AkijBashir to set new benchmark for safety in cable industry

AkijBashir’s acquisition of Eminence Electric Wire & Cables Ltd marks the conglomerate’s entry into one of Bangladesh’s most quality-sensitive industrial markets, where safety failures remain common.

For Mohammod Khourshed Alam, chief operating officer (building materials) at AkijBashir, the deal was less about market share than what he describes as an attempt to raise production standards in a sector dominated by cost competition.

“We want to set a new benchmark for durability and safety in the industry,” Alam told The Daily Star in a recent interview.

When AkijBashir evaluated Eminence, Alam said the company stood out not because of its financial performance but because of its physical assets.

The factory, he said, “was equipped with state-of-the-art European machinery and infrastructure that meets international standards,” but its capacity had remained underutilised amid financial distress.

AkijBashir viewed the facility as a viable base for a turnaround.

Industry estimates put Bangladesh’s cable market at around Tk 10,000 crore. Of this, some Tk 7,000 crore comes from branded products, while around Tk 1,000 crore is from non-branded cables. Imported cables account for the rest.

Image

Alam noted that Bangladesh’s cable industry holds immense potential, driven by rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion, and an ongoing push for nationwide electrification.

“Electricity demand is growing faster than supply, and with urbanisation accelerating, the need for reliable electrical infrastructure is more critical than ever,” he explained.

In that context, AkijBashir has introduced the country’s first three-layer house wiring cable, designed to “improve insulation resistance and reduce the risk of current leakage and short circuits”.

The group plans to produce a full range of electrical wires, power cables and industrial conductors for residential, commercial and industrial use. Product development will focus on adapting cable design to local conditions, including heat, humidity and load variability.

A central part of the plan is investment in research and development (R&D), an area that has been largely absent from Bangladesh’s cable industry, Alam said.

“As far as we know, there is no dedicated research centre for cable innovation in the country,” he said, adding that neighbouring markets have already moved in that direction.

AkijBashir intends to establish R&D capacity alongside manufacturing, with an emphasis on material science, insulation technology and long-term performance testing.

The group has committed an initial investment of Tk 300 crore to the venture. Current monthly production capacity stands at 300 tonnes of copper cables and 200 tonnes of aluminium cables, with a target to increase output to 600 tonnes of copper and 300 tonnes of aluminium within a year.

Alam said the spending covers more than manufacturing, including modernisation, quality assurance systems and distribution infrastructure.

Beyond production, the project has employment implications. AkijBashir says the cable business has already created more than 500 jobs, directly and indirectly, across manufacturing, logistics, quality control and sales.

The company’s nationwide distribution network is expected to extend those effects into supply chains and retail outlets, including outside major urban centres.

Entering an established and competitive market carries risks. Alam acknowledged those challenges but maintained that AkijBashir’s approach relies on long-term credibility rather than rapid volume growth.

“Our goal is to become the top-of-mind brand among electricians, engineers, retailers, and consumers,” he said.

While the acquisition represents a significant diversification move for AkijBashir, Alam repeatedly insisted that the company’s ambitions in cables are tied to standards rather than scale alone.

“Our mission goes beyond profit. We aim to enhance the country’s infrastructure, create employment, and bring world-class innovation to the local cable industry,” he said.