1. Product Description: Stove wicks are braided cotton yarns used in domestic wick stoves for burning the kerosene in the stove for producing heat for cooking.
2. Rationale: Wick stoves are becoming common household items especially in the urban areas. They have become the main cooking instrument in many homes. Though they use foreign exchange for buying the kerosene, the use of wick stoves saves part of our forests from being destroyed for fuel wood. In another section of this document the fabrication of wick stoves was included as one project idea. This project idea is to promote the production of wicks in the Amhara Region. Production of the item is very simple and it can be done by establishing a small stove wicks making plant.
3. Market Potential: Wick stoves are not yet common in the rural areas of the Amhara Region. Hence, for the time being market potential for wicks will be in the urban areas of the Region. With an urban population of a bout 2.2 million, there are 440,000 households in the Region. If we assume that at least 30 percent of these households have wick stoves, the number of these stoves could reach about 132,000. Supplying wicks for these and other new stoves will be a viable business for any investor who will establish stove wicks producing plant.
4. Source of Raw Material: The raw material is cotton yarn and this will be obtained from the two textile factories located in the Region.
5. Process & Technology: Cotton/staple yarn in 6s single and 10s single count is used for making wicks. The yarn is braided in long dories along with cotton filling on automatic braid machine. Braid is the formation of comparatively narrow fabrics or rope like structure by interlacing diagonally, three or more strands of materials. Braid is formed by crossing strands diagonally in a such a way that one or more strands pass alternatively over and under one or more strands being laid in the opposite direction. Main machinery includes braiding machines (32 spindles), winding machines, miscellaneous tools and ancillaries.
6. Estimated Investment: For a small scale plant, the minimum investment cost will be:
n Building/shade 200m2 at Birr 1500/m2……..= Birr 300,000
n Machinery ………………………………..= Birr 100,000
n Working Capital ………………………..= Birr 50,000
Total…………………………. = Birr 450,000
7. Benefits: Saves foreign exchange and regional financial resources promotes self-sufficiency for the Region, introduces new skills and technology, and creates additional demand for the Region’s textile factory.
8. Location: Preferable near one of the textile mills.