Adidas has chosen to use the SATRASumm system for calculating cutting allowances, and assessing leather usability throughout its Asian resourcing operation. The German sports giant is to begin a training and implementation programme with all its supplier factories throughout China, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Consultants from the Kettering, UK, base of SATRA will be working with technicians to improve their cutting efficiency from June, 2002. A number of key leather suppliers to Adidas factories will also be trained and accredited by SATRA staff.

Duncan Scott, vice president of footwear sourcing at Adidas, said that his company hopes to achieve significant benefits in quality, consistency and communications and will be closely monitoring the implementation of the system.

SATRASumm was developed by SATRA more than 20 years ago. It is made up of software to calculate and monitor cutting allowances and leather assessment and training for the cutters. More than 300 of SATRA's members use the system, which it is claimed can make improvements in material utilisation and lead to savings of between 5% and 18% in the upper leather bill. The system can also be linked to several CAD/CAM systems for input of the pattern details and can export production cost and efficiency information into the client's in-house systems.