Establishing a Mosquito Net Sewing Operation

The following information has been graciously provided to the USAID NetMark Project by Michael Oddenyo, Managing Director, and staff of Mossnet Industries Ltd. Of Nariobi, Kenya

Mossnet Industries Ltd. developed the following materials for a group of Ethiopian business people who were brought to Kenya in September 2005 to learn about the requirements for setting up a net sewing operation. During the business tour, Mossnet staff covered the following topics, and provided the visitors with the following information.

1. Basic Requirements for the Setting up of a Mosquito Net Stitching Plant
2. Production Department - Organisation Chart
3. Production Department Records And Responsibilities
4. Production Work Instructions
5. Production Output Targets
6. Daily Production Output And Machines Required
7. Quality Control Process
8. Cutting Patterns And Dimensions

Requirements for Setting up a Bednet Stitching Plant

  Item Price / Pc USD Total USD
75 Straight Stitch Machine
360
27,000
25 Overlock Machines
800
20,000
1 Auto Cutting Machine
5,000
5,000
2 Manual Cutting Machine
1,000
2,000
2 Blowing Machines
150
300
1 Welding Machine
400
400
1 Weighing Machine
2,000
2,000
1 Grinding Machine
200
200
1 Bailing Machine
3,300
3,300
5 Work Tables
660
3,300
1 Canter Motor-van
16,000
16,000
2 Motor Vehicles
10,000
20,000
1 Back-up Power Generator
6,500
6,500
  Miscellaneous Equipment
3,000
3,000
  Computer & Communication
5,000
5,000
  Leasehold Improvement
10,000
10,000
  Power Supply Installations
4,000
4,000
  Impregnation Facilities
50,000
50,000
  Legal & Consultancy Fees
10,000
10,000
  Netting Fabric Stocks
0
100,000
  Working Capital
0
45,000
  Factory Buildings or Rental
0
0
    Total Project Cost (USD)
$333,000

Output
Quantity of nets per day - Approximately 4,000 pieces
Quantity of nets per month - Approximately 104,000 per month

 

Setting Up a Mosquito Net Stitching Plant

I. BASIC REQUIREMENTS

A. Machinery & Equipment

  • Backup Power Generator
  • Machine power supply outlets
  • Overlock stitching machines
  • Straight line single stitch machines
  • Cutting machines
  • Blowing machines
  • Welding machines
  • Weighing machines

B. Spares & Accessories

  • Needles
  • Machine belts
  • Sharpening belts (cutting machine)
  • Machine oil
  • Fabric Table Clamps

C. Work Area

  • Cutting table
  • Work tables for-quality check, folding of nets, labeling, sealing and packing
  • Boxes for purposes of storing-cut panels, tops, crosses, etc.
  • Sitting facilities
  • Scissors
  • Calculators
  • Measuring tape

D. Safety, Health and Welfare

  • First aid box
  • Fire fighting equipment
  • Adequate lighting
  • Ventilation

E. Environmental

  • Compliance with factories act anf environmental standards

II. PRODUCTION - WORK INSTRUCTIONS
Upon receipt of orders from the sales department, the fabric and other materials required is then calculated by the production manager / supervisor. A requisition form is then completed and issued to the purchasing office for action.

A. Work Schedule Book
The sales order so received is then entered into the Work Schedule Book by the production supervisor indicating:

Customer name and details (order no., L.P.O. no etc)
Type of nets and specifications, e.g. Denier, Mesh, Colour, size
Specific customer instructions
Date of dispatch

B. Cutting Section
On receipt of the material, the supervisor enters the cutting details into the cutting instruction book:

Cutters, cut as per instructions
Quantity cut is entered by the lead cutter into the register
Cutters batch the panels for onward issuance to the stitching section
Cut panels are then issued to the machinists for stitching
Hourly production for each machinist is recorded in the output record by the machine assistant
The finished nets are then received into the quality check section

C. Quality Check Section
On receiving the finished nets the following quality checks are carried out:

Holes in body of netting
Split in seams
Stains
Discoloration
Trimming
General finish
Ring defect

D. Sorting and Labeling Section

Sorting
Folding of nets
Labeling
Sealing of bags
Baling - with a maximum of 50 nets per bale
Stitching of bales indicating: Consigner and consignee details; Quantity of nets; Numbering of bales
Bales are then handed over to the store clerk for recordkeeping and storage purposes

E. Dispatch of Finished Goods
Goods are issued, using three copies of a consignee waybill

White copy Consignee
Pink copy Accounts department
Book copy Production

The delivery note numbers are entered into the stock cards.

 

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Additional Activities: Africa Net Manufacturers' Association Launched

USAID Unveils New Technology for African Manufacturers for the Mechanized LLIN Treatment of Mosquito Nets

Ethiopia Businesses Explore Mosquito Net Production at Kenyan Factory

 

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