ISDS for technical textiles at Man-made Textiles Research Association

November 02, 2012 - India

As per the recent data available, the technical textile market in India was 58000 crore in the year 2010-11 which expected to rise to 1.43 lakh crore by the year 2016-17. In textile city of Surat the entrepreneurs are now thinking of diversify their business in technical textile. Thus technical textile will gain importance in coming years. But the subject of technical textile is relatively new and there is much needed to be done for creating awareness, providing education and training at all levels in the industry. Looking to this when Ministry of Textiles announced Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) we at MANTRA decided to go with subject of technical textiles. The details of this scheme of MOT are as follows.

The Ministry of Textiles has launched a scheme “Integrated Skill Development Scheme” briefly known as ISDS. The scheme has primary object of addressing the needs of trained manpower of textiles and related segments including handicrafts, handlooms sericulture, jute, technical textiles etc. Ministry had asked MANTRA to prepare a proposal under this scheme in the field of technical textiles. Subsequently a proposal for training centre of MANTRA for technical textiles was prepared and submitted to Ministry of Textiles. The same has been recently sanctioned by Ministry. The details of MANTRA-ISDS for technical textiles are as follows:

Under this scheme MANTRA will construct a building at GIDC, Pandesara on land allotted by Govt. of Gujarat. All courses will be conducted in above centre. MANTRA will also utilize its pilot plant facility i.e. coating and lamination, spun lace & needle punch nonwoven plant (proposed) at its main building at Ring Road, Surat. However, MANTRA will procure spun bond plant at this centre. The proposed new building will have two class rooms, one workshop, one laboratory and office space.

Objective of MANTRA ISDS:

i) To develop the skill of coating and laminating technique in existing processing machine operators such as dyeing and padding machine operators.

ii) To impart basic knowledge about technical textiles particularly coating and laminating technology to existing weaving entrepreneur.

iii) To impart basic knowledge about technical textiles, particularly nonwoven technology to prospective textile entrepreneur.

iv) To provide training to existing loom operators, jobber for base fabric preparation on modern loom.

MANTRA will run following courses under this scheme:

List of courses to be offered:

1. Training course for Textile coating and laminating machine operator.
2. Training course for Technical textiles entrepreneur (coating, laminating and value
4. Refreshers training course in weaving
5. Entrepreneurs training course in weaving for technical textiles
6. Workers training course in weaving on modern machine
7. Jobber Fitter Training Course for powerloom

The detail description and objective of each training course is as under:

1. Training course for Textile coating and laminating machine operator.
This course is intended for process house operators who are already operating machine like padding mangle. They can be easily trained to operate coating and laminating macine. Process house owners who wish to include coating and laminating facility in their premises can send their technicians for skill upgradation.

2. Training course for Technical textiles entrepreneur (coating, laminating and value addition).
This course intends to educate an entrepreneur who wishes to start coating and lamination industrial unit. Process house owners who wish to diversify their product range into technical textiles can themselves can join this course or depute their representative. The dyeing and printing technicians can also take advantage of this course.

3. Training course for Technical textiles entrepreneur (nonwoven technology).
This course intends to educate an entrepreneur who wishes to start non woven fabric manufacturing plant. This course will cover all non woven technologies and candidates will be able to see the working of pilot scale plant facility at MANTRA.

4. Refreshers training course in weaving.
This course is for those who are already in the weaving production and would like to know about modern weaving technology.

5. Entrepreneurs traaining course in Weaving for technical textiles.
This course is for weaving entrepreneurs who wish to acquire knowledge of technical textiles. The course will cover knowledge about some base fabric preparation for coating and laminating process and various such end products

6. Workers training course in Weaving on modern machine.
This course is for workers who wish to operate modern loom.

7. Jobber Fitter training course for powerloom
This course is for workers who wish to operate modern loom

In general the skill development training will be imparted to operators, supervisors and entrepreneur. Generally the duration of most of the courses is 15 days to 1 month. MANTRA has targeted to train 2900 trainees over period of five years. The medium of instruction will be in Hindi/Gujarati/English mixed language to suit the trainees. MANTRA will collect fees for these courses the details of which will provided from the office of MANTRA.

Since the field of technical textiles is relatively new and there are not many units operating in this sector, MANTRA has proposed to conduct more courses for entrepreneurs with the specific aim of creating awareness about technical textiles in the conventional textile sector. This is expected to play an indirect role in encouraging investment in technical textiles and consequently leading to increased man power demand. Accordingly a significant portion of the trainee output will be entrepreneur.

The scheme has been granted to MANTRA because it has fulfilled all the criteria put by the ministry. The most important out of this is that MANTRA keeps close liaison with the industry around surat, and in particular, with five leading local textile co-operative societies – The Surat Art Silk Cloth Manufacturers Association (SASCMA), The Surat Vankar Sahakari Sangh Ltd., The SASME Co-operative Society Ltd., The Udhna Group of Weavers Producers Co-operative Society Ltd., The South Gujarat Processors Association. It is expected that local industry will fully cooperate MANTRA by sending candidates for training and making this training centre a success.