Our Story
From humble beginnings in 1985 to $25 million turnover annually, through extreme hard work and a perpetual pursuit of always providing higher quality services and products, below is a time-frame with important milestones for Expo Apparels Ltd and the RMG industry in Bangladesh.
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2004
- 1997
- 1996
- 1995
- 1994
- 1993
- 1990
- 1989
- 1986
- 1985
- 1983
- 1981
- 1979
- 1974
- 1950
- First branch in London (UK)Expo Apparels Ltd opened it's first branch in London (UK) on April 2019, headed by Mr Shoshi Hossain.
- Another New Venture.Expo Apparels Ltd unveiled it's second sister concern Yama Hotpot & Grill ltd (Restaurant).
- TexWorld Exhibition Paris Participation.Expo Apparels Ltd participated in TexWorld exhibition in Paris and Expo was represented by Mr S Hossain and Mr. N Hossain.
- New Venture and a New Business Development
Marketing Director.Expo Apparels Ltd unveiled it's first sister concern Hobnob Coffee Ltd (Restaurant). Mr S Hossain was also appointed as Business Development and Marketing Director. - 30th Anniversary of Expo Apparels Ltd.Marked the 30th Anniversary of Expo Apparels Ltd, we are still going strong and have our long standing clients from the UK, Germany and Spain. To grow our worldwide reach we started venturing into countries previously not explored as part of our new outreach program. Also the same year Mr. Moyeen A. Chowdhury’s (Director) son, Mr. Shamit A.Chowdhury joined Expo Apparels Ltd as a management trainee.
- New Executive Director AppointedLargely due to a plethora of associated compliant factories linked up over the years with Expo Apparels Ltd, the service and quality only got better for the clients as now we could put more valuable time on even higher quality assurance, more competitive pricing, keep on top of all compliance issues for all associated factories. In the same year Mr. S Hossain started serving as executive director.
- Unique OpportunityNow Expo Apparels Ltd not owning any factories directly, this provided an unique opportunity to serve our long standing clients and new ones with even better service and quality, as the agonizing stress of the day to day running of factories and keeping up with labour issues were gone.
- Important Decisive MoveWithout any support from the government for the industry and increasing labour problems, Expo Apparels Ltd made a decisive move in order to stay in good terms with all the clients, stay financially sound and avoid possibilities of bankruptcies for its factories, Expo Apparels Ltd sold off all of its factories by mid 2011. This proved to be a highly fortunate move as the following four years saw factories being shut down by the thousands in Bangladesh.
- Worldwide RecessionA major recession all over the globe damaged industries and businesses worldwide, along with political and labour trouble within the country, proved to be a difficult mix for the RMG sector in Bangladesh.
- New HeadquartersMarked the completion of Expo’s new 5 storied headquarters situated in Uttara, Dhaka and the move from 1/C Bailey Road, Dhaka after 19 years. Same year Mr. Nazrul Hossain’s son Mr. Shafiqul Hossain joined the Expo family, as a full time Sourcing Manager.
- BP Wears Ltd Launched.Expo Apparels Ltd built and launched BP Wears Ltd factory situated in Tongi, Dhaka. One of the largest and most compliance friendly factories under Expo Apparels Ltd, with initial starting workforce of 1000.
- Acquired Charm Apparels Ltd and Sam Textiles Ltd.Charm Apparels Ltd in Tejgaon Dhaka, a new factory was taken over by Expo Apparels Ltd. Along with Sam Textile Ltd in Tongi, Dhaka. Sam Textile Ltd being the sole fabric manufacturing factory, unlike the other garment manufacturing factories under Expo Apparels Ltd.
- Decided to part waysExpo Apparels Ltd decided to part ways with what would be the last of its additional directors Mr. Iqbal Chowdhury. With that change Mr. Nazrul Hossain (Managing Director) and Mr. Moyeen A. Chowdhury (Director) remained the two board members that have remained till the present.
- Rise of business despite political turmoil.Saw steady rise in clients and orders for Expo Apparels Ltd and its factories, only held back by the political turmoil in the country at the time. That year Bangladesh saw 200 days of general strikes and blockades.
- Established Expo Worldwide Ltd.Yet another factory Expo Worldwide Ltd was added to Expo Apparels Ltd, situated in Eskaton, Dhaka with a workforce of 350 employees initially.
- Established Expo Dress Ltd.To keep up with the growing business a new factory Expo Dress Ltd, situated in Mirpur was introduced by Expo Apparels Ltd with an initial workforce of 500 people.
- Established Leader Garments Ltd.A new factory, Leader Garments Ltd became a part of Expo Apparels Ltd (with 3 silent members) initially having a workforce of 450 employees. Business for Expo Apparels Ltd was growing steadily and quickly, initially starting with the clients Team City (Sweden), Cross Sports Wear (Sweden) and Adams (UK) to name a few.
- A New HeadquartersMr. Abdul Majid Chowdhury left the venture. Office of Expo Apparels Ltd also moved to 1/C new bailey road this would be the headquarters of Expo Apparels Ltd for the next 19 years.
- Humble BeginningsInitially Expo Apparels Ltd had only 12 in house employees and the two factories together had 750 employees.
- Expo Apparels Ltd officially launchedExpo Apparels Ltd was officially established and situated in 9G Motijheel commercial area, Dhaka. The board members being Mr. Abdul Majid Chowdhury and Mr. Nazrul Hossain. Along with establishing Expo Apparels Ltd the two board members also established two factories, BP Garments Ltd and Gem Apparels Ltd. Two new member joined in BP garments Ltd. (Mr. Moyeen Ahmed Chowdhury and Mr. Iqbal Chowdhury)
- Mr. Nazrul Hossain left Desh Garments LtdMr. Nazrul Hossain left Desh Garments Ltd. and moved back to Dhaka (Capital of Bangladesh) and started the process, which would eventually form Expo Apparels Ltd.
- Downpour of Investments in BDInvestments started to flow into Bangladesh for the RMG sector and most of the previously nationalized companies were denationalized as part of the New Industrial Policy (NPI) introduced by President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, along with the introduction of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and it encouraged direct foreign investments.
- Founder and Director of Expo Apparels Ltd.
Mr. Nazrul Hossain (Founder and Director of Expo Apparels Ltd.), an Art College Graduate joined the garment industry by signing up with Desh Garments Ltd. He was one of the 130 Desh Garments Ltd Bangladeshi employees and management trainees to be sent to Daewoo’s state of the art garment factories in South Korea for training for 10 months.
Desh Garments Ltd. situated in port city Chittagong (Bangladesh) was established. Mr. Nurul Kader Khan was founder and managing director of Desh Garments Ltd. The largest and the most modern (at that time) garment manufacturing setup was formed in a joint venture with Daewoo (South Korea).
- The Multi Fibre AgreementThe Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) was devised to control the level of imported RMG from developing countries, imposing a 6% yearly increase for export from developing countries.
- The beginningThe beginning of RMG (Ready Made Garments) in the Western World.
The beginning of RMG (Ready Made Garments) in the Western World.