A state-of-the-art facility needs cutting-edge technology for its day-to-day operations.
Lectra revealed Tuesday that it was picked to be Under Armour’s official partner for UA Lighthouse, the Baltimore-based manufacturing and design center for product innovation that opened June 28.
“This partnership is the start of what we hope will be a long and fruitful relationship between two like-minded global companies,” said Jason Adams, president of Lectra North America. “Our technology is very much in line with where Under Armour wants to take manufacturing. As a company that also strives to push the boundaries of innovation, we applaud the leadership Under Armour has shown and we are honored to be involved in the launch of such an ambitious project.”
The 35,000-square-foot facility is designed to be a collaborative space for creative and manufacturing teams to learn and develop new methods for making and delivering product, which can then be shared with teammates and factories worldwide.
As a partner of the Lighthouse project, Lectra will provide cutting-room solutions such as the Brio fabric spreader and the Vector fabric-cutting machine—the latter is powered by Lectra’s “smart services,” meaning it can be monitored remotely, maximizing machine uptime and production.
In addition to Lectra, Under Armour’s partners include the University of Maryland’s Engineering Department, the Dow Chemical Company, Huntsman, Bemis, Epson, Desma and 3dMD. Lighthouse employees and partners also have access to 3-D design and body scanning, 3-D printing and rapid prototyping, and apparel and footwear prototyping.
“Under Armour’s approach to open innovation and collaboration can be seen in our strategic partnerships brought to life within the UA Lighthouse,” Kevin Haley, president of product and innovation at Under Armour, said this past summer. “We are excited about this game-changing opportunity and the endless possibilities created by bringing together our talented team and our world-class partners, to pioneer the future of design and manufacturing.”