More digitally-connected companies with eBIZ

In May 2015, the European Commission launched the Digital Market Strategy, which includes digitalising European industry, standards and interoperability. European top officials recognise the importance of digital data exchange enabling effective communication or traceability along the supply chain, from raw material to point of sale. eBIZ is the European initiative for the use and greater interoperability of digital communication in the fashion supply chain; some 400 companies have already gained from it.

Launched in 2008, eBIZ is a public-private initiative enabling companies to directly exchange orders and data between their systems using a single digital language. More digitally-connected textile and clothing enterprises becomes a reality already today. In five years, more than 400 companies have benefited from the eBIZ reference architecture and many published success cases demonstrating that a company can see results already in short term.
One of such examples is the Italian top quality yarn producer Lanificio Cariaggi Spa. The company struggled with production planning because of lack of interoperability with its suppliers and subcontractors.

In 2013, Cariaggi and partners upgraded their software with an eBIZ compatible solution and enabled flexible
and continuous production monitoring and rescheduling. As a result, the company cut down 95 per cent of missed deliveries and gained 25 per cent in the efficiency of production planning and control.

eBIZ reference architecture is available free of charge at the initiative?s website. It is used by IT specialists to create new eBusiness connections or to update those already used by fashion companies. It is known that not all companies, especially small-size enterprises, have internal resources for adopting new IT technologies. Thus, the IT providers offering eBIZ compatible solutions to fashion companies in Germany, Italy, France, UK and Spain are now listed at eBIZ website.

On November 16, 2015, eBIZ Advisory Board met at ITMA. Chaired by EURATEX (Europe), the meeting was attended by delegates from i.level (UK), Schaeffer Productique (France), ENEA (Italy), INESCOP (Spain) and GCS Consulting (Germany) who discussed the latest trends and developments in digital data exchange and eBIZ adoption across Europe.

The main topics addressed included new opportunities to support digitalisation of textile and clothing companies in Europe, particularly, SMEs. Many fashion companies appeared to increase interest in traceability along the supply chain and use of RFID tags in finished products. This may be a remarkable opportunity for further exploitation of eBIZ.

For further information:
Sofiya Yevchuk
Tel : .2.285.48.81
Email: sofiya.yevchuk@euratex.eu