Seven major carpet producing companies in Nigeria may seal shops rendering over 3500 workers jobless.
Standard organization of Nigeria (SON) has proposed a new policy implementing a binding norm of fire retardant treatment for all carpets by manufacturers in Nigeria.
Ini Sunny Jackson, Executive Director of Jackson Devos Carpets, was pragmatic that if fire retardant is introduced in carpets under mass production, definitely the cost of carpets will escalate.
With costs going up, carpet buyers will be forced to go for other products thus sending carpet manufacturers in a tizzy.
Jackson, the first Vice President of Nigerian Association of Carpet Manufacturers (NACAM) since 1979, said they have been using fire retardants as desired by customers although fire retardant by itself do not make a quality carpet but is an application to suit a meticulous need of customers.
According to him, the United States of America has the highest carpet standard in the world yet their manufacturers have not been asked to apply fire retardant compulsorily but producers are allowed to use poly propylene (PPE) yarn without fire retardants.
There, it is only used as per demand of a customer. Similarly, Nigeria should pursue same policy and protect its carpet industry.
He argued that there is fire retardant in the paint and textile industry but it is only applied when a customer needs it.
The application is on the raw material and there is no such facility in this country.
marketing@alchempro.com
