From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Mon Sep 28 2009 - 11:03:25 EDT
Zambaiti- Eritrea P.L.C ( ZaEr): Pioneering Excellence in the Textile
and Garment Industry
Mansour Nouredin, Sep 28, 2009
ZaEr, short for Zambaiti- Eritrea Plc, is a garment and textile industry
in Eritrea. Famous for its export oriented products, the company basic
objective is to produce world class garment and textile products. In an
interview he conducted with Shaebia.org, Mr. Stefano Bonnazi, General
Manager of ZaEr said "in its quest of manufacturing export-oriented high
quality products, the company has begun to manufacture Giorgio Armani,
Nara Camicie and other world-class designs and put on sale to the world
market through Cotonificio Honegger S.p.A, a subsidiary of Zambaiti
Copertificio," based in Albino, Italy.
"The brands with a tag-name of its producing country-Eritrea, would help
the country to get introduced with foreign customers," he added.
The plant site being in the ex Asmara Textile Factory, locally refereed
as ' Da Baratolo', initially the textile company was founded by an
Italian investor Mr. Baratollo during 1950's. Originally named as
'Cotonificio Baratollo', the textile factory sole aim was to produce
linen, cotton and threads for domestic consumption. After its
nationalization by the Dergue in 1977, with meager resources it had
shown minimal progress until it transferred to the Zambaiti Group in
2004. Since then with an objective of immersing to the world market,
Zambaiti-Eritrea has invested 13 million Euros in accelerating the
amount of production in five departments- shirt department, spinning
department, garment and trousers department, house linen department and
knitwear department.
With a total workforce of 550 and 10 professional expatriates, the
company produces trousers, shirts, pajamas, polo shirts, towels, bed
sheets, house-linen and yarn cotton. The factory's daily turnover at the
existing capacity varies from 900 up to 1000 pieces of shirt, from 200
up to 250 pieces of trousers and pajamas, 150 bed sheets and around 3600
kilos of cotton yarn. As of September 2009, to better utilize the
capacity, the company is planning to expand its shirt production shifts
into two.
The company has shown a 70% growth in manufacturing and the capital turn
over increases over the years. Yet shortage of raw materials especially
cotton still hampers for more production, said Mr. Stefano. "With the
introduction of large scale agro industries in Gash Barka especially
Aligider, a town where Italians begun cotton plantation for the
preceding company, Baratolo, there is a room for further expansion of
products," he added.
Mr. Tadesse Weldeyohannes, Director General of Industrial Development at
the Ministry of Trade and Industry said, textile and garment industry's
focus should be in enhancing the quality and maximizing the quantity of
their products. Also the introduction of new technology and the training
and advancing the skills of the employees must be taken seriously so as
to compete in the global market.
"Our expectation from such industries is to uphold the nitty-gritty of
their business plan they forwarded and stay intact to it for better
outcome," Mr. Tadesse remarked.
As part of its strategic plan Zaer- Eritrea is aiming on boosting the
production rate from 30% to 40% in 2009, in which out of this 85% will
be for export. The company sole export destinations are Italy, Saudi
Arabia, Kenya, Zambia and Djibouti among others.
As our product is not merely for export, apart from the three sales
shops in Asmara, it has opened three others in Keren, Dekemhare and
Mendefera. For a wider distribution, the company is going to open sales
shops in Massawa and Tesenei, in near future.
However, Mr. Stefanno continued, due to the global economic downturn and
thus the shrinking of demands, the sector has been facing difficulties.
Yet, as the economic recession is taking place in many countries, the
sales seemingly will revive and hence the future is bright.
In an effort to create a conducive working environment, the company
strives to address the basic needs of its employees.
"After all, satisfaction of the employees directly influences the
production," he noted.
In addition to the attractive remuneration package, the employees
receive medical and other benefits. The day-care service established by
the company for its employees' children for instance, has proved to be
an effective tool to let the employees work wholeheartedly in the
company.
Mrs. Yordanos Yukunoamlak, head of nursery, says the day-care services
provided there help in the overall development of the children.
"For the company and its employees, such services are of a win-win
situation. The employees while earning their bread, their children are
nurturing life skills, while the company is getting the best out of its
employees," she commented.
Zambaiti Group is one of the leading Italian textile and garment
industries founded by Angelo Zambiatti in the turn of the 19th century.
Over the years it has proved excellence in the textile industry. At this
time it runs 12 factories in Italy, 4 in Europe, 1 in US, China and
Africa.
The company is planning to expand the company and further diverse its
products. Also, as we are really into quality products, we will try to
keep the reputation while maintaining the affordability of prices to
local customers either, Mr. Stefano Bonazzi, General Manager of the
company remarked.
Not only does the company creates job opportunity for a score of
Eritreans, but its products quality seems to revive the once acclaimed
Eritrean products of the 1930's, in which they were exported as far as
Europe.
Keeping the standard and reputation it already gained is the challenge
that is ahead of them.
http://www.shaebia.org/artman/publish/article_5963.shtml
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