Transforming textile sector
STRONG PRE-production skills in the clothing and textile sector are key in developing competitive and flexible local value chains to contribute to economic growth in Durban.
The eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development and Investment Promotions Unit and the KwaZulu-Natal Clothing and Textile Cluster (KZN CTC) hosted a two-day standard setting workshop which took place last week at Pinetown’s Premier Hotel.
The municipality said participants were encouraged to implement measures and techniques which would shorten production time and increase efficiency in their operations and output during the workshop.
The unit’s programme manager, Anasuyah Pather, said shortened production time and increased efficiency in operations and output would save costs and promote a productive workforce.
She added that the workshop strongly focused on human development for factory employees who are part of the pre-production process.
“There is training for all factory employees in the clothing and textile industry.
“We are making an impact on every single level and every aspect of the functioning of a manufacturing business – in that way we are then contributing towards a growing gross domestic product,” said Pather.
Cost management and recovery is an important aspect to growing the sector and has been identified as a focus area for the KZN CTC pre-production in 2018.
It will provide participants with both theoretical learning and a practical work component.
Under the value chain programme, Pather said benchmarks are done by looking into techniques by top producing factories.
“We then look into a group of small producers and look at techniques they use to make them more efficient, and we look at how we can apply that to our operations.
“We constantly benchmark internationally, nationally and locally so that our factories are then always at the forefront, and producing in a way that is world-class,” Pather explained. – Network Reporter