New machinery, a touch of life to textile industry

Last Updated 14 years ago by Kenya Engineer

A textile maker, Rivatex East Africa has upgraded its machines to improve efficiency as it looks up to bigger markets. The factory owned by Moi University bought new equipment moving its production from 200 metres to 20,000 metres of cloth per day.

The university acquired the factory in 2007 after it collapsed at a cost of Sh250 million. The new machinery has reduced the need for the factory to hire more staff as well as increase orders. One such machine is the Autocoro S 360, a digital piecing tool which ensures that reports are generated electronically and settings are done through touch screen.

Rivatex sells its products locally and in the region. Out of the 600 tonnes of cotton that the factory requires per year for optimum production, 250 tonnes are imported mainly from Uganda and Tanzania. Other than the dyes and other chemicals, the factory also imports about 80 tonnes of man-made fibres per year.
Expenses of dyes has however reduced following the discovery of a natural dye produced from tagetes minuta,a herb commonly referred to as Stinking Roger.It grows naturally in different parts of the country and seven colors including green, brown and orange-can be extracted from it.

The textile industry has a long way to go following closure of some factories. Some of those closed include the Mount Kenya Textiles and Kisumu Cotton Mills which collapsed in the 1990’s and are yet to be revived.

{flike} {fsend}

{fcomment}