Pakistan Foundry Association (PFA) and World Foundry Organisation (WFO) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which the former would become the member of WFO while the foundries and related industries of Pakistan - represented by PFA, would be included in the WFO.
WFO President Dr P N Bhagwati, General Secretary Andrew Turner and President PFA Sikandar Mustafa Khan singed the MoU on behalf of their respective bodies, in a meeting held here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Sikandar Mustafa Khan said the PFA wished to be considered as the member of the WFO to be approved at the General Assembly on June 7, 2006. On this basis, the association will be immediately recognised as a full member and would be entitled to get all the benefits and services. He said there was tremendous potential in iron and steel casting.
An international congress and exhibition of machinery would be held on November 22 to 23, 2006 in the provincial metropolis in which delegates from abroad would also participate, he added.
While giving an overview of the industry, the President PFA said the foundry sector was the backbone of the light engineering sector, auto parts and other industries. However, till now this sector had not been able to create its significance in the economy.
There were over 1,800 foundries in Pakistan with annual melting capacity of 3000 tons. Foundries were located in various large cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Karachi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Multan and Sargodha. In Lahore, there were two main clusters of foundries in Badami Bagh and Daroghawala because of easy access to railway line, auto industry and steel re-rolling mills, he maintained.
The association in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda), Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Pakistan National and Accreditation Council (PNAC) organised two-day training workshop on quality foundry practices in June last year, he added.
The PFA also invited a six-member Indian foundry men delegation under the leadership of Indian Institute of Foundrymen (IIF) President Avinash Ogale last year, which visited the foundries in Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Gujranwala and Lahore, he added.
Sikandar Mustafa also asked the WFO leadership to attend the International Foundry Congress and Exhibition being held on 22nd to 23rd November 2006. PFA is also participating in World Foundry Congress to be held on 5th to 7th June 2006 at Harrogate International Center United Kingdom. WFO should also impart training to Pakistani trainer for small and medium enterprise and provide funds in this regard.
Speaking on the occasion, WFO President Dr Bhagwati said that Pakistan was fast growing in technology and WFO would help the PFA in developing relations with other foundries' bodies at international level.
He said the WFO would be the partner of international congress to be held in November 2006 and also help the PFA in holding international congress and exhibition. WFO would help enhance relation between Pakistani and Indian foundries and training programme started by the WFO would be transferred to Indian neighbouring countries including Pakistan.
"We are developing database of Pakistani foundries and necessary information regarding the industry would be made available on the website, which would attract potential buyers to Pakistani products," he maintained.