TEX-SPIN Final Results R&D Task Force Meeting 8th of July 2003, Brussels

TEX-SPIN Final Results R&D Task Force Meeting 8th of July 2003, Brussels Presenter: Deborah Santus, Project Manager, Euratex

TEX SPIN PROJECT PARTNERS EURATEX - European Apparel & Textile Organisation, Belgium www.euratex.org ENEA – Ente per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e l’Ambiente, Italy www.enea.it IFTH – Institut Français Textile –Habillement, France www.ifth.org ATC- Athens Technology Center, Greece www.atc.gr NYC – Net Yard Company, France www.nyc.fr

The scope of the TEX-SPIN project addresses message exchange needs along the two primary segments identified in the TCD chain, namely the upsteam and downstream segments: Tex-Spin- Textile Supply Chain Integrated Network The project deals with one of the most relevant problem of the T/C (Textile/Clothing) industry in Europe, that is the enhancement of the flexibility and responsivity of its supply chain to gain competitiveness towards extra-europeancompetitors. Specifically the aim of the project is to improve the intercompany process flow of the T/C supply chain by exchanging XML documents in a framework that integrates legacy systems and Internet human operators, where large and small companies are viewed as distributed resources of the process. From a technological point of view the project was confronted with the gap between the EDI (Electronic Document Interchange) technologies (that are used only by few big companies, in the T/C sector, because too expensive, too complex and with a too rigid technology structure) and the new Internet paradigm that is mainly based on XML (that is lacking of consolidated tools specifically dedicated to the T/C sector and has a very low entry level, with the consequence to enable each company or technology supplier to create its own, proprietary, information exchange protocol). The XML technologies are well established (with the W3C official standard) and begin to be diffused, but well established sets of documents, dedicated to vertical application, are available only in some industry sectors (like computer industries with Rosetta.net) other than the T/C sector • Then • Reduction of costs and errors per transaction • Better services to the customers • More information available for planning Data exchanged in electronic format are error free, without manual handling, ready for automatic processing

Some advantages from Co-operation along the supply chain • For apparel manufacturers: • To know real sales and to propose a more pertinent offer (visibility of consumers' demand) • To practise a marketing which is more targeted to retailers • To make the commercial approach more coherent for each mode of distribution (department store, independent retailer…) • To optimise the information exchange with the upstream • Integrated monitoring of the activities of the subcontractors • Collection booking notes to improve their planning (to know early when an article is dropped out in the collections of the customers) and early information on foreseen volumes • Technical information (map of defects, for example, ready for their nexting systems) • For retailers: • To satisfy better the clients' requirements (consumer needs) • To cut residual stocks and to improve the inventory turns, • To reduce the administrative running of the shop • To receive all the information which enables them to increase their sales (availability, replenishment, image, sale tendency, product information…) • To improve the sale forecasting For both Retailers and Manufacturers • A view of the Order Status (to foresee the real date of dispatching and improve planning) • Sell-out data flow back along the supply chain

The TEX-SPIN project main objective was to provide the complete framework for the integration of the EU Textile-Clothing-Distribution (TCD) chain through: Technical Objectives Results: 1. To upgradesector’s specific EDI work (EDITEX) in order to conform with the EANCOM framework. • Four (4) EDITEX messages updated to conform with the EANCOM framework (D96.A) • Product Catalogue, • Production control, • Order (for downstream), • Dispatch advice (for downstream) • Product codification • A common TCD industry specific vocabulary for open communication system, comprising of a thesaurus and the respective code-lists covering : • size scales, • technical processes (for production control) and • clothing products: type of model, elements (colors, pockets,…) • User profiles • Provide the retail TC companies with user role model (customer and supplier interface requirements) to built XML/EDI implementation plans adapted to their needs (clothing contractor, knitter and dyer) 2. To develop an efficient XML/EDI framework for the effective electronic communication and information flow between companies in the textile and clothing industry. • A WEB/EDI pilot application (based on eTeXML, XML and Web services) focused on the downstream ring of the supply chain: • Guidelines on how to set-up a Web/ EDI application (based on the experience of the eTeXML project) • An Open Demonstrator, which will simulate the running processes of Web EDI, based on real cases of commercial document exchanges. • Downloading of e-forms in XML/EDI formats for experimentation • A second XML/EDI open demonstrator, (based on the Moda-ML approach), for peer-to-peer data exchange offering: • Virtual Interoperability Partner (a Web Service simulating an industrial partner in a Moda-ML based document exchange) 3) To develop an Inventory of standards (web linked database) adressing specifically the needs ot the TCD sector A web linked database which includes sector- specific standards, methodological and technological developments of interest (ebXML) (under completion) 4) The establishment of a CWAs (CEN Workshop Agreements) on Voluntary Standard through the CEN/ISS Workshop and to link to other CEN/ISSS Workshops TEX-SPIN Workshop CEN Workshop Agreement -“Guidelines for XML/ EDITEX messages”

Rationale for adopting XML standards • Traditional EDI has been expensive and complex to implement The complexity and fragmentation of the TCD supply chain has lead to realize that the best way for widely adopted (i.e. potentially standard) approach is for the project to exploit experiences focused on different rings of the supply chain, as a basis to build a common framework for the sector. …the migration to XML/EDI will help to solve the major EDI implementation problem encountered in the TCD chain, namely the integration to existing systems and the access to common databases…. • The web has evolved to a flexible and durable network already used by many businesses • Many major ERP vendors are building web-based and often XML-based applications into their systems • XML/EDI will permit integration of EDI into common components (such as web browsers) • Common sectorial as well as inter-sectorial repositories can be developed in a more generic form, embracing the encoding of data both for internal management and for exchange processes

Project methodology • Built on experience and results from previous projects employing XML and EDI services in e-commerce communication in TCD • eTeXML (downstream) • MODA-ML (upstream) • Analyse, harmonize and converge to a common approach, based on • standard codification dedicated to the TCD chain • common approach to XML description of data and documents (that however are different in the two rings of the chain)

Result 1: Four (4) EDITEX messages updated to conform with the EANCOM framework (D96.A) • Product Catalogue, • Production control, • Order (for downstream), • Dispatch advice (for downstream)

Result 2: Web-EDI Pilot Application (DOWNSTREAM)

Result 2: XML/EDI Pilot Open Demonstrator(UPSTREAM)

Result 3: The Inventory of Standards

Result 4:CWA- Guidelines for XML/Editex Messages: What is it? …. A pre-normative guideline for the adoption ot XML/Editex Technologies by a specific industry group (TCD) with common interests in order to : • Inform them on the current state-of- the art and on the existing methods for facilitating their interactions within the industry • Allow readers from outside the group to adopt methods that could allow them to interact with the specific industry group What are its contents? • 19 XML Messages completed with Scenarios, User Guides, XML Schema from the retailer organization to the fabric manufacturer. • It presents the rationale behind the effort to organize the flow of information between market players in the TCD chain • It describes the interested Target Groups in the TCD chain • It describes the European and International efforts towards the standardization process (via initiatives such as EDI/EDITEX, EANCOM, MODA-ML, eTeXML and others) • It describes the rationale behind the adoption of XML as technical framework for the networking communication along the TCD chain • It introduces alternative business and workflow models that are used for defininf the EDI/XML framework • It presents respective approaches and it proposes a comprehensive roadmap for implementation • It points out further issues concerning the interaction of the approach proposed with parallel development of of complementary or broader frameworks.

Roadmap/future actions: • 26th June - final draft CWA available for balloting in the workshop web pages • 30th June - distribution of the final balloting process to Ws members • 15th July - end TEX SPIN/ISS project (pilot project run in parallel to WS TEX SPIN) • 31st July - deadline to send comments and votes on the draft CWA (approval process) • 1st –31st July - preparation of the final version CWA for presentation to CEN • 1st August - submission of final CWA to CEN for publication (subject to type/content ofcomments received – if comments are substantial, a second round ofcomments/vote on the revised final draft CWA will be needed and date forsubmission to CEN will be postponed) • 15th Sept. - Closure of Workshop TEX SPIN (formal notice will be issued by Secretariat)

The Tex-spin Workshop

The Tex-spin Workshop Registration page

Further needs....Tex-spin2? • Extend coverage of the supply chain, both upstream and downstream • XML/EDI support for yarn and fabric subcontracting (finishing, printing, dyeing) • XML/EDI support for customized , made-to-order garments • Upgrade the sector specific dictionary consistent with ebXML evolving specifications • Formal business process representation (ebXML compliant) • Study cross-sectorial aspects • Joint standardization with furniture, footwear, technical applications • Reference standards for logistics and distribution, payments etc • Create awareness • Target industry firms, technological suppliers and local industry associations • Prepare and submit standard model to UN/CEFACT) • Monitor the adoption of the standard by industry • Number of companies involved • Support by international trading associations etc • Implement enhanced online services • Help desk • Newsletter support • Definition of a Certification Method • For technology providers to use the standard in their solutions/services • Establish Pilot Implementations to derive Best ¨Practices • Cross-country (Italy, France, Germany, East Europe), • Along the entire supply chain (from yarn to shop)

Workshop Chairman Mr. Piero De Sabbata piero.desabbata@bologna.enea.it Workshop Secretariat Mr. Massimo Actis Dato dato@uninfo.polito.it Mrs. Carla Sirocchi sirocchi@uninfo.polito.it Workshop Manager Mrs. Barbara Gatti barbara.gatti@cenorm.be TEX SPIN WORKSHOP CONTACTS

TEX SPIN PROJECT CONTACTS Coordinator and Dissemination Manager Contacts The European Apparel & Textile Organisation Rue Montoyer, 24- Box 10 - B-1000 Bruxelles Fax :+32 2 230 60 54 www.euratex.org Deborah Santus deborah.santus@euratex.org Tel:+32 2 285 48 90 Technical Coordinator and Project Manager: Athens Technology Center Dimitris Baltas D.Baltas@atc.gr

TEX-SPIN USEFUL URLs: Tex-spin Project web-site: http://www.atcrom.ro/tex-spin/ Tex-spin Project Workshop/CWA http://www.uninfo.polito.it/ws_tex-spin/ Tex-spin XML/EDITEX Pilot http://www.nyc.fr/texspin/ Tex-spin VIP Demonstrator http://192.107.62.224/texspin/default.asp?lingua=en

Thank you!

TEX-SPIN Final Results R&D Task Force Meeting 8th of July 2003, Brussels