Curtail imports to boost local manufacturing

June 29, 2015 11:13 am

The government has been proactive in taking a note from the welding industry about the influx of consumable and equipment from other countries.
Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, National Sales Manager, KEMPPI India_____________________________________________
Finland-based KEMPPI is one of the global leaders in manufacturing of electric welding machines and related products. KEMPPI’s presence in India has been there for the past 40 years. In 2011 KEMPPI has set up a manufacturing unit in Chennai, India. This is the only production unit of KEMPPI outside Finland. KEMPPI manufactures 40 models of welding equipment from this plant and exporting to countries in Asia like China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia etc. Here, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, National Sales Manager, KEMPPI India speaks about the ‘Make in India’, the welding industry and his company.
India’s share in global manufacturing is lowThe Make in India campaign is to promote manufacturing in India. Currently the manufacturing sector contributes to 16 per cent of the GDP of the country. The ambition is to have it at the level of 25 per cent by 2025. “India’s share of global manufacturing stands at little over 2 per cent. While the figure stands at 22.4 per cent for China. It shows how far we are and have a long way to catch up,” says Mr Mohapatra.
KEMPPI is a welding equipment manufacturer. The welding industry is a derived industry and is linked to the steel consumption of a nation. This clearly shows that in case of increase in manufacturing activity it will have a direct impact on the welding industry.
Implementation of plan of action is essential The government has proposed several steps like laying impetus to manufacturing sector and seeking foreign investment. The government also wants to Improve India’s ranking from 142 to 50 in terms of ease of doing business in the next 3 years. The government has identified some 25 key sectors inclusive of auto, chemicals, textiles, aviation etc. It also plans to develop 5 new smart cities around a high rate of employment generating industrial clusters. “Actions towards making these steps happen are critical. These challenges need to be addressed,” says Mr Mohapatra.
Government should have a proactive approach According to Mr Mohapatra, the government has been proactive in taking a note from the welding industry about the influx of consumable and equipment from other countries. The imports have to be curtailed to give a boost to the domestic manufacturers. “The welding industry seeks the support from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry by placing the indigenous welding products at par with the imported welding products. This can be done either by extending the duty exemption or withdrawing the import duty exemption. This will help the Indian welding product manufacturers get a fair playing field,” says Mr Mohapatra.
KEMPPI India promotes training for weldingAs India grows in the manufacturing sector we will need at least 22 lakh welders in next 6 years.  “KEMPPI India supports institutions and schools to promote welding as a trade and develop skilled workers for the country. That will go a long way in making the slogan a successful one,” Mr Mohapatra concludes.