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Job seekers at Archer Clothing in Bulawayo, yesterday

Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
A GROUP of job seekers yesterday thronged Archer Clothing in Bulawayo seeking employment when the company opened its doors again as it gears to resume operations. Announcing their return to production last week, management from the giant textile firm said they were targeting recruiting 200 workers by month end. When Chronicle Business visited the company premises yesterday at around 9AM, a sizeable crowd of men and women had gathered outside the company’s gate.
A company official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the clothing entity had started recruiting workers.

“This morning 13 former workers who were in the cutting department were recruited. The process is ongoing,” said the official.
Archer Clothing has been facing operational constraints that saw it being placed under judicial management in 2010 due to a shortage of working capital before downsizing and laying off scores of workers.

However, creditors approved its takeover by a Harare-based textile firm, Paramount Garments at the High Court in March this year saving it from liquidation.
The takeover deal is being finalised for an undisclosed amount.

Paramount Garments managing director Jeremy Youmans was not reachable for comment as his mobile phone continuously rang unanswered yesterday.
Archer Clothing requires about $5 million capital injection in the long-term to refurbish its properties, machinery, cater for human resources, working capital and debts.

Negotiations for the takeover of the ailing company began last year when the two companies initially entered into a Cut-Make-Trim arrangement.
Under the deal, Paramount Garments assisted with clothing material and labour while Archer provided working space pending the liquidation process.

After being placed on judicial management, Archer Clothing scaled down operations laying off 270 contract workers and 210 permanent employees.
Its revival is set to boost the local clothing industry and morale of the Bulawayo population whose city has suffered massive de-industrialisation due to the economic challenges facing the country.

At its peak, the clothing sector used to produce about 135 million garments annually, compared to the current 18.7 million.
The sector employed 35,000 workers countrywide compared to present levels of just under 7,000.

The industry made a rebound last year when it added more than 800 jobs amid a marked slowdown in economic growth.