1. Product Description: Bandages are used extensively in health care institutions. The uses of bandages range from simple dressing of superficial wounds to holding together fractured bones or body parts for rehabilitation and recovery.
2. Rational: There are 15 hospitals, 682 clinics, 79 health centers and 410 health posts in the Amhara Region. All these health care institutions need bandages to treat their patients. All the bandage requirement of the Region is imported either from other Regions or from abroad. The production of bandages requires strips of woven garment made from cotton yarn and this can be produced in the Region since there are textile factories which produce yarn or cotton fabrics.
3. Market Potential: The existence of a captive market for bandages in the Region is obvious by the fact that all health care institutions use bandages brought from outside the Region. Even if some health personnel resist in using locally produced bandages, there will be sufficient market to justify the establishment of a bandage producing plant in the region.
4. Source of Raw material: The main raw material is either cotton yarn or cotton fabrics. This raw material can be obtained from the textile factories of the Region.
5. Production Process & Technology:- The process of manufacturing surgical bandages passes through the following stages:- (a) purchasing or weaving the bandage cloth (b) clearing and removing of organic impurities (c) washing and bleaching (d) drying and calendaring (e) rolling and cutting and (f) packing.
Machines required for the plant include sizing machines, weaving looms, rolling and packing machines and compressors.
6. Estimated Investment:
§ Building cost 200 m2 at Birr 1500/m2 =Birr 300,000
§ Machinery 500,000
800,000
7. Benefits to the Region’s Economy: (a) creates employment (direct and indirect), (b) stimulates economic activities in cotton plantation, ginnery and yarn production (c) makes the Region self sufficient in the production of this product (d) creates the possibility of exporting surgical bandages to other neighboring zones and bordering countries.
8. Possible Location: The plant can take advantages of industrial clustering if it is located in Bahir Dar or Combolcha where cotton yarn are produced.