FW
In a global deal, the historic textile mill in Huddersfield, Taylor & Lodge has inked a joint venture partnership with China’s textile giant Shandong Ruyi Technology Group. Owners Bulmer & Lumb Group has agreed to the deal for its Taylor & Lodge manufacturing unit at Albert Street.
As per Bahman Mostaghimi, Managing Director of Shandong Ruyi UK the joint venture will bring world-class textile technology, marketing and financial power of Shandong Ruyi together with the manufacturing and design skills of Taylor & Lodge. Shandong Ruyi will help Taylor & Lodge to improve international markets through upgrading its equipment and expanding its marketing.
Mostaghimi says China is known for its cheap products. From the start, they wanted to be one Chinese company where the customer is happy about the quality and service, but complains about the price.
Post the JV, a new company has been formed under the name of Taylor & Lodge (Huddersfield), which will be 80 per cent owned by Shandong Ruyi and 20 per cent by Bulmer & Lumb Group. Taylor & Lodge employs 65 people at its Rashcliffe Mills site. While, Shandong Ruyi supplies high-end suits to its customers including Marks & Spencer and John Lewis and indirectly to other retailers such as Moss Bros, Taylor and Lodge has built its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest, luxury British worsted cloths. In 1966, it was the first textile company in the world to get the Queen’s Award.
Pakistan Textile Exporters' Association (PTEA) has expressed strong displeasure over the proposed rise in sales tax and changes in tax regime. It feels this could negatively impact the textile exports as well as industrial activities. PTEA Chairman Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood and Vice Chairman Adil Tahir, the increase in sale tax would have an adverse impact on the country’s exports especially when a huge amount of sales tax refunds are already stuck with the FBR. This has lead to exporters facing low funds situations. Changes in the tax regime, they assume, would add fuel to the fire.
The industry is already suffering issues like power shortage, hike in tariff, low industrial activities coupled with high production cost. So the sales tax increase would not only affect exports but also the national economy. FBR should make efforts to bring the retail and untaxed sector into the tax net to enhance its revenue collection, instead of further taxing the already ailing textile segment, while the country is losing its ground and competitiveness against neighbouring competitors like China, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The duo feel to boost the economy, there is a need for initiating export-friendly policies since increased exports can bring in more revenues, while the country will also get forex and people, employment. The textile industry needs export friendly-policies and a conducive environment to reap maximum benefits of GSP Plus status such policies only retard the economic growth.
www.ptea.org.pk
Though there was an overall decline in exports of Pakistan cotton yarn, the country enjoys a strong position in the one-billion-dollar club. As per official statistics, during the first half of this fiscal, despite stiff competition in global markets, Pakistan’s cotton yarn exports managed to cross a one billion dollar mark.
Pakistan exported cotton yarn worth 1.072 billion dollars during the first half of FY14 compared to 1.1 billion dollars in the corresponding period of last fiscal, a slight decline of 34 million dollars or 3 per cent. On a month-on-month basis, cotton yarn exports presented some improvement and posted an increase of 35 per cent. With the current surge, cotton yarn exports reached 178 million dollars in December 2013 up from 132 million dollars in November 2013, a rise of 46 million dollars.
Though China is one of the world’s largest buyers of cotton yarn, now there is a slowdown in the Chinese market. This has resulted in a decline in exports of the commodity during the first half. However, Pakistan’s cotton yarn exports are expected to increase in coming years. While India has adapted an aggressive marketing strategy as far as cotton yarn exports are concerned, Pakistan on the other hand, is dealing with issues like high production and business costs, rising power rates, hike in labour wages and gas crisis. For the last few years, the country has been proposing a level playing field that could help cotton yarn exporters to compete in the world market. The Pakistan government is also being urged to support the textile sector particularly textile mills and remove hurdles such as sales tax and higher power tariff to see Pakistan cotton industry grow over the years.
The second edition of ‘Made in India’ show was organized in Lahore recently. It showcased around 120 exhibitors with Indian products like textiles, gems, jewellery, embroidery, herbal medicine, electric products, paint, designing and engineering. The aim was to improve trade ties between the neighbours.
The show is organized by commerce ministries of both countries. Trade relations have not been too good between the two countries and so efforts are being made to ease cross-border tension. Trade has already accelerated with the formal exchange of goods between India and Pakistan increasing from Rs 1,552 crores in 2003 to over Rs 16,000 crores in 2013.
Jyotsna Suri, Head of the Indian delegation and Vice President, FICCI, there is a tremendous potential that remains untapped. The potential of bilateral trade can be gauged by the growth, which is almost 25 per cent, over the last three years — still 10 times lower than the potential. Suri emphasizes the need for promotion of tourism between the two countries which would boost growth and bring the two nations closer.
Some Indian companies introduced power saving and efficient ginning machines during the show. Besides participation in the exhibition, representatives of these companies also visited Karachi to brief the industry about the efficiency of the Indian made cotton ginning machinery. The next ‘Made in Pakistan’ conference is expected to be held in Delhi later this year.
Clothing brand Loalde has transferred the bulk of its production to Cebu from Hong Kong and China to improve retail production operations. Chris P Aldeguer, Group President of Loalde says the company has been in the process of shifting operations over the last 10 years from 30 per cent local production to 70 per cent. Earlier, Loalde's Hong Kong and China production was at 70 per cent, whereas Cebu's production was only 30 per cent.
Aldeguer points out that increasing local production would increase the company’s turnover and lead to less shipping costs, and simpler and higher quality along with creating employment opportunities for the local community.
Loalde has been in the retail industry for the last 37 years. With the shift in production, it can now deliver 1,500 styles per year or 150,000 pieces, unlike when production was based in Hong Kong and China, where they could only deliver 750 styles a year. The higher local production would also enable the company to quickly respond to the needs of customers. Loalde, in the past, posted high sales growth -- between 15 and 18 per cent in 2010. However in the next three years, it slowed down owing to rising competition.
Loalde.com
The relocation of the 2014 spring edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics from Beijing to Shanghai has led to a large increase in the number of exhibitor countries. Over 1,400 suppliers from 23 countries and regions – up from 16 at last year’s spring fair will display their latest apparel fabrics and accessories from March 3-5, 2014 at the new venue Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center.
The increase in international exhibitors is due partly to the convenient location of Shanghai at the centre of the Yangtze River Delta textile manufacturing hub. Large numbers of overseas visitors are expected to attend due to the international textile companies who have offices in the city and manufacturing plants in surrounding areas.
With over 1,400 exhibitors, the selection of apparel fabrics and accessories at the fair is extensive. European exhibitors include Tekstina, a cotton supplier from Slovenia, who will display their Spring/Summer 2015 men’s shirting and women’s wear collections. Mileta from the Czech Republic presents new shirting collections at the fair. And Anteprima, a design company from Italy, is also returning with their trendy print designs. Toyoshima & Co from Japan will showcase knitted fabrics, as well as their technical dyeing and weaving processes to buyers. Also from Japan is Ichimura Sangyo Co, who specialises in stretch fabrics. Their two main products are stretch down fabrics made from ultra-fine nylon and polyurethane, and worsted-like stretch fabric for pants and suits.
Chinese exhibitors are well represented again this year. Prominent industry player Huafu Top Dyed Melange Yarn will present their latest series of mélange yarn products for the 2015 spring / summer season. And first-time exhibitor Binzhou Xinhui Woollen Textile Co will reveal their new knitted woolen products, a product category they believe is becoming increasingly popular in China.
A number of reputed accessories suppliers have also confirmed their participation at the fair. Nearly 230 yarn and fibre exhibitors will also participate at the Yarn Expo Pavilion, a designated fibre and yarn exhibition area within Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2014.
www.messefrankfurt.com
Pakistan plans to hand hold Afghanistan’s textile industry by helping them in sowing cotton in maximum area, establishing ginning their industry and up-gradating existing ginning mills, supply certified and well-germinated seed and promote bilateral trade between the two countries. This was stated by Mukhtar Ahmed Khan Baloch, Chairman of Pakistan Cotton Ginners' Association (PCGA) in a meeting with a delegation of Afghan ginners.
Aasim Saeed Sheikh, Vice Chairman of PCGA, suggested that a Pak-Afghan Cotton Ginners' Association (PACGA) be formed. The head of the Afghan delegation Muhammad Abdullah Munib said there were 35 ginning factories in Afghanistan and cotton was sown on 7,000 acres of land and there was a potential to increase the cotton production. He said cotton prices almost were higher than those in Pakistan, adding Pakistani machinery was mostly erected in ginning factories; but, some preferred Indian Machinery.
The delegation appreciated the performance and role of PCGA and said, they would set up Afghan Cotton Ginners' Association (ACGA) immediately. They also looked forward to buying machinery from Pakistan and gaining from research being done in cotton by Pakistan.
Joint Director of Pakistan Cotton Standard Institute (PCSI) Liaquat Ali Khan briefed the delegation about cotton standardisation and its grading. Vice Chairman of PCGA Aasim Saeed Sheikh said Pakistan was a producer of good quality cotton and no other producer in the world could compete with it. The country’s cotton yield has steadily been increased over the years from 713 kg per hectare in 2008-09 to 769 kg in 2012-13, according to the latest economic survey.
Riding high on successful public-private partnerships and conducive regulations by the government, 2013 was a historical year for the apparel industry of Sri Lanka. This was stated by Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) Deputy Chairman Noel Piyathilaka adding that the challenge now was not to sustain the momentum and realise the targets set by the President to achieve 10 billion dollars (over 60,000 crores) by 2016 and to be among the top 10 apparel export countries of the world by 2020.
Speaking at the 10th Annual General Meeting of the forum, Piyathilaka presiding Azeem Ismail noted that the time had come to explore all possibilities. He acknowledged the government’s support through the introduction of regulation on anti-competitive trade practices and direction for shipping service providers to issue a bill lading clearly indicating whether the consignment is freight collect or freight pre-paid, among others. He also stated the government is proposing to establish a merchant shipping authority in keeping with the development of the maritime industry to harness the maritime hub potential.
Drawing the attention of Chief Guest of the evening Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera to a few remaining issues that require solutions, Piyathilaka asserted that by addressing the issues related to e-commerce, SVAT and international market penetration, the industry, along with many others, would benefit even more and hence would be able to deliver a higher contribution. When this is done, the total reform agenda would be complete.
Piyathilaka stated that if not for the introduction of the suspended VAT scheme, the apparel industry could not have been able to perform due to complexities attributed to the VAT administration system, including refund mechanism and double digit rate. What is needed for economic growth, therefore, is a transparent, single digit VAT system. However, despite the presence of the SVAT system, further reforms are recommended in the larger interest of the economy, he added.
In fact, JAAF believes that with the completed reform agenda supported by international market penetration activities, in particular the conclusion of China-Sri Lanka FTA and other targeted non-traditional markets, Sri Lanka will rank among the best sourcing countries in this part of the world. In his remarks Chief Guest Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera pointed out it seems like everyone wants a piece of Sri Lanka. While one party claims Sri Lanka to be a tea nation and another a cinnamon nation. However, he expressed that Sri Lanka was neither one nor the other, but an ‘apparel nation’.
Jaafsl.com
Bangladesh is displaying its latest garment products in the US market at a three-day apparel expo ‘Men’s Apparel Guild in California’ (MAGIC) Market Week' that started in Las Vegas, Nevada from February 18. ‘Sourcing at Magic’, the North America’s largest, most comprehensive sourcing event has organised the show at Las Vegas Convention Centre.
The exhibition is seeing over 1,100 apparel, accessories and footwear manufacturers who are displaying an array of products including: men’s, women’s and kids’ apparel, footwear and accessories. Bangladeshi exhibitors are exhibiting apparel products such as sweaters, shirts, T-shirts, polo shirts, sweaters, trousers, knit and woven. A number of Bangladeshi apparel exporters are taking part in the show, which will help Bangladesh get export orders from the US market.
Exhibitors say this platform is a unique opportunity to showcase their range of products and boost trade ties between Dhaka and Washington. Magic Market Week is held in the Las Vegas twice a year. It is a premier event for the international community of apparel, accessories and footwear professionals to share information, previews trends, build business and shop fashion unlike anywhere else in the industry. Each February and August, visitors from over 80 countries get to interact with more than 5,000 emerging-to- established brands.
www.magiconline.com
Milano Unica, held at Portello Area, Milan from February 11 to 13 saw packed halls and a lively atmosphere. The show hosted 397 exhibitors, slightly less than the 417 hosted during the February 2013 edition. Out of the total number of exhibitors 67 came from abroad.
Milano Unica will focus on involving foreign countries and manufacturers in the other shows. The September edition will host a Japan Observatory initiative. The new project will be located in a special area within the exhibition ground where exhibitors representing the country’s manufacturing excellence will get a chance to expand their high-end offering through the presentation of complimentary fabric, rich in innovation, mainly dedicated to sportswear technology. This is an initiative of the Japan Fashion Week Organization, the Japanese association grouping all operators of the textile and apparel sectors, fashion designers and distributors.
Despite the downtrend, the Italian textile industry’s balance of trade was positive for the fifth consecutive year. Also the first results of 2014 showed positive growth. Among the top export destinations for Italy’s exports are Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland and Switzerland.
www.milanounica.it/ENG/home.php
