WINDHOEK – Dinapama Manufacturing and Supplies, a wholly-owned local clothing manufacturer, has, in conjunction with the labour ministry, yesterday embarked on an initiative to improve productivity which, in turn, is expected to reduce costs and improve quality. According to David Namalenga, Managing Director of 100 percent locally-owned clothing company, the productivity initiative aims to increase monthly sales to between N$2.2 million and N$2.4 million, up from the current monthly sales range of about N$1.7 million per month.
“With this initiative we want to grow the number of pieces we produce from approximately 25 000 a month to a minimum of 35 000 pieces a month,” Namalenga told New Era on the side-lines of the launch of the productivity initiative. He noted that with the labour ministry’s guidance, his staff has already elected committee members to spearhead the productivity improvement process. “Countries are developed on the basis of efficiency. And we want to be as efficient as Singapore and Japan when it comes to manufacturing,” said Namalenga, while addressing his staff. He continued that the productivity drive is applicable to the entire value-chain of the company, including customers, who he encouraged to place orders on time so as not to disrupt the production process and to ensure top quality. “We must eliminate every little complaint and we must ensure that we do the right thing right the first time, every time,” Namalenga stated.
The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation is mandated to promote productivity in the country. The ministry has, on various occasions, assisted numerous companies as well as other government ministries, to enhance their productivity levels.
Through its Department of Labour Market Information, the labour ministry identified and approached Dinapama on the productivity initiative to develop workable strategies to increase their productivity levels by looking at different aspects such as the importance and benefits of productivity, how best productivity can enhance service delivery as well as capacity enhancement using different techniques.
Commenting at yesterday’s launch, the labour ministry’s Chief Development Planner, Julia Hamhata, reminded Dinapama staff that “productivity is a marathon without an end”. Hamhata noted that a crucial aspect of the productivity initiative was to foster a change of mindset, which she encouraged through what she termed the “5s”, which are; sorting, setting, shining, standardising and sustaining.