‘Set up high-value textile-making units’

There is huge potential in the segment, says Manchester University academic

The textile sector must shift from high-volume to high-value business, says Prasad Potluri.

The textile industry can tap opportunities emerging globally in high-value manufacturing by converting fibre into fibre assemblies, according to Prasad Potluri, professor of robotics and textile composites and director of research at Northwest Composites Centre, University of Manchester.

Mr. Potluri, who were here recently, told The Hindu that high-value manufacturing sectors include aerospace, automotives, energy, and defence.

‘Century of fibres’

“Current century is of fibres, including carbon and glass fibres,” he said. “These will revolutionise the way we make products in the future,” he added. There is a huge potential for the textile industry in this segment. Those who are into technical textiles, even the small and medium-scale enterprises, can tap the potential in new fibres and convert those into suitable high value products, he added.

“The industry should go beyond high-volume business to high-value business. They need to build on what they already have. They can get into weaving of carbon and glass fibres,” Professor Potluri added. The technical textile units can be fibre converters. This sector is know-how driven. For the Indian industries, awareness should improve and they should get the technology.

G. Thilagavathi, professor and head of department, textile technology, PSG College of Technology, said there were a few units in the country that did three-dimensional fibre weaving.

The number is few as functionalities in three-dimensional weaving using these fibres are different and the units need to have the requisite technology and machinery for the purpose. In normal textiles, the price realised is minimum. In fibre assemblies, which can be converted into high-performance products, the realisation is much higher.