GERBER TECHNOLOGY JOINS FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IN SPECIAL CEREMONY
Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology Opens Renovated Cutting and Sewing Lab
17 March 2006
Connecticut, USA – The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) last week held a ceremony to mark the opening of its new sewing and cutting lab. The renovated facility, which features a GERBERcutter and spreader, will provide students in the production management program with a complete view of the technology used in the product development and manufacturing process. FIT used funds of a New York City Council appropriation to purchase the Gerber equipment, which, in addition to software supplied by Gerber at no cost to the college, will give students a competitive edge when they begin their careers in the industry.
"This new sewing and cutting lab is the kind of state-of-the-art facility that college presidents crave for their campuses. It says to our students: the future is here; the future is yours," said FIT's president Dr. Joyce F. Brown. "FIT is proud of its long-standing partnership with a far-sighted company such as Gerber. Their contributions over many years to this and other programs throughout the college have been invaluable. We are also enormously grateful to the New York City Council, especially Speaker Christine Quinn. This lab was funded entirely by a $500,000 appropriation from the City Council, and she played the key role in making that possible."
A world-leading software and hardware supplier of CAD/CAM and PDM/PLM solutions, Gerber believes it has a responsibility to continuously help expose students to the latest technology. Gerber provides access to software and hardware technology to more than 760 educational institutions in more than 60 countries around the globe.
Gerber and FIT have partnered for more than 25 years to bring the latest technology to the classroom. In addition to the new cutter and spreader, Gerber provided 19 copies of its AccuMark pattern design, grading and marker making software at no charge and installed a Gerber plotter and digitizer in the lab. In 2005, Gerber upgraded FIT’s pattern making department with the latest version of AccuMark software. Over the last three years, Gerber Technology also placed more than 200 licenses of WebPDM, software used in product data management and development, within FIT’s fashion design department. With the new installations in the lab, the value of Gerber solutions now in use throughout FIT totals more than $2.5 million and is one of the most comprehensive installations of Gerber solutions in the world.
“We are proud to partner with FIT, and particularly with the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology, to support their world-class programs,” said John Hancock, president, Gerber Technology. “By providing students hands-on experiences in top-notch facilities, FIT makes a tremendous contribution to our industry. We commend Speaker Quinn and the New York City Council for recognizing the value of FIT’s programs and supporting their efforts to enhance the students’ learning experience in the classroom.”
About Gerber Technology Gerber Technology (www.gerbertechnology.com), a business unit of $530 million corporation Gerber Scientific, Inc., develops and manufactures the world's leading brands of integrated software and hardware automation systems for the sewn products and flexible materials industries. These systems automate and significantly improve the efficiency of information management, product design and development, pre-production, and production processes. The company offers specialized solutions to a variety of end-user markets including apparel, transportation interiors, furniture, composites and industrial fabrics. Gerber Technology’s world headquarters are located in Tolland, Connecticut, U.S.A. with regional offices, agents and distributors in 125 countries serving a total of over 17,500 customers through seven Customer Solutions Centers on six continents. The company engineers and manufactures its products in various locations in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Established in 1968, Gerber Technology is one of four businesses of Gerber Scientific, Inc. (www.gerberscientific.com) of South Windsor, Connecticut, U.S.A., a corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the “GRB” symbol.
