In the face of this country's diminishing oil reserves, the spotlight has now turned to the fashion industry as one of the major means of revenue generation-a concept that places Janouras Custom Design Ltd 45 years ahead of its potential competitors. Located on Sackville Street in Port-of-Spain, few are aware of the state-of-the-art corporate uniforms powerhouse that exists behind the simple glass doors of the building. "People don't realise what goes on in here. We have 160 employees working here, in a fully air-conditioned building. This is not a sweat box. "Everything is computerised, so everyone is always reading from the same page, and always has to be on the ball," offered managing director, George Janoura.
And he was not kidding. A guided tour of the company's operations proved that down to the smallest embroidered details on the final products were computer-controlled to the last stitch. The system was installed almost 17 years ago, and professionals were contracted to train staff. According to Janoura, it is the only one of its kind in the fashion industry in the region, and is on par with similar systems on an international level. But, as Janoura and the company's sales and marketing manager Dominique Rostant explained, while technology has a major role to play in the production process, it is married with top-of-the-line personal customer service. "We have been in the uniform/ career apparel business for 45 years, and we still measure every single customer. Every single person is fitted," said Janoura, adding that there are still some areas in which Janouras Custom Design Ltd does not give way to technology.
"No customer could ever complain of being greeted by automated voice mail messages when they call. A live operator always answers our phones," he assured. And the company's exhaustive list of customers, he outlined, included the majority of corporate T&T, the Police Service, Customs and Excise, among others, state enterprises, as well as companies throughout the Caribbean and even outside the region. "It would be easier to tell you the name of the companies we don't work with," Rostant quipped in. Describing the process as "mass customising," Janoura explained the steps that go into the pro duction of each garment, with strict quality-control checks throughout the process. "Customers come in and give us a brief on what they want.
Every company is different, and even within a company there are different needs. For example, those in IT departments will have different needs to those doing sales and are on the road most times," Janoura said.
Once a decision is taken on the look of the uniform, Janoura said the next step involves measuring. "Only about 25 per cent of our customers are 'standard size,'" he disclosed, "which is why we send out people out to the companies." Each customer's data is then entered into the company's Data Management System, allowing for networking throughout the entire plant."Every single component that goes into a garment, down to the size and colour of the button, is on the system. It is controlled by the administrator, so no changes can be made without approval," Rostant disclosed.
Life-size paper patterns are plotted by the computer, the material is placed on the patterns and is electronically cut in the cutting room, before being taken to the preparation line. "We cut nothing by hand," Janoura said. On the sewing floor, there are separate lines for different garments. The garments are easily pieced together and stitched on computerised sewing machines, before they are carted off to the pressing and delivery area. But even with the system's technological precision, Janoura admits there are times post delivery, when "slight" alterations have to be made. "Some people may lose or gain weight between the measuring and delivery process. Some women may have had a baby, or may have gotten pregnant. It happens, and we take care of it because it's part of the service we offer.
"I have searched the Internet, and I cannot find another company in the world that does the level of customising that we do here," Janoura beamed. While the business keeps him busy, though, the lack of skills in his the industry among the nation's youth has not escaped his attention, and he has plans to do something about it. "I think the skills shortage in the country has to do with the removal of Home Economics from the school curriculum. "We will be opening a branch in Chaguanas soon. When that happens I want to open a school to teach the young people the skills of the industry. "We plan to use some of the older people who have retired from the company as teachers," Janoura said.