Case Study: Australian Country Spinners achieves 30%+ reduction in lead times and WIP with Coats Digital's Fast React Align

Australian Country Spinners achieves significant performance improvements with Fast React’s Align

Australian Country Spinners, Australia’s largest producer of knitting yarns, implemented Fast React’s Align planning system as part of its Continuous Improvement Program to address poor coordination and limited visibility across sites. The company sought a way to unify planning decisions, reduce manual chasing of orders and better cope with rising demand for smaller, more flexible production runs.

Fast React’s distributed planning (Evolve/Align) was integrated with the existing TIM manufacturing system so Melbourne handles rough‑cut planning while the Wangaratta plant performs detailed scheduling and feeds real‑time updates back to head office without costly communications links. The change delivered faster, more flexible operations — successful order completion rose 10% year‑on‑year and lead times and work‑in‑progress fell by over 30% in key departments, with markedly improved management visibility and coordination.

Australian Country Spinners

Ian Brindlecombe

Manufacturing Services Manager