Hawassa Industrial Park attracts well-known apparel makers

Addis Ababa, January 9, 2016 (FBC) – Aspiring to become the continent’s top light manufacturing hub, Ethiopia is set to attract globally renowned apparel, textile, fashion and designing companies to its newly-erected Hawassa Industrial Park, which is to be completed in the coming months.
To that effect, top ten leading textile and apparel sourcing and manufacturing companies are cementing deals to join the park.

The government is targeting world-class cloth makers to come to Ethiopia and is currently negotiating with ten companies from four or five countries: U.S., India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Hong Kong, sources close to the matter were quoted as saying by The Reporter.

Three are top US-based companies including Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) Corporation, owner of popular brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, are negotiating to lease sheds in the Hawassa Industrial Park which is expected to go operational in June.

Apart from that, top apparel makers from India such as the Raymond Group and Arvind Limited are part of the ongoing negotiations to secure a place at the park.

In addition to PVH, Ralph Lauren (RL) and Vanity Fair (VF) corporations are in the list of companies that are contemplating to come and join the Ethiopian textile sector.

The 246 million US dollars Hawassa Industrial Park will house 37 factory sheds on 300 hectares of plot.