Technology Roadmap for the Canadian Textile Industry: Summary
Throughout the past decade, the Canadian textile industry was able to achieve optimal deliveries to the domestic and U.S. markets whilst reducing its ecological footprint. This was thanks to own capabilities (productivity, diversified technologies) and a favourable trade context (NAFTA, the Canadian dollar). However, this situation has been deteriorated by dollar-parity, the abolition of import quotas combined with the U.S.'s near-unilateral establishment of new trade regulations, and reduced control over products entering our territory. These changes caused the Canadian textile industry to lose its competitiveness, particularly in mass markets.
The industry has been conducting a planning exercise over these last months. Known as the Technology Roadmap, this document has enabled the industry to determine its future positioning. Specialised products (technical textiles and other value-added textiles) should be targeted, taking into account the various forces that will drive demand for years to come. Demography, geopolitics, environmental concerns, trade and government partnerships are issues to be considered. This product-focus requires implementing, improving and combining existing technologies in the first instance whilst also ensuring on-going evaluation of emerging technologies that will provide added value for the product or the customer (woven, knitted and non-woven composite and hybrid technologies, intelligent technologies, technologies related to non-wovens, high-performance fibres and fabrics, nanotechnologies and biotechnologies). This focus will enable the industry to meet and stimulate tomorrow's consumer
demands for products that meet special requirements and offer heightened performance.
Several new leaders have already successfully remodelled their operations along these lines. Preliminary studies conducted concurrently with the Roadmap show that of the 241 Canadian companies active in the value-added and technical textile sectors, 118 were so exclusively. Of the twelve TUT application sectors, five were particularly significant in terms of the number of companies active in them. They are Protech, Indutech, Buildtech, Mobiltech and Medtech.
To ensure widespread adoption of this position, the industry proposes a local concentration of the strengths of the entire value chain. This is to be achieved through the utilization of scientific and technical resources, and the implementation of dynamic R&D cooperation platforms, innovation, commercialization and business networking. These platforms will offer intelligence, leadership and proactive processes. This initiative will enable the industry to compete with its true rivals (who are overseas) and to develop a critical mass that will interest major public and private clients and group them around structuring projects.
Taking the necessary steps to restore the sector's image in the eyes of the public and the business and financial communities will give the textile industry and its members a reason to implement clear and effective promotion strategies and brands. The industry should also ensure it has the support of legislators in order to fully benefit from international trade policies through fair and legitimate access to domestic and international markets alike.
The industry intends to "innovate through partnership." On the basis of the major planning work it has already performed, the industry has prepared a number of recommendations and an action plan that will set out the guidelines for achieving this new positioning.
Considering the urgency and importance of acting, and to ensure prompt implementation of the plan, the Steering Committee recommends that top priority be given to implementing a permanent committee responsible for the implementation of the recommendations, the action plan, the communication plan and follow-up of the various projects.
The Steering Committee recommends:
Table 1: Recommendation 1: Permanence of the Technology Roadmap for the Canadian Textile Industry
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Set up a representative and effective structure, meeting industry and lender expectations, that achieves the action plan, promotes it and serves as a sponsor. |
Present a progress report and updated action plan to the industry. |
Update the Technology Roadmap for the Canadian Textile Industry. |
Table 2: Recommendation 2: Support the industry's shift from mass production
to design, development and commercialization of specialized products
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Develop a strategy to support growth-promising industrial initiatives aimed at developing R&D, innovation and commercialization networks in partnership with universities, users and sectoral associations. |
Gain national recognition for the structure as a management interface for the textile innovation fund, and management of a first three-year investment program. |
Commercialize technologies and products developed in these consortium projects in international markets. |
| Launch and establish structuring projects locally, involving a number of
companies, in growth markets. |
Develop a system of technology intelligence and information collection on new and emerging technologies. |
Manage a second program (five-year, in this case) of textile innovation fund investments. |
Table 3: Recommendation 3: Profit from driving forces to develop leader products for tomorrow's markets
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Study the evolution of needs in markets served. |
Regularly contribute innovation products to markets to satisfy the demands of target populations. |
Require prime contractors and government to provide purchasing contracts that include equitable specifications targeting sustainable development. |
| Establish a strategy that supports growth-promising industrial initiatives aimed at the emerging markets of geopolitical development and sustainable development. |
Implement the strategy developed and promote it in terms of technology to contractors and users. |
|
Table 4: Recommendation 4: Secure the presence of qualified human resources that meet new industry needs
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Redefine the human resources vision and textile education and continuing education models. |
Ensure the training offer that responds to needs is available and used. |
Revise training offer compliance in accordance with needs. |
Table 5: Recommendation 5: Know ourselves better to establish partnerships
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Develop a detailed technological profile of the Canadian textile industry. |
Update the directory and ensure it is distributed. |
Update the directory and ensure it is distributed. |
| Create networking groups that encourage business partnerships between
manufacturers. |
Maintain networking groups. |
Maintain networking groups. |
| Develop a virtual discussion forum to encourage information exchanges and provide centralized access to all industry-directed programs. |
Secure self-financing for the virtual discussion forum and continually update information. |
Secure self-financing for the virtual discussion forum and continually update information. |
| |
Encourage formation of industry groups to facilitate purchasing and marketing synergies. |
|
Table 6: Recommendation 6: Position ourselves to join growth markets and internal and export markets
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Create networking groups and events that encourage partnerships throughout the value chain (material and technology suppliers, processors and clothing manufacturers, buyers, prime contractors, legislators and specifiers) in growth markets. |
Maintain networking groups and events around themes of common interest. |
Gain recognition as highquality players from at least two networking groups in industrial sectors serving growth markets. |
| Develop a strategy to address trade regulations that restrict domestic companies' import/export development, and set up facilitating mechanisms in their place. |
Implement strategy and maintain ongoing dialogue with legislators (lobbying). |
Ensure there is ongoing dialogue with legislators to support the long-term survival of the Canadian textile industry. |
| Develop a local purchasing policy to support textile sector development, taking into account the restrictions imposed by NAFTA. |
Activate the local purchasing policy. |
Consolidate the local purchasing policy. |
| Ensure that structuring initiatives for export market development are continued, e.g. Team Textile Canada, TCBC Shanghai and more. |
Analyze the feasibility of developing business export offices for the Canadian textile industry in strategic markets (U.S., India, Brazil, etc.). |
Secure the long-term survival of business export offices. |
Table 7: Recommendation 7: Make ourselves known and recognize our true value
Short Term:
2008–2009 |
Medium Term:
2009–2012 |
Long Term:
2012–2018 |
| Develop and implement a Technology Roadmap communication plan. |
Adjust and modify the Technology Roadmap communication plan. |
Adjust and modify the Technology Roadmap communication plan. |
| End reflection on an appropriate image for the Canadian textile industry (e.g. "nordicity," "Made in Canada," "Canadian quality"). |
Provide the industry with a brand image that reflects its distinctiveness and is recognized throughout Canada. |
Provide the industry with a brand image that reflects its distinctiveness and is recognized throughout Canada. |
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