Celebrating GTP At 50: MD Kofi Boateng Shares Success Stories

Tex Styles Ghana Limited which is popularly referred to as GTP was formerly known as Ghana Textiles Printing Company Limited, hence the acronym GTP.

This company which is the foremost textiles manufacturing company in Ghana, was established as part of Osageyfo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s import substitution drive. It was incorporated in January 1966, precisely on 17^th January 1966 hence we are now fifty years.

Fifty years is a milestone. While it provides an occasion to celebrate, it gives us also a solemn opportunity to pause and look back at this fifty year journey. Being a golden jubilee year, it offers us a golden ticket to chart our path forward into the future.

The fortunes of the Company have been very diverse, mirroring the economic and political climate prevailing in the country. Despite the numerous challenges, the Company together with its sister company Premium African Textiles Company Limited (PAT) have kept faith with Ghana throughout these years.

Mr. Chairman, allow me to recount a few of the key milestones in the life of this great company:

1960: The Government agrees with two foreign firms to build a textiles factory at Tema

1963: Construction begins at Tema.
1966:Factory incorporated as GHANA TEXTILES PRINTING COMPANY

1976: Government of Ghana assumes majority shareholding

UAC(United African Company)retains management control

1982:Workers ejected UAC management and took over the factory

Offshore Shareholders (UAC and Vlisco) disenfranchised

1994: Unilever resumes management control
1998:Gamma Holding presented by Vlisco buys out Unilever

2004: Company name changes to TEX STYLES GHANA LIMITED (TSG).

2010:Actis Group acquires 100% of Vlisco Group shares

Jan 2016: Company marks Golden Jubilee!!
CONTRIBUTIONS OF GTP
GTP has contributed and continues to contribute immensely to the economy and culture of Ghana and other West African states in so many ways:

1. Employment: In terms of employment and human capital development, we currently employ close to 1,000 Ghanaians directlyand again offer training and skills development opportunities to several Ghanaians: workers, students on internship and National Service personnel.
2. CSR Activities: GTP has donated over 2,000 bed sheets/pillow cases to over 15 public hospitals between 2013-2015.

The Company also offered training opportunities to 13 talented but under-privileged Ghanaian ladies to train at Joyce Ababio’s College of Creative Arts in 2014 and another batch of 15 tailors to polish up their trade in 2015.

1. Taxes: One of the large tax payers; paid over Ghc33m in 2015.
2. Investment: Invested well over Ghc30m in plant & equipment between the period 2012-2015.
3. Export Drive:GTP exports to most West African markets putting Ghana’s name on the international map. Export value for 2015 =$8m
4. Modern Retail Chain: The Company has 13Woodin & Vlisco stores in Ghana.
5. Culture: Integral to the cultural development of Ghana and other West & Central African cultures. GTP is virtually part of the average Ghanaian’s life: birth, naming ceremonies, marriage, working life, death (from cradle to grave). That we have such design names like Obaapa, Okunupa, AhenepaNkasa, Woko Aware a Bisaand lately Aware Nni Time, show how integrated we are in the social and cultural life of Ghana.
6. Sports: In the very good days, GTP together with the other local textiles factories, made a significant contribution to the passion of the nation football. We had the Dumas Boys of GTP handled by Coach Adabie, that brought into prominence such nationalstars as Willie Klutse and Isaac Acquaye.

Together with Akotex from Akosombo Textiles and Juantexfrom Juapong Textiles we unearthed talents that stirred and generated a great deal of excitement in our football league

CHALLENGES FACING GTP (&INDUSTRY) TODAY

In addition to the macro economic challenges we face the frightening menace of counterfeiting and smuggling of our products and brands, GTP is essentially in the business of selling DESIGNS & COLOURS, not just fabrics. So, when these well thought through and crafted designs, colour combinations and sometimes brand logos/labels are copied, counterfeited and smuggled into the country at ridiculously low prices, it becomes a real challenge to deal with. This menace is our biggest challenge.

This has greatly curtailed the contributions that GTP could make to the economy in terms of increased employment, foreign currency earnings and taxation.

SOME ACTIONS TAKEN BY GTP TO STAY AHEAD

1. Continuous Investment and Improvement Programmes: The Company continues to invest in staff skills & competencies, plant & equipment and processes in order to be cost efficient and more productive.
2. Creativity & Innovation: GTP continues to create new designs and colours and Ready to Wear lines to ensure that we drive the fashion industry in Ghana and in the sub-region.
3. Empowering Consumers: GTP in 2015 introduced a new value added service called GTP AUTHENTICATION SERVICE to help empower consumers to determine fairly easily if the GTP product they buy is genuine or not. It is a mobile phone-based application. This innovation was introduced in collaboration with a Ghanaian Technology firm, MPEDIGREE.
4. Vlisco Support: Then more importantly is the support we have been receiving from our parent company VLISCO. Vlisco has put their technical expertise including their research and development knowledge at our disposal. They have again provided financial support as and when needed.

Incidentally, Vlisco established since 1846 is 170 years this year and will come up with its own celebration.

STATE INTERVENTIONS
The Board and Management of GTP will like to commend the Government of Ghana for some policy interventions which have helped GTP and the other local manufacturers in the industry:

1. Wear Made in Ghana (Friday Wear) Campaign: This campaign initiated by the Hon Alan Kyeremanteng during his era as the Minister of Trade & Industry is highly commendable. We also observe with appreciation the recent efforts by the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Mahama and the current sector Minister, DrEkowSpio-Garbrah to push through with the Consume MADE IN GHANA agenda.
2. Anti-Piracy Task Force: The establishment of this Task Force during the era of Hon Hannah Tetteh which is currently receiving the full backing of the Ministry of Trade and Industry is also commendable.
3. Waiver of Duties: The waiver of import duties on raw material and other machine parts is also highly appreciated by the industry.

FURTHER HELP REQUIRED FROM THE STATE

1. Enforce Import Controls:We believe CEPS can do more to enforce import controls to minimize smuggling of textile goods.
2. Enforce Local Sourcing:We appeal to MOTI to lobby Government and all MDAs to source fabrics from local factories.
3. ‘MADE IN GHANA CAMPAIGN’: We believe that together with MOTI, we can extend the FRIDAY WEAR campaign to EVERY DAY WEAR. This will greatly help the textile industry and tailoring sector.
4. Volta Star: Volta Star is not delivering the volumes we order from them, endangering our business. We wish to appeal to the Ministry of Trade to take some urgent steps to save Volta Star from collapse.

FUTURE OUTLOOK
What does the future hold for us? We look forward to the next 50 years with a lot of hope. We believe in Ghana and the huge potential in African Fashion. We believe African Fashion will be the next big thing on the global fashion stage and we are positioning ourselves to take full advantage of this emerging trend. We will continue to be much more creative, cost efficient and productive. We will continue to expand our frontiers beyond Ghana

We believe that with the support of our government especially in the area of fighting counterfeits and smuggling, we can grow GTP. When GTP grows, Ghana grows!

APPRECIATION & CONCLUDING REMARKS

Mr. Chairman, The Board, Management and Staff of Tex Styles Ghana Limited (GTP) wish to take this opportunity to thank most sincerely all stakeholders (past and present): Our Shareholders (Vlisco Group), The Government of Ghana, our Consumers all over the country, Our Trade Partners, Our hard working employees, Suppliers, Creative Agencies especially Lintas, Bankers, The Chiefs & people of Tema (Our Landlords), Our neighbours, etc. Thank you all for your immense support over the years.

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A FEMALE STAFF MODELLING ON THE RUNWAY AT THE CELEBRATION

A STAFF FLAUNTING HER BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED 50TH ANNIVERSARY CLOTH ON THE RUNWAY

DR. JOYCE ARYEE, MR. ALAN KYEREMANTENG AND OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS ON A FACTORY TOUR (1)

GHANA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL 2015

HON. KWEKU RICKETTS HAGAN,DR. JOYCE ARYEE, MR. KOFI BOATENG, HON. SHERRY AYITTEY AND DR. ISHMAEL YAMSON CUTTING THE 50TH ANNIVERSAY CAKE

HON.KWEKU RICKETTS HAGAN, DEP. MINISTER OF TRADE & INDUSTRY DELIVERING HIS SPEECH

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