By The Arusha News Reporter
Seeking to reposition Arusha as a regional textile manufacturing hub, newly appointed Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Amos Makalla, has visited the A to Z and Sunflag factories, hailing them as models of industrial revival, upped tax revenue and international exports.
Mr Makalla said the two industries have become “strong ambassadors for Tanzania” by exporting to markets in Asia, the United States and Europe while also adding value to locally produced raw material used for garment manufacturing at Sunflag’s Njiro mill.
“You are among our top taxpayers. You employ thousands of Tanzanians and promote our country through the products you manufacture for both local and international markets,” Mr Makalla told the factory management.
According to officials, A to Z employs more than 8,000 Tanzanians while Sunflag has 2,700 employees, including 43 foreign nationals.
The companies manufacture a wide range of garments, plastics and packaging products.
Mr Makalla pledged continued cooperation with them in line with President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s efforts to create a safe and enabling business environment for both local and foreign investors. By spotlighting the performance of A to Z and Sunflag, Mr Makalla underscored the government’s commitment to re-industrialisation and the revival of Tanzania’s textile sector.
An economist interviewed by The Arusha News said the RC’s visit “signals intent” — but tangible relief on power reliability, logistics efficiency and fair market competition would “unlock the next wave of jobs and export growth.”
“If Arusha pairs its established factories with predictable energy, faster clearance and skills upgrading, it can credibly re-emerge as Tanzania’s textile hub,” he added.
A to Z Textile Mills in Kisongo, established in 1966, has grown into a fully integrated textile operation covering spinning, weaving, dyeing, finishing, cutting and sewing. It is internationally known for producing long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets — once with reported capacity of up to 30 million nets annually — making it a key player in Africa’s anti-malaria campaign.
Beyond nets, the company has diversified into garments, plastics and packaging material with distribution across Tanzania and neighbouring countries and is a major employer of women.
Sunflag Tanzania, on the other hand, is another leading textile and garment producer with a monthly production capacity estimated at 600,000 units.
The factory undertakes fabric production, dyeing, finishing, embroidery and in-house printing, ensuring full value addition locally. Export records for 2023–2024 show Sunflag shipped more than 240 consignments abroad valued at over USD 8.0 million, with key destinations including Kenya, South Africa and Germany alongside emerging markets in Europe and North America.
