The Tirupur Thozhil Pathukappu Kuzhu (TTPK), a forum of different stakeholders in Tirupur textile industry, is all set to facilitate the creation of clusters within Tirupur. The idea is to promote lean manufacturing practices and help industrial units increase competitiveness. The clusters would be formed of units involved in homogeneous activity. Each cluster will have units from same segment like dyeing, knitting, printing, garmenting and sewing, among other activities, so that training and implementation will become easier.
According to R R Vijayakumar, garment exporter and coordinator of TTPK, stakeholders are planning to form a minimum 20 clusters by bringing together units under respective segments of the textile production chain to constitute a cluster and help them avail government assistance to get trained on lean manufacturing practices under a consortium approach. Adoption of lean manufacturing methods will help minimise the wastes and unwanted procedures in the manufacturing process which will enhance the profitability and prowess of the units, he believes.
Vijayakumar also added that TTPK would only act as ‘facilitator’ with the entire project to be monitored by Quality Council of India and National Productivity Council. Sources added that the funds to subsidise training will be coming from Union Ministry for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
