Business

Local manufacturer to cease operations

March 26, 2020 12:50 pm

A local manufacturer of safety and sports gear is planning to cease operations from next month due to COVID-19.

A local manufacturer of safety and sports gear is planning to cease operations from next month due to COVID-19.

Performance Flotation Development (Fiji) Ltd Managing Director, Michael Towler says there have been cancellations in orders from major export market.

Towler says they manufacture mainly sportswear and life jackets and the global pandemic is having a devastating effect on their export market.

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“Our orders have dropped off and our customer base at this time of the year is sports clothing and a lot of sports in Australia and New Zealand have been suspended so that’s going to impact upon our businesses reasonably dramatically over the next few weeks and months.”

He says their factory is normally closed for two weeks during Easter, but this time around, there is no time frame on when they will resume operations.

“We have to actually just monitor the situation. It could extend in May . I am hoping not. We do have some orders to produce in May but our customers are being calling up and putting those orders on hold.”

The company employs 200 staff.

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