Italy has opts to make itself global leader in manufacturing of textile machinery in creating market linkage in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly, Ethiopia, disclosed the Italian embassy in Ethiopia.
Ethiopian State Minister of Commerce and Industry, Teka Grebeyesus, with accompanied by the Ambassador of Italy to Ethiopia Arturo Luzzi, visited the Italian stand at ITME Africa, held in Addis Ababa and met the representatives of the Italian textile machinery companies.
Embassy of Italy in Ethiopia applauded government programs that supporting the growth and strengthening of the textile sector And Ethiopia represents the most important market in Sub- Saharan Africa for the Italian textile industry.
ITME featured a delegation of 22 Italian textile machinery manufacturers at the Italian pavilion, organized by ICE-Agency and Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery for the Textile Industry.
Association of Italian Manufacturers of machinery for the Textile Industry represents an industrial sector comprising around 300 manufacturers, employing close to 12,000 people and producing machinery for an overall value of about 2.6 billion euros, with exports amounting to 86 percent of total sales.
Creativity, sustainable technology, reliability and quality are the characteristics that have made Italy a global leader in the manufacturing of textile machinery.
ACIMIT President Alex Zucchi, extremely confident in the Ethiopian market, stated that Italian export has grown significantly over the past five years, on average of 17 percent per year, although their overall value remains quite modest that is 2.8 million euros in 2018.Over the first seven months of 2019, the Italian exports of the textile machineries reached a value of 3.3 million euros.
In terms of sales of textile machineries, spinning machines reaching 90 percent of the total exports towards Ethiopia, followed by 6 percent accessories and 4 percent finishing machines, are the most requested by the Ethiopian market.
The Italian presence in the Ethiopian textile sector is highly represented by two relevant worldwide brands, for instance, Calzedonia Group, the leading company operating in the hosiery and beachwear for women, men and children, established a production plant worthwhile 25 million euros in Macallé, Tigrai, in which over 1000 employees work; Carvico, a leading manufacturing company of warp knitted and circular knitted fabrics for high sports performance, has launched an investment of approximately 100 million euros in a production plant in Kombolcha, in the Amhara region, which will start operating at the end of 2020 and will employ 500 employees.
The Ethiopia Herald February 23/2020
BY MEHARI BEYENE
