CARTAGO, Costa Rica — October 14, 2024 — Global Sae-A Group, the holding company of Sae-A Trading, one of the world’s largest apparel manufacturer, held an opening ceremony for its third spinning mill in Costa Rica on October 11.
The ceremony was attended by prominent figures including President Rodrigo Chaves Robles of Costa Rica, Minister of Foreign Trade Manuel Tovar, Korean Ambassador Keun Seok Jeon, and over 80 buyers.
Photo — Global Sae-A
In his remarks, President Rodrigo Chaves said, “This is an occasion to once again reaffirm the cooperative relationship we have built on trust, stability, and mutual respect with Global Sae-A, which has played a central role in Costa Rica’s development.”
The newly completed third spinning mill of Sae-A Spinning is located in Cartago, about 20 kilometers southeast of the capital, San José. The facility has a capacity of 36,000 spindles and can produce 8 million kilograms (kg) of yarn annually. With this addition, Sae-A Spinning’s total capacity now reaches 106,000 spindles, securing an annual yarn production of 24 million kg. This expansion enhances economies of scale and positions the company to flexibly meet the evolving demands of its global customers.
Global Sae-A entered the Costa Rica market in 2015, establishing its yarn production facility, Sae-A Spinning, which produces high-quality yarn. The company achieved full vertical integration of the entire apparel manufacturing process — from spinning, knitting, dyeing, and sewing — a first for Korea’s apparel OEM industry.
Over the past decade, Global Sae-A has invested $200 million in Costa Rica, starting with the operation of its first mill (34,000 spindles, 8 million kg annual production) and followed by the completion of its second mill in 2022 (36,000 spindles, 8 million kg annual production). With the completion of its third mill, Sae-A Spinning has tripled its production capacity and expanded its ability to produce a wide range of yarns in response to rapidly changing market trends.
Global Sae-A continues to explore investment opportunities in Latin America, in alignment with the growing near-shoring trend, where buyers seek to position production facilities closer to consumer markets.
WK Kim, chairman of Global Sae-A Group, commented: “With this expansion, we are optimizing CAFTA tariff benefits for duty-free exports to the U.S., further strengthening the global textile supply chain.
“Sae-A Spinning has been a leader in sustainability by using 100-percent U.S.-grown cotton, ensuring traceable and eco-friendly production processes. We remain committed to maintaining our leadership through our traceability system, sustainability certifications, and green manufacturing processes.”
Global Sae-A Group continues its growth as a global conglomerate, encompassing the world’s largest apparel manufacturer and exporter Sae-A Trading, fabric manufacturer Wintex, sportswear production specialist Tegra, fashion brands In The F and S&A, as well as the top-ranked international construction company Ssangyong Engineering & Construction, and corrugated paper and packaging company Tailim.
Posted: October 14, 2024
Source: Global Sae-A Group
