Tirupur’s apparel manufacturing company ITCRmg is investing in Togo (a West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea). The total investment is valued at US $ 35 million and is expected to generate US $ 40 million worth of export value on an annual basis and 2,000 direct jobs.
It is first ever investment by an Indian garment company in Togo.
A new company ‘Togo Clothing Company’ (TCC) has been formed for this and the plan is to set up 750 flat knitting machines in the Adetikope Industrial Platform (PIA) in Togo. It will be a world-class knit garment.
This new facility will lay a special emphasis on women empowerment. Technical training, skill development and streamlining the local supply chain, resulting in increased margins and reduced carbon footprint as part of our sustainability initiative, would be the immediate highlights of the project.
TCC will be a part of PIA’s state-of-the-art sustainable textile park, which will provide services along the cotton value chain from traceable cotton supply, renewable energy (including solar panels) and best in class logistic infrastructure.
Why Togo? Zahir Sait, CEO, ITCRmg, answered to Apparel Resources, “I would say Togo selected me. The Government policies are very investment friendly. Availability of a fully integrated textile park, inland contain depot (ICD) attached and port which is West Africa’s deepest sea port are also major advantages of the Togo. Good vessel connectivity from China and good connectivity to US, Europe and South America add value to this region. At the same time, there is enough availability of electricity, infrastructure, manpower and most importantly cotton. The country has zero duty import on raw material; export from here is possible to all of Africa duty free. At the same time, we also have advantage of duty-free benefits to EU and US.”
Working with many prestigious national and international brands like Ellesse, Beverly Hills Polo Club, Kappa and Louis Philippe, ITCRmg has good record in knit garment manufacturing.
The construction of the factory will start in November 2021 and is expected to be operational in May 2022.
Zahir Sait said, “The creation of the TCC is the achievement of a significant milestone for the recently-launched AIP. This success is aligned with the President’s vision to position Togo as a regional hub in the textile industry. This achievement demonstrates what bold and agile investors can do in Togo.”
Sani Yaya, Togolese Finance Minister said, “TCC will meet the highest social and environmental standards and shall create a game-changing sustainable model for textiles in West Africa. The output price-competitiveness is expected to be in line with international competitors such as India, Bangladesh, Cambodia and China.”
PIA is a public-private partnership between the Republic of Togo and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (IIP).
Arise IIP develops, finances, builds and manages this industrial platform, which is dedicated to enabling the processing of Togo’s own natural resources and agricultural exports. Operations started in June 2021.
PIA is anticipated to generate a significant social and economic benefit for Togo with over 100,000 jobs to be created including industrial jobs for women.