Northern Textile Mills (Nortex) ramped up production by 100 per cent since it relocated from Zimbabwe to Botswana. A number of companies have exited Zimbabwe citing tough business environment following the introduction of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.

Nortex was established in 1990. It has captured a significant market share in the Southern African Development Community region including Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is currently targeting export markets in Asia, the European Union and the United States of America and is set to be a force to reckon with in the global market in cotton towel products. It offers a broad range of terry towels, napkins, beach towels. It manufactures both woven and warp knitted snag free towels.

The company is a water-based industry requiring about 4,00,000 liters of water a day. However, in view of the scarcity of the commodity, the company recovers 70 per cent of this amount through recycling. Nortex produces 7,500 kg of towels a day. It uses its capacity fully. The company used to get its yarn from Zimbabwe, since the country had the best quality, but with the drying-up of that source, it has had to look elsewhere, notably South Africa.

www.nortex.co.za/