EU to assist selected SME apparel exporters

by Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The European Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ECCSL) will bring in experts to boost selected SME apparel manufacturers in conjunction with the Joint Apparel Association (JAAF).

President ECCSL K Pringiers said that the project comes as a timely and favourable response at a time that small manufacturers lose market share to more efficient manufacturers with the loss of protection hitherto provided by the MFA.

He said that the quota system has benefited developing countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh by guaranteeing an export market despite severe competition from more efficient producers and therefore it is necessary to provide increased local management skills that will lead to productivity improvement and cost reduction in the SME apparel manufacturing sector prior to the participants seeking investment partners or increased export opportunities within Europe.

"'At the level of the EU companies looking to transfer technology improved capacity of Sri Lankan companies participating in this project to do business with the EU would make their task of identifying partners in Sri Lanka much easier," Pringiers said. The programme objectives fall within the sectors' own strategic requirements as published by the JAAF and 30 selected participants would be accommodated.

The Project Assistant (SME Apparel) Keerthi Abewickrama said that this 20 month project is through a series of events, in particular, an initial benchmarking exercise to determine the current operating parameters of the participating companies, a series of productivity improvement workshops followed by in-house coaching and implementation assistance in order that the companies gain a comprehensive insight into the complexities and requirements of doing business with EU companies.

Resource personnel includes management consultant to the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Derek Young with more than 30 years experience in this field, Director of International Clothing and Training Consultancy Ltd John Haycock and Director Glenmount Training Services Keerthi Abeywickrama.

The project is co-funded by the European Union and comes under its Asia -invest Programme.