The Hindu Business Line : Thrissur tile makers form cluster with Italian technology

THE ailing tile industry in Thrissur district is looking to rejuvenate itself by adopting the cluster approach that has helped revive many a traditional industry in the State.

About 20 tile manufacturing units in the district have teamed up to form the Terracotta Tile Consortium (TTC), which will have a common clay-processing facility. The machinery and technology for clay processing will be provided by Manfredini and Schianchi based in Sassnolo, Italy.

The consortium has already sent samples of the raw material to the Italian firm for testing. The final deal for the project, estimated to cost Rs 5 crore, will be signed after obtaining the test results, said officials of Kerala Bureau for Industrial Promotion (K-BIP).

The nearly century-old tile industry in Thrissur district is now on the brink virtual collapse with the advent of the concrete building industry.There were about 250 tile units in the district in the early 1990s and the number has come down to 160.

Many of the existing units are finding the going tough due to the paucity of raw materials, environmental pollution and high input costs. The lack of diversification has also added to the woes of the industry.

It was in 1915 that the first ever roofing tile manufacturing unit came up in the district. Christian missionaries from Czechoslovakia and Poland set up several mechanised tile units there.

The clay mining operations presently employed by the tile manufacturers have caused damage to the paddy fields and this has drawn heavy protests from environmental activists. Besides, the traditional markets for roofing tiles are giving way to modern tile products.

However, the Italian technology opens up the possibility of using unconventional raw materials such as hill clay and waste tiles. This will free the tile industry from its dependence on paddy fields and ensure environmental safeguards without compromise on quality. Further, the technology will cut down energy consumption for processing and also help diversify the product range. The processed clay from the common facility centre will be supplied to the members of the cluster for conversion into value-added products of various shades, texture, sizes and design. The District Industries Centre has allocated four acres to TTC to set up the proposed cluster at Vallakode in the district.