Northshore Apparel plans fabric mill, cotton outgrower scheme as part of expansion – CEO

Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited announced it will construct a fabric mill and initiate a cotton outgrower program in northern Ghana and surrounding nations as part of its industrial park expansion in Savelugu, according to its CEO Nurideen Mohammed. At the official inauguration on August 28, he clarified that the development plan consists of three phases.

The first phase involves the garment manufacturing facility, while the second stage will double sewing capacity to 200 lines, incorporate two additional sewing production facilities, a cutting and design facility, and provide 1.5 megawatts of solar power with battery storage. The third phase will involve constructing a fabric mill and establishing a cotton outgrower scheme across the sub-region, aiming for Ghanaian cotton to be transformed into finished garments instead of raw bales.

The CEO noted that Savelugu's proximity to the West African cotton belt grants the company a strategic edge for the proposed integration of cotton farming, fabric production, and garment manufacturing. The area offers access to a vast labor force and relatively lower operational costs. The initial stage, inaugurated on Friday, comprises 50 sewing lines on a 50-acre industrial campus, a 4,000-square-meter cutting and design facility, and two 4,000-square-meter warehouses each.

It also includes a 1,500-square-meter dining facility, a 500-kilowatt peak solar power system, an anaerobic biodigester, and a 600,000-litre underground water reservoir. The factory, supported by GEXIM through a blended financing model involving Germany's KfW Development Bank and equity from the project promoters, has trained and deployed over 2,300 operators and is prepared to cater to local and international garment markets.

The proposed fabric mill and outgrower program aim to enhance local value addition, assist cotton farmers, and lessen Ghana's reliance on imported production inputs.