Date:17/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/11/17/stories/2006111702401900.htm

Back Machinery, skills scarcity hits furniture industry

Our Bureau

There are over a 1,000 factories in Tamil Nadu producing wooden furniture and other items for interiors.

Chennai , Nov. 16

A shortage of woodworking machinery and skilled workers to handle such machinery are the stumbling blocks in the growth of the furniture industry in Tamil Nadu, according to Mr G. Santanapathy, President, Tamil Nadu Furniture Manufacturers and Traders Association.

Addressing a seminar on Italian technologies for productivity and quality in woodworking, he said that despite investments in information technology, companies and real estate, local wood product industries have not benefited. Products from China and Malaysia have edged out the domestic industry. Automation is the only option to growth, he said.

There are over a 1,000 factories in Tamil Nadu producing wooden furniture and other items for interiors and 10,000 units in the unorganised sector. If machinery could be brought in there was opportunity for 2,000 more units to come up in the organised sector.

Mr Murali Padmanabhan, President, Tamil Nadu Interior Decorators Association, said that the furniture industry represents a Rs 35,000-crore business and is growing at 40 per cent, annually.

Apart from wood there are new materials such as medium-and high-density fibreboards being introduced. Machinery and skills to operate them is key to growth of the organised sector. Mr Dario Corbetta, Marketing Manager, Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools Manufacturers Association, which is participating in the seminar organised as a part of the month-long Italian Festival to promote India-Italy business links, said that India is a major market for Italian products.