By Alexander Kovalev
The memorandum aims to expand contacts, sharing experience on the production of goods and on the development of new technologies.
Vilnius is soon to host an annual wholesale exhibition, attended by Belarusian companies. “We want to present Belarusian light industry goods widely — from footwear and textiles to garments,” notes Lyudmila Tyaglova, Bellegprom’s Deputy Chair. She also refuted the common assumption that Belarusian produce on the domestic market isn’t keeping abreast of fashionable trends and is less high quality than imported goods, saying that this is the opinion of only the uninformed. She laments, “We aren’t creating separate collections for export and domestic sale, although it’s vital for us to earn currency so we export half of our manufacture.”
Belarus’ Deputy Trade Minister, Edvard Matulis, notes that the exhibition provides a great opportunity to find interesting products and forge useful ties. “Belarusian light industry is on the rise, being able to meet the needs of the most demanding customers,” he stresses. Meanwhile, the First Deputy Chairman of Bellegprom Concern, Vladimir Astrovsky, tells us that companies affiliated with the Concern are modernising, reducing the depreciation of equipment from 84 percent to 50 percent; this should considerably enhance the competitiveness of our domestic products. The achievements of light industry are clearly visible, with companies updating their ranges by 60-70 percent every year, making them more popular with customers.
Over 170 Belarusian and foreign companies took part in the 31st International BelTEXlegprom. Autumn-2012 Exhibition-Fair, including companies from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, India and Turkey. Bellegprom Concern was represented by over 50 companies; Spring-Summer 2013 women’s, men’s and children’s clothing collections were presented.
The Fashion Centre, Kupalinka, Elema, Svitanak and Komintern demonstrated their collections at the event, as did students of the Vitebsk State Technological University and of the Baranovichi State Light Industry College. Znamya Industrializatsii JSC, BelCredo, Polesie and KIM also took part.
BelTEXlegprom is held in Minsk twice a year, organised by Bellegprom Concern, the Trade Ministry of Belarus, the Belexpo National Exhibition Centre and Russia’s Roslegprom JSC and RLP-Yarmarka LLC.
