“Digital adoption in our RMG industry will greatly benefit the sector to survive and grow and remain competitive in the global market,” said M A Jabbar, Managing Director of DBL Group in an exclusive interview with Bangladesh Post
He opined that it’s important for the RMG industry to make significant investments in digitization.
A graduate of Computer Science from the US, Mr. M A Jabbar said his organization DBL Group has been a pioneer and innovator in the RMG manufacturing industry in Bangladesh in using the Serai platform.
Describing how the DBL Group has reaped benefits from using Serai, he highlighted the importance of such digital platforms in advancing the industry in Bangladesh. Mr. Jabbar replied to a set of queries made by Bangladesh Post which covered a wider range of utilizing technology in the industry and how platforms like Serai can play an effective role in this regard.
The excerpt of his interview is produced here for the valued readers.
Bangladesh Post: As a graduate of Computer Science from the US why did you decide to create a venture into the textiles industry amidst the rising demand for IT professionals?
MA Jabbar: We started in 1991 with our first factory: Dulal Brother Limited. At that time, the RMG industry was booming and looked very promising. Throughout our journey, we have been expanding and also selectively diversifying.
We have been focusing on technology and automation. This has also helped me in taking decisions while procuring advanced plants and types of machinery. As we move towards Industry 4.0, the relevance of my degree is more apparent. The industry will need to move towards automation and hence IT is going to be the core. For that matter, IT is so much integrated with everything now that IT graduates can always fit-in in any industry. COVID-19 has accelerated the demand for IT professionals.
Bangladesh Post: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected the RMG sector in Bangladesh?
M A Jabbar: Without a doubt, the pandemic hit all sectors, disrupting businesses on different scales. For the RMG sector, operations had to be suspended for at least one month. Some suffered even more as they had to shut down. This was especially when some buyers canceled orderswhich were under process or moving towards their destinations.
However, the industry, as before, showed resilience. Being probably one of the first industries to return to work adopting the new normal, the industry came back comparatively well. There were of course losses, especially considering the lockdown and disruption of the supply chain. Expansion projects had to be halted or significantly delayed. But I am hopeful that Bangladesh will build back better.
Bangladesh Post: The pandemic has accelerated digitization in many industries, with the RMG industry being no exception. How has DBL Group leveraged this trend?
M A Jabbar: Digitization of workers' payment was one of the first initiatives we took during the pandemic. What was a struggle for us in the last four years took us only two weeks to convert all into digital payment. Today, 100% of salaries and wages are paid through mobile money and baking channels.
Physical meetings have almost vanished: we are using communications software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and WebEx.
Our core operation of garments manufacturing is going to reap the benefits of technology. We will be using software that will help us to virtually do fitting samples on digital dummies and get an instant approval for bulk manufacturing. Currently, this process involves the submission of physical samples which consume time and resources. This will be eliminated, reducing significant lead times and consumption of materials and resources like water and energy. Transportation will also be significantly reduced. Thereby, these interventions will reduce GHG emissions significantly.
Bangladesh Post: What are your thoughts on digital adoption in the RMG industry in Bangladesh? Can companies here do more in digitizing their processes?
M A Jabbar: Digital adoption in our RMG industry will greatly benefit the industry to survive and grow and remain competitive in the global market. Digitizing the processes does, however, require significant investments and the technological capability of people working in the industry.
People in Bangladesh are fast learners. We have seen from our experience that workers who never had computer operational knowledge have been successfully running manufacturing operations through digital touchpads and LCD panels.
Partnerships can be of great help here. The near future could well bring in digitization audits, where technical people can suggest the possible areas of automation or digitization. With proper partners, the existing workforce can be trained to adapt to the new methods and techniques. Hence, without replacing the existing workforce who are familiar with the company values and cultures, we will have upskilled our current workforce.
Bangladesh Post: As one of the pioneer companies in Bangladesh to get on board Serai’s B2B trade platform, what benefits have DBL Group seen so far?
M A Jabbar: Serai has helped DBL to connect with new buyers and brands and suppliers virtually to explore a new horizon of opportunities. Serai has also helped DBL to exhibit our products and services, achievements, certifications, etc. to its stakeholders in a very effective and efficient manner.
We foresee Serai to be a successful platform as it is promoted by HSBC, which already has a good network of all the relevant players in terms of buyers, sellers, and service providers.
Bangladesh Post: How can such digital platform help grow the Bangladeshi RMG industry?
M A Jabbar: This platform has companies whose inclusion itself is a form of endorsement of their quality. The pandemic has brought in great motivation in people in using digital platforms such as e-commerce. Hence, the adoption of Serai will be relatively easier and faster now. This means that more and more businesses will be using the platform.
As with any good platform, this will keep on evolving. The RMG industry can gain the benefits of lead times preventing unnecessary delays through effective decision-making.
A platform where we have buyers and suppliers all under one roof can act as a transformation in the industry.
Bangladesh Post: What advice would you give to small and medium-sized RMG manufacturers and suppliers in Bangladesh who are looking to adopt digital tools in growing their business?
MA Jabbar: Regardless of the size of companies, the future for any sort of development is commitment, communication, and collaboration. The small and medium-sized RMG manufacturers can approach companies that work with digitization to learn from them. It may not be possible to implement all the digital tools, but they can start with the low-hanging fruits. The benefits from these will motivate them to move along further. But they need to start now.