The industry body for Cambodia’s garment manufacturers urged local factory owners to invest in the latest technology and machinery to increase efficiency and become more competitive as the country shifts to higher value-added manufacturing.

Speaking at the launch of the annual Cambodia International Textile and Garment Industry Exhibition and the Cambodia International Machinery Industry Fair last Friday, Ly Tek Heng, operation manager at the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, said that the organisation’s nearly 600 members need to seek out the best machinery for production.

“From now on, producing higher-value products is necessary for our garment industry,” he said. “That is why we need to invest more in modern machineries with the latest technologies.”

Heng said Cambodia’s garment and footwear industry was undergoing a transformation from producing cheap, labour-intensive products to higher value-added products.

He added that the two industrial fairs provided opportunities for local factory owners, while the high turnout at this year’s exhibitions reflected the increased demand in the sector.

The four-day fairs held in Koh Pich brought together 175 exhibitors from 17 countries to show a broad range of products from key industrial sectors such as garments and textiles, plastics, packaging, printing, food processing, agriculture, auto parts and accessories, machine tools, energy and electrical engineering.