The Hindu Business Line : Aluminium die-casters bullish on exports

Gaining sheen
Industry sees 32-35 per cent rise in exports this year.
Domestic market billed to grow at 12 per cent.
To set up training for shopfloor personnel to overcome shortage of skilled labour

Coimbatore , July 28

The domestic aluminium die-casting/extrusion industry is bullish on exports this year.

Thanks to the rising number of quality casting outsourcings to India by European companies, the industry expects to see aluminium die-casting exports to rise by 32-35 per cent this year, according to Mr R.T. Kulkarni, Secretary of the Pune based Aluminium Casters' Association of India (Alucast).

The industry had got a boost due to demand for quality casting from Europe, which has reported closure of aluminium die-casting companies in the last three years, and also due to the rise in domestic consumption pepped up by the automobile sector and electrical industries.

The country's estimated output of aluminium die casting/extrusion products last year was around seven lakh tonnes, of which exports constituted about 1.5 lakh tonnes, said Mr Kulkarni.

With more imports planned by the European end-users, the export volume would sharply rise this year and in addition, the domestic market for die-cast was billed to grow at 12 per cent, he added.

Skilled labour shortage

Indian aluminium die-casting sector could score over its counterpart in China in recent times mainly due to quality, despite the former incurring higher raw material cost.

But the surging demand for additional capacities has also brought in its wake shortage of skilled labour in the industry, according to Mr M. Ramesh Chairman of the Alucast, Coimbatore chapter. The Coimbatore-based aluminium die-casting companies, numbering around 60 and known for their quality casting, accounted for export of some Rs 50 crore worth of die-castings/extrustions.

Training

To overcome the shortage of skilled labour, the Alucast's Coimbatore unit plans to set up training for shopfloor personnel employed in tiny units.

It has set up a committee which will work out monthly training schedules, said Mr C. Surianarayanan, Secretary of Alucast Coimbatore.

Mr Kulkarni and other members of Alucast, who were briefing presspersons here on the forthcoming Asia-Pacific aluminium conference to be held in Goa in November, said the four-day international event will throw light on the emerging technologies and strategies in aluminium casting.

Industry experts/representatives from 21 countries are expected to participate in the conference, which will concurrently stage a buyer-seller meet and a CEO meet.

Members from 12 international journals on aluminium and seven international sourcing agencies would participate in the Goa meet which will also stage an international exhibition.

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