Contact TEAM: +44 (0) 116 207 8575

Introduction

SmarTex is a Government backed project within the clothing, footwear and textile related companies in Leicestershire. It combines in-depth technical textiles research and development resources with business support required to implement specific innovations.   SmarTex is supported by the Leicester Shire Economic Partnership (LSEP) in collaboration with De Montfort University and Pera. 

Textile businesses are critical to the continued prosperity and vitality of Leicester, with the East Midlands forming the second largest textiles cluster in Europe. Textile enterprises provide significant employment opportunities, particularly within socially disadvantaged wards and contribute to the distinctive character of Leicester.

However, competition from emerging economies and the global economic downturn are resulting in severe pressure on Leicestershire textile enterprises. Extremely low labour costs allow overseas competitors to undercut Leicestershire textile businesses in their traditional markets, resulting in the loss of employment and skills in critical areas. Urgent action must be taken to support the vital textiles sector by providing a textiles business growth infrastructure allowing enterprises to develop new products and diversify into new high value technical textiles markets.

The project aims is to help companies to focus their activities into areas that will be able to sustain the possible influx of further cheap products once the quantitative import restrictions are lifted in 2005.

Through a market driven approach, SmarTex will directly respond to the technical textiles business development needs of Leicestershire SMEs. This sector is extremely diverse ranging from performance clothing to medical and automotive applications.

Benefits

• The SmarTex programme will give Leicestershire textile businesses access to a portfolio of specialist technical and business resources, required for the development of new knowledge intensive products.      

• It will enhance the Leicestershire textiles sector, safeguarding employment and developing high value skills.      

• Through a market-driven approach, SmarTex will directly respond to the technical textiles business development needs of Leicestershire SMEs.      

• Smartex will examine the innovation and business growth needs of individual SMEs and deploy technical and business development resources to directly address these requirements. It combines in-depth, technical textiles research and development resources with business support required to implement specific innovations.      

• SmarTex will afford Leicestershire textile businesses access to new high value technical textile markets. Areas of diversification will include medical textiles, engineering and technical composites.      

• SmarTex would also reduce the risks for businesses engaging in innovation, through early engagement with supply chain representatives.      

• SmarTex will provide the Leicestershire textiles cluster with access to the world-class technical, scientific and knowledge resources required, within an integrated programme that will ensure innovation and technical developments are realised, by providing in-depth technical textiles business development support.      

• SmarTex will provide a complementary but differentiated support to other regional business services, including the Manufacturing Advisory Service, InnoRed, the East Midlands Innovation Factory and Envirowise.             

For more information please contact Angela Davies or look on the Leicester Economic Partnership web site www.lsep.co.uk/projects/1346.html

Investigators at DMU

• Dr John Williams - Project Manager
• Angela Davies 

Publications

• SmarTex Newsletter Oct/Nov 2006

TEAMnet | TekTex | InnoTex

Contact us:

TEAMNET
TEAM Research Group
Gateway House 3.31
The Gateway 
Leicester
LE1 9BH

Telephone: +44 (0) 116 207 8575
Email: smartex@dmu.ac.uk