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South Africa : Da Gama''s new plant fully operational |
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2004-8-3
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Da Gama Textiles has moved its R200 million cotton production project in the Eastern Cape into another gear. The company''s new R75 million cotton spinning plant in East London is now fully operational. This project also includes a cotton growing project in the province for emerging farmers as well as a learnership programme at Da Gama.
The new plant can produce 50 tons of export quality cotton yarn per week and Da Gama aims to buy 36 000 bales of cotton per season from the emerging farmers when the project is at full steam. It is estimated that the first cotton harvest next year will yield 6 000 bales. The next phase of the project is already in motion.
"We have now agreed at board level to invest further money in a gin which will be established in Adelaide and plans are underway to have that up and running by March next year, in time for the new cotton crop," said Bob Funnell, the Da Gama joint managing director.
This project also includes a skills learnership programme in conjunction with the department of labour. This has led to Da Gama employing 89 of the 91 graduates with two more learners receiving a tertiary education. One hundred more people are currently in the programme.
Lindile Nxawe, the Eastern Cape labour department''s executive manager, said: "Da Gama Textiles is a role model in our province because they absorbed the learnership programme and this is encouraging. We call on other companies to do the same."
This project is driven by Da Gama''s future export plans. It will also see the company cut down on its raw cotton imports. |
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