CGCRI helps SMEs to achieve significant growth

Thangadh, Gujarat, Mar 12 (UNI) After the Naroda-based Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) carried out an awareness and quality-conscious drive among the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the ceramic sector in Gujarat, they have made a significant breakthrough in self-sustainable development.

Zalawad Chamber of Commerce and Industry's former president Babulal Jadwani today said that the CGCRI suggested guidelines regarding process control parameters, best practices and good housekeeping helped them to reduce unfired and fired rejections from 10 and 15 per cent to three and five per cent respectively to achieve quality standards, increasing the sales and exports of sanitaryware in the domestic and international markets.

He said the CGCRI had initiated these measures in order to achieve sustainable development of ceramic units in Thangadh under the cluster development programme since 2001.

Thangadh, at present, has at least 150 ceramic units of which 95 are sanitaryware, whose export potential has increased significantly. Large quantity of sanitarywares were being exported from here and Morbi, increasing export performance of Thangadh from 200 to 300 containers per month amounting to about Rs 80 crore per annum, added Mr Jadwani who is also honorary secretary of Federation of Ceramic Industries.

Federation of Ceramic Industries president Suresh Sompura said, ''Our products need petrol, which is costlier and therefore, it becomes difficult for us to keep the costs lower and compete with other countries, mainly China.'' ''The Gujarat government's decision to provide liquified natural gas (LNG) to our industries from April will help us to maintain the costs lower, as it is comparatively cheaper than the petrol, he added.

Despite rapid growth, he said, the ceremaic units have been plagued with several problems in technological and infrastructural fronts.

Mr Sompura said: ''In this regard, our organisations had urged the Gujarat government to look into the matter and to improve road structure for the transport purpose.'' Nearly 50,000 employees are directly engaged in the ceramic industry here, while another 20,000 are involved indirectly, he added.

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