Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Britannia Garment Packaging is proud to reveal its brand new production facilities in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
It hopes the factory will set a new precedent for the garment industry in Bangladesh and beyond, reports .fibre2fashion.com.
The global garment industry, in Bangladesh especially, has been widely criticised for unsafe and unethical working conditions in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy.
Violated fire regulations, crowded multi-storey sweatshops and near-impossible production targets have been the topic of many recent news articles.
Group Chief Executive Paul Brownhill has witnessed Britannia Garment Packaging grow over the years, having seen his father found the company in 1976.
The company supplies a range of packaging and labelling products for leading fashion retailers, including Debenhams, George at ASDA and the Arcadia group.
Now leading the company’s international expansion, Paul is passionate about the steps being taken to keep Britannia at the head of this fast-changing industry.
“The biggest single challenge facing our customers is ethical responsible sourcing”, he admits.
“The garment industry has changed on the back of recent disasters in Bangladesh, and consumers and retailers alike are becoming increasing concerned about where items are sourced from.”
The company has been present in Bangladesh for a decade already, and Paul Brownhill explains that the facility is “designed to provide the safest possible working environment” for Britannia employees, while also meeting demands for expansion as the business grows.
Britannia’s new factory in Bangladesh will see around 120 employees occupy 70,000 square feet of brand new factory floor, which includes a dedicated woven label building and modern equipment.
The building has been practically rebuilt from the ground up over the past few months and production is now being gradually moved across to the new site, with a full official opening anticipated this month.
The single floor platform has been renovated in conjunction with the Walmart compliance regulations, and all electrical wiring, fire protection equipment and exit doors meet stringent health and safety measures.
“As of earlier this month, out of 81 factories across Dhaka and Chittagong that cater for the garment industry, whether printing labels, spinning materials or sewing clothes, only two had passed new audits”, explains Managing Director Jamil Ahmed. “Britannia’s factory was one of them.”
He continues: “It’s a great opportunity that we have here. Auditors have been impressed with the factory’s modern standards, which includes plenty of open space and greenery. We have space for three times our current capacity, so there is plenty of room for future expansion which will allow us to take on major customers.”
BBN/ANS/AD-22May14-12:30pm (BST)
