XN000022-1980-09-02 — Page 2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1980

BRITISH TRADE MISSION VISITS LOCAL FACTORY

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MEMBERS OF TEXTILE MISSION '80, LED BY THE BRITISH MINISTER FOR TRADE, MR CECIL PARKINSON, TODAY VISITED A KWAI CHUNG GARMENT FACTORY, ACCOMPANIED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INDUSTRY, MR LAWRENCE MILLS.

THE MISSION WAS CONDUCTED ON A TOUR OF THE MAIN FACTORY OF MANHATTAN GARMENTS LTD IN KWAI CHEONG ROAD BY ITS MANAGING DIRECTOR MR FRANCIS Y,H. TIEN, AND DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR MR JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN,

SHIRTS

THE COMPANY PRODUCES TROUSERS, JEANS, SLACKS, SHORTS AND JACKETS, IN COTTON DENIM, COTTON CORDUROY, COTTON/POLYESTER, POLYESTER AND POLYESTER/VISCOSE FABRICS.

FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMPANY MANAGEMENT, THE MISSION TOURED THE FACTORY'S CUTTING, SEWING, MACHINE EMBROIDERY, WASHING, IRONING AND PACKING DEPARTMENTS.

MANHATTAN GARMENTS, WHICH HAS FOUR FACTORIES TOTALLING 25 700 SQUARE METRES EMPLOYING 1 753 STAFF, SELLS 96 PER CENT OF ITS PRODUCTION OVERSEAS. THE UNITED STATES TAKES A 75 PER CENT_SHARE, WITH THE REMAINDER GOING TO THE UK (10 TO 15 PER CENT), WEST GERMANY, NETHERLANDS, AND OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

TEXTILE MISSION '80 IS VISITING HONG KONG TO PROMOTE SALES OF BRITISH-MADE TEXTILES, AND INCLUDES TOP EXECUTIVES OF SOME OF BRITAIN'S LARGEST TEXTILE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES.

HONG KONG IS NOW THE WORLD'S LARGEST EXPORTER OF GARMENTS, AND A MAJOR MARKET FOR THESE GOODS IS THE UNITED KINGDOM.

TROUSERS, JEANS, SLACKS AND SHORTS CURRENTLY ACCOUNT FOR 20 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S GARMENT EXPORTS, WHILE EXPORTS OF SHIRTS, THE SECOND LARGEST ITEM, REPRESENT 15 PER CENT.

IN MARCH 1980, THE GARMENT INDUSTRY EMPLOYED 265 716 PERSONS IN 9 104 FACTORIES, ACCOUNTING FOR 30 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.

IN 1979, THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF GARMENTS WAS HK$20 131 MILLION, OR 36 PER CENT OF HONG KONG'S TOTAL VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS FOR THE YEAR. THIS MAKES THE GARMENT INDUSTRY HONG KONG'S LARGEST MANUFACTURING SECTOR, BOTH IN TERMS OF VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS AND THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.

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