PAF appointed prime consultant for Ludhiana apparel park

In order to attract foreign buyers and survive international competition, both in the foreign and domestic turf, apparel manufacturers in Ludhiana have come together under the umbrella of the Federation of Knitwear Textiles and Allied Industries Association (FEKTAA) to establish a modern Apparel Manufacturing Park in Ludhiana Industrial Area. Pearl Academy of Fashion has been appointed as prime consultants for developing the Rs 100 crore Apparel Park in Ludhiana.

FEKTAA is an association of various trade and industry associations which have been operating in Ludhiana. FEKTAA has established a Special Purpose Vehicle - M/S Ludhiana Apparel Park Ltd, to develop the apparel park on 200 acres of prime land in the heart of the Ludhiana Industrial Area.

In order to remain competitive in the free trade market, the apparel industry has to strive continuously for cost reduction and quality improvement. Therefore, the primary objective of setting up the apparel park in Ludhiana is to improve infrastructure with in-built facilities for meeting production and quality needs and to provide a one-stop-shop to the apparel industry for smooth delivery of its export orders.

According to a study undertaken by Pearl Academy of Fashion and FEKTAA, currently factories are located in the residential areas having narrow lanes. These factories would very come under government pressure to shift from the present residential areas to an organised industrial area. Setting up of the park will certainly help these manufacturing units to shift their premises and service their buyers in a modern, well-equipped factory.

It would be mandatory for the units in apparel park to adhere to compliance norms, appreciate the factor of delivery as an important element of long term business relationship, maintain international standards of productivity, quality and efficiency.

The apparel park is envisaged to help in achieving revenues of as much as Rs 500 crore initially.

The principal objectives of setting up apparel parks include:- - Gain from consolidation in respect of exports

• Facilitate establishment of comparatively, larger size units to enable improvement of image as an organised industry and shed the present image of being small units having limited capability
• Provide a comprehensive range of infrastructure facilities to meet the requirements of the industry
• Provide all clearances required by the industry at a single point
• Facilitate linkages for raw material, trimmings, processing, etc within the park
• Provide common facilities such as banking, insurance, transport service, warehousing, effluent treatment, fire fighting, postal services, etc to enable units have all services available in the neighborhood

Keeping in line with the guidelines provided by the ministry, the following facilities have been planned in the Ludhiana Apparel Park :-

• Internal road network and linkage with main road
• Water supply with treated water and distribution network linked to the plot
• Effluent treatment and drainage
• Power
• Telecommunication
• Exhibition centre
• Seminar hall
• Training Academy
• Extension centres of AEPC, customs, commercial taxes, labour department etc.
• Business Centre
• Effective environment control measures
• Testing Laboratory