Apparel and consumer products innovator ORIGIN USA is implementing IPE's latest real-time production management solution in its North Carolina facility. The fast-growing producer of durable performance apparel, footwear, accessories and more is replacing legacy shop floor control and payroll systems to gain the real-time visibility, control, and agility promised by the IP-Realtime solution.
IPE and TexTempo, experts in production management, incentive payroll, and quality control solutions for fashion, furniture, and industrial sewn products manufacturers, announce that ORIGIN USA is upgrading its legacy production systems to IPE's latest IP-Realtime™ Shop Floor Control (SFC) solution at its Asheboro, North Carolina manufacturing operation. The producer of durable fitness apparel, jeans, boots, uniforms and accessories expects the new system to provide executives, production leaders and teams with the real-time visibility and control they need to make better-informed decisions and optimize productivity.
Origin NC COO Jason Gaddy explains, "The pandemic exposed the many issues of reliance on global supply chains. We have acquired two North Carolina-based manufacturing businesses in the past year to rebuild a reliable, highly productive USA supply chain for the sewn products Americans want and need. We are now reshoring orders and jobs that moved offshore over the years. But instead of doing things the old way, we are creating a culture of inclusion and belonging and equipping our people with the tools they need to be their best. At Origin USA, our people come first."
Origin's North Carolina operation currently employs some three hundred (300) team members and plans to grow to five hundred (500) over the next twenty-four (24) months. The company has combined facilities from its 2021/22 acquisitions of the Wells Apparel and Fox Apparel (Texas Jeans) companies into a single manufacturing facility. Legacy batch (processed daily) production systems used in these facilities are now being phased out in favor of the always-on IP-Realtime solution.
Gaddy continues, "The original batch systems were used primarily to manage the incentive-based payroll tasks of the sewing operations. While IP-Realtime also handles payroll, it promises to provide tremendous value beyond payroll. We plan to use it in all areas of our operation, starting with the fabric cutting room all the way through to finishing and packing.”
The IP-Realtime solution combines the use of standard, off-the-shelf tablet computers positioned at each workstation or team to collect information on and timestamp every production activity. IPE's custom Android app displays productivity, work pacing and training tools, and product and construction details for production workers and teams. Production leaders rely on always up-to-date information on production flow, downtime, quality, and other key performance indicators to react and pivot as needed to ensure proper line balance and uninterrupted order deliveries. Executives and remote stakeholders use convenient dashboards on mobile devices to monitor factory operations.
"We are pleased with the opportunity to play a role in Origin USA's success and support their commitment to bringing work back to the U.S.A.," said IPE Managing Partner Brad Mikes. "We applaud them for recognizing the importance of equipping their workforce with the real-time information and tools they need to achieve world-class manufacturing performance. As an innovator in our industry, Origin USA continuously exhibits a forward-thinking approach that sets an example that other companies can follow."
About ORIGIN USA
Headquartered in Farmington, Maine, ORIGIN USA was created in 2009 as a Jiu Jitsu lifestyle brand by Pete Roberts. Today, Roberts and business partners Jocko Willink and Andre "Dedeco" Almeida are focused on expanding their diverse consumer brands and reshoring manufacturing jobs to Origin production facilities in Maine and North Carolina. The company produces a wide range of consumer and industrial products, including durable apparel, boots, hunting gear, firefighter clothing, U.S. military uniforms, and the JOCKO line of energy drinks, protein and supplements. For more information, visit the website.
About IPE
Founded in 2010, IPE develops and markets manufacturing-focused solutions for sewn products and other discrete manufacturing industries. The IPE leadership team brings over one hundred years of combined experience with production solutions to support and simplify their systems' deployment, use, and maintenance. This expertise is readily apparent in the flexible, data-rich, and affordable solutions that provide IPE clients with the speed, accuracy, and visibility they need to succeed in today's demanding manufacturing environment. IPE has its headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina, and maintains a satellite office in New York. For more information, visit the website.
About TexTempo
TexTempo, the Factory Floor Fanatics®, helps sewn products manufacturers connect labor and machines to optimize factory floor processes through technology, consulting, and support services. The company combines decades of industry expertise with the latest real-time shop floor control and incentive payroll technologies to provide immediate visibility to key performance indicators. Utilizing real-time data, manufacturers can avoid mistakes and seize opportunities, leading to reduced costs, improved productivity, and quality while shortening delivery times. For more information, visit the website.