JP/9/AGS
Big players in textile world join Jakarta Expo
JAKARTA (JP): Big players in the world's textile and fashion industries will take part in Asia Global Sourcing (AGS), an international textile and apparel exhibition and conference, which will be held at the Jakarta Convention Center next month.
The show, scheduled for 25 - 27 October, will comprise a buyers program, a conference and exhibition of the industry. It will bring together some of the world's leading garment buyers to meet directly with Indonesian textile manufacturers.
Ministers and senior officials from seven countries, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia have confirmed they will speak at the conference where players in the industry will discuss issues and solutions related to problems in the region's textile industry.
Confirmed speakers include HE Shri Kashiram Rana, Minister of Textiles, New Delhi, India; HE Cham Prasidh, Minister of Commerce, Cambodia; HE Mahiepela Herath, Minister of Rural Industrial Development, Sri Langka; Dr. Nguyen Xuan Chuan, Vice Minister in charge of External Economy, Hanoi, Vietnam; Rodolfo Severino, Secretary General of ASEAN; Thomas G.Aquino, Under Secretary for Trade Group, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippines; Gusmardi Bustami, National Agency for Export Development, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Also visiting will be industry groups from ASEAN, the EU and China.
Indonesia's major players such as Texmaco, Indorama, Trisula, APAC, Eratex, Ungaran Sari Garment and other big companies from China and India have confirmed their participation.
International buyers from groups such as C+A, Tesco, K-Mart, Metro MGE, Woolworths, Top Shop, Zara, Joe Bloggs, Donna Karan, Jeff Banks, All Saints, Katherine Hamnett, Miss Selfridge, WareHouse, Principles, Wallis, J.C. Penny's, Hennes & Mauritz and Playtex have also confirmed to take part. Many more are expected to attend the event.
A team of independent international management and marketing experts and the organizers, PT Rantai Expo Internasional and ITE Group Plc of London, have organized the three-day event, which focuses on the creativity and dynamism of Asia's textile and apparel industries.
Chairman of the Indonesian Textile Association Benny Soetrisno said that the event, one of the largest business gatherings held in Indonesia since the financial crisis hit the country in late 1997, would be dedicated to the textile and apparel industries of Asia.
"It also aims to establish itself as a focal point where various Asian garment manufacturers, textile and accessory brands will be presented to European and American buyers," he said.
While the exhibition will be promoting the region's dynamic industries, the conference will focus on all major issues related to the liberalization of the world textile trade and the third phase of reintegration of the textile trade within WTO rules.
About 75 percent of the world's apparel production, worth more than $135 billion per annum, is imported by the U.S., Europe and Japan. However, last year's apparel exports from Asia showed only a 5 percent growth compared with a 23 percent growth in South American exports. Asia's decreasing share of exports to the key international markets is a threat to Asia's textile and garment industry sector as a whole.
"The crucial issue for our sourcing activities in Asia is always lead time. The complicated triangular transactions between the supplies of fabrics and accessories to garment processing currently takes far too much time. AGS 2001 will certainly assist us in shortening our speed-to-market," said Bonnie Young, Senior Creative Director and Director of Global Sourcing, Donna Karan International.
The ambassadors of China and India are also scheduled to take part in a dinner celebrating the Trade Winds movement - bilateral trade relations established between China and Indonesia and between India and Indonesia. Minister of Trade and Industry, Rini Soewandi, is expected to represent Indonesia at the dinner, during which the AGS 2001 welcoming committee will pass the AGS baton to Beijing, as the host of AGS 2002.
Being the first and the only event fully dedicated to the fashion industry of textiles and apparel in Asia, AGS will open its doors to the public every day between 13.00 pm and 20.00 pm.
About 250 local and foreign journalists have been invited to cover the event. Drapers Record of UK, Fashion of Italy, Germany's TextilWirtschaft, France's Journal du Textil, HK's Textile Asia are amongst the invited international media.(hen)