Firm sets up automated shoe, garment factories in Aba

…to produce 1,500 pairs of shoes and 1,500 garments, daily

The quest to automate shoe production in Aba the commercial hub of Abia State has been realised, as EROJIM Investment Limited, an indigenous manufacturing outfit, has established automated shoe and garment factories in the commercial city.

Aba, has the largest concentration of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the Country with a sizable number engaged in tailoring and finished leather products such as shoes, belts and bags.

BusinessDay reports that Aba industrialists have capacity to produce for local and international consumption, if basic infrastructure, especially constant electricity is provided,

The factories situated at the Aba City Centre, behind the Aba Correctional Centre (formally prisons) , is a public private partnership (PPP) initiative, between EROJIM and the Federal Ministry of Interior with the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) , as major offtakers.

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With three modern production lines, the shoe section of the factory has a daily production capacity of 1500 pairs, while the garment section also has a daily production capacity of about 1500 garments.

The factory, which started production on September 1, 2024, is currently producing kits for officers and men of the NCS, as well as for inmates.

BusinessDay checks revealed. that the garment section of the facility, first of its kind in Aba and Nigeria, is equipped with automatic sowing machines, ironing boards, cutting machines for jeans and chinos and special machine for cutting if shirt colar. It also boasts of taping machines, heat press and so many other machines needed in a modern garment factory.

The Shoe section with 3-production lines boasts of modern commercial shoe production equipment, including two big toe lasting machines.

It is a complete package for everything we want to do as far as garment and shoe productiond are concerned, Esang Demben Moses, chief operating officer (COO) EROJIM Investment Limited declared.

Read also: Abia shoe factory to finally commence operation

Esang, in an interview with BusinessDay after a tour of the facilities, explained that his firm has a concession agreement with the NCS.

He said that the Federal Government provided land and other logistics for the project, while his firm provided equipment and manpower

To solve the issue of leather for the shoe production segment, the EROJIM COO confirmed that the company is currently setting up a. tannery in Kano, which produces some of the best leathers in the world, to service the Aba factory.

Asked on how much the company invested in the project, Esang said, “I can’t give you accurate figure now, because we are still investing. We are not through yet. I’ll be able to give you accurate figure by the time we are done with our investment here. We also have a facility in Kano. We are building a tannery factory in Kano, where we will produce leather, still in partnership with the Ministry of Interior. The project is ongoing and we hope to open it in February 2025”.

The EROJIM investment in Aba, no doubt would revolutionize the finished leather and garment industry, as it has set a benchmark for other investors interested in setting up such factories in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.