The Hindu Business Line : AIRIA gears up for India Rubber Expo in Kolkata

Kolkata June 14 The All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), the apex body for rubber industries in the country with a membership of 1200 companies, has launched the hunt for a partner country to the fifth "India Rubber Expo 09", to be held in Kolkata in January 2009. The fourth edition of IRE was held in Chennai early this year.

Briefing newspersons, Mr T.K. Mukherjee, Vice-President, AIRIA and Managing Director of Phoenix Yule Ltd, said the plan was to make IRE 2009 as AIRIA's best flagship event yet.

"We expect that in terms of market knowledge sharing and corporate positioning, and by way of quality of visitors, IRE 09 Kolkata will have few equals."

Boom time

Pointing out that the Indian rubber industry was now witnessing a boom owing to the scorching pace set by the automobile industry, growing around 15 per cent annually, he said in 2006, the all India rubber consumption had crossed the 1.1 million-tonne mark. According to Mr Mukherjee, West Bengal has traditionally been home to some big rubber players such as Dunlop, Bata and now Phoenix Yule, and "the prospects of the rubber industry in the State are now even brighter, especially in view of the easy availability of natural rubber from Tripura (north east) and synthetic rubber from Haldia Petrochemicals".

Asked whether the permanent trade fair complex, now under construction in the eastern suburbs would be ready for the international event, Mr Mukherjee said, according to the State Government authorities, it would be ready by June 2008, a good six months before IRE 09.

The Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh, briefing newspersons at the Tea Board premises here, said work on the Milon Mela trade fair project would be speeded up. The permanent trade fair complex, coming up in an 18-acre plot in the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass road at a cost of Rs 45 crore, is expected to have five mega halls for exhibitions. Mr Jamesh said the Commerce Ministry was willing to share part of the costs for air-conditioning all the display halls of the Convention Centre, being built along international lines.

Pointing out that the rubber manufactured goods industry continues to brave severe challenges every day, Mr S. Dhanania, Regional Chairman of AIRIA, said the industry needed fresh capital.

He informed that AIRIA was now preparing a report on urgently needed technological upgradation support for the rubber industry on the lines of the TUF for the textiles sector, for submission to the Union Commerce Ministry soon.

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AIRIA gears up for India Rubber Expo in Kolkata