Feasibility of double shifting in apparel industry

Abstract

Bangladesh’s apparel industry has been at the heart of the country’s export boom ever since the first factory opened in 1976. The industry has grown dramatically over the past 37 years, and in 2012 it accounts for 78.60% of Bangladesh’s total exports. There are now 5,400 garment factories in Bangladesh employing over four million people. As an individual country, now Bangladesh is the 2nd largest apparel exporters in the world with 5.40% share only. According to a 2011 report by international consulting giant McKinsey & Company, Bangladesh’s RMG exports will strengthen the country’s position and are likely to growdouble by 2015 and nearly triple by 2020 (reach up to US $ 41 billion). Though day by day, garments orders are increasing but production are not increasing simultaneously. To cope with this increasing order, it is high time to increase production without hampering the compliance issues. If the double shift is practiced in the apparel industry, not only it increases the production but also it reduces the production cost and less production cost ensures profit maximization. Again, double shift is a means of reducing overtime as well as working stress for a long time that has correlation with quality products, low production cost & buyer satisfaction. That’s why double shifting is so important for our RMG sector to compete with world RMG market.