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Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter

GIANT manufacturing firm, Paramount Garments, expects to have completed the installation of new equipment at its Archer Clothing factory in Bulawayo and Harare branch by March as it aims at boosting capacity and enhancing efficiencies.

The firm awaits delivery of equipment worth about US$200 000 sourced from China.
The manufacturing giant, which is leading the revival of the clothing sector in the city has two branches, Bulawayo and Harare, and employs close to 2 000 workers.

Group production head, Mr Sumit Sharm, told Business Chronicle yesterday that the equipment is now in Durban, South Africa.

“The machinery from China is now in Durban, South Africa. It will be transported by road to Harare and Bulawayo and hope to arrive in February,” he said.

“On installation, we expect to have done the process by March.”
In November, Mr Sharm told a group of Zimbabwe’s ambassadors and staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade that some machinery at both plants was about 20 years old.

To improve productivity and enhance competitiveness, particularly in the export sector, new modern machinery was needed.
Business Chronicle understands that the factory produces about 100 000 assortments of garments every month for both local and export markets.

South Africa is the major market and some products are shipped out to Mozambique, Zambia, and Germany.
Unlike in recent years, where the second largest city suffered massive closure and relocation of big companies, the tide is turning as more companies are now expanding capacity and growing their export footprint.

This is happening at a time when the Government, under the Second Republic, is working closely with the private sector to roll out comprehensive economic reforms under the philosophy “Zimbabwe is open for business”.

Archer Clothing received a new lease of life following its takeover by Harare-based Paramount Garments.
Under the deal, Paramount Garments assisted with clothing material and labour while Archer Clothing chipped in with working space pending the liquidation process of the Bulawayo firm.

Archer Clothing factory manager Mr Thomas Kadiki (right) shows Ambassador Kufa Chinoza (next to him) and embassy staff how an embroidery machine works during a tour of the factory in Bulawayo.

Archer Clothing was laid low due to a myriad of problems, which included a harsh economic environment and a liquidity crunch, which has seen several local firms close or listed in critical condition.

The company was placed under judicial management in 2010 after being seriously hit by a shortage of working capital, obsolete machinery, power challenges, and cheap imports, which remain major constraints crippling the viability of industries in Bulawayo.

In the same year, the clothing company scaled down operations, laying off 270 contract workers and 210 permanent employees.
The revival of the company is welcome news for the industry, which at its peak, the textile sector used to produce about 135 million garments annually.