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dry materials and lightweight design, while the TevaSphere
Trail eVent features the eVent breathable waterproof
membrane and a toe bumper for added protection.
CENTRIC LAUNCHES NEW PLM VERSION
FOR FOOTWEAR
Centric Software has introduced a new version of its
product lifecycle management (PLM) system for the
footwear industry.
Centric 8, Version 4.6 is designed to allow for material
compatibility and specific product relationships, such as
recognition that a particular curved high-heel sole
requires a heel of a certain height.
The new version sets the material sizes correlated with
style sizes on a bill of materials (BOM) line, such as
matching heel tips of varying sizes with the appropriate
heel. It allows manufacturers to see when sizes for two
materials are interchangeable, and how to map material
sizes to style sizes. Centric 8, Version 4.6 allows for mass
replacement in the BOM, and mass change of material,
colour and size.
TEIJIN AND NEW BALANCE TAKE
NANOFIBRE INTO INSOLES
Six months after New Balance began using a high-
strength polyester nanofibre from Japanese manufacturer
Teijin in socks, the sports brand has now announced the
launch of a follow-up product.
From the start of July, New Balance stockists across
Japan and the brand’s own stores in Tokyo and Osaka
have been selling replacement insoles made from the
nanofibre, Nanofront, for its running shoes. Teijin has
been making the product since 2008 and announced its
partnership with New Balance in socks in January 2012.
High levels of friction properties of the nanofibre mean
the new insoles can offer “outstanding slip resistance”,
Teijin said at the time of the launch, preventing the
wearer’s foot from sliding inside the shoe. Nano-sized
bumps on the surface raise frictional force and produce a
surface area dozens of times greater than that of regular
fibre, resulting in highly superior slip resistance. It also has
high moisture absorbency and diffusion.
NIGERIAN SHOES TO CARRY RFID TAGGING
SYSTEM
Leathergoods and shoes made in Aba, Nigeria, are to be
given radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags so that the
government can obtain accurate data about the sector.
Ken Anyanwu, national secretary of the Association of
Leather and Allied Industrialists of Nigeria (ALAIN) told
BusinessDay: "This development was necessitated, due to
unofficial export that goes on in the sector, as it has been
difficult for policymakers to get accurate data to develop
the sector and this is one of the issues the RFID-enabled
technology, would help solve."
According to Mr Anyanwu, the country consumes
around 320 million pairs of shoes each year. However,
there is no data to break down how many pairs are
produced locally and how many are imported.
ALAIN hopes the data will also help local leathergoods
firms to increase production and create new jobs.
WF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 | www.footwearbiz.com