‘Prepare Your Supply Chain for a New Era’, an event by PFI, TTI and CSI took place on Thursday, 22 October 2020. Quality control is an essential element when expanding business opportunities and delivering products that impress international customers. Locally performed testing and inspection can uncover defects at an early stage, avoid complications and prevent unanticipated delays. By finding areas of improvement early on, producers can satisfy customer requirements on time and stand out from the competition. The event had speakers and participants from variousorganisations.

The event kicked off with introductory remarks by the moderator Lukas Rebentisch, Director, CSI Hong Kong Ltd. Dr Gerhard Nickolaus, Managing Director. PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd. And Mr Hameed K. Lateef, CEO, TTI Testing Laboratories introduced the collaboration services between PFI and TTI. This was followed by a panel discussion with the guest speakers that included Andreas Tepest, Global Head of Quality Management, Deichmann, Uwe Thamm, Global Production Head, Jospeh Seibel and DersimAvdar, Co-Founder & CEO at DFS Digital Footwear Solutions. The topics that were focussed on were:

- The biggest challenges in quality management and compliance
- The benefits of local partnerships
- The impact of COVID 19 on business and sourcing
- Sourcing criteria when entering a new market
- The trends and outlook into 2021

In the next session Candice Wang, Managing Director, PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd. and Sarim Mehmood, General Manager, TTI Testing Laboratories discussed how service providers such as PFI and TTI can support retailers and manufacturers to overcome these challenges. Kelly Cooper, Sustainability Manager, PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd. spoke about certification and sustainability services. In the final session Manfred Junkert, Managing Director, Federal Association of the German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry (HDSL) spoke about the changes in the legal and customer environment and the impact on quality and compliance. The event concluded with a Q&A session.

PFI is a quality assurance and consulting firm with more than 60 years of experience in the footwear, leather and consumer goods industry. PFI is represented in Germany, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Its team of quality, chemical and sustainability experts engage in testing, quality inspections, factory audits, sustainability consultancy, and certification



Dr Gerhard Nickolaus, Managing Director. PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd Dr. Gerhard Nickolaus has more than 40 years of experience in production facilities in Asia and in safe and sustainable chemical management. With four decades of experience in analytical testing and quality inspections of footwear, he has exceptional expertise in chemical management, identification of hazards and implementation of solutions, and highest expertise of physical and chemical testing procedures. He is the founder of the International Shoe Competence Centre (ISC) and has established testing, training and education centres in Asia. His former positions include university lecturer and Chairman of German, European and international standardisation commissions such as ISO and EN.

Candice Wang, Managing Director, PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd. Candice Wang is the key intermediary between PFI Germany and Asia. She has 17 years of experience in the footwear industry and expert knowledge in product inspection, factory audit and consultancy services. Her career is founded in quality, testing and inspections in the footwear industry. She also has focussed knowledge of applying digitalisation in business and management.

Kelly Cooper, Sustainability Manager, PFI Fareast (Hong Kong) Ltd Kelly Cooper manages sustainability projects across PFI in Hong Kong. Her role includes advising and developing sustainability strategies, working with European fashion brands on integrating post- consumer materials into new products, creating circular supply chain processes. Her most recent work with Carrefour, Lidl and Deichmann is focused on developing sustainability in FMCG supply chains.

Textile Testing International (TTI) is a world class, globally recognized and accredited testing facility and inspection body and the first lab approved by US consumer product safety commission (CPSC) for consumer safety testing in Pakistan. TTI has a country-wide network of labs and customer centres including a modern purpose- built main testing facility in Lahore as well as liaison offices in five cities.

Hameed K. Lateef, CEO, TTI Testing Laboratories Hamed K.Lateef founded TTI Testing Laboratories in 1995. Prior to TTI, Hamed has lead various Textiles/Apparel Factories on Senior Executive positions. Hamed has served as the Chairman of various Quality & Standardization committees and an active member of Advisory Council of various Universities and Technical Education Institutes. Currently he is the Chairman of Pakistan Scientific Laboratory Association.

Sarim Mehmood, General Manager, TTI Testing Laboratories Sarim Mehmood is a Textile Engineer and Business Development & Sales professional from the Textile Institute of Pakistan. He has been associated with TTI Testing Laboratories since the last 13 years. As a General Manager, Sarim is managing the operations and business development of TTI.

DersimAvdar, Co-Founder & CEO at DFS Digital Footwear Solutions DFS Digital Footwear Solutions is a software provider with the vision to make the footwear industry fit for the future. Many players in the shoe world are still unfamiliar with the term digitization. Our industry is still governed by a system of multi-stage processes and separate communication and trade channels. DFS brings today's technologies to collection development and material sourcing, connecting shoe and material producers to streamline how they work together.

Manfred Junkert, Managing Director, Federal Association of the German Footwear and Leather Goods Industry (HDSL) The HDS/L supports, represents and protects the common interests of German footwear manufacturers in the areas of social and economic policy. It is a federation of six regional shoe industry federations with altogether 120 members. The HDS/L actively advocates the business interests of its members towards political institutions and the public sphere and represents these in national and international committees. Manfred Junkert joined the shoe and leather industry in 2007 and has since then led the HDS/L with innovative ideas and vigour, extending the federations networks and cooperation, as well as driving changes towards sustainability and environmental responsibility in the industry.