Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Konijeti Rosaiah inaugurated Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC), which is located within the Andhra Pradesh Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) in Visakhapatnam at a grand ceremony held today. BIAC is a 1000-acre, infrastructure-rich, fully serviced and environmentally compliant manufacturing park. In addition, gracing the occasion were the Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Textiles: Ms. Panabaaka Lakshmi and the Hon’ble Minister of State for HRD, Government of India: Ms. D Purandeswari. The Hon’ble Minister for Mines & Geology, Handlooms & Textile, Spinning Mills: Mr. B. Srinivas Reddy, the Hon’ble Minister for Major Industries: Mr. K. Lakshmi Narayana and the Hon’ble Minister for Tribal Welfare & Remote and Interior Areas Development (R.I.A.D): Mr. P. Balaraju were also present. Other senior leaders and officials of Government of Andhra Pradesh and Government of India along with Mr. Ashroff Omar CEO of Brandix Group and Mr. Feroz Omar, Sector Director for BIAC and the entire Board of Directors of Brandix Lanka, the parent Group from Colombo were present.
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. K. Rosaiah on the event of the Inauguration of Brandix India Apparel City said, “Brandix India Apparel City is one of the largest textile industry-specific special economic zones in the world, and the only one of its scale and concept in South Asia. This is a special day in the history of Visakhapatnam with the opening of this SEZ in the city. I congratulate the Management of BIAC for developing this Park, which will drive the Industrial development of the State. BIAC, from its side has stood by its promise of providing jobs to the villagers. So far, at BIAC, the factories operating within it have provided over 5,075 jobs to the rural people mostly girls, and when the Park is occupied fully, about 60,000 jobs should be available. Government has also supported them by providing land and excellent infrastructure to allow a smooth flow in their operations.”
Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi, Hon’ble Minister of State for Textiles, who presided over the inaugural function complimented “the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Brandix in establishing this ‘textile and apparel’ Park under the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) Government of India. Out of 40 textile parks taken up by the Ministry of Textiles throughout the country, Brandix project is the largest Park,” she added. “The Ministry has been making serious efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Indian textile industry and the Brandix India Apparel City is a shining example which would motivate similar and large scale FDI players into Indian textile industry” she added.
BIAC takes its name from Brandix Lanka (www.brandix.com), the Sri Lankan apparel conglomerate that conceptualized the Park and manages it. In the three years since it was conceptualized, the Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC) has irrevocably changed the dynamics of the South Asian region as a globally significant manufacturing location for apparel, with the capacity and depth to cater to discerning international brands. Projected to be a US$ 1.2 billion investment on completion, BIAC is located within the Andhra Pradesh Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) in Visakhapatnam on the eastern coast of India. BIAC, a 1000-acre Park with full infrastructure and environmentally compliant, is designed and constructed especially to meet the discerning needs of top-notch international textile and apparel manufacturers.
While welcoming the dignitaries and speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ashroff Omar, CEO, Brandix Group, said, “BIAC’s vision is to be the preferred global sourcing hub for apparel”, hence BIAC seeks to attract the best in the world in apparel specific sector. We are delighted that Brandix India Apparel City is being inaugurated today. We based our choice of Andhra Pradesh and Visakhapatnam as the location of BIAC on many favourable factors, including the importance accorded to the textile and apparel manufacturing industry in the State’s Industrial Policy. Andhra Pradesh is also the third largest cotton producer in India and has abundant labour. Visakhapatnam, the city that houses the Brandix India Apparel City has one of the largest ports in the country and strategically straddles the axis of the textile centres in South and North India. Backed by Government assurances on water, electricity, infrastructure and investor friendly policies, Visakhapatnam has all the right resources to rise as the apparel hub of India.
We are indeed thankful to the Governments of Andhra Pradesh, particularly APIIC for providing the external infrastructure and to the Government of India, particularly, the Ministry of Textiles for granting approval to BIAC under the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) and the Ministry of Commerce for granting BIAC an SEZ status. Thanks are also due to ILFS for guiding us as Project Development Advisers.”
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Mr. Ashroff Omar further graciously acknowledged “ Brandix Group’s thankfulness to Mr UV Ramamurthy Raju (Kannababu), the local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Yellamanchili, who from inception ensured the smooth construction of BIAC infrastructure through his interactive efforts, which provided us the much needed support and co-operation from the local community in our endeavours.”
Brandix India Apparel City has developed an ecologically sustainable site that features green infrastructure and sustainable designs. BIAC’s integrated green infrastructure and efficient engineering designs ensure that the final construction maximizes eco-industrial balance and meet sustainability business objectives.
Brandix India Apparel City as a business group has been recognized and lauded in Sri Lanka for its commitment to employees and the community, Brandix has extended the same gesture to BIAC and its operations in Atchutapuram, India. Its community projects in Atchutapuram are dedicated to supporting community service projects that focus on water, health, sanitation, community empowerment and education.