Zilingo is making moves to extend its reach across the global supply chain—and using more data to do it.
The Singapore-based fashion technology platform said Tuesday that it has acquired Sri Lankan SaaS startup nCinga for $15.5 million in a deal designed to improve efficiency and facilitate better insight into what’s happening on factory floors.
Already, nCinga’s IoT platform allows for real-time monitoring of the production process and gives users access to data analytics tools. As part of the acquisition, Zilingo, which aids in making sourcing “fair, connected and transparent” across manufacturing and logistics, said it will deploy nCinga’s Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software in the 6,000 factories and 75,000 companies in its network. The MES software automates factory operations by enabling access to real-time data.
“What excited us about the nCinga product was their ability to dramatically improve efficiency and drive insights by digitizing the shop floor—we have partnered with them for a long time and their work has been crucial to our mission of creating a transparent, sustainable, economically viable and socially responsible apparel supply chain,” Zilingo co-founder and CEO Ankiti Bose, said.
The software will roll out in key sourcing markets—Vietnam, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Thailand and Turkey—where Zilingo’s global manufacturer network is concentrated. The move comes at a time when apparel and footwear companies are increasingly looking to these countries in particular as they work to minimize the current risk that comes with sourcing in China.
“We at nCinga are very inspired by Zilingo’s vision,” company CEO Imal Kalutotage said. “Both the teams align on shared values and a global ambition to make the fashion and apparel industry fair, transparent and efficient, we hope to do great things together.”