Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Institute

INDUSTRY/EXPOSITIONS 

 

 ICERP 2013 to be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai from

4nd to 6th April, 2013

 

 

The Indian Composites Industry has appealed to the government to provide much needed benefits to make this industry the highest employment generator in the country. Today, composites find applications in almost all industry sectors and, if the ministry wants, it can provide the required support to generate increased employment within the industry, said Subhash Vithaldas, Chairman of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Institute, today at the media conference to announce the forthcoming event, ICERP 2013 to be held at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai from 4nd to 6th April, 2013

``Today, composites can be used in various product categories in almost in all sections of Industry, and with increased usage, employment is bound to grow,’’ said Vithaldas. Citing an example of the potential of this industry for employment generation,  Vithaldas commented that today a known composites manufacturing unit with an annual turnover of Rs 100 crores, employs an average of 600 employees, which illustrates the potential to generate jobs.

The Global composites market is likely to grow at nearly 4 per cent over the next five years. The Indian composites industry could grow at 10-15 % during this period. Current Indian production of composites is estimated at about 3 lakh tonnes, about 3 per cent of global volumes and 33% of present volumes in China. The growth will be seen majorly in the automobile Sector, (defence) tanks, transportation, wind energy and infrastructure.

``We as an industry also want that the government should provide us with suitable subsidy for growth, as well as, the needed support in terms of publicizing the benefit of composites being manufactured in rural areas for the much needed impetus to employment, said  Pradip Thakkar, Chairman, International Conference and Exhibition on Reinforced Plastics (ICERP).

According to the FRP Institute, over the last year or so manufacturing and infrastructure has had a slightly lowered growth due to financial conditions prevailing. Despite this composites grew at an estimated rate of 5%. This is because composites are established as an alternate material system to traditional materials like steel, wood, aluminum and also concrete etc.

 

``Growth can be further accelerated, if the Commerce Ministry provides opportunities for exports through suitable stimulating schemes designed to boost exports. 

 

Opportunities for enhanced export can be provided by export competiveness, innovation and design to suit those markets. Indian industry has the techno-commercial capability for achieving this, ’’ added  Vithaldas. He went on to add that Ministry of Commerce should include composites products and raw materials in its focused product scheme for exports, to benefit the industry at large. 

 

 

The present per capita consumption of composites in India hovers around 0.25 kg compared to that of USA which is 10 kg. This is an index of the enormous growth opportunities for the existing players and new entrants. A logical spin off from enhanced per capita consumption is increased employment opportunities.

`` New usages for composites are being discovered globally and also in India, hence substitution of traditional materials by composites is happening progressively.’’ said  Vithaldas.

Composites materials have unique characteristics like corrosion resistance, electrical insulation, combined with superior strength to weight ratio when compared to conventional materials like wood, metals, etc., thus making them materials of choice for many demanding applications across Industry Sectors like alternate energy, mass transport, infrastructure, automotive, building and construction, chemical, electrical, aerospace, defense, marine etc.