Mur Lura
ECONOMIC SERVICES MINISTER JOSEF BONNICI TOURS MANUFACTURING FIRM
pr1382
27/09/2001
27/09/2001
| VF (Malta) Ltd announced plans to introduce a second shift and increase | employment by a further 75 persons within 12 months, during a visit at its San Gwann factory by the Minister for Economic Services, Prof. Josef Bonnici. |
| General Manager Mr. George W. Borg explained that VF | is a global company based in Brussels with several production facilities worldwide. The 750 employees in Malta produce some 23,000 Wrangler, Lee, Maverick and Hero by Wrangler jeans per day. The company had started out in 1963 as the then Malta Clothing Company (Bluebel) and was bought out by VF in 1987. Since then, heavy investment in state-of-the-art machinery has meant that the company has remained competitive, allowing it to expand to its present-day levels from just 165 employees in 1987. |
| This positive track record in a very competitive | segment of manufacturing has been made possible by a significant amount of investor confidence and a favourable investment environment. Minister Bonnici said that the fact that VF is expanding, notwithstanding the tough competition from lower-wage locations in the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries, shows that even within the clothing sector Malta can be competitive. The underlying strategy is to identify higher quality products where the value-added content is such to allow for productivity improvements. " VF is another tangible example of how the Maltese workforce is able and willing to adapt and exploit the latest machinery and equipment. This further underlines the flexibility of Maltese workers very ably led by competent Maltese management", said Minister Bonnici. |
| The Business Promotion Act (enacted earlier this | year) has nevertheless increased investment allowances and introduced a value added incentive scheme from which clothing companies can benefit. The objective is specifically to introduce incentives that will encourage and reward the move to the production of higher quality and greater value added and to improvements in productivity. |
| Minister Bonnici remarked that, in addition to VF, | the MDC is currently assisting 3 other clothing companies to expand their production facilities. In the specific case of VF, the MDC had secured the assistance of the Water Services Corporation to provide an additional supply of water to VF. This has allowed the company to provide an additional processing capability (namely stone-washing) that strengthens its competitive position. Minister Bonnici emphasised that "The Government will continue to give its support such that manufacturing retains its pivotal role within the Maltese economy". |
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