impact of right first time (rft) approach on textile industries in bangladesh: a case study

ENV 499 THESIS REPORT

Impact of Right First Time (RFT) Approach on Textile Industries in

Bangladesh: A Case Study

Prepared for:

Mr. Alamgir Hossain Lecturer

Department of Environmental Science and Management

Prepared by: Raisa Najat Saif ID# 051-679-529

Department of Environmental Science and Management

North South University

Acknowledgement While I am of course solely responsible for the contents in my research on ‘Impact of

Right First Time (RFT) Approach on Textile Industries in Bangladesh: A Case Study', I

would like to thank several people for their professional assistance.

This thesis arose out of two months of research. During this time I have worked with a

great number of people whose contribution in the making of the thesis deserve special

mention.

Firstly, I would like to thank my course instructor, Mr. Alamgir Hossain, for his

supervision, advice and guidance from the very early stage of this research. His

assistance was absolutely invaluable. In spite of his busy work schedule he had kindly

agreed to help me, and I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for that. This paper

would not have been possible without his vital encouragement, inspiration and support.

I am also grateful to Mr. Abbas Uddin Shiyak, Assistant Professor of Prime Asia

University, for offering valuable advice. At all stages the report has benefited

tremendously from his support. I appreciate his advice, comments and willingness to

discuss any questions and ideas that I have had.

Particular thanks must be extended to Mr. ATM Mahbub Alam Milton, Director

Operations, Masco Industries Limited, with whom I spent many hours seeking the

information I needed to inform my research. I also wish to acknowledge the support of

Mr. Md. Nasimul Hassan, Manager, Masco industries Limited for his generous support of

information and fruitful discussion.

My special appreciation goes to Mr. Biswajit Banik, Senior Executive (Dyeing), Masco

Industries Limited, for his numerous fruitful discussions and providing me with all the

data I needed for carrying out my research. I also wish to express my deep appreciation to

the staff members of Masco Industries Limited who provided valuable input to the

project

I would like to express my heartiest thanks to my friend Ms. Labonya Das Nirjan for

accompanying me to the factory whenever she could. My special gratitude is due to my

brother in law Dr. Syed S. Amin. Without his encouragement and guidance it would have

been impossible for me to finish this work. Finally I thank my family for their faith and

constant support. Their support has been unconditional all these years.

Table of Contents

Chapters Page No.

1. Abstract…………………………….. …………………….... 5

2. Background……………………………………………......... 6

3. Introduction…………………................................................ 7

4. Overview of Masco Industry…………………………......... 8

5. Water situation of the World……………………………… 9

6. Mud-map of Environmental Management Strategies…… 10

7. Drivers of global textile supply chain……………………... 11

8. Research Area……………………………………………… 14

9. Methodology

Quantitative Measurement……………………………............. 15

Qualitative Measurement……………………………………... 15

10. Results and Discussions

Flow of water in Case Plant………………………………. 16

Flow diagram of the inputs and output……………………….. 17

Utility and Water Cost in May………………………………… 18

Utility, Water and Chemical Cost for two shades……………. 19

Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost….. 21

Non-RFT Impact on Process Cost……………………….…..... 23

Water Consumption in Masco………………………………… 25

11. Win-Win situations for Masco Industry…………………... 26

12. My Observations in Masco……………………………….… 27

13. Limitations…………………………………………………... 27

14. Recommendations………………………………………..…. 27

15. Conclusion………………………………………..…………. 29

16. Reference………………………………………………..…... 30

17. Appendix

17.1 Water Consumption Audit

17.2 Gas Bill of Masco

17.3 List of Chemicals and their Cost

17.4 Topping recipes

17.5 Dyeing process control

17.6 Monthly Production Report

17.7 Pictures

Abstract Textiles play an important role in the economic life of Bangladesh. One principal

problem that textile industry meets is the re-dyeing problem because the dyeing fabric

does not meet the requirement of the customer. When the re-dyeing process is carried out,

it leads to a loss of many resources such as water, energy, chemical and dye stuff, time,

man-hour, etc.

I focused on one specific textile manufacturing unit and tried to understand the status of

energy, chemical and water use by conducting an audit on water and chemical

consumption and also by collecting existing data from various sources in the factory. I

calculated the impact of process-cost in re-dyeing brown and light grey shades.

My study results show that water is used extensively in Masco industry. This puts a

burden on the Water Treatment Plant as well as on the Effluent Treatment Plant and thus

it is imperative to reduce water, chemical and energy usage. Right First Time is an eco-

efficiency measure which when achieved, reduces the total consumption of water and

energy.

Background The textile and garment sector in Bangladesh fulfils a crucial role in the country’s

economy. It accounts for as much as 78% of the country’s total exports. It provides jobs

for 4.5 million people, accounts for 10.5% of the country’s GDP, and contributes 40% of

its manufacturing output. Textiles as a whole play the most significant role in the

alleviation of poverty, provision of employment to rural women and economic

empowerment of women.

During the dyeing process when the shade of a particular production batch does not lie

within the customer’s tolerance; then a shading addition would be needed.

This would require further dyes, chemical, time and money. By reducing the number of

re-dyeing operations, a company can achieve significant savings without investing in

costly machinery.

When one thinks about competitiveness in this millennium, wet processed goods must be

provided with consistent quality, in large quantity, adhering to delivery schedule and with

right first time (RFT) performance. Textile wet processing sector is a major consumer of

water and energy. Ever increasing environmental issues and energy cost are forcing

towards RFT approach.

When we achieve the target at first time, it reduces the total consumption of water and

energy. The percentage of RFT is directly proportional increase in extra cost of the

process. RFT approach became the need of the day

Introduction Textiles play an important role in the economic life of Bangladesh. The sector, in

addition to meeting the demand of fabrics and apparel domestically, contributes

significantly to the textiles and clothing (T&C) export trade. At present, more than 78 per

cent of the country’s export earnings come from T&C. The sector provides employment

to a workforce of 4.5 million and contributes 40 per cent value addition to the

manufacturing sector. (Hassan)

One principal problem that textile industry meets is the re-dyeing problem because the

dyeing fabric does not meet the requirement of the customer. When the re-dyeing process

is carried out, it leads to a loss of many resources such as water, energy, chemical and

dye stuff, time, man-hour, etc. (Tanapongpipat, Khamman, Pruksathorm, & Hunsom)

When the dyeing batch is matched in first time dyeing then it’s called “Right First Time”

(RFT). (Hossain, 2003)

I focused on one specific textile manufacturing unit and tried to understand the status of

energy, chemical and water use by conducting an audit on water and chemical

consumption and also by collecting existing data from various sources in the factory. I

calculated the impact of process-cost in re-dyeing brown and light grey shades.

My objectives are outlined as follows: 1. To figure out opportunities to reduce production costs

2. To figure out whether the dyeing part of the industry is polluting and resource

consuming in terms of water, energy and chemicals.

3. To find out the quantity of water needed to dye 1 kilogram of textiles for two different

shades (light and dark).

4. To find and compare electricity, water and chemical costs for the two shades in the

month of May.

Overview of Masco Industry Masco Industries is located in Gazipur about 4 Km North from Dhaka International

Airport. It is 100% Export Oriented Composite Knit Garments Industry. The main

productions sections are Knitting, Dyeing and Garments. It started its journey in

December 09 1999.Now it has one knitting factory, one dyeing factory and two garment

manufacturing units.

80 to 85% of the raw material that Masco uses is cotton while the rest consist of

polyester, viscose, etc. The fiber or raw material is converted to yarn in various spinning

factories in Bangladesh. Masco buys yarn from those factories.

Their first operation is knitting where the raw fabric (also known as grey fabric) is

produced. The different types of machineries in the knitting division are Circular

Knitting, Gear Type Raising and Flat Knit Machineries. The production capacity in this

division is 5000kg/day. The product fabrics are Single Jersey, Heavy Jersey, Pique,

Interlock, Drop Needle Interlock, 1X1 Rib, 2X2 Rib, Drop Needle Rib, Flat back Rib,

French Terry, Fleece, Waffle, Pop Corn, Feeder & Engineering Stripe, Flat knit Plain &

Tipped Collars & Cuffs, any kinds of Fancy knit fabrics.

After knitting, the grey fabric goes through a process of inspection where the fabric is

checked for any fault.

The second operation is dyeing which is the process of imparting color to the grey fabric

produced by the knitting process. The dyeing process requires a large number of steps all

of which takes place in a single machine. The dyeing process is divided into 3 major

parts: Pre-treatment, dyeing and After-treatment. After dyeing, the fabric goes through a

process of finishing. The different types of machineries in the dyeing division are

Dyeing, Finishing and Laboratory machineries. The Production Capacity in the dyeing

division is12, 000 Kg/per day.

Masco tries to fulfill requirements of the customers. It also meets the average standard set

by the factory. Apart from this, Masco tries to comply with the Department of

Environment (DoE) guideline regarding the effluent water discharged by the factory. It

also tries to comply with World Bank guideline.

Water situation of the World

Of every liter of water on the earth's surface, 26 ml is fresh water. However, the actual

amount of freshwater that is directly available, i.e. economically accessible for all

mankind, is equivalent to 0.156 ml. The stark reality of this statistic is sufficiently

explicit to make us aware of the seriousness of the situation and to act accordingly.

Mud-map of Environmental Management Strategies

Clean production and Eco-efficiency are two important tools in achieving Sustainable

Development. Cleaner Production is about preventing waste and emissions while Eco-

Efficiency is about better products that have a lower ecological impact, are competitive

and better meet customer needs. (Curtin University of Technology)

In the early days, environmental policies were mostly reactive for example pollution

control, re-use, and recovery and recycling. But these end-of-pipe technologies were

costly and so gradually preventive approaches (such as waste minimization, toxic use

reduction, pollution prevention, cleaner technology and cleaner production) have been

adopted that avoid or minimize waste at the source. Cleaner production deals with the

efficient use of materials, energy, water and other natural resources while conducting

business. Eco-efficiency is an advanced version of cleaner production and a business

driven philosophy while cleaner production is more of a regulation driven philosophy.

The term eco-efficiency was first coined by the World Business Council for Sustainable

Development. The eco-efficiency concept is close to the cleaner production concept but

puts more emphasis on creating additional value for customers through environmental

actions. In simple terms, this means ‘producing more with less’ while improving

customer service and satisfaction.

In the diagram it is also clear that the preventive approaches were mostly process oriented

which is not very suitable for development. Design for Environment has proven to be

more effective because the approach is to prevent pollution along the whole life-cycle of

the product. This approach also identifies opportunities for environmental improvements

at first source, that is, the product design phase.

RFT is an eco-efficiency measure that is also a business driven philosophy.

Drivers of global textile supply chain 1. Higher Productivity: Shorter cycles, RFT performance and Robustness lead to higher

productivity. A lot of energy efficient wet processing is based on right-first-time (RFT)

and short cycle processing. Process times can be significantly reduced. The dyeing of

cotton knits to a medium shade can be reduced from the conventional 10-12 hour to a

mere 4-5 hour process. (Bhurtun, Kistamah, & Chummun)

If bulk dyeing proves to be off-shade and the original recipe requires a correction (i.e. an

addition) that results in extending the dyeing time, the dyers suffer a considerable

financial penalty. If the color is too dark and the bulk dyeing must be stripped and re-

dyed, this imposes further cost and penalties and often impairs the quality, physical

properties and surface appearance of the dyed material. In general, the shorter the

processing time under hot wet conditions in the dye bath, the lower will be the fiber

degradation, all important considerations for many technical textiles. (Horrocks &

Anand)

Where there is close control over the color strength of the dyestuffs and consistent

substrate dye-ability, it is often possible to operate so-called blind dyeing in which the

computed dye recipe in the laboratory is used immediately for bulk dyeing. This shortens

the time required; decreases dye house costs, increases productivity and offers rapid

delivery to customers. Right first time dyeing is the goal of the dyer because this is the

lowest cost dyeing system that provides quick response for customers. (Horrocks &

Anand)

2. Reduced costs can be achieved by less dyestuff, less chemical, less energy and reduced

stock costs. The supply chain starts from raw materials e.g. cotton to the production of

textiles, to design, cutting and assemble and finally to distribution and retailing garments.

When one thinks about competitiveness in this millennium, wet processed goods must be

provided with consistent quality, in large quantity, adhering to delivery schedule and with

right first time (RFT) performance. Textile wet processing sector is a major consumer of

water and energy. Ever increasing environmental issues and energy cost are forcing

towards RFT approach. Textile wet processing consumes 5-200 lit of water per kg of

fabric. When we achieve the target at first time, it reduces the total consumption of water

and energy. The percentage of RFT is directly proportional increase in extra cost of the

process. Thus, RFT approach became the need of the day. (Jadhav & Ajmera)

3. Product Integrity: Shade Reproducibility, Color fastness, Eco-compliance can lead to

product integrity. Within the batch dyeing cycle there are several important stages, each

of which can have an effect on the ultimate shade and levelness. Dyes play an important

role in cost competitiveness and absolute reproducibility of dyeing. Dyes are the most

expensive raw materials of dyeing. Hence, it is important to maintain the following

dyestuff factors:

a. Proper dyestuff selection: The main criteria behind dyestuff selection should be:

• High quality of dye standardization i.e. negligible lot-to-lot strength variation in

dyestuff supplies. This nullifies the need for the check routine for each lot as well

as shade adjustments and ensures high level of reproducibility.

• Choice of medium affinity bi-reactive dyestuffs- Bireactive dyestuffs give a high

degree of fixation (approximately 80%) as against mono-reactive dyes

(approximately 60%). This accompanied with the medium affinity of dyes ensures

easy wash off thus, fewer washing baths. This has an impact on the water, time

and energy savings in cost effective production. Moreover, the dyes should have a

proper combination of reactive groups in the bireactive system to achieve ideal

and homogeneous application properties.

• Good compatibility of Dyestuffs- the dyestuffs used in trichromy should be

compatible i.e. they should have homogeneous affinity and reactivity. This is

essential to ensure reproducible results.

b. Purity of dyestuff: There are several tests that can be routinely carried out in the dye

house to ensure the dye quality and thus reproducible dyeing, they are: - i) Chemical

methods, ii) Colorimetric estimation and iii) Laboratory dyeing trials.

c. Chemicals & auxiliary testing; various organic and inorganic chemicals of

commercial grade are used in dyeing with different classes of dyestuff. Apart from this,

different auxiliary’s products, viz., dispersing agents, wetting agent, de-foamers, etc., are

used for specific purpose in a particular dyeing operation. These auxiliaries and

chemicals should be tested for their purity and/ or performance before use in bulk dyeing.

d. Water parameters: Poor water quality can affect batch and continuous dyeing

processes. Dyeing defects due to water contamination include inconsistent shade, streaky

dyeing, filtering, resist, poor washing off and poor fastness.

e. Fabric parameters: Many impurities can be introduced into the dyeing system by

cellulose fiber itself e.g. hardness, reducing agents, metal ions, etc. It is advisable to

compare the fiber used in preliminary lab trials and the one used for bulk trials.

f. Liquor Ratio: This is the most common cause of poor reproducibility. In most of the

dye houses chemical additions are based on data provided by machinery manufacturer, on

the physical dimensions of the dyeing vessel or on liquor level indications on dyeing

machine itself. Experience shows that these liquor indications are erroneous (generally up

to 25% as compared to actual liquor ratio) since liquor in dead volume in circulation

tubes, heat exchanger, expansion tanks, etc., is often not taken into consideration. Also,

wet pretreated fabric content vs. measurements with water alone lead to wrong

assumptions. An error in liquor ratio (e.g. higher than anticipated), results in wrong salt

concentration (less than required resulting in lower fixation of a lower exhausted amount

of dye). These cumulative effects result in poor reproducibility leading to shade

corrections. (Jadhav & Ajmera)

Research Area: Use of Chemicals, Water and Electricity in Textile Industry and their Impact on

Productivity and Environment.

The impacts on the environment by Masco industry have been recognized in terms of the

consumption of water, chemicals and energy. The operating process of this industry

consumes enormous amount of water which requires large quantities chemicals. This puts

a burden on the water treatment plant and also on the ETP.

Major environmental concerns in textile industry are

1. High water consumption. A Number of washing steps involved in the production

process consume substantial amount of water (and energy too).

2. Color and heavy metals in the waste water, due to a variety of dyestuff and auxiliary

chemicals used.

3. Worker’s health and safety due to VOC emissions. Number of dyestuffs, auxiliary

chemical (like finishing agents) gives rise to hazardous VOC emissions.

4. Toxicity to aquatic world in receiving water bodies due to the hazardous chemicals

involved in wet processing that escape through waste water.

(Visvanathan, Kumar, & Han, 2000)

One principle problem that textile industry meets is the re-dyeing problem because the

dyeing fabric does not meet the requirement of the customer. When the re-dyeing process

is carried out, it leads to a loss of many resources such as water, energy, chemical and

dye stuff, time, man-hour, etc. (Tanapongpipat, Khamman, Pruksathorm, & Hunsom)

This re-dyeing or Non- RFT also affects productivity, quality of fabric and deadline of

delivery. Measures to achieve RFT would help Masco to improve productivity which

includes reducing total cost, increasing profit margin on existing business, and generating

extra capacity from same resources without capital outlay on new capacity.

Methodology Quantitative Measurement

1. I conducted an audit on water consumption to assess water usage to dye two different

shades namely brown and light grey. I used the data results to determine how much water

is being wasted. I also compared water consumption of Masco and water consumption of

standard Textile processing.

2. I conducted a chemical consumption audit to find out the quantity and cost of different

chemicals used to dye the two shades. I used the results to compare the water, utility and

chemical costs of brown and light grey shade for the month of May.

3. I collected data on monthly gas bill, production capacity of dyeing machines and

groundwater pump, and monthly production of Masco to calculate utility cost per kg

fabric and water cost per liter. I also collected data for calculating water, utility and

chemical cost to find out the losses due to Non-RFT.

4. I conducted an audit to draw a flow diagram of the inputs and outputs during the

dyeing process.

Qualitative Measurement I obtained qualitative data by interviewing few experts. I interviewed two important

people from whom I got insightful knowledge about my research topic. My first

interview was with Mr. ATM Mahbub Alam Milton, Director Operations of Masco

Industries Limited. He gave me information regarding how Masco operates and what

techniques they are using. I also interviewed Mr. Md. Nasimul Hassan, Maintenance

Manager of Masco Industries Limited who gave me useful knowledge about the different

dyeing machines and their effectiveness.

1. The rate of water and gas consumptions by the dying machines is uniform.

2. I ignored the maintenance cost of Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

3. I used estimated figures for quantity of water during rinsing.

Results and Discussion

Flow of water in Case plant

Water from GW pump

Water Treatment Plant

Dyeing processes

EffluentTreatment Plant

ENVIRONMENT (LAND)

KnitFabric

Waste Water

Water

Boiler

Waste Water

ENVIRONMENT(GROUNDWATER)

The main source of water for Masco is ground water. Through ground water pumps,

water is drawn and stored in reservoir. From reservoir, water is transported to the water

treatment plants where the water is being treated so that it can be used for the dyeing

process. Some of the water is transported to boiler for steam production. After

completion of dyeing, the wastewater is transported to the effluent treatment plant (ETP)

where the water is being treated to be released into the environment. But the ETP of

Masco does not run 24 hours and so some of the waste water is released into the

environment, untreated.

A flow diagram of the inputs and output during dyeing process is shown in the next page.

Invatex CRA (Detergent) Albafluid C (Anti-Cleanser) Water in Water in HTS (Anti-foam) Sirix 2UD (to remove iron) Bactosol SAP Caustic Soda Hydrogen Peroxide Water drained out Water out Water out Water Water Acetic acid Bio Polish EC Water out Water out Water in Acetic Acid Color Glauber’s salt Leveling Temp set at 65˚C Soda Ash Water out Water in Water in water in FRD (Fixing Acetic acid Agent) Soaping agent Water out Water out Water out Water in

Temperature rises to 98 C. The machine is allowed to run for 45 minutes

Rinsing takes place for 5 minutes

Hot wash for 10 minutes


Left for one hour

Temperature raised to 80 C and left for 5 min


Temperature reaches 40 C and left for 10 minutes

Color dosing- 30 minutes Run time: 10 minutes

Salt dosing: 15 minutes Run time: 30 minutes

Soda Dosing: 30 minute Run time: 10 minutes

Machine runs for 1 hour


Run time: 20 minutes

Temp rises to 98˚C and then allowed to run for 10 minutes



Utility Cost and Water Cost in May

Utility Cost

Cost of electricity consumed by dyeing machines

= 350KW*24hours*26days*6, 43,317taka

800 KW*24hours*26days

= 2, 81,451 taka

Cost of steaming

= 180, 0000*.90

=1,620,000 taka

Therefore, Utility cost per kg fabric

= 2, 81,451 taka +1,620,000

262069 kg

= 7.25 taka

Water Cost in May

Cost of electricity to pump water from pump 1

= 22KW*24*26*1.3

=17846 taka

Cost of electricity to pump water from pump 2

=22KW*24*26*1.3

= 17846taka

Chemical Cost to treat Water in Water Treatment Plant (WTP)

= 13,333 taka (Given)

Cost to run 2 centrifugal pumps in WTP

= 30KW*1.3*24*26

= 24,336 taka

Given, Total Capacity of Dyeing machines = 350KW Monthly gas bill (May) = 6, 43,317taka Total Fabric production in May = 262069 kg Cost of 1 KW-hr/electricity energy = 6, 43,317taka 800*24*26 = 1.3 taka

Capacity of 2 groundwater pump2 = 22KW each Capacity of 2 centrifugal pumps = 30KW Capacity of other pumps in WTP = 4KW Rate of GW pump = 120 m³ per hour Therefore, amount of water used in 1 month = 120*24*26 = 74,880 m³

Cost to run two other pumps in WTP

= 44KW*1.3*24*26

= 35,693 taka

Therefore, total water cost in one month

= 17846 taka + 17846taka + 13,333 taka + 24,336 taka + 35,693 taka

= 109,054 taka

Cost of 1m³ water = 109,054 = 1.5 taka

74,880

Therefore, Cost of 1 liter = 0.0015 taka

Utility, Water and Chemical Cost for two shades

Brown Shade

Water consumption per kg fabric = 191 liter

Water consumption for 7733 kg fabric produced during the month of May = 7733*191

= 1,477,003 l

Cost of 1,477,003 l = 2216 taka (in May 2009)

Water consumption during topping = 115 l/kg

Water consumption for 1811 kg fabric requiring topping for month of May = 115*1811

= 208, 265 l

Cost of 208,265 l = 312 taka (in May 2009)

Utility Cost per kg fabric = 7.25 taka

Utility cost for 7733kg fabric = 7.25 *7733 = 56,064.25 taka (May 2009)

Utility cost for topping 1811 kg fabric = 7.25 *1811 = 13,129.75 taka (May 2009)

Chemical Cost per kg fabric = 45.01 taka

Chemical cost for 7733 kg fabric = 348,062.33 taka (May 2009)

Chemical cost for topping 1811 kg fabric = 10497.2+9878.71+5915+3219.94 = 29,511

taka

Light Grey Shade

Water consumption per kg fabric = 194 liter

Water consumption for 27,178 kg fabric produced during the month of May

= 27,178 *194

= 5,266,792 l

Cost of 5,266,792 l = 7900 taka (May 2009)

Water consumption during topping = 119 l/kg

Water consumption for 1893 kg fabric requiring topping for month of May = 119*1893

= 225, 267 l

Cost of 225, 267 l = 338 taka (May 2009)

Utility Cost per kg fabric = 7.25 taka

Utility cost for 27,178 kg fabric = 7.25 *27,178 = 197,041 taka (May 2009)

Utility cost for topping 1893 kg fabric = 7.25 *1893 = 13,724 taka

Chemical Cost per kg fabric = 24.09 taka

Chemical cost for 27,178 kg fabric = 24.09 *27,178 = 654, 718 taka

Chemical cost for topping 1893 kg fabric = 1635.9+6608.6+8765.24+980+322+9926.84

= 28,239 taka

Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost

Light grey

RFT (100%) Cost/kg Share of the total cost (%)

Right First Time 31.6 100

Topping 0 0

Total 31.6 100

Table 1: Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost (Without topping)

Total Production- 27,178 kg

Total Cost- 859,659 taka

Therefore, cost per kg = 859,659/27,178 = 31.6 taka


Right First Time 31.6 59%

Topping 22.3 41%

Total 54 100

Table 2: Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost (With topping) Topping- 1893 kg

Cost of topping- 42,301 taka

Therefore, cost of topping per kg fabric = 42,301/1893 = 22.3 taka

The above tables present the impact of topping light grey shades on total cost. From the

table it is clear that for light grey shade, the cost of all fabric that met requirements

“Right First Time” is 31.6 taka per kg in May. A drop in production efficiency of only

7% would mean a ‘RFT’ rate of 93%. This means that 7% of the production would need

some form of repair or topping and costs 22.3 taka per kg. Thus, the total cost increases

from 31.6 to 54 taka by 22.3 taka per kg. The share of topping is 41% of the total cost.

Brown shade


Right First Time 52.5 100

Topping 0 0

Total 52.5 100

Table 1: Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost (Without topping) Total Production- 7733 kg


Therefore, cost per kg = 406,342/7733 = 52.5 taka


Right First Time 52.5 68.9

Topping 23.7 31.1

Total 76.2 100

Table 2: Effect of Shade Reproducibility on Total Production Cost (With topping) Topping- 1811kg


Therefore, cost of topping per kg fabric = 42,953/1811 = 23.7 taka

The above table compares the impact of topping brown shade on total cost. For Brown

shade, the cost per kg of all dyeing batches that matched in first time dyeing is 52.5 taka.

But the production efficiency dropped by 23%. Thus, the total cost increased to 76.2 taka

per kg from 52.5 taka per kg. The share of topping brown shade is 31% of the total cost.

This indicates that more resources have been wasted by dyeing brown shade in the month

of May.

This shows that there are several factors that curb the efficiency of the dyeing process

and thus require topping operations. A few reasons could be

• Variations in the substrate provided

• Variations in the preparation of that substrate

• Human error

• Lack of people skills / training

• Lack of control

• Machine error

• Working with non reproducible processes

• Working with non reproducible dyestuffs.

Non-RFT Impact on Process Cost

Non-RFT impact on process cost

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Light grey shade

% p

roce

ss c

ost

Non-RFTRFT

Non-RFT 338 13,724 28,239

RFT 7,900 197,041 654,718

Water(in Taka) Utility(in Taka) Chemical (in Taka)

The above table compares the water, utility and chemical costs of light grey shade for the

month of May. It can be seen that in Right First Time, the cost of chemical is the highest,

that is 654,718 taka while the cost of Utility is 197,041taka and among the three water is

cheapest, costing only 7900 taka in May. The excess cost of water, utility and chemical

for re-dyeing light grey shade is 338, 13,724 and 28,239 taka respectively.

Non RFT-Impact on process cost

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Brown shade

%pr

oces

s co

st

Non-RFTRFT

Non-RFT 312 13,130 29,511

RFT 2216 56,064 348,062

Water(in Taka) Utility (in Taka) Chemical (in taka)

The above table compares the water, utility and chemical costs of brown shade for the

month of May. It can be seen that in Right First Time, the cost of chemical is the highest,

that is 3,48,062 while the cost of Utility is 56,064 and among the three water is cheapest,

costing only 2216 taka in May. The excess cost of water, utility and chemical for re-

dyeing brown shade is 312, 13,130 and 29,511 taka respectively.

The results of the above tables indicate that Masco has sufficient room to improve their

RFT. Improved RFT means that less reprocessing has to be carried out, reducing the

usage of chemicals, water and energy, as well as saving time previously lost in the

correction of off-shade dyeing. Improvement in the RFT also helps to reduce the

wastewater volume as well as the concentrations of the pollutants in the wastewater.

Water is the cheapest resource because Masco does not buy water. They only have to pay

for the process cost.

Water Consumption in Masco

Color Water Use in Masco, l/kg of production

Standard Water use in textile processing, l/kg of production

Brown 191 100 Light grey 194 100

The figure above compares water consumption of Masco and water consumption of

standard Textile processing. The standard figure for water consumption serves as a good

benchmark for determining whether water use in Masco industry is excessive. While

Brown shade requires 191 liters of water per kg production, light grey requires a little

more, that is, 194 liters of water per kg of production. The standard amount of water

required to dye a 1 kg knit fabric is 100 liters. Therefore, it is very clear that Masco

industry consumes significant amount of water to dye their fabric.

Liquor ratio is the volume of liquor consumed in liters per kg of fabric wet processed.

(Stephenson, Shemang, & Chaoka)

In Masco, each kilogram of finished textile product (brown and light grey shade) requires

an average of 193 liters of water. By investing in more water and energy efficient

machinery it is possible to minimize this ratio without compromising product quality.

The low liquor ratio not only saves water but also allows for shorter dye cycles and saves

chemical and energy. (D. Stephenson, E.M. Shemang, and T.R. Chaoka) Pollution load of

the wastewater was dropped due to reduction of used dye stuff and chemicals amount.

Win-Win situation for Masco Industry Average water cost during topping = (115+119)*0.001 = 0.117 taka per kg

2

Average utility cost during topping = 7.25 taka per kg

Average chemical cost during topping = (16.3+14.9) = 15.6 taka per kg

2

Therefore, Average cost during topping = 0.117+7.25+15.6= 23 taka per kg

Therefore, For Masco Industry, the average loss due to topping is TK 23 per kg fabric

per month. RFT can save this money!!!!

Another study was conducted by Mr. Abbas Uddin Shiyak, Assistant Professor of Prime

Asia University. His study results show that for the tested companies, the average loss

due to re-processing is TK 14 - 16 per kg fabric per year.

The difference is because Mr. Abbas took into account many different shades while I

focused in two shades only. Also he conducted the study over a period of one year while I

did it for two months.

The direct benefit of RFT is reducing water, chemical, and utility consumption and hence

their cost. The ETP is designed based on 2 criteria:

1. Volume of wastewater

2. Load of wastewater

Improvement in the RFT helps to reduce the wastewater volume as well as the

concentrations of the pollutants in the wastewater. The burden on the ETP becomes less

and also the size of ETP can be reduced. Therefore less space is needed for the

construction of ETP and this is a very big advantage in a country where space is a

constraint.

My Observations in Masco Masco has 13 dyeing machineries in total out of which 5 are Chinese and the rest

8 are high pressure atmospheric machines. Chinese machines are atmospheric

pressure machines and thus loses there is significant steam loss through heat loss

Chinese machines do not have a reserved tank. Thus it takes lot of time to achieve

the desired temperature. Hence there is considerable electricity loss as the pump

has to move for longer time.

Production loss as the time between loading and unloading increases.

Liquor ratio 1: 8 used thus requiring more water and more chemicals.

Limitations Time: Could have audited for more shades

Chinese machines have no proper calibration so it was difficult to obtain accurate

data

Used estimated figures for water consumption in some cases because of lack of

knowledge of workers.

Recommendations: 1. Non-RFT maybe caused due to selection of cheap dyes and chemicals. In such cases,

the real cost of electricity, water, and chemicals in re-dyeing process are normally

ignored. To achieve RFT Masco can switch to better quality dyes and chemicals even if

they are expensive.

2. Masco can replace Chinese dyeing machines with high pressure machines in order to

reduce heat loss.

3. Liquor ratio: Masco dyes fabric using 1:8 fabric: liquor ratio. This means for 1 kg

fabric, 8 liters waster is used. One of the best ways to achieve the motto of ‘save fuel,

increase profit, help the environment’ is to minimize the fabric: liquor ratio. Thus a

substantial reduction in water usage is possible.

4. Workers training: training of workers in Masco about water management practices will

ensure reduction in water consumption.

5. Good housekeeping: Good housekeeping is essential for making sure that a business is

run efficiently. In the same way, good housekeeping is also the first and most essential

step to improving eco-efficiency. Housekeeping is therefore the first place a manager of

Masco should look for opportunities to save resources, reduce waste and prevent

pollution.

6. The company’s main aim should be to reduce re-dyeing operations by increasing the

process efficiency in order to save time, water, energy and chemicals.

Conclusion The results indicate that by reducing water use and improving energy efficiency, it is

possible to yield significant environmental and economic benefits. It is expected that

savings from water and energy conservation measures would not only cover investment

costs but would also result in a profit. Also the operating and maintenance cost of the

Effluent Treatment Plant will be greatly reduced. Thus a win-win situation is created as

both the industry and the environment is benefited.

Reference: 1. Visvanathan, C., Kumar, S., Priambodo,A., & Vigneswaran, S. Energy And

Environmental Indicators in the Thai Textile Industry. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from

http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/smi2/SMI/roadmap/Publications/Conf_Work_Smnr/Thai_textile

_Visu.pdf.

2. Hassan, T.G.K.M. Untitled. Retrieved July 10, 2009 from

http://www.unescap.org/tid/publication/tipub2500_pt2chap1.pdf

3. Hossain, A. (2003). An Overview of Different Eco-efficiency Measures: Paper

presented in a National Workshop.

4. Visvanathan, C., Kumar, S., & Han, S., (2000). Cleaner Production in Textile Sector:

Asian Scenario: Paper presented in a national workshop. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from

http://www.serd.ait.ac.th/smi2/SMI/roadmap/Presentations/CP_Textile_Asia.pdf

5. Tanapongpipat, A., Khamman, C., Pruksathorm, K., & Hunsom, M. Parameters effect

on the scouring process of textile industry. Retrieved July 12, 2009, from

http://www.intania.com/upload/PE09.pdf

6. Curtin University of Technology. (2008). Cleaner Production at Curtin. Retrieved

July 12, 2009, from

http://c4cs.curtin.edu.au/c4cs/c4csecoefficiencyhome.htm

7. Bhurtun, C., Kistamah, N., & Chummun, J. Energy Saving Strategies in Textiles

Industry: The Case of Mauritius. Retrieved July 26, 2009, from

http://active.cput.ac.za/energy/web/icue/papers/2006/15_C_Bhurtun.pdf

8. Horrocks, A.R. & Anand, S.C. (Eds.) Handbook of Technical Textiles. England:

Woodhead Publishing Limited. Retrieved July 26, 2009, from

http://books.google.com.bd/books?id=pq1EhoWIAzkC&printsec=frontcover&hl=en&so

urce=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0

9. Jadhav, A., & Ajmera. N. Cost effectiveness in textile processing. Retrieved July 26,

2009, from

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/4/316/cost-effectiveness-in-textile-

processing1.asp

Picture 1: A scale attached to dyeing machines that indicates water level in the machine

Picture 2: A 650 kg dyeing machine

Picture 3: Dyeing process going on

Picture 4: A dyeing process going on

Picture 5: Foam coming out of the machine during dyeing

Picture 6: Control Panel

Picture 7: Water Tank

Picture 8: Dyeing process

Picture 9: Knitting machine

Picture 10: Checking for Faults

impact of right first time (rft) approach on textile industries in bangladesh: a case study

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