Hardware Things: Textile Tech in Mauritius
Hope you're well.
I've become very interested in the construction and design of African musical instruments since watching the video of the Mbira doodle from Google. So if you have any resources or know a practitioner who produces such instruments, I'd love to hear it!
In case you missed it, here’s last month’s newsletter.
First Things First
I read a lot about manufacturing on the continent, and I'm inclined to think that countries - looking to build up their manufacturing potential - should focus on industries that they could develop a marketable niche in. Such a niche could be focused around natural resources: like say, an EV battery plant near one of the DRC's cobalt mines.
Most people have a rough idea where Mauritius is. It's an island country off the South Eastern coast of the African continent, some 800 km away from Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Historically, Mauritius was a strategic port for ships to refuel before navigating the Africa's southern tip. Now, the country is popular as a home for headquarters of companies looking to take advantage of their tax-friendly policies. The country's economic policy has resulted in good dividends for them: the country has a stable democracy, a robust economy, and a largely employed populace.
Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Encyclopaedia Brittanica
What's often missing from the conversation is how strong the textile and apparel industry in the country is. In 2019, the sector contributed 43% of domestic exports from Mauritius and in the past few decades the country has gone from a basic producer to an integrated supplier of garments to the world's major markets.
While the industry is price competitive, largely thanks to low labour costs, many producers are developing manufacturing technologies that help keep costs low. One of such manufacturers is Plastinax, who produce eyewear in St. Pierre. Originally, most of their products were injection molded at their facility using Grilamid, a transparent polyamide plastic patented by the Swiss company EMS-GRIVORY.
Over the years, the company has developed it's own processes of recycling PET and other plastics as well as extracting castor oil to form composite pellets. Now, their products are composed of about 58% plant material which saves them money purchasing plastic pellets from Europe and China with the usual supply chain fees.
There are other examples in Mauritius, from companies developing technology processes that reduce the water used in dyeing jeans to more efficient textile production machines, and they're helping the country develop a reputation as an eco-friendly textile producer while building the technology to continue high-quality output. It would be interesting to see other countries develop manufacturing technology along niches that they can defend.
Things I Enjoyed Reading
SPACE10, the independent research lab owned by IKEA, recently published a report of a study they did across four countries (Kenya, India, Indonesia, and Peru) on rural family patterns in areas with little electricity access. What I find most interesting about their report is the anthropology of how family homes with electricity differ from those without, for example: workspaces are closer to rest areas in homes without access but are farther (and many times separate units) in homes with electricity access.
It seems that every startup on the continent pivots to fintech at some point. gnugrid, profiled previously on hardwarethings.org as the developer of a solar analytics platform for offgrid installations in Uganda, is pivoting to become a licensed credit bureau to help lending institutions de-risk their investments. It's a sensible move as many microfinance institutions in rural communities lend solar equipment - a business they know a lot about.
Things To Apply For
Villgro Africa, in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Impact Ventures, is receiving applications from East African startups developing products for frontline healthcare workers.
Deadline: November 3, 2021.
BURN Manufacturing, in Ruiru, Kenya is hiring for a number of engineering positions.
Company Spotlight
In Nigeria, Quadloop is developing second-life applications for batteries by using them in solar wall lanterns. The company, an alumni of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre's incubation programme, builds on the legacy of outfits like WeCyclers who have improved recycling processes in Lagos.
Until next time,
Chuma.