India, China Ink First Ssi Pact

The first Indo-China joint venture in the small-scale sector has been facilitated by the Technology Bureau of Small Enterprises (TBSE), promoted by the United Nations and Small Industries Development Bank of India . The collaboration envisages transfer of technology from China to manufacture fluorescent whitening agent called CBS, widely used in detergent formulations and which has good market in chemical, plastic and print industries. TBSE chief Utpal Bajpai said that an agreement to this effect was recently signed between Hyderabad-based Innovative Nutrines Ltd and Beijing Hengdian Technology Company Ltd to set up a 50 tonnes annual capacity plant in Hyderabad. CBS is used as additives in detergent formulations. Usually presence of 0.1 to 3 per cent additive in detergent is enough to have whitening effect, Bajpai said. The present demand of the product is being met through imports only. Despite being in the small-scale sector, the proposed plant will substantially reduce the imports, he said. The proposed production process of fluorescent whitening agent would use cheap raw material, give high yield and offer a synthetic route, he added. The bureau has been promoted by the UN Asia Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology and Sidbi for assisting small enterprises. Press Trust of India in technology acquisition, adoption and upgradation.

 

The emphasis of the bureau is to raise the technology level of small enterprises through its technology information and promotion services, he said.

Functioning from the office of APCTT here, the technology bureau has access to apctt data base which consists of more than 1,000 tech-business offers and opportunities.

APCTT maintains close and effective linkages with key sources and users of technology, other national and international centres involved in technology management, development, transfer and utilisation.

The bureau, which commenced operations in January 1995, has attended about 2,000 enquiries and has developed a clientele of 252 enterprises. In addition to launching specific technology search for 65 small units, business contacts in respect of 45 units have been established.