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Investment Areas: Manufacturing |
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Manufacturing is one of main pillars of the economy and remains a major foreign exchange earner for Mauritius. The manufacturing sector, dominated by textile and apparel in the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), has been the main engine of growth since 1970. In 2002, the EPZ employed 29% of the workforce and accounted for over 61% of total exports.
Preferential access to various markets has been the main factor for the fast growth of the manufacturing sector. The future of the EPZ remains largely dependent on markets where Mauritius enjoys special access due to trade preferences, particularly the EU and the US.
Attractive incentives are offered to encourage the development of this sector. Moreover, with a view to capitalising on the provisions of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), while at the same time promoting vertical integration, Government has recently introduced a package of incentives to encourage foreign as well as local investment in spinning activities. Some spinning mills are already in operation.
OPPORTUNITIES
A number of investment opportunities exist in this sector in the following areas:
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textile & apparel, |
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electronics, |
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light engineering, |
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pharmaceuticals, |
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jewellery and |
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printing. |
Textile & Apparel
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Weaving (shirting, suiting and home furnishing) |
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Knitting
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Dyeing and finishing
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High value-added wearing apparels
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Home textiles
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Support industries to the textile and apparel industry
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Textile chemicals and auxiliaries
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Setting-up of buying offices
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Testing laboratories and certifying agencies
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Design and Fashion Centres/Institutes
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Pre-shipment and post-shipment logistics support
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Spinning
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Setting up of cotton spinning mills |
Printing & Publishing
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Electronic publishing
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Colour separation
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Commercial and industrial packaging
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Book printing
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Security printing
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Electronics
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A special niche exists for high value added, high-tech albeit labour intensive activities. |
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These include assembly of electronic watches, assembly of household goods, measuring instruments and surface mounted technology, among others. |
Light Engineering
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Sheet metal products, |
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High precision punching tools, |
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Die and moulds, water heaters, |
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Structural steel engineering, |
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Injection moulded plastic components |
Jewellery & Watches
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Precious and costume jewellery |
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Cutting and polishing of diamonds and other stones |
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Manufacturing of watch components and the assembly of watches
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Pharmaceuticals & Medicals
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Mainland Africa represents a huge market for generic bulk drugs (tablets, injections and liquid formulation). Mauritius is a reliable production base for a wide range of pharmaceutical products. |
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Possibilities also exist for manufacture and assembly of medical equipment
and instruments mainly for the regional market. |
INCENTIVE SCHEMES
In addition, the Government has designed various incentive schemes for the local manufacturing sector, depending on the nature of the activities, as follows:
[Link to BOI website for more information on Investment Schemes]
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