1. Product Description: Industrial sewing thread is broadly classified by type of fiber-cotton and synthetic. Cotton sewing thread is mostly used for cotton fabrics and synthetic sewing thread is for fabrics made of synthetics. In Ethiopia, since cotton fiber is the dominant material most of the thread produced is likely to be from cotton fiber. The second criterion for classifying thread type is by count. Currently, counts ranging from 30/3 to 8/3 are being used in garment factories. Industrial sewing is primarily used for fabrics. However small quantities of thread are used in shoe industry, knitwear factories, furniture and upholstery, blanket manufacturing for sewing ribbons and households for manual sewing.
2. Market Potential: Existing domestic capacity for sewing thread is about 180 tons per year and current demand for the product is 1330 tons. The difference between domestic production and total demand (1330-180) 1150 tons is met by imports. The share of the Amhara Region is 346 tons. This estimated demand of sewing thread for the Amhara Region is almost two times the domestic production capacity. Or alternatively, the demand for the Amhara region can absorb twice the existing production capacity. This evidently means that there is sufficient demand for sewing thread in the region which can absorb almost 350 tons of sewing thread per year.
3. Source of Raw material: The raw materials and other inputs required to manufacture sewing thread are cotton and synthetic yarn, dye stuffs, chemicals, cones and bobbins. The cotton yarn will be secured here at home and the remaining inputs will be imported.
4. Process and Technology: Winding of the cotton yarn twisting to promote the twinning ability as well as to offer the necessary strength to the thread, dyeing-done under high or normal pressure and the dyeing process is done in open vessels, drying and packing. Major machines needed are winding, twisting, reeling, doubling, dyeing, squeezing, drying sizing machines, compressor, auto-process control, and laboratory equipment.
5. Estimated Investment: For a plant which can produce 300 tons of sewing thread, per year, the estimated investment will be
· Building 1500 m2 at Birr 1500/ m2…….. = Birr 2,250,000
· Machinery ….………….………….….. = Birr 10,400,000
· Working Capital ……………………… = Birr 200,000
Total……............... = Birr 12,850,000
6. Benefits: Stimulates cotton and cotton yarn production, saves foreign exchange and regional financial resources, promotes self-sufficiency, and introduces now skills and technology.
7. Location: Bahir Dar, Combolcha, Gonder or any place where yarn is produced.