Only four months after South Windsor-based Gerber Scientific’s Tolland division, Gerber Technology, decided to forgo the costs of attending an annual spring showcase for its industry in Germany, the company plans to forge ahead with a Texas trade show this fall.
Gerber Technology makes automated manufacturing equipment and software for the apparel and other sewn products industries.
The Texas show, which is the 11th Annual Software Users Conference, will take place from Oct. 8 and 9, in Dallas.
The decision to go ahead with the October show is a turnaround from the February decision to scrap an annual German trade show, which company officials said was an effort to forestall additional job cuts.
Withdrawing from the German show saved the company “north of $400,000,” Gerber Technology President John Hancock said at the time of the February announcement.
Hancock said it was a difficult decision to withdraw from one of the world’s major shows for textile processing equipment manufacturers, where Gerber Technology has been a mainstay.
But if it will help save 20 to 30 jobs, he said, it’s worth the sacrifice of exposure for the company.
The biennial show, known as the “2009 IMB — World of Textile Processing” trade show in Cologne, Germany, ran from April 21 through 24.
Hancock also said in February that his company had been cutting back on travel in general. The company’s Asian offices were placed on a four-day workweek, he added.
In a company statement about the decision, William Brewster, Gerber Technology’s vice president for global marketing and product management, said the withdrawal from the German trade show also would help to keep the company focused on customer service.
However, in a statement, Brewster said that the Texas show “is always the highlight of our year,” adding it has also become a prime opportunity to give customers a first-hand look at the company’s latest products.
Gerber Technology is in the process of developing “leading edge, informative sessions and training opportunities” for the Texas show, he said.
The company makes software and hardware for markets including apparel, aerospace, transportation interiors, furniture, composites, and industrial fabrics.
In December, Gerber Scientific eliminated at least 120 jobs throughout the company, including an undisclosed number at Gerber Technology.
