EAST LONDON Industrial Development Zone ceo Peter Miles says two textile and auto component manufacturer should begin manufacturing out of the zone by August 2004. Miles says the most interest in the IDZ has come from the textile sector. One of the possibilities is an integrated cotton milling and weaving facility. “Another is a polyester mill. We also have Eastern interest in a natural fibre mill using wool and mohair from our area. This has tremendously exciting backward linkages into the farming industry and the development of rural areas,” he says. Miles adds that there has been significant interest from auto component manufacturers. The zone borders onto a DaimlerChrysler plant, which is the group’s assembly facility for right hand drive C-Class Mercedes Benz vehicles. Meanwhile, construction on the IDZ is running ahead of schedule, according to Miles. Road and electrical links are being built for the first phase of the development.