Amidst a growing debate whether the global manufacturers should pull out of Bangladesh or stay put, Avery Dennison, a big name in apparel and footwear industry solutions, Sunday announced it has no plan to leave the country.
Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS), which provides labelling and packaging materials and solutions throughout the global retail supply chain, said they were committed to staying in Bangladesh, and would continue to work for workers’ safety and safe working conditions.
The multi-national company that operates in over 50 countries has a manufacturing location in Bangladesh and employs more than a thousand workers in the country.
“We have had a strong presence here for last 10 years and follow safety standards that is often more stringent than local standards, on a par with the global view of safety,” chairman and CEO of Avery Dennison Corporation Dean Scarborough said at a press conference.
The company’s factory in Bangladesh ranks second in terms of export among other countries and reported sales of over tens of millions of dollars, he said. Last year, Avery Dennison hit the $6bn in sales from its continuing operations.
Replying to a question, Dean Scarborough said he does not think the suspension of GSP for Bangladesh in the US market would affect the country’s export.
“There may be a short-term effect, but we firmly believe the scrapping decision will not hamper its export in the end. Access to global markets for Bangladesh will continue to expand,” he said.