The government has announced that South Korea’s apparel and footwear manufacturer Youngone will set up a factory at the Athi River Export Processing Zone (EPZ).

 Making the announcement, Ministry of Trade and Industrialization Cabinet Secretary (CS) Rebecca Miano said the Factory's completion will create 2,500 job opportunities for Kenyans.

The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) received a manufacturing application form with all the required attachments from Youngone Kenya EPZ Limited (Proposed) by April 21, 2024. On 25, 2024, it issued an approval in principle letter.

This comes as the government, through the Ministry of Trade, has been seeking more investors in the textile industry to drive local production while creating more jobs for its citizens.

Youngone Corporation, a South Korean firm, is set to be the first synthetic fiber manufacturer with a base in Africa. Using Kenya as the launch pad, it will invest an initial $40 million in the country.

Youngone intends to start a vertically integrated manufacturing factory, from knitting to dyeing to manufacturing garments.

The first phase is expected to start production in the first quarter of 2025 with approximately 2500 employees.

 Youngone Corporation is a premier manufacturer of performance and outdoor apparel, footwear, and accessories.

The corporation owns and operates production facilities in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and El Salvador, with more than 80,000 people directly employed.

Youngone’s integrated system has enabled them to play an important role in the socio-economic development of the countries in which they work.