Marie-Sar Agencies

Our company

OWNERSHIP

Marie-Sar Agencies is a limited liability company and 100% Ugandan owned. The subscribers are; Sara Katebalirwe 70%, Mary Mutesasira 20% and Jennifer Mukasa 10%.

NATURE OF BUSINESS

The company is engaged in designing, production and marketing of bark cloth crafts and accessories mainly, but compliments these with woven textiles, woven natural fiber (banana fiber/leaf, raffia and raffia stalk) products and textile based crafts. The specific area of the firm’ s interest is fashion accessories such as bags and purses, home accessories and decorations such as placemats, cushion covers, organizers, wall hangings, etc, gift items as well as gift bags, and corporate items such as conference folders, menu and bill folders, etc., for the local, regional and export markets. Surface designs on all our products are applied by hand.

Mission
To contribute to the development, growth and promotion of high qualitty
bark cloth and natural fiber craft production in Uganda, while being
accountable to all our stakeholders in the field of enviromental
management.

Vision
To become a self-sustaining entity committed to the quality production, development and promotion of bark cloth and natural fiber craft by December 2010 .

Goal 
1.To strengthen our capacity and capability to successfully manufacture  through expansion and acquisition of appropriate technology and skills, by Jan 2009
2.To expand market for competitive and innovative bark cloth and natural fiber products on the local, regional and international markets by July 2009.
3. To plant five acres of ‘ficus’ trees, to ensure reliable raw material supply by Febuary 2009.

YEARS IN BUSINESS

Marie-Sar started in 1982 as home based concern and was registered in 1985 as a sole     proprietor by Sara Katebalirwe. It has since been converted into a limited liability     entity with Sara Katebalirwe as the principle shareholder and managing director. Marie-Sar was initially a ladies fashion garments manufacturing entity but has changed from garment production (2001). The company track record is in the increased contribution to household incomes of the community women it works with and the creative and innovative products using indigenous materials for which it was nominated for the ‘Pan-African Women Invent and Innovate Award’ (Ghana 2005), received the ‘Achievers Award (2005)’ from Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited, the prestigious ‘Canada Gift and Table Association’s Top 10 Product Winners 2007’ Award and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association’s ‘C. Busuulwa Pioneer Award’ (for pioneering and ground breaking business accomplishments with reference to bark cloth). The company now has more than 50 products and product designs. 

MARKETS

Marie-Sar has been marketing her products locally through craft centers; National Arts and Crafts Association of Uganda craft Village, National Theatre (No. 9), and Exposure Africa, Buganda Road (No 40). Export sales are made directly to Europe and Canada.
Markets to be explored 2007 –2009 include South Africa, and expansion in Europe. These were selected according to recorded interest shown in our products by business and individual buyers and inquiries made in our follow-up system with regard to customer satisfaction with our products.
Our overall strategy is to realize business growth through increase of present market share in the local market and expansion into international markets, primarily the EU and Canada.
Marie-Sar would also like to register with the Fair Trade Organization, to ease trade with those firms that are Fair Traders.

Our spectrum of services

PRODUCTION

Products
Bark cloth: Ladies hand bags and purses, belts, cushion covers, placemats, coasters, wall hangings, organizers, tea cozies, bread baskets, book marks, photo frames and albums, glass cases, conference folders, menu and bill folders, angels, Christmas stockings,  greeting cards and Christmas tree decorations, tote and gift bags, business card holders, checque book covers and passport holders and any other product which falls within the home decoration, craft and gifts.

Fabric
Bark cloth, handloom woven banana fiber/leaf, handloom woven raffia, raffia stalk. Cotton and light foam padding are the lining materials used in products that are under lined and/or padded.  

Present Capacity
The company has 3 industrial and 3 domestic, electrical sewing machines, a handloom used for weaving and a computer. The company also has tables, chairs, shelves as well as cutting, measuring and pressing tools, equipment and aids. The company employs 10 full time staff and more than 40 part-time staff. Workshop space is 6 x 3.5 meters. Average monthly production is 250 medium size bags (21x 18 cm) with hand printed/stitched embroidery. Marie-Sar works with village community women in the production processes. They do the hand stitchery which is the hallmark of Marie-Sar products.

Design Development
Product and design adaptation/development is undertaken as differences in style, color, size and quality of inputs emerge. Plans are underway to modernize our equipment and train more staff.  

Planned Capacity
Marie-Sar would like to expand production capacity by July 2008. The company would like to gradually expand its production base thus increasing  output and employment in its 3 units, namely textiles, garments and crafts without loosing the quality that is renowned of its products. Increased output in its crafts unit will mean increased employment of, and equipping with skills, the village community women with whom the company works, and thus increased incomes for both the company and the women. This will necessitate the firm to engage in extensive training to stream-line the raw material production processes so as to ensure quality at and from the base of the production line. Research and staff training will have to be undertaken for this task as well as for general manpower in the company as production increases. The company will also need to acquire more and appropriate machinery and tools both sewing and weaving. Workshop space will also be expanded through the construction of a purpose built production unit. With the envisaged increase in production in view, new markets will have to be sought, both local and export, necessitating investment in market research and product development.
We at Marie-Sar have been very innovative and creative with regard to bark cloth products. Now that market for our products has been established, we are seeing a lot of similar items in product and surface design to ours. We are now vigorously pursuing avenues to ensure that we protect our designs from piracy as well as establishing a brand for our exclusive products