To support apparel manufacturers in securing a larger share of the global market, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and HSBC’s Serai Limited is funding a digital profile building initiative.
Rubana Huq, the President of BGMEA, said, "We want to continue having HSBC and Serai by our side so that we can do e-engagement to a greater extent - because that’s the call of the day.”
The free initiative will connect local manufacturers with digital agencies in Dhaka, who will create marketing assets to promote their businesses online. Serai and the BGMEA believe that Bangladesh has a huge opportunity to tap into the global RMG export market, if local manufacturers use digital tools to showcase their products, capabilities and credentials to international buyers.
The agencies will produce promotional assets such as videos and photos of products, facilities, fabrics and other items that are crucial in building a strong online presence.
Aside from digital asset building, the agencies will support with copywriting for the online profiles of manufacturers on Serai’s platform.
“We joined Serai at the very beginning of their journey, allowing us to provide early feedback and see our suggestions implemented on the platform. Our Serai profile now showcases all of the information and capabilities that we share with our buyers in one place,” said Kutubuddin Ahmed, Founder and Chairman of the Envoy Group.
Having a robust online presence can support manufacturers in developing new relationships and showcasing their full range of capabilities. This is critical for survival in such a highly competitive industry, where markets like Vietnam and Cambodia have made huge progress in recent years.
“The current state of mass disruption in the apparel trade presents a huge opportunity for Bangladeshi manufacturers to secure a larger share of the global export market through digitisation,” said Vivek Ramachandran, CEO, Serai Limited.
Initiatives like this will ensure Bangladesh is leveraging technology to do business post-Covid-19, moving past traditional ways of working and an over-reliance on a handful of buyer relationships.
It will also support the country in meeting key targets related to the diversification of production, higher levels of innovation, keeping up with e-tailing trends and technology upgrades.
More than 250 Bangladeshi manufacturers have already joined the Serai platform, including Envoy Textiles, DBL Group and Viyellatex. Any textile and garment manufacturer interested in utilising Serai’s free digital profile building service can sign up here.