INDIA: AEPC sets up Knitwear Technology Mission at Tirupur

The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) has launched an industry funded Knitwear Technology Mission (KTM) for the first time at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 crore to empower the exporting community to go in for wider range of products in different kinds of fabrics to cater to a larger market.

AEPC Chairman, Mr. Rakesh Vaid, inaugurating the Mission, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 26th edition of India Knit Fair at Tirupur, said that the AEPC would give more emphasis to the knitwear sector, a most prominent one in the apparel industry.

Tirupur will be the all-India headquarters of the Mission. AEPC will begin construction of a 1-lakh square feet building, which according to Mr. Vaid, will be a landmark in Tirupur. The Council would give more emphasis to the knitwear sector, the most prominent one in the apparel industry and Tirupur has been chosen as the Headquarters of the mission that earns a foreign exchange of around Rs 11,000 crore.

The building will be ready in 18 months. Research and development of indigenous fabric base, setting up of state-of-the-art design studio and lab, conducting fabric fairs incorporating Taiwan, Korea and Indonesia fabric producers and impart training to the workforce and students to improve productivity are some of the objectives of the mission.

Congratulating Tirupur exporters, Mr. Vaid hoped that the Mission would take the business to new heights. Stating that the Rs. 15-crore investment was without seeking any grants from the government, he said the Mission would enable knitwear manufacturers to cater to the high-end market as Indian knitwear exporters had been supplying garments to the low-end segment.

While appealing to the exporting community to improve technology to enhance productivity, Mr. Vaid asked them to concentrate on domestic market that is growing at a rapid pace. The headquarters of KTM will have space to showcase and sell knitwear products.

All members of Tirupur industry can use common facilities established by the KTM free of cost or by paying nominal charges if any. Tirupur Exporters' Association (TEA) President, Mr. A Shaktivel expressed hope that the knitwear exporters, who were producing only garments with cotton as base, would be able to utilise different kinds of yarn to produce various kinds of wears to compete with countries like China.

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