1. Product Description: One of the products of “textile welding for garments” is rain coats. Rain coats from plastic sheets are manufacturing mainly by heat sealing process. Rain coats are extremely useful especially for farmers during the rainy season.
2. Rational: Of the 18.5 million people of the Amhara region, more than 17 million live in rural areas where farming and cattle raising are the main activities. Most farming activities such as ploughing, planting, weeding and livestock herding are done during the rainy season. In this season, practically every member of a farming family is out in the open field doing farm working or taking care of the animals. When it rains (and it rains every day) farmers and their children do not have any thing to protect them against the rain.
It is very common to see people socked with rain water and still working on farm fields. Umbrellas are not convenient to use while somebody is doing farm work. Rain coats are very convenient to use when doing farm works during the rainy season. When one imagines the number of people working on farm fields and suffering from the rains, he or she can only identity a project idea which can solve this perinneal problem facing every peasant farmer and his family.
3. Market Potential: The highest potential demand for rain coats can be 17.1 million pieces i.e. equal to the rural population of the region. Even if we assume that only one percent of the rural population will buy rain coats, this will amount to 171,000 rain coats. And producing this quantity will make a plant viable.
4. Source of Row Material: The P.V. sheets from which the rain coat is to be made will be imported until they are produced at home by importing the P.V. material.
5. Process & Technology: PVC sheet is cut as per pattern, size and design of the rain coat. The different parts that make up the rain coat are then thermo welded (joined). Zips, buttons and elastic tapes are also fixed by thermo-welding and then decorative designs, paints, labels, etc. are put ouor fixed. Main machines required are high frequency welding machine, cutting tubes, measuring and cutting tools.
6. Estimated Investment: For a plant which will produce about 20,000 pieces of rain coats or similar welded products, the estimated investment will be:
Building 1500m2 at Br. 1500/m2…………….. = Br. 225,000
Machinery ……………………………………..= Br. 75,000
Working Capital …………………………..…=Br. 50,000
Total………………..=Br. 350,000
7. Benefits: Improves the welfare of farmers, improves working hours and productivity of farm activities, introduces new skills and technology to the Region,
8. Location: Any major urban center of the Region.