Manufacturing

Local clothes makers are expanding.

Sector Insight

signed an agreement to manufacture hydrogen-powered Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) with two international partners. Given that South Africa is making plans to develop a hydrogen industry and become an exporter of “green hydrogen”, this innovation could lead to a new subsector.

TF G, which includes Foschini, TotalSports and Markhams among its brands, has been buying up clothing factories for nearly a decade, giving it the ability to respond more quickly to fashion trends.

Among TFG’s acquisitions were Prestige Clothing Maitland and Prestige Clothing Caledon. The group then spent R75-million on expanding the factory in Caledon. TFG is ramping up production of clothing and expects to increase staff from just over 3 000 to more than 5 000 in 2023. Cape Union Mart, a well-established brand with a speciality in camping, hiking and other outdoor gear, is the largest unlisted clothing retailer in South Africa. What is less well known is that the company’s subsidiary, K-Way, makes its own products. About 200 staff members at a factory in the Cape Town suburb of Ottery produces 40 000 garments every month.

Electricity usage at the factory has been cut by up to 35% annually by the installation of solar panels. The company is working with UNEP, the United Nations Environmental Programme, to assess its carbon footprint per garment. Waste is reduced by using second-hand boxes to deliver all repairs. Member companies of the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster have reported hiring 35% more staff in four years. Altogether, about 23 600 people are employed in the province.

In October 2022, Damen Shipyards Cape Town delivered a second sophisticated patrol vessel to the South African Navy. The company is a subsidiary of Damen International Shipyards Group, which recently

Online Resources

Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster: www.capeclothingcluster.org.za

Invest Cape Town: www.investcapetown.com

Western Cape Maritime Cluster: www.wcmc.org.za

Bloomberg reported in 2021 that Paramount Maritime Holdings, a subsidiary of the Paramount Group, was building 26 boats for a combined value of $60-million. This is in response to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Invest Cape Town reports that the city’s boatbuilding industry is the second-largest producer of recreational catamarans in the world, after France. The city’s companies export 80% of the products that they produce and attract a positive trade balance of approximately $73-million annually. Robertson & Caine’s facility in Woodstock produces three boats a week for the international market. With a staff complement of 1 350, the company is a leader in power catamarans and sailing catamarans.

Nautic Africa makes larger vessels, including patrol, defence, oil and gas platform and commercial vessels while companies such as Smit Amandla Marine and De Beers Marine offer a wide range of services. ■