Tunicotex improves delivery performance and planning efficiency with FastReactPlan

Coats Digital has announced strong operational gains at Tunicotex Group following the implementation of FastReactPlan. The Tunisian premium knitwear manufacturer has increased its on-time delivery performance from 75% to 85%, cut planning time by 25%, reduced delays and penalty costs, and expanded production capacity by around 40%. The improvements have enabled Tunicotex to take on more customer orders while supporting steady, sustainable growth.

By bringing all planning and materials data into a single visual platform, Tunicotex has improved coordination across its vertically integrated operations. Teams now work from the same real-time information, which has helped reduce miscommunication and speed up decision-making across departments.

Headquartered in Soliman, Tunisia, Tunicotex Group has been a key player in the global knitwear industry since its founding in 1993. What began as a small Italian-Tunisian venture has grown into a major supplier of premium knitwear for international brands including Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Moncler, Ralph Lauren, Max Mara, Timberland, Napapijri and The North Face.

The company runs six knitting workshops, five sewing sections, three ironing and finishing units, a wash plant and an embroidery workshop. Its daily output reaches around 16,000 garments, with annual production close to 4.8 million pieces. Sustainability remains a core focus, with 95% of raw materials certified under standards such as GOTS, GRS and FSC. In 2025, Tunicotex commissioned a solar power plant that prevents more than 650 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year, with a target to operate fully on renewable energy by 2026.

Before FastReactPlan was introduced, planning relied heavily on Excel spreadsheets. Each department worked with its own files, leading to inconsistent data, limited visibility and frequent planning conflicts. Production lines were often unbalanced, capacities became locked, and productivity varied between machines and workshops. These issues resulted in 5–10% unnecessary overtime, higher rework, short shipments and increased use of air freight to recover delayed orders. Overall, inefficiencies contributed to an estimated 5–10% loss in profit.

Recognising the need for a more connected planning approach, Tunicotex rolled out FastReactPlan across all core and support operations, including knitting, sewing, washing, printing, embroidery, ironing and packing. The implementation covered a high-level planning board, four low-level boards and an embellishment planning module, creating a single source of truth for all teams.

Since going live, weekly planning time has dropped from 40 hours to 30. Fewer delays have lowered penalty costs, while shared data has improved collaboration between departments. Better visibility of capacity and work-in-progress allowed Tunicotex to increase overall production capacity by about 40% between 2024 and 2025.

Managing Director Haithem Bouajila said the change has had a clear impact on day-to-day operations. “Before FastReactPlan, we had limited visibility and frequent miscommunication. Now we can see our true capacity, make decisions faster and manage production flow more smoothly. On-time delivery has improved, overtime has come down, and we can accept more orders with confidence.”

Clearer planning boundaries have also supported a stronger continuous improvement culture. Teams now follow a structured Plan–Do–Check–Act approach, supported by reliable WIP, MRP and FRP reporting. As a result, planners and production teams work with clearer targets and less pressure to react to last-minute issues, which has had a positive effect on staff morale.

Tunicotex chose Coats Digital for its experience in textile manufacturing systems and its collaborative way of working. Bouajila noted that ongoing guidance from Coats Digital’s specialists helped ensure a smooth adoption across the business.

FastReactPlan forms part of Coats Digital’s Manufacturing Solution Suite, designed to improve delivery performance, efficiency and lead times by linking capacity, materials and critical path activities within a single platform.

Liz Bamford, Customer Success Manager at Coats Digital, highlighted the progress made so far. She said the improvements in visibility, planning efficiency, delivery performance and capacity show the value of connected, real-time planning. Coats Digital plans to continue supporting Tunicotex as it builds on these gains and strengthens its operations in the years ahead.