The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has welcomed Chinese company YI LI DA SA’s R150 million blanket factory which is expected to create 1000 direct jobs in Boksburg, Gauteng.

The Chinese company recently opened the eco-friendly factory that will produce textile products using recycled polyester products such as plastic mineral water bottles.

Acting Head of Investment Promotion and Interdepartmental Clearing House at the dti, Yunus Hoosen, welcomed the investment into the country.

The investment, he said, will help upscale the South African economy and industrialisation.

“The investment and technology used and the upscaling is in line with our Industrial Policy Action Plan and industrialisation plans to expand our manufacturing base and oversee investments that are sustainable in the long run,” said Hoosen.

Chairman of YI LI DA SA, Yong Qian, said the opening of the factory represented a milestone in progress that is being made through the China-Africa relationship. He said the cooperation between China and African countries in investment projects was a win-win situation.

“For China, it facilitates its development in African countries and for South Africa and the rest of the continent it contributes to the achievement of industrialisation, foreign investment and economic development,” said Qian.

Qian said manufacturing was planned to be carried out in two phases.

The first phase will see a blanket weaving manufacturing line being established. Polyester filament yarn, the raw material for this manufacturing process, will be imported from China.

“In the second phase, local polyester plastic bottles will be utilised as raw material to manufacture polyester filament yarn and a texturing factory will be set up. This will also lead to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions,” he explained.

He added that the manufacturing process was one of its kind in South Africa as existing manufacturers are still using acrylic fibres as the main material.

Qian said in 2003 the South African government listed blanket products as one of the country’s anti-dumping products. Thus, producing blankets locally will significantly reduce the costs.

Hoosen said it was pleasing to see Chinese companies leading the way in manufacturing, expanding localisation and producing locally instead of importing.

He said the investment would boost the local textile sector