DTB, a textile and bag decorator serving predominantly the promotional market, is transforming its operations with support from East Midlands Made Smarter, helping the business make the transition from its analogue roots towards a more digitally enabled future.
Approaching its 20th year, DTB has grown organically from a business initially focused solely on screen printing. As the company has developed, its focus has shifted towards finding ways to introduce established digital technologies into its industry and create a smarter, more connected business.
Made Smarter came through our investigation into what was available to DTB to help it transition and make the move that we knew we wanted to make.
Ian Ault, Managing Director at DTB
DTB’s journey began with the challenge of moving from an analogue business towards one that was much more digitally enabled. While there were established technologies available, the business needed to understand how these could be applied effectively to its own industry and operations.
There was also a wider challenge around turning an understanding of the potential benefits of digital technology into practical changes within the business. As the team explains in the video, understanding what digital technology can achieve and knowing how to successfully introduce it into a business require two very different skill sets.
For DTB, the challenge was therefore about more than simply investing in new technology. The business needed to bridge the gap between recognising the opportunity and making it work effectively for its people and processes.
Working with East Midlands Made Smarter gave DTB access to a partner that could understand its challenges while bringing experience and ideas from other industries.
Ian described the collaboration as refreshing, particularly because Made Smarter was able to understand DTB’s individual challenges, draw upon knowledge gained elsewhere and encourage the business to challenge its own thinking.
The support also gave the DTB team access to ideas, experience and understanding that would have been much more difficult to develop independently. Made Smarter helped the business bring together its knowledge of the benefits of digital technology with the practical skills required to introduce that technology successfully.
Alongside this guidance, courses delivered through Made Smarter and grant funding have supported DTB’s wider strategic ambitions, with funding enabling the business to invest in the hardware required to support its digital journey.
Importantly, DTB recognised that bringing its people along on this journey would be central to making the transformation work.
Ian said:“Taking the people with you is important.”
DTB’s journey with East Midlands Made Smarter has already had an impact across the business, particularly when it comes to communication, visibility and connectivity.
One of the most significant changes has been the way people across DTB think about the company’s wider goals. The programme has helped create a common language within the business, giving the team a clearer understanding of what DTB is trying to achieve and the part each person plays within that journey.
This shift is helping DTB maintain its focus on delivering products it is proud of for its customers, while finding smarter ways of working.
The combination of Made Smarter courses and grant-funded hardware is also helping the company's strategic goals become a reality, connecting the knowledge and skills gained through the programme with practical investment in technology.
For DTB, digital transformation is an ongoing journey rather than a single project.
The company's experience with Made Smarter has helped provide a clearer direction for its digital ambitions, while encouraging the team to remain curious about what technology could bring to the business.
For other manufacturers considering a similar journey, Ian’s advice is simple:
“Anybody wanting to take this journey with Made Smarter and is curious about what technology can do to their business, don't be afraid.”
He added:“Ask the question, fall over a few times, surround yourself with people who obviously know more than you. Take your time, pick some quick wins, understand where your end point may be and enjoy it.”
