Building a well-furnished industrial park is one thing and recruiting anchor investors is another thing. In fact, bringing reputable investors with international experience and staggering capital is as equally important as building the industrial parks.
Ethiopia has been building mega industrial parks allocating. So far, foreign companies have secured sheds in the different parks while many more shed are awaiting companies looking to make use of the opportunities. Industrial parks which consume large chunk of capital need to begin operation soon after inaugurations.
As a matter of fact
many companies which have taken sheds in Hawassa, Mekelle, and Kombolcha and
other parks have been generating the much needed foreign currency by exporting
brand products to the international markets.
And in addition to the operational parks, the country has been constructing new industrial parks in Bahir Dar nearing completion shortly. And the park has no risk of shortage of investors. As what can be described as an important move a Hong Kong based company known for its quality bra products is entering Memorandum of Understanding with IPDC to fully take the sheds and begin manufacturing.
Hop Lun, which is keen to produce and export its textile products to the western market, will take over the existing eight shades soon, and start training programs for its employees soon – many of whom are said to be graduates of the Bahir Dar University Fashion and Designs School.
The first phase of the Bahir Dar industrial park project has been constructed in 75 hectares of land with a construction cost of close to 60 million U.S. dollars.
Hop Lun is also expressed its desire for expansion while the government plans to provide additional 2,000 hectares of land for the expansion of the park.
Constructed by the China Civic Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in Ethiopia, the Bahir Dar industrial park is currently said to be on its final stage, with only final construction works, such as the installation of telecom cables and other software appliances, currently on progress.
An agreement would be signed with the company to handover eight factory sheds to the transnational textile and garment manufacturing firm, said Amare Asgedom Deputy Chief Executive Officer of IPDC.
The company is preparing to offer training and commence production and is required to create over 4,000 jobs. According to Amare, additional 4,000 job opportunities will also be added when the planned dormitory and full warehouse service started.
Infrastructural facilities are being installed properly and effectively to avoid
service disruptions, he said adding that the park requires 8 MW of energy and power distribution facilities are being installed and supply the need amount of power for nearby areas. Everything is going smoothly with regard to water and telecommunication installations. Amare, noting that the remaining installation of electric power and telephone-cables will be conducted in less than one month, stressed that “there will not be that much challenge in-terms of infrastructure like the other industrial parks.”
“The construction is almost finished and we are preparing to hand over to IDPC, The quality is according to the standard and everything is put in place, “said Bahir Dar Industrial Park, Project manager, Song Yong Xian.
One of the very problem faced the construction has been the rocky nature of the land. This has contributed to the delay of the construction a bit. However, now that the construction is nearing completion, the company is awaiting a go ahead to begin planned expansion project.
The company is keen to integrate new and upcoming textile graduates from the Bahir Dar University in its manufacturing chains.
“We are currently discussing with company to directly integrate with Bahir Dar University Fashion Department, which would enable new and upcoming graduates from the university to bet employment opportunities alongside few foreign experts,”.
Ethiopian professionals will mainly obtain technical, managerial and related supervisory roles as part of the integration initiative between the Bahir Dar University and the Bahir Dar Industrial Park.
The Ethiopian Herald September 20, 2019
BY DESTA GEBREHIWOT
