Shima Seiki partners Voltas to expand Indian market footprint

WHOLEGARMENT Machines and Total Fashion Systems revolution in garment production and distribution

Voltas Ltd., a Tata Enterprise, India’s leading room air-conditioning and engineering brand, and Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd., a leading Japanese textile machines manufacturer, have entered into a distribution agreement for sales and marketing of Shima’s products in India. This co-operation is expected to strengthen both Voltas and Shima’s reach across the rapidly expanding Indian textile industry.

Mr. Mitsuhiro Shima, President, Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd.

The knitwear industry in India is expanding at a rapid speed. There is an ever-increasing demand for knitted apparels. Not only major brands, but numerous designers have also incorporated knits into their clothing lines. The application of knitted products is also increasing and going beyond garments to home textiles, upholsteries, shoe uppers, etc.

The co-operation will focus on leveraging Shima’s ability to provide leading-edge products and the long-standing expertise in ‘computerized flat knitting machines’, ‘WHOLEGARMENT Machines and Total Fashion Systems’, while building on Voltas’ established sales and marketing network across the country.

Commenting on the association, Mr. Mitsuhiro Shima, President of Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd., said: “We are happy to be associated with Voltas. This association adds the required market reach to our established portfolio of products and thus expands the company’s position as a market and technology leader. We are confident that this association for sales and marketing would bring a win-win situation for the two companies and our customers too.”

He added: “Shima Seiki’s innovative concept enables the knitting machine in producing a WHOLEGARMENT knitwear in one entire piece, three-dimensionally. Consequently, it is a cost and time effective process. This fast-catching trend across the world and the impact of the global technology will help increase efficiencies in textile manufacturing in India.”

Mr. C. Kamatchisundaram, Vice President – Textile Machinery Division, Voltas Ltd., added: “This association would help us to offer truly world class solutions in flat knitting, WHOLEGARMENT making process and Total Fashion Systems to the textile industry. Voltas’ sales and marketing strengths combined with leading-edge products from Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd. would make this a preferred choice for customers from the Indian textile industry.”

Mr. C. Kamatchisundaram, Vice President – Textile Machinery Division, Voltas Ltd.

Building on this association, Voltas will continue to deepen and expand its regional business contacts leveraging on its relationship with customers across the entire textile value chain thus helping open new customer segments in flat knitting and WHOLEGARMENT making process aligned to Shima’s product range. Based on its long-standing and excellent customer relations, Voltas’s network would be the key contacts for Indian customers for sales and marketing.

WHOLEGARMENT range of machines:

  • MACH2X is a WHOLEGARMENT specialty machine that features four needle beds and Shima Seiki’s original SlideNeedle. It can knit beautifully shaped, high-quality WHOLEGARMENT products which conform to the body for improved comfort and a more elegant silhouette
  • MACH2XS: the world’s first computerized WHOLEGARMENT knitting machine has evolved further by featuring the world’s first application of Shima Seiki’s patented spring type sinkers, on a four needle bed machine. This machine permits high quality knitting of complex fabrics and unprecedented capability in WHOLEGARMENT knitting
  • SWG -N2 series knitting machines are capable of producing a range of fashion accessories from gloves, socks, hats, mufflers, neck-ties and other small items, as well as children wear and even leggings and tank tops, all in their entirety, with no sewing or linking required. Machines are also capable of producing technical textiles, such as industrial material, sports, medicine and safety, expanding your business potential far beyond present limits
  • MAC2S: This machine is capable of all-needle knitting in its available range of 8 to 16 gauge, while WHOLEGARMENT knitwear can be produced in half-gauge fabrics. Machine is even capable of gaugeless knitting whereby a number of different gauges can be knit into a single garment