Work on modern textile testing laboratory starts

Erection of machinery imported from abroad for the ultra modern and state-of-the-art Pakistan Textile Testing Foundation (PTTF) Laboratory has been started here on Tuesday.
The laboratory would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs 30 million, including imported machinery and equipment from UK and Chicago with an estimated cost of Rs 20 million.
It will be the only world class and universally acknowledged cloth-testing laboratory in Pakistan, which will help textile exporters in getting all types of cloth-related tests for yarn, fabric, garment and hosiery with mandatory ISO certified laboratory tests.
The laboratory is housed in the upper story of centrally located PTEA building near State Bank of Pakistan. It would conduct all types of laboratory tests, including fabric strength, busting, tearing, abrasion test, inflammability, permeability and water proofing etc.
Earlier, the textile exporters were forced to get these mandatory laboratory tests and certification from foreign laboratories, said a spokesman of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA). It was a costly and time-consuming exercise.
He said that this practice was not only causing delay in their foreign shipments but exporters were also forced to airlift their shipments to ensure timely delivery to their cargo to the foreign buyers at heavy costs, he added.
He further said that civil work had already been completed in the existing building and now the work for the installation of machinery had been started. It would become operational by the end of September or during the first week of October.
Continuing, the spokesman said that state-of-the-art machinery has been imported for the laboratory, which would cater to the needs of the textile exporters for another 15 to 20 years.
The laboratory tests with proper certification were imperative for the textile exports under the WTO rules, he said and assured that the PTEA and PTTF would continue its efforts to facilitate the textile exporters by providing them all related services at their doorsteps.