The Ministry of Science and Technology set up Cast Metals and Foundry Technology (CM&FT) Centre at a cost of Rs 304 million in the mini industrial estate of Daska has become operational, said Project Director Faheem A. Malik.
Talking to media persons on Tuesday at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), he said the concept of setting up of this modern centre was to facilitate the business community associated with cast metals and foundry, automobile, agriculture machinery, textile units, cement and sugar plant manufacturing and cooking utensils, metal products and surgical industries.
The centre will organise and conduct three-year 'Diploma of Associate Engineers in Cast Metals and Foundry Technology' for 30 students per year as its special feature. The centre will also arrange short-term training courses for service personnel's to upgrade their knowledge and skills on state of the art equipment. Apart from consultancy, advisory and technology services to cast metals and foundry would also be provided. The centre will also provide common facilities for testing of materials and finished goods.
The CM&FT centre will extend help to the local industry to assimilate new technologies and research and development (R/D) facilities to the industries and also provide information on quality standards of ISO-9000 for developing competitive edge of Pakistani products both domestic and international markets. Malik said federal government has taken various steps for enhancing the growth of industrial sector in the country.
However, local efforts, especially R/D inputs pertaining to cast metals technology were necessary for the sake of import substitution he said. At present, local industries were manufacturing automobiles, tractors, machine tools, and two wheelers on the basis of imported - complete knocked down or semi-knocked down kits - which is a burden on national economy.
The deletion of the imported components could be restored by developing these parts locally and this was possible by adopting the latest technical know-how, made available to the industry along with R/D inputs, for improving the cast of products. The centre, he said, will not only play an instrumental in the efforts of the government to attain rapid industrialisation but also enhance the export potential.
The centre has been equipped with laboratories and workshop with state of the art equipment where melting and casting shop, mould and core shop, sand testing shop, heat treatment shop, non-ferrous shop, metallographic laboratory and metal analysis facilities would be available, he added.
Earlier, Faheem Malik also addressed members of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He stressed upon the business community that they should highlight their production and manufacturing problems, adding that CM&FT centre will extend its assistance and co-operation to the industrial sector for resolving the problems.
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