(FEZ) - Industry Park & Logistic Centre

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uanian manufacturers in the textile sector, sewing and
footwear industries experience fierce competition due
to imports from Asian countries, especially China,
where labour costs are remarkably lower than in our
country. Relevant EU institutions have been focusing
a lot on textile and apparel industries. A particular
communicate has been issued in concern of the textile
and apparel industries on the European Community
level, and a high-level task force has been formed
to contribute to solving problems within the sector. It
has been stated that the key criteria for competitive
advantage of the EU textile and clothing industry are
high quality products in technological, aesthetical and
fashion aspects; development of new brands of great
demand; flexible and reliable observance of product
delivery terms. The mentioned European Commission
document emphasizes that the competitive ability
of textile and apparel sector greatly depends on how
a manufacturer is able to “cross the boundaries” of a
traditional concept of cluster and integrate efficiently
into the international supply chain. Lithuanian textile
and apparel industry also gives a priority to the cluster
development processes. The Lithuanian Apparel and
Textile Industry Association has developed a project
orientated towards one Lithuanian region expecting
to launch and develop the international cluster development
service in strengthening the abilities of textile
and apparel companies to provide specialized public
services. Financial assistance to this project from
the EU structural funds could be an obvious support
to development of apparel and textile sector in Lithuania.
Unfortunately, the application has been rejected
by the Lithuanian Business Support Agency.
In order to achieve competitive advantage in Europe
as well as on the global scale, Lithuanian companies
within apparel and textile industry sector have been
implementing consistent restructuring of their manufacturing
processes; including renovation of facilities,
introduction of new high technologies and manufacturing
innovative products. An agreement for joint
(partnership) activities has been signed in relation
to establishment of a national business platform. By
joining the forces of representatives from the business
community and scientific institutions, this platform
aims at preparation of common development program
for apparel and textile sector up to 2020, based on introduction
of advanced technologies and new products.
Working in cooperation with companies for development
of the national platform, the Association
also applied the elements suggested by the European
Invest in Lithuania
Union’s Technology Program, such as transition from
the use of strands, threads and materials to special
products made by the use of flexible high technology
processes, development and application of new technical
textiles in many industrial sectors, shift from the
mass production to individual client’s needs, the era of
intelligent products, logistics and distribution.
It has been almost 15 years already since good reputation
of Lithuanian apparel manufacturers became
well-known in many European and other countries
of the world due to their highly skilled professionals,
high quality of products, flexibility, fast delivery and
other features necessary for success in contemporary
business. Many consumers in Lithuania and abroad
have been wearing tailor-made clothing; therefore,
the price is not an essential criterion in purchasing
one or another apparel item. Individual batches, small
collections of 5 to 10 garments have become more and
more popular. This means that manufacturing of this
kind of collections is possible in Lithuania, but orders
of the kind are hardly possible to be implemented in
China. Therefore, a myth that after some time the entire
textile and apparel industry will be moved to China,
and textile and sewing factories in Lithuania, just
like in other countries of the European Community
will be closed, is an overstatement.
Due to the unique traditions, textile and apparel sector
in the country has fairly good prospects in manufacturing
high value-added products, as Lithuania has developed
an adequate scientific potential in relation to this
strong sector of the country’s economy and been preparing
highly qualified specialists in different relevant
fields. Financial support provided from EU Structural
Funds to encourage innovation and scientific progress
needs to be properly directed to strengthening this symbiosis
of industry and science.
Many Lithuanian textile and apparel companies provide
services to other Lithuanian and European corporations
and/or large retail chains under the trademarks of these
corporations. In the process of industrial modernization,
more attention has now been paid to designing and development
of our own trademarks. Some Lithuanian
companies, such as Audėjas, Audimas, Utenos Trikotažas,
Rožė, Omniteksas and others have found and been successfully
developing their niche on the market, as well
as new own brands and trademarks, thus increasing their
value added produced.