The primary objective for the creation of PCSIR was to gain technological self-reliance based on indigenous capabilities. Towards the realization of the basic objective, the organization has become the pioneer in industrial Research.
In consideration of changing global scenario, the priorities and the scope of activities of PCSIR have lately been restructured. Now, the field of research, in addition to the conventional disciplines, include modern and emerging science and information technology.
THE PRESENT SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES OF PCSIR MAY BROADLY BE CLASSIFIED AS:
1. Systematic evaluation for optimum utilization of indigenous new material resources for the development of industrial processes.
2. Development of technologies from bench to pilot plant stage for industrial exploitation leading to import substitution and export promotion.
3. R&D work on problem faced by the industry and troubleshooting.
4. Dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge through interaction with public and media.
5. Undertaking cooperative research with local and foreign R&D organization on projects of mutual interest.
6. Training and grooming of main power of industry and PCSIR research units to create a sound scientific and technological base.
7. Industrial Liaison service to ensure close co-operation between the private sector and the government sponsored research organization.
8. Quality assurance and standardization to improve quality of indigenous goods and exports.
9. Linkage with industries by joint collaboration and introduction of technology business incubation scheme using pilot plant production.
10. Apply bench scale findings on pilot for commercial plant design & development.
11. Undertake and promote Ph.D. level research with academic institutions.
MAIN ACTIVITIES: The PCSIR has created a well-endowed R&D potential and technical expertise in basic and applied research in its well-equipped laboratories and Centres.
This foundation provide infrastructure for general and technical facilities to industries in the private and public sectors as well as other teaching institutes.
PCSIR has accomplished significant amount of research work leading to development of several indigenous products and technologies worthy of adoption by the local industry.
The broad based activities of the PCSIR encompass almost the entire industrial sector in the country and undertake the following work:
EVALUATION OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE RAW MATERIALS: PCSIR main achievement has been the investigation of the locally available raw materials to determine out their possible utilization.
PCSIR produced thousands of research publications related to the evaluation of local materials, the data thus generated is the single most important contribution of the PCSIR and is available on the form of research papers, technical bulletins, brochures and reports.
PROCESS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: The Scientist and technologist of PCSIR developed thousand of industrial processes, out of these nearly 1094 processes were leased out to prospective entrepreneurs for exploitation on industrial scale.
Its has also executed around 50 ADP projects, which were mainly pilot plant studies, based on the data generated at the laboratory level.
ANALYSIS FOR REVERSE ENGINEERING AND IMPORT SUBSTITUTION: A large number of formulated products have been developed which involve much foreign exchange by the textile, leather, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, household, chemicals, food additives and consumer products industries and are imported under brand names.
ANALYTICAL AND TESTING SERVICE: PCSIR at present is serving over 4000SME's/clients all over the country annually in quality control, analytical and testing areas.
QUALITY CONTROL SERVICE TO THE EXPORTERS AND IMPORTERS: ISO 9000 and 14000 series of standards are being brought into monitor the desired quality as Pakistan is facing cut throat competition in the region for exports.
SUPPORTS TO DEFENCE SERVICES IN MATERIALS PRODUCTION: PCSIR has collaborative system with POF and PDGMP to meet the future requirements of the defence productions.
SERVICE TO GOVERNMENTS AND NGOS: Various government departments such as Customs, Police, Excise, Administration, Health and NGO's avails the analytical, testing and advisory.
HELP IN THE CRISES SITUATION: Due to the availability of diverse expertise and extensive laboratory infrastructure, PCSIR enjoy being the focal point in the crisis situations and its scientific and technical personnel are always ready to extend technical help.
It solves and rectifies the problems of the industry and extends the problems of the industry and extends advisory services for fire accident, poisonous gases leakage and explosions prevention.
ENVIRONMENT AND POLLUTION CONTROL: The expertise available in PCSIR in the field of Environment and Pollution control is not only training its own S&T staff in the assessment, monitoring and control systems of air, water and soil pollution but is also helping the local industry for the self-monitoring and impacts assessments.
It is also helping the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Industries, Planning Division, Local government and Rural Development Division in framing and implementing NEQs of air, water, industrial liquid and solid effluent and gas emissions.
RURAL SUPPORT TECHNOLOGIES: PCSIR has developed a number of technologies for the rural areas of the country.
DEVELOPMENT AND REPAIRS OF LOW COST LABORATORIES EQUIPMENT: PCSIR has created facilities for development of low cost laboratory equipment, which had earlier been imported at a cost of precious foreign exchange through which saving of about 1-3rd of the budget for their importers is estimated.
Moreover, repairs, maintenance and development of scientific and industrial precision type of machine components, guages and fabrication of computerized scientific instruments.
TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR INDUSTRIAL MAN POWER: Technical manpower is an essential component of industry, PCSIR produces skilled manpower for industry through conducting 3&4 year diploma courses as well as many tailored short courses in the field of precision mechanics, instrumentation, dies and moulds and CAD/CAM Technologies besides running a four years degree programme relating to industrial electronics engineering.
PCSIR also arranges seminars, workshops and training programmes in the specialized fields for the senior technical staff of the industry.
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: PCSIR dissemination its researchers to the global scientific community through the bimonthly Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research and monthly PCSIR Bulletins; the journal has wide circulation and is indexed by the renowned abstracting and indexing services, whereas monthly PCSIR bulletin keeps the industry and other clientele aware of its current R&D and other activities and the major break throughs.
ACHIEVEMENTS: Over the years, the primary targets of PCSIR Scientist have remained the development of low cost technologies attracting the attention of small and medium level entrepreneurs (SMEs) since this class of investors is internationally recognised to be the backbone of economy in developing countries.
The number of technical processes developed until 1990 and 367 were leased out to SMEs. These were estimated to turnover Rs 612 million to the national economy, which in terms foreign exchange savings amounted to Rs 7 billion.
In addition to these technical process, PCSIR's Scientists have obtained 439 patents and contributed more than 7000 research publication in national and journals.
In the domain of human resources development, the number of research supervised at Ph.D and M. Sc levels is respectively, well over a hundred and a thousand.
In PSTC about 2000 students obtained diplomas/certificates in different technologies and the same number was awarded short-term certificates.
ISO CERTIFICATION FOR CATERING TO WTO REQUIREMENTS: To welcome the 3rd millennium, PCSIR has initiated several programmes including ISO-9000 / 14000 certification programmes for industries, Proficiency Testing programmes for labs, training of quality personnel managers, CAD / CAM based technologies, means of utilization of alternate energy and industrial waste characterization and recycling etc further more, PCSIR laboratories complex, Karachi Lahore and Peshawar have also been ISO 9001 certified while the other units are under process of certification.
To render the services to industrial sectors for catering to WTO requirements, Karachi laboratories Complex and National Physical Standard Laboratory Islamabad obtained accreditation to ISO 17025, computerization of PCSIR is underway.
The provision of internationally credible services, in the wake of WTO regime, augments our national exports there by leading Pakistan to towards self-reliance.
It is a fact that every importing country has its own established quality control system for import items. In Pakistan, no such system exists. The present government makes PCSIR, on the basis of provided proper legislation.
ISO CERTIFICATION: A significant achievement of PCSIR is the award of ISO 9001 certification for quality to its Karachi and Lahore Laboratories, with a consequent upward trend in the number of industrial clients.
PCSIR has honor to be the first multi disciplinary R&D organization among all of the organizations of the Ministry of Science & Technology to acquire design, development and services rended to the industry.
Pakistan is member of World Trade Organisation and testing, calibration and certification of ISO-17025 accredited Laboratories are accepted all over the world.
PCSIR Laboratories Complex Karachi and National Physical Standard laboratory Islamabad has recently gained the honor of being first national Laboratories of Pakistan to get accreditation to ISO-17025 where as work on accreditation of other PCSIR laboratories is underway.
This award of international standard shall play an important role in international trade and in giving a quantum leap to the export of national goods as after the promulgation of WTO regime in January 2005, only those exports items will be acceptable to 150 signatory countries of WTO which will have certification of ISO-17025 accredited laboratories.
PCSIR'S INDUSTRIAL LINKAGE PROGRAMME: Executive Committee of the National Economics Council (ECNEC) approved 19 projects at total cost of Rs 48.4 billion including a project of PCSIR worth Rs 1.297 billion.
The meeting presided over by the Finance Minister Mr. Shaukat Aziz at Islamabad expressed satisfaction over the utilization of fund during 2002-03. During the meeting, the federal and provincial governments were urged to monitor the projects on monthly basis and identify the bottlenecks.
Nineteen projects approved by the committee related to the sectors of education, communication, housing, social structure, information, science and technology. Under the head of Science and Technology, ECNEC approved Rs 1.297 billion with FEC component of Rs 644 million for PCSIR Industrial Linkage Programme meant for the procurement of basic and state-of-art equipment for the technology Centres in the areas of foods, textiles, material sciences, pharmaceutical and chemicals.
It may be recalled here that the project of Industrial Linkage would enable PCSIR to provide expanded facilities to various industrial establishments for Calibration and certification, according to the requirements of WTO/ISO; it is envisaged, that in this way foreign exchange to the tune of Rs 170 million per annum will be saved.
The programme result in Upgradation and modernization of the laboratory facilities through addition of sophisticated equipments supported by the supply of complementary consumables, along with development of a pool manpower resources in the respective trades.
Under the project, calibration, certification and various other analytical services at PCSIR laboratories Complexes of Karachi, Lahore, Quetta & Peshawar will be upgraded, streamlined and improved.
Limited civil work will also be carried out at these laboratories for proper functioning of the equipment and improvement as required by ISO-17025.
R&D capability of PCSIR in selected Areas of foods, textiles and materials science will be strengthened through enhancement of human resources potential by inducting 55 high grade scientist/engineers/technologist preferably Ph.Ds in the selected disciplines and providing facilities for improving qualifications and skill training of more 187 persons, the project provides quick access to information with a Modern Management Information System (MIS) fitted with ISP (WAN&LAN) facilities.
Pilot technology Incubation Centres will also be set up to give boost to commercialization of products and processed.
PCSIR'S AGREEMENT WITH MARVA BEVERAGES: PCSIR signed an arrangement with M/s Marva Beverages (Pvt) Ltd for Transfer of technologies for the production of three beverages concentrates and red herbal syrup for 6.0 million rupees.
PCSIR has been making efforts for less dependence of the country on foreign products and import substitution through promotion of indigenous technologies. In view of large of soft drinks into the country, Peshawar laboratories Complex, developed technologies for the production of beverages concentrates, comparable in quality and taste to the foreign products.
These technologies were very much warranted in the wake of the latest boycott of the western beverages by religious parties and NGOs alike. Though a couple of brands have already been introduces in the market, still here have been a need for the better products. Knowing about the story of PCSIR, a local firm M/s Marva Beverages (Pvt) Ltd negotiated for the transfer of technologies for the commercial production of a herbal syrup and indigenous beverages of international standard to compete with foreign brands, ruling the market.
Finally the agreement worth 6 million rupees was Reached at four transfer of four technologies, three for production of cola, Lemonde and oranges beverages worth 5 million rupees and one for the production of red herbal syrup worth one million rupees the contract was signed at an auspicious ceremony held at local hotel at Islamabad, presided by Professor Dr Atta-ur-Rehman (NI, HI, SI, TI), Incharge Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology speaking at the occasion, Dr Atta-ur-Rehman prased the chairman PCSIR for signing the first ever large scale contract with private sector for transfer of technologies leading to saving of huge amount of foreign exchange designating him the champion of Science.
Chairman PCSIR, Dr Anwar-ul-Haq highlighted the measure taken by PCSIR for its image building before the industry.
He said that increase consumption of carbonated soft drinks has created huge prospects of expansion of the carbonated soft drinks industry in Pakistan.
He said that at present only a few multinational companies are producing cold drinks and it is difficult for the new investors to enter in this business due to the lack of quality and taste of new drinks according to the international standards.
He elaborated that the red herbal syrup is the new delicious product developed from a local herb keeping in consideration the taste of the local population.
He said that this products has potential for export and expressed the hope that it will soon attract a public and create a place of its own in local as well as international markets.
Dr Anwar-ul-Haq stressed that this sector on the capabilities of PCSIR and M/s Marva Beverages shows the confidence of private sector on the capabilities of PCSIR.
He assured that PCSIR will take necessary steps for smooth transfer of technologies from the laboratory scale to commercial scale.
Mr. Rehmani, Chairman M/s Marva Beverages, in his speech said that this project will create more than 200 new jobs, directly and indirectly, he also announced donation of 20% profit from the project for the cause of promotion of primary education in the country.
He was confident that the firm will be able to capture about 20% share of the total market of about US $400 millions of the carbonated beverages in the next two years.
It is hoped that the international of the indigenous beverages will be a step forward toward import substitution and saving of a large amount of foreign exchange being spent on the import of concentrates and payment of royalty to the multinational companies (approximately 400 million dollars).