and made-to-order of clothing and their effective integration with the point of sale and development of systems for direct input of user requirements and consumer preferences into product design and development.
Following intensive research and development work concentrated in the first 24 months of the project, large-scale industrial demonstration and testing as well as industry training courses are scheduled for the second half of the project. Interested European textile and clothing companies can join the project interest group AADLT in order to obtain regular project information and invitations to participate in demonstrations, training and public presentations.
The project consortium has now entered into contract negotiations with the European Commission and subject to their timely completion by year end 2004, project work could start in the first quarter of 2005.
"The selection by the European Commission of LEAPFROG as an integrated project under the 6th Framework Programme is a strong signal from the authorities of their commitment to the future of the European textiles and clothing industry and in the ability of EU manufacturers and researchers to deliver a breakthrough in clothing technology. Its success will complement the existing strengths of the industry in quality and innovation terms, and work to the advantage of the whole textile and clothing manufacturing pipeline" said William H. Lakin, Director General of Euratex.
More project-related information will be shortly available at www.leapfrog-eu.org.
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About Euratex
Euratex, the European Apparel and Textile Organisation, based in Brussels, Belgium is the representative body of the European Textile and Clothing Industry. For more information about Euratex’s mission, members and activities, please visit www.euratex.org .

Contact: Lutz Walter
Tel : +32-2-285.48.85
Fax: +32-2-230.60.54
E-mail: lutz.walter@euratex.org