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Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) includes any device,
appliance, or garment worn or held by an individual
to protect against health and safety hazards. PPE
has been identified as a diversified export growth
sector with excellent potential for Bangladesh. The
European Union (EU) market for PPE is estimated at
US $25 billion – between 55% to 58% of total EU
imports. The worldwide market is about US $40
billion, with an annual growth rate of 4%.
Personal
Protective Equipment is considered to have good
potential to minimize the negative impact that the
expiration of quotas at the end 2004 will have on
Bangladesh’s Ready Made Garments (RMG) industry.
This is especially true because of the growing and
sustainable demand for PPE products, which are not
subject to fashion trends and consumer whim. JOBS is
encouraging selected Bangladeshi RMG manufacturers
to diversify their product lines to include PPE
products. Such diversification is essential in order
to sustain the country’s textile industry, which
employs two million workers (80% of them women),
comprises some 70% of total exports, and typically
earns US $4.9 billion yearly.
JOBS and the Centre for
the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries
(CBI, an agency of the Netherlands’ Ministry of
Foreign Affairs) have joined forces to develop the
sector. JOBS’ involvement in the sector began in
2002, when the Project assisted seven footwear and
leather goods companies to visit a PPE fair in
Singapore to gain an understanding of the market.
During the same period, CBI provided the companies
with training on export marketing in the
Netherlands, while jointly CBI and JOBS provided
them the technical assistance needed to begin
production of PPE products. The key to promoting
mass exports of PPE products will be compliance with
the production standards of the European market,
which are based on European Conformity (CE)
certification. JOBS is therefore also providing
technical assistance to ensure that Bangladeshi PPE
manufacturers are able to obtain CE certification.
Because
the major PPE product worldwide is protective
clothing, JOBS and CBI predict that the PPE sector
will become a lucrative market for Bangladeshi RMG
manufacturers in the post-MFA period, giving new
life to an industry that otherwise might face swift
decline.
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