L.A. Patternmakers Form Alliance

A Plus Patterns Inc. and MKP Development, two Los Angeles–based production companies that specialize in computerized pattern-making, sample-making and other pre-production services, have joined forces.

The union is intended to allow both companies to offer a broader range of services under one roof, including patternmaking, grading, technical design and management consulting.

Marie Krizova heads MKP and Bruce Walters owns A Plus. They said the partnership was forged out of the need to offer a one-stop shop of development and production services as designers and companies continue to shift production offshore.

Krizova brings some added production expertise to Walters’ pattern-making service, and he brings depth of experience in pattern-making and business management.

“The garment industry has low barriers to entry,” Walters said, “and when it comes to the more technical aspects of the business, there seems to be a growing need for outside help like ours. Part of our job is to educate them.”

With Krizova’s background as a pre-production manager for Rock & Republic as well as other established companies, A Plus/MKP goes beyond basic pattern-making, Walters said. The companies can produce the all-important tech packs that offshore factories as well as domestic manufacturers require to produce garments, he said. These technical illustrations and packages serve as a blueprint connecting a designer’s concept with the production line.

“It’s like you’re thinking for them,” Krizova said. “They don’t have to read 35 pages of specs. The technical designs are more visual and tangible.”

Both Walters and Krizova are certified PAD System trainers and have engineering backgrounds.

They said their alliance should help them stand out among service suppliers. Walters estimated that less than 30 percent of the service bureaus in the Los Angeles market used computerized systems.

With the expansion, which includes a sample-making facility and added studio space, A Plus/MKP is ready to accommodate the gamut of apparel production needs in Los Angeles and elsewhere.

“If they just want a pattern, we can do that,” Walters said. “But we’re about more than just patterns. We want to become an extension of their businesses and develop relationships.”

The iPod Suit Debuts .

The iPod phenomenon has taken wearable technology to a new level and a recently soldered venture between United Kingdom–based technology firm Eleksen Group PLC and sportswear maker Bagir Ltd. is taking iPod wearables into the men’s suit market.

Bagir will integrate Eleksen’s waferthin touch pad into the lapels of five styles of sports coats, set to debut this fall for a suggested retail price of $170. The touch pad offers connectivity to iPods and can be controlled by five buttons. Despite its electrical characteristics, the jackets are wrinkle- resistant and can be machine-washed.

Bagir’s entry follows up those from Los Angeles–based Kenpo, O’Neill, Spyder and others. Bagir International is headquartered in New York, while the company’s global headquarters is in Kiryat Gat, Israel.

“This partnership is proof that wearable technology is moving from its roots in sportswear to the boardroom and from the slopes to the street,” said Robin Shephard, chief executive officer of Eleksen.

For more information, visit www.eleksen.com or www.bagir.com.

Paxar Settles Lawsuit

Tags and labels supplier Paxar Corp. of White Plains, N.Y., has settled a lawsuit between its U.S. subsidiary, Paxar Americas Inc., and Zebra Technologies Corp. of Vernon Hills, Ill.

The ranging lawsuit was supposed to go to trial in January over alleged violations of eight Paxar patents, which Paxar claimed were used for more than 50 Zebra products. Both companies produce printers employing barcode technology, including emerging RFID (radio frequency identification) uses.

As part of the settlement, Zebra will pay Paxar $63.7 million, resulting in after-tax proceeds of approximately $34 million. The settlement also gives Zebra a paid-up license for using the Paxar patents.

Zebra officials said they agreed to a settlement as a means to end potential protracted litigation. Paxar Chief Executive Officer Rob van der Merwe said its board agreed to settle so the company could put all of its energies toward developing its business.

Patagonia Invests in PLM

Active apparel and outerwear maker Patagonia of Ventura, Calif., has stepped up its IT program with Needham, Mass.–based technology provider PTC and will use the company’s FlexPLM product to help it optimize the design and manufacturing of its apparel lines.

Patagonia has a deep well of global suppliers and distribution channels, and will employ PLM to gain early visibility into its production stages. PLM uses database technology via the Internet to give suppliers and trading partners a single view of the product development process. PTC executives said this would allow Patagonia to communicate modifications faster to the entire production team in order to minimize market delays.

For more information, visit www.ptc.com.