Stone laid for textile training centre in Suhar

MUSCAT, JULY 7 - Under the auspices of Sultan Salim al Habsi, Deputy Chairman of the Board Of Governors, Central Bank of Oman — S V Pittie Sohar Textiles (FZC) LLC held its foundation laying ceremony for a Training Centre at its site in Sohar Free Zone on Thursday. The manufacturing facility, which has already started its construction activity, will be operational in March 2019. The Training Center facility is key, as it creates a lot of job opportunities for relevant skill-sets in the region. The company’s Board of Directors, ministry officials, key stakeholders, special invitees, senior management and staff were in attendance to celebrate the momentous occasion at the site followed by an event at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Suhar.

With the construction of the training centre, S V Pittie will be positioned to have the necessary well-trained, skilled Omani personnel that will help the company’s manufacturing plant expand, create new jobs and contribute to the ongoing economic growth of the Sultanate. The training centre together with the initiatives and programmes set up by Government of Oman will be able to support the skilled workforce requirements of the Sultanate.

“We at S V Pittie are delighted to break-ground on our training centre for cotton-yarn manufacturing skills today, and usher in a new era of progress in manufacturing education in the Sultanate,” commented Vinod Pittie, Chairman.

“The training centre is a fine example of people coming together for the betterment of the community in particular, and the economy at large. I would like to thank all ministry officials, our key stakeholders and partners who have made it possible for us to reach our goals and break-ground on this wonderful project today. Their support has made this ground-breaking ceremony possible, and their help goes beyond the training centre and plant.”

“Workforce development and economic diversification are the pillars of spurring economic growth in the 21st century and are critical to attracting and growing businesses,” said Pittie. “I’m delighted to see the various regulatory authorities, as well as the community come together to make this new addition in Oman. Together, we look forward to contributing towards the economic development of the nation.”

The establishment of S V Pittie’s cotton-yarn plant in Sohar Free Zone is the first step in establishing downstream industries in the textile sector in the Sultanate. The new plant, coupled with the training centre, highly competitive logistics facilities, and a young, well-educated local workforce, will open up a number of future opportunities for investments in knitting, weaving, spinning, and fabric manufacturing, which could in turn create a thriving industrial cluster, within the local community.

Being built with an investment of $300 million, on a 27 hectare area, SV Pittie’s plant will be equipped with 150,000 spindles and 2,400 rotors, and will provide nearly 1,500 job opportunities. Financed by Bank Sohar, the Plant is targeted to be commissioned later this year. The imports of raw material — cotton will be from the US, Australia, Europe and Turkey through Sohar Port. It will produce finished yarn, which will then be exported to textile markets such as China, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh.