9
ON
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1987
THE STUDY QUOTES BRAND-NAMES AND CUSTOMER PREJUDICE AS THE CHIEF BARRIER TO HIGH-END MARKETS. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE LACK OF EXPERIENCED PRODUCT DESIGNERS IN THE INDUSTRY WHICH MEANS THAT LOCAL DESIGNS LACK CREATIVITY.
FOR THE OPTICAL GOODS INDUSTRY THE PROBLEM IS EXACERBATED BY A SHORTAGE OF SKILLED LABOUR. SAYS THE REPORT, +LOW WAGES AND AN UNFAVOURABLE WORKING ENVIRONMENT HAVE DETERRED PEOPLE FROM JOINING THE INDUSTRY. A MAJORITY OF THE WORKERS ARE MIDDLE-AGED AND HAVE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER 10 YEARS.+
STUDIES ON SPECIFIC INDUSTRIAL SECTORS SUCH AS THIS COMPLEMENT THE CONTINUING PROGRAMME OF TECHNO-ECONOMIC AND MARKETING STUDIES ON MAJOR INDUSTRIAL GROUPS COMMISSIONED BY THE INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT AND UNDERTAKEN BY OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS.
THE STUDY WAS BASED ON FINDINGS OBTAINED FROM RESEARCH AND INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS MANUFACTURERS, IT EXAMINES THE PRODUCTION, DEVELOPMENT AND EXPORT PROSPECTS OF THE INDUSTRY. THE AIM IS TO GIVE AN INDICATION OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AND TO SUGGEST FUTURE TRENDS.
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS INDUSTRY HAS EXPERIENCED CONSIDERABLE GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS AND ACCOUNTED FOR $1 692 MILLION OR 1.3 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL DOMESTIC EXPORT IN 1985. THE VALUE OF EXPORTS REPRESENTED INCREASES OF 7.2 PER CENT OVER 1984 AND 110.4 PER CENT OVER 1980.
THE UNITED STATES HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LARGEST MARKET FOR HONG KONG'S PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS TAKING UP 37 PER CENT ($625 MILLION) OF THE INDUSTRY'S EXPORTS IN 1985. OTHER MAJOR MARKETS INCLUDE THE UNITED KINGDOM, CHINA AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY.
LOOKING AHEAD TO LIKELY FUTURE TRENDS FOR THE OPTICAL GOODS INDUSTRY, THE REPORT SAID: +HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO FACE KEEN COMPETITION FROM TAIWAN AND SOUTH KOREA IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPECTACLES AND FRAMES FOR THE LOWER-END MARKET AND FROM JAPAN IN RESPECT OF THE HIGHER-END MARKET.
+AS IS THE CASE WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHIC GOODS INDUSTRY, THESE COUNTRIES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF EITHER LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS OR MORE SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT.+
HOWEVER, CHINA WITH ITS VAST POPULATION IS CONSIDERED A BIG POTENTIAL MARKET FOR HONG KONG'S PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OPTICAL GOODS.
/THE REPORT