1. Product Description: Zippers are vital parts of trousers, some kinds of skirts, dresses, bags, etc. Zippers gain popularity a few decades ago as substitute for buttons. First there were zippers made of metal, but metal zippers are by and large replaced by plastic or nylon zippers.
2. Rationale: In general urban people wear clothes fitted with zippers. Among the 1.5 million people who live in urban areas in the Amhara Region, we can safely assume that at least 90 percent of them wear one or another type of clothing with zippers. This amounts to 1.35 million pieces or strings of zippers. All these are imported. Making zippers requires simple technology and limited investment. The Amhara Region can absorb the production of a number of zipper making units.
3. Market Potential: At the minimum the demand for zippers is 1.35 million per year. With more urbanization and more rural people using zippers, the market will expand. This market size enables the establishment of a number of viable zipper making plants in the Region.
4. Source of Raw Material: Four inputs go into the making of zippers. This are the metal or plastic zippers, the cloth or fabric where the zippers are sewed, to the sewing thread used to sew the zipper and the small plastic or metal parts at the tips of the zipper.
The cloth and thread can be obtained from domestic factories. The metal or the plastic parts have to be imported.
5. Production Process: metal or plastic wires are made into continuous row of fastener links in a coiling machine. The zip fastener links joined to a double coil are sewed to the right and left hand tape of the fastener halves in a sewing machine.
6. Estimated Investment: Total building area required is 150m2 which will cost a about Birr 100,000. Plant and Machinery will cost about Birr 260,000. Total Investment= Birr 360,000.
7. Benefit: Self- sufficiency, employment creation, keeping the resources of the Region within the Region.
8. Location: Any urban center convenient to the Investor.