21st Century Textiles Ltd (TCTL), an ailing parastatal firm, was purchased by METL in 2003 as part of the Tanzania Government’s parastatal privatisation process. Today, it is East Africa’s single largest textile mill and following massive modernisation investment by METL post-acquisition, it has also become one of the most modern mills in the East African region.

 The company has the capacity to produce 4,400 mtons of cotton and blended yarns and 16 million metres of grey and finished fabrics per year. It has already captured a large portion of the Tanzanian market with its range of kitenges, bedsheets, shirting and suiting materials (forthcoming) and blended fabrics (forthcoming). Export products such as, grey fabrics and cotton yarns (carded and combed) are also in high demand and are expected to grow dramatically as the company develops further export opportunities within the European Union and the USA (though the African Growth Opportunity Act 2000).

As part of METL’s on-going vertical integration strategy, TCTL is currently in the process of embarking on a major expansion project through the supply chain to introduce cotton farming and cotton ginning, and to increase the company’s spinning and weaving capacities. TCTL already employs over 1,500 people in Morogoro, and this number is expected to double following implementation of the expansion project.