The Hindu Business Line : IRMRA: Showing the way

THE Indian Defence sector was recently stumped by an irritating problem. After it switched over to indigenously made bogy wheel tyre, a crucial input for Defence vehicles, it began to countenance the problem of premature failures of these tyres, which was affecting its operations. Not sure how to overcome the problem, it sought the help of the Indian Rubber Manufacturers Research Association (IRMRA), a premier institution that renders R&D support for a broad spectrum of rubber products in India.

IRMRA decided to tackle the problem through the process of reverse engineering. IRMRA experts decomposed a used imported bogy wheel tyre, analysed the ingredients and developed a suitable compound to match the specifications and dynamic properties of the product. Very soon, the Indian Defence sector heaved a sigh of relief— the resultant product gave fail-safe performance that matched the imported bogy wheel tyres.

This is not an isolated achievement of IRMRA. Established as a co-operative research association of the rubber manufacturing industry in 1959, IRMRA has over the years has been making significant contributions to development of the rubber industry. It is today poised to emerge as one of the leading rubber research organisations in the world. Now, IRMRA is gearing up to play a major role in the technological upgradation and modernisation of the non-tyre rubber industry. Indeed, the potential in this sector is huge, as indicated by the fact that India has nearly 5,000 rubber products manufacturing units in the medium and small scale sectors and is already the fourth largest world user of elastomers. India currently manufacturers over 35,000 different rubber articles and meets practically the entire domestic demand, in addition to catering to the export market. Given the right support, India can emerge as a large-scale manufacturer and exporter of all types of rubber-based articles, industry experts feel.

"IRMRA will have to play a major role in this. Discussions are on with the Government and I am hopeful that with the Ministry's help, IRMRA will be able to make substantial contributions to produce quality rubber products and enhance their export," says Dr. M.S. Banerji, association's Director.