Sri Lanka's uniform makers moving up the value chain

As Sri Lankan textiles sector now stands bolstered by the recent offer of support from the Government of India, the domestic manufacturers who were struggling a few years back, are successfully moving for a bigger slice in domestic demand.

The 15 manufacturing firms would entirely fulfill the needs of the country's armed forces, the police, and the prisons (excepting the Navy) as well as the school uniforms. Minister Bathiudeen has now successfully moved the manufacturers to produce 50% of 11.21 Mn of fabrics ($15.57 Mn, required by 2013 January) at a value of $ 7.25 Mn, by December 2012, while the rest was to be imported. The supply of only 50% has been due to the limited capacity of manufacturers in terms of manufacturing capacity, finance and management support. "If our manufacturers could supply the 100%, we will be happier and ready to support," Minister Bathiudeen added.

Feroze Anver, Managing Director, Creative Textile Mill (Pvt) Ltd., far right) explains his textile process to Minister Rishad Bathiudeen (second from right) as Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Technology and Research, third from right), Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education, fourth from right and Anura Siriwardene, Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Commerce, far left) look on.

"I am also pleased to say that the total demand for uniforms from country's armed forces, the police, and the prisons are now met by our domestic manufacturers," Minister Bathiudeen revealed.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, has estimated that in 2012, for country's armed forces, the Police, and the Prisons, uniforms valued at more than $ 14 Mn would be needed, all of which would be manufactured by Lankan textile firms engaged in this proffession, numbering 15. All school uniforms are made domestically, using the "weaving process," where only yarn is imported and everything else, completed locally, while for the armed forces, police and prisons uniforms, the "import gray process" is for local processing afterwards. Under Minister Bathiudeen's guidance, his officials have also begun work on Sri Lanka Textile Strategic Plan (SLTS Plan), in which Lankan manufacturers would be assisted to become the main uniform suppliers in time to come.

"The Domestic Textile Allocation Programme for Uniform Materials (DTAUM), which was initiated in 2004 under cabinet approval, is being fully implemented, begining this year. The textile revival SLTS Plan is to boost the entire sector capacity under the 2004 cabinet approved DTAUM," said M.A.Thajudeen, Additional Secretary (Textiles), Ministry of Industry and Commerce. "We are targeting 75% of school uniform production locally by 2015," he added.

"We don't export the output at all. Our entire production is taken up by local demand," said Feroze Anver, Managing Director, Creative Textile Mill (Pvt) Ltd., which is one of the leading uniform suppliers to Sri Lankan state institutions.

"Under the guidance of SLITA this year, we invested Rs 200 Mn ($ 1.54 Mn) for 120 new machinery units and training for our new factory, which is coming up in Dankotuwa called 'Dankotuwa Weaving Mills Pvt Ltd.,' which would commence in 2013. Once operational, this plant could output 30,000 metres of new fabric per day," Feroze added.

Feroze' $9.2 Mn (Rs 1,200 Mn) annual turnover Creative Textile Mill Ltd., currently spins out more than 7,000 Metres of raw fabrics per day, using yarn imported from Vietnam, through its two plants in Wattala and Dankotuwa, thereby meeting approximately 8 Mn Metres of annual national uniform needs.