A thousand cartons of artificial hairpieces from Lomé in Togo to Toronto were cleared, consolidated and shipped by the line in what is part of a renewed push by the Economic Community of West Africa States (Ecowas) to broaden and diversify the sub-region's export manufactures.
The hairpieces - made from synthetic fibre imported into Togo from Japan and Korea, reconstituted and hand-woven by local artisans - will be sold on to consumers throughout Canada. Entrepreneurs in Togo are building up a strong market presence in Africa, Europe and now North America, providing employment for over a thousand people in Lomé and tapping into newly emerging overseas markets.
According to Paul Page, OTAL's marketing manager, "Togo's hairpiece manufacturers have obviously been combing the world for new markets and succeeding. We really hope these and West Africa's other rising entrepreneurs produce more such well deserved success stories.
"As a specialist operator in the West African trades, our prosperity is inextricably linked to that of the sub-region. The more value West African entrepreneurs add to their exports at source, the more they can diversify and increase their export base." A competitive Ecowas with growing communication and transport links around the world, has some wonderful, if curious, ideas to bring to market."