New television series that focuses on Bahrain's manufacturing industry and educates people on launching their own business will hit TV screens today.

Made in Bahrain is the brainchild of director Hassan Al Samahiji and begins an eight-week run on Bahrain TV (BTV).

One of the main aims of the series is to educate Bahrainis on how to set up their own export business.

'Our government is providing various facilities and incentives to people who want to start product-manufacturing factories,' said the father-of-two, from Muharraq.

'But hardly anybody knows what they are entitled to and this series will help them understand better.'

Shooting of the series began in October last year and continued until February, followed by 29 days of editing.

Samahiji, who has worked as a cameraman and director across the region, revealed that several companies were contacted to appear in the documentary series, but many refused.

He said the documentary aimed to spread awareness of different products made in Bahrain and dispel the myth that everything is imported.

'From my experience, I know that most of the people in Bahrain are unaware of products that are made here,' he said.

'The common belief is that most of the things we use in our daily lives are being imported, but this is not entirely true.

'Many products are made in factories in Bahrain that are even exported.

'Bahrain manufactures perfumes that are exported to Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East, but most people don't know this.

'Also, a factory in Bahrain manufactures about 700 air-conditioners in one day, not less than eight per cent of which are exported.'

Tonight's episode of Made in Bahrain will be repeated on Tuesday at noon, which will remain the slot for the next seven 25-minute episodes.

Al Samahiji said he first thought about the series in 1992.

'The idea occurred when I was in secondary school when there was no satellite television channels like now,' said Al Samahiji.

'Last year, in August, I presented my project to BTV which gave me the green light to proceed.'

The all-Bahraini crew includes assistant producer Baqer Zainudeen, narrator Yacoub Yousif, editor Rashid Mohammed, sound engineer Jaffer Sarhan and graphic designer Ahmed Ghulum.

The lighting was by Sultan Dawadi, music by Hisham Sakran and the follow-up work by Yasser Al Alawad and Ahmed Haider. TradeArabia News Service