The ceramics industry has recorded a growth of more than 20 percent during the current fiscal year due to heavy investment in the sector.
According to sources, the ceramics industry with current market of around Rs 9 billion and mostly concentrated in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Lahore and Karachi is rapidly growing and attracting more investment. The growth rate was also 20 percent in the previous year and same in the current fiscal.
This phenomenal growth owes largely to heavy an investments to the tune of $30 million made in the ceramics industry and process efficiencies achieved as a result of human resource development.
It was observed that huge investment in the tiles industry is in the offing.
Capacity utilisation in insulators is over 100 percent, followed by around 90 percent in sanitary ware and tiles.
The low capacity utilisation of these industries is due to shortage of raw material consequent upon closure of mining of high alumina clay in Attock and dumping of Chinese ware in local markets respectively, the sources added.
The Engineering Development Board (EDB) has taken up the issue of closure of mining activities in Kala Chitta area with concerned authorities and matter is likely to be resolved shortly and there will be no shortage of raw material, the sources added.