Coaching

This program makes available to participating companies Tunisian and international experts who provide technical assistance and who work with the company to implement planned action.

Objectives

Implement in successive stages the intangible investments included in the upgrading plan
Keep costs down
Introduce an ongoing innovative process to improve productivity
Rationalize and make the most of the tangible investments made by the company
Excel, by means of product innovation

How the intervention works
A team of two experts (one Tunisian and the other international) is made available for each intervention. They work with the participating company for 5 to 6 months, carrying out the following activities:

Diagnostic of the current situation, in relation to the theme chosen and the drawing up of an action plan targeting the company’s specific needs
Implementation of the action plan by means of training and accompaniment

To take advantage of this program, contact the technical center in the given sector, the relevant regional office of the industrial promotion agency (API), or the small business task force at API headquarters.
 

Quality

This program provides participating companies with Tunisian and international experts who provide technical assistance and accompaniment during implementation of the quality management system.

Objectives
Establish management systems for

quality
safety
hygiene,
environment
sectorals

How the intervention works

20 to 60 man-days of expertise for each company, depending on the nature of the assistance for a period of 12 months
Training of company executive/supervisory staff, depending on the nature of the assistance

To take advantage of this program, contact the national quality program’s management unit at the Ministry of industry and technology.

 

Financial restructuring


Intervention by the Tunisian Guaranty Company (SOTUGAR)

Legal framework

Additional clause to the convention on management of the guarantee fund, signed by the Minister of Finance and the President Director General of SOTUGAR on 2 July 2005

Conditions for eligibility

Companies operating in the textiles/clothing sector whose upgrading program has been approved by the steering committee (COPIL), on condition that financial restructuring is carried out
Net fixed assets ≤ 4 MDT prior to upgrading (small businesses)
must not be on the list of companies encountering difficulties
must not have received any portion of the premium from the upgrading program

Modalities

Guarantee rescheduling of short term loans granted by loan institutions for a duration up to seven years, through the guarantee fund managed by SOTUGAR

Assumption of 50% by SOTUGAR
Assumption of 50 % by the Bank
 

File to be assembled:

written application to adhere, submitted by the company

To take advantage of this program, contact the office of assistance to enterprises at the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Small Businesses.

Intervention by the French development agency (AFD)

Legal framework

Central Bank of Tunisia circular n°2005-14 of 24 August 2005 concerning establishment of the AFD fourth line of credit

Conditions for eligibility

small and medium size companies for which approval by the upgrading program has been issued, on condition that there will be financial restructuring
no prior financial restructuring loans from AFD

Modalities

Partial refinancing of operations to consolidate and reschedule debt

overdrafts on accounts and cash loans
unpaid amounts on long and medium term loans
short term loans mobilized for ongoing financing of investments
medium term loans to be rescheduled
coverage of increased needs for working capital

(Exceptionally and in marginal proportions: investment loans)

File to be assembled

Written application to adhere, submitted by the company

To take advantage of this program, contact the office for assistance to companies at the Ministry of industry and technology.

Transition from subcontracting to co-contracting

Legal framework

Law n°2005-44 of 30 May 2005 modifying and adding to articles 37 to 39 of law n°1994-127 of 26 December 1994 concerning the fund to develop industrial competitiveness (FODEC)
Decree n°2005-2556 of 19 September 2005

Conditions for eligibility

Companies in the textiles/clothing sector operating solely as subcontractors
Sound, balanced financial situation
Technically ready to move to co-subtracting
must not figure on the list of companies encountering difficulty

Modalities 

Intervention to meet up to a third of need for recapitalization, with a ceiling of 100,000 dinars (the rest in capital stock equity and other financing sources: subscriptions, capital risk investment companies), in the form of:

- reimbursable provisions

o to benefit one or more private individuals holding Tunisian nationality who are individual managers or shareholders in eligible companies
o reimbursed with an annual interest rate of 3% for a maximum duration of 12 years, of which five are grace years

- holdings in the capital of the above-mentioned companies:

o through a capital risk investment company
o transfer of FODEC holdings over a maximum duration of 12 years at the nominal value of shares plus an annual interest rate of 3%

Beneficiaries need to provide capital stock equity in cash equivalent to at least a third of recapitalization needs.

File to be assembled

written application to adhere, to be submitted by the company
copy of the upgrading office’s decision affirming that the company has been cleared by the steering committee
the company’s last two balance sheets, duly certified
the « company sheet », duly completed and signed by the enterprise, which can be requested at CETTEX headquarters, at branch offices in Ksar Hellal and Sfax or by email