The Indian composite industry has sought Government help to boost the use of composite materials by providing additional incentives to sectors that use this material.
Pradip Thakkar, Chairman, FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) Institute, said growth of the composite industry has almost stagnated last fiscal due to the economic slowdown and postponement of infrastructure projects. However, he said, awareness on the benefit of this material is growing and there is demand from new sectors such as realty, automobile, Defence and aviation.
“With fresh demand and a little help from the Government we expect the Rs 15,000-crore industry to grow at 15 per cent per annum for next five years,” he said. The industry is also finding it difficult to attract suitable talent to meet the growing demand. The Institute has already prepared a syllabus on reinforced plastics and is in talks with various institutes to incorporate the same in the course for engineers.
Alternative materials
Composites are established as an alternative material system to traditional materials such as steel, wood, aluminium and concrete.
At present, the per capita consumption of composites in India is around 0.25 kg, against 10 kg in the US. India has a composites production capacity of 3 lakh tonnes, which accounts for three per cent of global volumes.
The industry also sought Government support to adopt new technologies developed by foreign companies. “We expect the Government to set up a technology upgradation fund as it is done for the textile sector. Such support will go a long way for the industry, which can generate huge employment opportunity,” he said.
An investment of Rs 100 crore can generate employment for 600 people.
To spread awareness and highlight the latest development in the industry, the institute is organising an International Conference and Exhibition on Reinforced Plastics (ICERP) 2013 exhibition from April 4-6 in Mumbai. The exhibition will have a mix of international and domestic companies showcasing and demonstrating materials equipment and finished composites.