Magazine March 2017

The textile world at a glance: From staple fiber needle punch line to service

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MAS Holdings – a customer portrait

In previous newsletters we reported about the possibilities offered by our Groz-Beckert Academy and the capacities of our Technology and Development Center. One customer who uses this offer is MAS Holdings in Sri Lanka. For you, we took a closer look at this interesting company.

Overview

MAS is a $1.6 bn conglomerate and is positioned as one of the world’s most recognized design-to-delivery solution providers in the realm of apparel and textile manufacturing. The organization is headquartered in Sri Lanka with 48 manufacturing facilities placed across 15 countries, design locations in key style centers across the globe and with over 83,000 people involved in its operation. MAS has a very diversified portfolio under its umbrella. In addition to apparel and textiles, they have businesses in SAP-related IT solutions, its own retail brands and Industrial Parks; MAS is a conglomerate that strives to create a self-sustained eco system in the global business arena.

In 1987 Mahesh, Ajay and Sharad Amalean introduced lingerie manufacturing to South Asia. What seemed as venturing down a rather unconventional path has resulted in a success story. From 1994 to date, each year MAS secured awards including in areas such as quality, innovation, human resource and sustainability.

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Apparel Manufacturing

Intimate wear – MAS's initial venture into the apparel manufacturing industry began with the bold product choice of lingerie. Today its extensive product portfolio includes bras, shape wear, men’s essentials, performance wear, sleepwear, etc. Their customers are world-famous brands like Victoria's Secret, Marks & Spencer, Calvin Klein and others.

Swimwear – Linea Aqua commenced operations in 2001, when the MAS Group joined hands with swimwear giant Speedo International (UK) and Brandot International (USA). Linea Aqua's product capabilities range from high-performance competition swimwear to designer wear, leisure and children's swimwear.

Active wear – MAS Active is their specialist in stylish, 'second-skin' active wear. Paramount to MAS Active's evolution is the on-going exchange of knowledge with partners and customers. One such partnership led to the creation of recycled fabric from solid waste, further strengthening the organization's commitment to sustainable apparel manufacturing.

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Fabrics

With its manufacturing and sales operations spanning over 10 countries, the Fabric Cluster of MAS not only feeds its internal operations but also works closely with global clientele to deliver a holistic supply chain solution from design to manufacture for a wide range of apparel.

The Fabrics Cluster embodies a spectrum of manufacturing facilities ranging from fabric and fabric printing to an array of trims: Noyon Lanka is its knitted lace manufacturer; Trischel is its vertically integrated circular and warp knit fabric facility; The Stretchline Group designs and produces narrow performance fabrics including elastics for a wide range of apparel; Textprint Lanka is a fully integrated fabric printing operation with the ability to print on both cotton and synthetic fabrics; Prym Intimates designs and manufactures a wide range of accessories and embellishments for intimate apparel.

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Sustainability

Over the past eight years MAS Holdings has implemented measures to embed environmental sustainability at the core of its business, by implementing standards across all its facilities. MAS also has the world's first eco-manufacturing plant for apparel – MAS Intimates Thurulie.
MAS also has the largest rooftop solar solution in Sri Lanka – a 1-megawatt installation atop MAS Fabrics Matrix. The rooftop solar plant is roughly the size of 1.3 football fields.
The commitment to sustainability at MAS has over the years become integrated into the way they do business. The group's strategy sits on two key pillars of "Products Made Better" that focuses on environmental impacts and "Lives Made Better" which focuses on adding value to all stakeholders, especially employees, families and communities.
MAS is currently in process of integrating sustainability performance to its value chain. As founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) MAS Holdings pursues the vision of an apparel, footwear, and home textiles industry that produces no unnecessary environmental harm and has a positive impact on the people and communities associated with its activities.
The MAS Eco Go Beyond is a Sustainable Development Education Program launched in 2006, that has to date taught sustainability to over 45,000 children between the ages of 14 to 18 years. It is the only private-public partnership in the country with the Ministry of Education.

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MAS Fabric Park SL

The MAS Fabric Park is Sri Lanka's first privately owned apparel intensive free trade zone. Its operation focuses primarily on the development and value addition of fabrics. Located in one of the country's free trade zones, the Park spans 165 acres (41.25 ha). The MAS Fabric Park plays a strategic role in the vertical integration of the MAS supply chain. In tandem, the Park also offers shared services to the company's investors and other apparel-related suppliers.

This industrial park has been designed to be self-sufficient and eco-friendly in its operations even when it comes to synthetic fabrics. With its water treatment capacity of 9000 m³, its centralized steam supply (biomass), internal power distribution and an industrial building space of over 700,000 square feet (over 65,000 m²), MAS Fabric Park provides convenience and efficiency of operation from design to delivery.

For more information about MAS Holding, please visit their website www.masholdings.com.

If you are interested in our Groz-Beckert Academy or Technology and Development Center (TEZ), please visit our website www.groz-beckert.com. If you have questions, we would be pleased to help.

  • Did you know this?

    The latch of a needle can open and close about 120 times per second. That comes to 10,368,000 movements per day. The latch movement of a Groz-Beckert knitting machine needle is thus four times as fast as the wing beat of a dragonfly!