Sewing machine units seek govt aid in Ludhiana

The sewing machine industry in Ludhiana is looking to the government for support.

With a large chunk of the market in the industrial segment captured by machines from China, it is the domestic sewing machine market that the Ludhiana sewing machine industry caters to. The domestic market essentially caters to the needs of households. Anil Kapoor, president of the Ludhiana Sewing Machine Dealers and Assemblers Association, said that the volatility in raw material prices was affecting the industry in Ludhiana the most.

The domestic sewing machine industry is valued at about Rs 1,500 crore, with Ludhiana accounting for 80-90 per cent of the production.

Kapoor said that earlier, when raw material prices were stable, manufacturers in Ludhiana had started exporting sewing machines. However, in the last three years, the contribution of exports had become negligible. Due to volatility in prices of inputs, many manufacturers in the region were considering importing components from China for domestic machines, he added.

Virender Rakheja, former president of the association, said that availability of raw material on time was another major issue for the industry. In the wake of volatility in input prices, assemblers and manufacturers were importing components, he said.

Rakheja added that in the absence of government support no major innovations or R&D have been undertaken over the last few years, and this could pose a challenge to the industry. Pankaj Arora, general secretary of the association, said that the government should intervene and ensure that the prices of raw materials are not artificially jacked. He said the government needs to look into the demands of the sewing machine industry.