XN000022-1986-03-18 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1986

NEW TECHNOLOGY VITAL FOR CLOTHING INDUSTRY

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THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY WILL BE ABLE TO SURMOUNT THE MANY OBSTACLES WHICH IT WILL HAVE TO FACE IN MAINTAINING ITS HIGH PATTERN OF GROWTH ONLY BY KEEPING UP WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, THE DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRY, MR K.Y. YEUNG, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE CLOTHING TECHNOLOGY ACCESS UNIT OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY IN KOWLOON BAY.

MR YEUNG EXPLAINED THAT THE OBSTACLES INCLUDED STIFF COMPETITION FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES, AND THE EVER-PRESENT DANGER OF MORE STRINGENT TRADE BARRIERS BEING SET UP AGAINST HONG KONG, EXPORTS.

+THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE WORKFORCE IN THE GARMENT INDUSTRY HAS BEEN IMPROVED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF AUTOMATIC MACHINES AND COMPUTER-AIDED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, HE SAID.

+MORE AND MORE MANUFACTURERS ARE NOW CONVINCED THAT COMPUTE. AIDED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING PROCESSES CAN GIVE THEM A MORE COMPETITIVE EDGE.+

MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE PAST DECADE HAD BEEN A PER ICT: OF SUSTAINED GROWTH FOR THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY, DESPITE INCREASEL PROTECTIONIST MEASURES IN OUR MAJOR MARKETS AND INCREASING COMPETITION FROM OTHER ECONOMIES.

+BETWEEN 1976 AND 1985, THE NUMBER OF GARMENT FACTORIES INCREASED FROM 8 600 TO 10 300, EMPLOYMENT HAS RISEN FROM 284 000 TO 293 000 AND THE VALUE OF DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF GARMENTS WENT UP FROM $14 BILLION TO $45 BILLION. +

HE ATTRIBUTED THE SUCCESS TO THE READINESS OF MANUFACTURERS TO INVEST IN NEW MACHINERY TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SKILLED AND

INDUSTRIOUS WORKERS TO OPERATE THEM.

IT IS THIS COMBINATION OF A SKILLED AND INDUSTRIOUS WORKFORCE OPERATING MODERN PRODUCTION FACILITIES WHICH HAS ENABLED THE INDUSTRY TO SUPPLY OVERSEAS MARKETS. WITH THE IR RAPIDLY CHANGING FASHION TRENDS, WITH A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY FEW OF OUR COMPETITORS COULD MATCH.

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+ THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY HAS PLAYED A MAJUT ROLE IN THE TRAINING OF THESE WORKERS, HE ADDED.

MH YEUNG