DINDIGUL
Formation of an exclusive industrial cluster, bringing all lock-making units and ancillary units in the district under one roof, will take the traditional lock industry to the next level, according to Collector T.G. Vinay.
Addressing a special meeting on development of lock industry here on Wednesday, he said lock manufacturers in Aligarh had been doing business to the tune of ₹4,000 crore per year whereas their counterparts in Dindigul had been struggling to reach the business level of ₹10 crore. Adoption of the latest technologies, rapid manufacturing process and product enhancement were need of the hour, he stressed.
Cluster formation would help lock manufacturers share modernisation cost and ensure mass production. Twenty manufacturers were enough to form a cluster. If the project cost was up to ₹3 crore, the State government would fund it and if it exceeded ₹3 crore, the MSME Ministry would sanction funds, the Collector said.
District Industries Centre General Manager M. Ramalingam said lock makers should switch over to pin and cylinder technology from the traditional lever technology. The demand for locks had been growing every day. Today, cars, motorcycles and even helmets needed locks. With traditional technologies, the manufacturers could not explore new avenues. Low cost and high quality lock making was essential.
The DIC was thinking of making all components of locks in a large scale and supplying them to lock makers. Mass production of parts would cut production cost. The centre was also planning to bring experts from Aligarh to impart technical training to Dindigul lock makers, he added.
Dindigul District Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Association president A. Annadurai appealed to the government to provide land for establishing the industrial cluster. A course on lock making could be introduced in the ITI to maintain skilled labour, he said.
Lock manufacturers sought short-term and long-term plans for the revival of the industry. The short-term plan should modernise and stabilise lever-based lock industry and the long-term plan should focus on expansion and mass production, they said.
R.V. Rajendran, a lock maker, appealed to government departments to give top priority to Dindigul locks and steel lockers while procuring locks.
National Small Industries Corporation Manager N. Panneer said the corporation would support the cluster by ensuring raw material supply, and marketing and technological help.
Iron Jewellery Lockers Manufacturers Association president K. Murugan sought reduction of GST for iron lockers to 5% from 18%.
