Federal government is actively considering establishing "Product Development Centre" (PDC) for composite based sports goods in Sialkot costing Rs487.97 million. Official sources told Business Recorder on Sunday that the work on this proposed project would be carried out in near future.
The basic purpose behind establishment of PDC is to enable sports goods industry to cope with the emerging technology of composite material and enter into the largest segment of sports goods export, more than 55 percent of the sports goods were based on composite based.
The proposed PDC will provide technical know-how, trained labour force, test facilities and prototype development services to the sports industry. Facilitate in increasing exports of composite based sports goods, prototype production, provide skilled workforce to the industry, product testing, help develop imported machinery locally and enhance productivity by providing technical consultancy service to new and existing industrial units.
The PDC will help and enable local industry to aggressively enter into the international market of composite based sports goods. The sports industry sector of Sialkot is already enjoying strong linkages with international sports goods brands which would help in marketing of these products.
Sialkot is known globally as a major player of producing quality products of sports and sportswear etc. and local craftsmen produce immaculate products while export oriented entrepreneurs ensure that products reach international destinations. Over 200,000 workers are engaged directly or indirectly with export activities while this export-oriented city is earning more than two billion US dollars through its exports.
It may be added that sports sector is exporting 90 percent to international brands like Adidas, Nike, Puma, Select, Lotto, Umbro Diadora and Wilsons etc.
In sports goods industry, which include tennis, archery, skiing, boating, golf and fishing, new materials have supplanted the old. The composites have replaced previous material and eventually declined in price to widely affordable levels.
The wood was only material for manufacturing of tennis racket had now been totally outclassed by new high performance materials. Tubular steel and aluminium rackets came into vogue in early 1970. They were lighter than wood, were unaffected by the weather and offered more potential power in the swing. With the passage of time composite rackets were introduced in late seventies and changed everything and composite rackets become available at all but the lowest price and wood made rackets virtually disappeared. The regular functioning of PDC in this export-hub will enable the businessmen and manufactures to produce composite material based sports goods and to cope with new challenges of the international market, sources added.
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