JP/9/AGS

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)