8 May 2007 – Connecticut, USA – Gerber Technology has announced that it has established a Wholly-Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) with headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam. This move strengthens Gerber’s ability to deliver enhanced service and support to customers in this fast-growing Asian market.

In addition to the opening of the office in Hanoi, Gerber is also planning a branch office in HoChiMinh City that will include an Advanced Technology Centre and a service location in Da Nang. The Advanced Technology Centre will house Gerber’s state-of-the-art automated spreading systems and multi-ply cutting systems and showcase the company’s computer-aided design (CAD) systems with plotters. The facility will serve as a centre for product demonstration, system testing, and hardware and applications training for customers, engineers and industry students.  It will be the first centre of its kind in Southeast Asia and will also serve the needs of apparel and related industrial companies in the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

“With Vietnam’s membership in the WTO in December 2006, textile and apparel industry exports are expected to increase from US $5.8 billion in 2006 to US $10 billion in 2010,” said James S. Arthurs, president, Asia-Pacific, Gerber Scientific Inc. “There is a tremendous opportunity for companies in Vietnam to improve quality and expand their production capabilities by investing more in automation.”  He continued, “We already have over 150 customers using more than 500 systems in Vietnam which we have sold through our distributor, Schmidt Vietnam Co. Ltd., since first appointing them in 1994.  And we are delighted that the management and staff responsible for our operations for the last 12-13 years have agreed to join Gerber. This will ensure the continuity of our customer relationships.”

“Vietnam continues to be a growing resource for brands and manufacturers in the U.S. and around the world who are looking for options in sourcing,” added John Hancock, president, Gerber Technology. “We look forward to establishing strong relationships directly with our customers in this region.”