Wool delegation visits Vietnam to strengthen ties and build opportunities
- WoolProducers Australia
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Last week a delegation comprised of representatives from WoolProducers Australia, Michell Wool, Eqwools, Fox & Lillie Rural and WoolWorks NZ visited Vietnam to increase awareness of opportunities for wool in the Vietnamese textile sector, particularly those aligned with the roadmap for early-stage wool processing in Vietnam.
The week started with a visit to Nam Dinh Silk Company, a company specialising in wool top dyeing, worsted spinning and the production of woven fabrics for use in local government uniforms and export to discerning clients in Japan and South Korea.
WoolProducers CEO, Jo Hall, said, “The Vietnam textile sector is nearing 20,000 metric tonnes of worsted wool spinning capacity, or approximately 10% of Australia’s wool production, while there is currently very little direct trade to Vietnam, they are certainly valued partners of Australian woolgrowers.”
The delegation also met with Australian Government representatives at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, including the recently appointed Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Ms Gillian Bird PSM. This meeting provided an opportunity to outline work undertaken through the ATMAC grant program and the opportunities for both indirect and direct trade of Australian wool to Vietnam, including government programs to support supply chain development in Southeast Asian markets, such as Vietnam.
The delegation attended the grand opening of the Ninh Thuan (tops) Dyeing Textile Co. Ltd (NDT), with a Phase 1 annual capacity of 1500 tonnes and the Da Lat Worsted Spinning (DWS) mill, with a capacity of 3000 tonnes per year. Both NDT and DWS are owned by Südwolle Group, a family-owned company and leading manufacturer of wool yarn with over 3200 employees, based in Nuremberg, Germany.
Ms Hall said, “It is great to see major European companies investing in cutting edge facilities in Vietnam to deliver top-quality yarns and downstream products to both domestic and international processors and consumers. Vietnam is clearly emerging as a major global player in the production of premium quality wool products and garments”.
At the end of the week the delegation then went on to visit Lien Phuong Textile & Garment Corporation (LPTex) in Ho Chi Minh City. LPTex is involved in weaving and tailoring activities, with a manufacturing capacity of 6,000,000 m2 of fabric/year, delivering premium textiles and garments to leading fashion brands, with aspirations for upstream investment in top dyeing and spinning.
The visit was made possible with the support of WoolProducers Australia’s in-country representative, Mr Kelvin Le. Mr Le works within the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Ho Chi Minh City and has been instrumental in strengthening ties between the Australian wool industry and the Vietnamese textile sector over the last two years, particularly the exploration of potential early-stage processing of Australian wool in Vietnam.
Mr Le’s position is currently funded by WoolProducers and WoolWorks NZ.
Meanwhile, WoolProducers Australia continues to call for funding from the Australian Government for the establishment of a Wool Trade Policy Office (as recommended in the Ensuring a sustainable future for Australia’s wool supply chain - Industry Action Plan).
“The establishment of a Wool Trade Policy Office would deliver trade risk mitigation to Australian woolgrowers, increase pre-export value capture, create jobs and increase GDP. Prices, seasonal conditions and a volatile policy environment are placing extreme pressure on Australian woolgrowers, I sincerely hope that the government does not overlook this opportunity to support the future prosperity of our industry and strengthen the Australian economy”, Ms Hall said.
ENDS
WoolProducers Australia contacts:
Jo Hall
CEO
0488 554 811
About WoolProducers’ Australia
WoolProducers plays a critical role in working closely with companies and entities funded by woolgrower funds including compulsory levies or fees for service.
Its mission is to develop constructive and profitable outcomes for woolgrowers nationally.
The agency is responsible for appointing a director to each of the Australian Wool Exchange and the Australia Wool Testing Authority, promoting good corporate governance and ensuring that the interests of growers are met.
WoolProducers maintains a working relationship with Australian Wool Innovation as the voice of woolgrower shareholders. It aims to contribute to AWI’s programs for the benefit of growers, promoting responsible use of levy funds and ensuring good corporate governance.
WoolProducers is the sole wool industry member of Animal Health Australia, and as such, carries a significant responsibility for decision making on behalf of the industry in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.
As the only wool grower organisation with membership of the National Farmers’ Federation, WoolProducers is responsible for providing key policy advice on behalf of our members, and other wool growers, to Australia’s peak farm body.
WoolProducers also works closely with the Federal Government Departments on key issues such as animal health and welfare, biosecurity, pest management control, natural resource management, drought preparedness, emergency animal disease outbreak preparedness and industry development, including research, trade and logistics.