US embassy cable - 04TAIPEI3186

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003186 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO AIT/W 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/RSP/TC AND EB/TPP/ABT 
STATE PASS TO USTR 
 
USDOC FOR ROOM 3001A 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, KTEX, TW 
SUBJECT: TITAS 2004 Focuses on Facing 2005: 
Regional Textile Manufacturers' Differ in Strategy 
 
 
1. Summary. The Taipei International Textile & 
Apparel Show 2004 (TITAS 2004) kicked off on 
September 21.  280 domestic/foreign companies 
participated in the three-day event.  Aside from 
the exhibition, 13 seminars by various agencies 
including the American Apparel Producers' Network 
(AAPN), Jockey International Inc., Vietnam Textile 
and Apparel Association (VTAA), Karnali Cashmere 
Industries and Trade Card, discussed improvement 
in supply-chain management, customer relations, 
product research and development trends, and 
strategies for facing the elimination of the 
Multifiber Agreement.    End summary. 
 
TITAS 2004: Bigger than Ever 
---------------------------- 
 
2. TITAS 2004, the premier textile trade show in 
Taiwan, was held at the Taipei World Trade Center, 
September 21-23.  Participation in this year's 
event was up over 20 percent from 2003. 
 
3. Two hundred ten domestic, 18 foreign, 24 PRC 
based textile manufacturers and 28 related 
domestic/foreign associations sponsored 550 booths 
in the 2004 show.  In 2003, there were 420 booths 
for 182 manufacturers and related agencies. 
 
4. Fifty-one percent of the exhibitors represented 
the apparel and garment industry, 8 percent were 
home/furniture textile related, 36 percent were 
technical/engineered textile related, and the rest 
were associated products/services such as 
designers, media, inspection & certification 
agencies and planning and consulting companies. 
 
5. 18,402 people attended this year's event, a 
twenty percent increase over 2003.  Ninety-one 
percent represented domestic industries and nine 
percent were foreign visitors.  In 2003, the ratio 
was ninety-four percent and six percent 
respectively. 
 
Seminars Discuss Boosting Competitiveness 
----------------------------------------- 
 
6. Exhibitors from different regions tended to 
focus on different aspects of the textile trade to 
boost their competitiveness.  U.S. manufacturers 
were focused on brand and wholesale management 
strategies, Central-America countries were 
interested in production investment input, Taiwan 
manufacturers prioritized upgrading product 
quality, and Chinese companies are looking to 
strengthen market channels. 
 
7. In a seminar titled "The Changing American 
Apparel Industry", Mr. Mike Todaro from the 
American Apparel Producers' Network (AAPN) pointed 
out the importance of price, supply-chain and the 
instant message.  His message was that the origin 
of production is no longer important, price is now 
the crucial factor.  Todaro predicted that 
companies with their own brands and markets must 
streamline their supply chains.  Whoever owns the 
most powerful and efficient supply chain will have 
the competitive advantage.  Companies also need to 
cut short the distance between themselves and the 
customers by providing better and quicker 
services, such as on-line services. 
 
8. Mr. Brad Beal from Jockey International Inc., 
in the seminar "Executing a Successful Central 
American Business Plan", pointed out the 
advantages of investing in Central America in 
anticipation of the Central America Free Trade 
Agreement (CAFTA).  Investors will be able to 
increase the speed of receiving raw materials and 
accessing the U.S. market.  According to Beal, 
cost competitiveness and worker efficiency in 
Central America also appeal to manufacturers. 
Beal emphasized that manufacturers in Central 
America are heading toward what he called the 
"full packaging" stage, including tightening the 
supply chain and moving closer to markets. 
 
9. In a discussion on "Branded Clothing from 
China", Ms. Chia Hwa from Pei King E-Wan Garment 
Co., Mr. Chen Kuan Chan from Chuan Guen Gran 
Garment Co., and Mr. Chu Gan-ching from Pei King 
Chen Pei Technology Co. shared their experiences 
of establishing brands and opening markets in 
China.  They emphasized the importance of market 
orientation, interaction with employees and 
customers, and service packaging (after service, 
special-day gifts, anniversary booklets). 
Regional Differences as Manufacturers Prepare for 
Lifting of MFA 
 
10.  COMENT:  According to seminar participants, 
global manufacturers are pursuing different 
strategies to strengthen their market position in 
preparation for the lifting of textile quotas in 
January 2005.  Those companies that have their own 
brands are trying to cut down production time and 
cost by centralizing suppliers and shortening 
supply chains.  They also seek to build closer 
relationships with their customers so they can be 
more responsive to consumers needs.  Asian and 
Central American textile manufacturers are 
shifting production lines to places with lower raw 
material and labor costs, as long as time to 
market is not compromised. 
 
11.  Manufacturers in Taiwan and China appear to 
be adopting very different strategies in the face 
of a seismic shift in the textile industry. 
Taiwan based companies are focusing on product 
development and upgrading in an attempt to remain 
competitive in the global market, but have done 
little to develop their own brands or build 
relations with end users.  Chinese companies, 
conversely, seem to be paying little attention to 
product quality but are focused on branding and 
marketing, especially within the Chinese domestic 
market. 
 
PAAL