US company to invest $9 million in Bahrain

By Farishta Saeed Manama, Jan. 5 (BNA): US firm WestPoint Home (WPH) is investing $9 million in its Bahrain manufacturing complex for its third spinning capacity expansion. The company’s top management met Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Al Zayani to discuss how WPH will mitigate the impact of the potential expiration of the Tariff Preference Level (TPL) that allows duty free access on textile exports from Bahrain to the US. The meeting was facilitated by the American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham). President and Chief Executive Norman Savaria said the third phase expansion project will increase spinning capacity by 38 per cent. “Spinning more yarn in Bahrain will decrease lead times, increase flexibility and will, along with other initiatives, help to mitigate the impact of the anticipated tariff preference level expiration mid next year and will allow the company to continue to import Bahrain-manufactured textile products into the US duty-free,” he said. By the end of the project, the company said it would have invested more than $25m on its expansion of capacity, capabilities and environmental projects over the past three years. This includes additional weaving, the spinning projects, expansion of manual and automatic sewing and embroidery capacity. “Giving WestPoint Home confidence to continue to build its manufacturing base in Bahrain as well as boost imports to the US by 15pc last year alone has stemmed largely from the support that we have been provided from various Bahraini ministries as we conduct our business activities and implement these expansion projects and hire and train both foreign and local employees,” he added. Savaria said the firm’s exports from Bahrain to the US had increased by 15 per cent just last year.