A study compiled by the Garment Industry Development Services shows that Pakistan cannot obtain a position in the global textile market because it is totally dependent on imported machinery. Over the past 60 years, no manufacturing facilities have been developed for spinning, weaving, knitting, printing, dyeing and not even for small sector of sewing machines.

It is time the government showed its firm commitment for industrialisation by utilising domestic engineering industry which will have multiplier effect on maximising import substitution, enhancing export of value-added products and acquiring competitive edge in the foreign market.

China’s $50-billion garment industry annually produces over 40 billion finished garments, roughly four pieces of clothing for every one on the earth. Analyst believe that by the end of this year, China will be ready to capture half of the clothing market in US and 30 per cent in Europe while India will rank second with 15 per cent share in the US market and nine per cent in European market.

In their report for 2006, China Garment Exporters Association attributed the upsurge in its garments exports to lower investment cost on locally fabricated machinery and depreciation which is hundred times lower than other countries excluding India. China’s dependency on imported sewing machines is 16 per cent compared with India’s 35 per cent.

Given this situation, the Chief Executive the Engineering Development Board, Mr Imtiaz Rastgar formed a 4-member team to compile a report for the development of sewing machine industry. This EDB report depicted an alarming situation showing the downward trend in the production of sewing machines in the ears, 1996-97 (61131), 19798 (36191), 1998-99 (29,696), and 1999-2000 (35690). (Source: Federal Bureau of Statistics Govt. of Pakistan).

Most of the people in the sewing machine industry have diverted their business and now sell foreign sewing machines as the prices of Chinese and Indian machines are much lower compared to the locally-made machines.

The domestic sewing machines are listed as the sensitive items and their import from India is banned since 1968. But the informal import is rampant and that hurts the local manufacturers.

The domestic sewing machines and their parts are manufactured in Faisalabad, Okara, Qasoor Gujranwala and Lahore. Okara and Faisalabad are key cluster areas of the Punjab and hold about 70 per cent share of the total production. Most of these manufacturers operate on a small scale and fall under the category of the unorganized sector. They lack modern technology and do not have the capability of mass production.

A sewing machine institute has yet to be established and this entire sector requires vigorous efforts in order to revive its sick units and to raise its technological level. Only the government could offer export incentives to encourage investment in the sector.

The garment industry uses both— industrial sewing machines as well as the local sewing machines. The locally-made machines operate at a considerably lower speed of up to 250 stitches per minute and require less skilled workers preferably women.

All types of industrial sewing machines are imported from Japan, China and Taiwan, the speed of which is 4500 stitches per minute for stitching cotton blended shirts, T shirts, children suits, school uniform skirts, blouses and maxis.

The garments industry needs to be upgraded by developing a sewing machine sector which is capable of catering to our domestic as well as industrial needs. And for providing a development base, a sewing machine development centre at Faisalabad is needed on the same pattern as they exist in Shanghai, Zhejiag (China) and Ludhiana (India).

At present, Faisalabad is exporting $4 billion worth of textile products while a garment city is under way for providing at least 1,44,000 garments a day with an export value of 180 million per annum. To cope up with such a demand, a strong engineering pitch is required and the sewing machine development centre will go in a long way to benefit exporters by lowering investment costs.

The proposed centre needs to be equipped with CNC machines, CNC spark erosion machines, CNC wire EDM charmilles, CNC turing, jig boring, CAD/CAM station, microprocessor controlled injection, molding machines, die casting machines, heavy weight mechanical press, electroplating heat treatment die, mould-making facilities, product design & development, prototyping slitting saw, broaches, cold & hot rollers, cutting tools hub cutter, reamer, taps shearing pressers, blades, blanking die, trimming die and punches.

Along with this machinery, the centre will also need a vocational school for bridging the gap between the technical know-how and the development of industry. Healthy working of this centre is in the country’s largest textile city can also attract foreign investment, particularly from China.