Fine Spinners Uganda Limited (FSUL) is investing US$5 million in new textile machinery as it targets a bigger role in Kenya’s apparel export industry.
Through the investment, the company is positioning itself to supply fabric to major US brands manufacturing garments in the country’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs).
The investment will increase Fine Spinners’ mill capacity by 30–40%, adding an estimated 30–40 tonnes of yarn and 150,000–200,000 garments a month, as the Ugandan manufacturer moves to capture growing regional demand for textile inputs.
A significant part of the expansion strategy is focused on Kenya, where international apparel brands manufacture garments for export markets through the country’s EPZs. Fine Spinners plans to manufacture fabric for major US brands that currently source fabric from China and India for their Kenyan production.
“We see significant potential in strengthening regional textile supply chains and supplying high-quality fabric to apparel manufacturers in Kenya,” said Fine Spinners Uganda Limited CEO Sav Bedi. “This investment gives us additional capacity and technology to serve international customers while expanding our presence across the region.
Fine Spinners Technical Capabilities
The US$5 million investment is being deployed across Fine Spinners’ manufacturing operations, with machinery sourced from leading international technology suppliers.
The equipment includes Saurer and Rieter of Switzerland for spinning; Picanol of Belgium and Prashant of India for weaving and warping; Pai-Lung of Taiwan for knitting; Fongs of Hong Kong and Bianco of Italy for dyeing and finishing; Bruckner of Germany for stentering; and Datacolour of Switzerland for laboratory and quality-control technology.
The bulk of the machinery has already been delivered and commissioned, with pre-production trials underway. The weaving plant is already on site, with commissioning scheduled to begin next month.
Beyond East Africa
Fine Spinners currently supplies customers in Germany, Denmark, Spain, Gabon, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
The new capacity will support the company’s plans to enter Japan and deepen its presence in European markets, while increasing its ability to supply customers across East Africa.
The company sees Kenya as an important component of that regional expansion, particularly because of the country’s established apparel manufacturing and export infrastructure and Uganda’s current exclusion from the US trade preference programme – AGOA, which limits the opportunity to export Ugandan-made garments to the US market directly.
This strategy will allow the company to tap into international apparel demand while leveraging its integrated manufacturing base in Uganda.
Fine Spinners Limited is a fully vertically integrated cotton textile manufacturer that specializes in spinning, knitting, dyeing, and finishing, as well as apparel making.
The company manufactures various products, including cotton yarns, industrial yarns, sewing threads under the A&E brand, knitted jersey fabrics, knitted Pique, and apparel such as Jaswinder (Jas) Bedi, EBS, and MBS.
Fine Spinners Ltd operates as a MEGA mill, which is a large-scale manufacturing facility that encompasses multiple textile processes. The company’s commitment to quality and local value addition is evident in their production of products from locally grown cotton, supporting regional value addition.
Leave a comment