Marketing platform for textile industry

AS the local textile industry undergoes a major transformation with hiccups at Ramatex, local textile manufacturers have come together to form a company whose main task is to market Namibian products to the domestic and outside markets; mainly targeting the US market.

The Namibia Garments Marketing Company (Pty) Limited (NGMC) is a marketing group, set up last month, to market products of its member companies locally, regionally and internationally. The main objective of NGMC, is to access the US market under AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act), which allows local textile companies easy access into the US.To date only Ramatex is said to be taking advantage of AGOA.AGOA was signed in 2000, to promote increased trade and economic cooperation between the United States and eligible sub-Saharan African countries.NGMC will also use regional trade agreements, the SACU agreement and SADC Trade Protocol, to penetrate regional markets.The company said it was taking the experience of other regional countries like Lesotho where such a marketing concept was said to be thriving.Addressing a press conference in Windhoek on Friday, NGMC board director, Theophillus Rohm said the local textile industry is facing a number of challenges which required a joint force to fight against the prevailing problems.He said the current situation was denying the country foreign earnings and job opportunities, adding that this status quo had to change for the betterment of the economy.”For too long, despite being a labour intensive industry, the garment and textile sector operated in isolation without cooperation and a strong voice in the Namibian economy.Namibian manufacturers had to battle against unfair competition, mainly from South Africa, culminating in the dumping of foreign manufactured products in the local market, making it very difficult for them to build capacity..,” said Rohm.Lack of market access and closures of some local companies competing against each other locally, are some of the reasons behind the formation of NGMC.Rohm said NGMC was looking at expanding the textile and garment industry, adding that soon his company would be engaged in talks with the many South African retail shops trading locally, to see that Namibian products found shelf space in those outlets.The company is working closely with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry’s Acting Director: International Trade, Annascy Mwanyangapo said incentives for this company were different from those of manufacturers, as NGMC was entering the textile market for promotion and to market local companies.Currently there are five companies involved with NGMC, and the marketing company has made a call to other companies in this sector to join their initiative.The main objective of NGMC, is to access the US market under AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act), which allows local textile companies easy access into the US.To date only Ramatex is said to be taking advantage of AGOA.AGOA was signed in 2000, to promote increased trade and economic cooperation between the United States and eligible sub-Saharan African countries.NGMC will also use regional trade agreements, the SACU agreement and SADC Trade Protocol, to penetrate regional markets. The company said it was taking the experience of other regional countries like Lesotho where such a marketing concept was said to be thriving.Addressing a press conference in Windhoek on Friday, NGMC board director, Theophillus Rohm said the local textile industry is facing a number of challenges which required a joint force to fight against the prevailing problems.He said the current situation was denying the country foreign earnings and job opportunities, adding that this status quo had to change for the betterment of the economy.”For too long, despite being a labour intensive industry, the garment and textile sector operated in isolation without cooperation and a strong voice in the Namibian economy.Namibian manufacturers had to battle against unfair competition, mainly from South Africa, culminating in the dumping of foreign manufactured products in the local market, making it very difficult for them to build capacity..,” said Rohm.Lack of market access and closures of some local companies competing against each other locally, are some of the reasons behind the formation of NGMC.Rohm said NGMC was looking at expanding the textile and garment industry, adding that soon his company would be engaged in talks with the many South African retail shops trading locally, to see that Namibian products found shelf space in those outlets.The company is working closely with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry’s Acting Director: International Trade, Annascy Mwanyangapo said incentives for this company were different from those of manufacturers, as NGMC was entering the textile market for promotion and to market local companies. Currently there are five companies involved with NGMC, and the marketing company has made a call to other companies in this sector to join their initiative.