Under the directives of the federal government Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (Smeda) has prepared a multi-dimensional strategy for the modernisation of Sports goods industry, especially soccer ball manufacturing sector, enabling manufacturers to maintain its dominating position in the global market.
Official sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that under the programme Sports Industries Development Center (SIDC) costing Rs273.11 million would be established shortly in Sialkot.
The concept of the project is to enable sports goods sector to adopt new technology of mechanised ball, which is threatening the current hand-stitched inflatable soccer ball.
The main benefits to amass from the project are: To facilitate in maintaining Pakistan's position in international market of hand-stitched inflatable balls in general and soccer ball in particular. To provide skilled workforce to the sector, help develop imported machinery locally through reverse engineering, develop an indigenous patent for mechanised soccer ball and get it registered internationally. To provide assistance in setting up mechanised ball production lines in individual industrial units, developing prototype balls for the industry and developing quality vulcanisation and past molds.
Sialkot is internationally known as a producer of quality sports goods, surgical instruments, leather garments, gloves and accessories, sportswear and musical instruments.
The Sports goods sector is main export sector of the city with total exports of about 350 million dollars per annum. The city caters to 85 percent of total world demand of hand-stitched inflatable balls, which means manufacturing around 40 million balls annually worth 210 million dollars.
Sialkot is only export-oriented city and have a special repute for producing value-added products in the country. It contributes 800 million dollars annually to national exchequer.
The soccer ball manufacturers are facing serious threats in the form of 'Thermo-molded ball' having most of the characteristics of hand-stitched ball. The new ball has been tested and played in a number of international football tournaments, including UEFA EURO 2004 and now it is expected that improved version would be used in upcoming FIFA World Cup 2006.
Under the plan Sports Industries Development Center (SIDC) will introduce thermo-molded ball technology in Sialkot industry. The SIDC would provide technical know-how, trained labour force, reverse engineering prototype development and mold making services besides, the center will also manufacture and sell thermo-molded balls to the exporters on order.
The capacity of the center on single shift basis would be 5000 balls per day while it will generate employment opportunity for 432 persons. Although Sialkot is producing high quality of footballs, the game of football is seen unpopular in the area as compared to other districts of the province.
Previously, children were engaged with stitching of soccer ball but ILO-IPEC is going to launch Sialkot Pilot Project on integrating football into Children Education Programme. The sole aim of the programme is that footballs should be given in the hands of children for playing game.
The local exporters and manufacturers engaged with the soccer ball manufacturing were utilising all modes and channels for fulfilling the demand of their foreign buyers and speedy and timely delivery of the football consignments.
According to a rough statistics more than 60,000 balls are being stitched by a workforce to be exported to world market while the strength of total registered stitching centres is 2794, including female, combined and village based stitching centres in the area.
The Sialkot-based soccer ball industry has totally been purged from the menace of child labour and for this purpose Unicef, ILO-IPEC, Save the Children (UK), FIFA rendered highly laudable services. They also played a role for the survival of soccer ball industry under Atlanta agreement.
The Sialkot Soccer Ball project is a living example of commitment and joint efforts to achieve the goal of complete elimination of child labour from the industry.
It is a success story of unique nature and a role model for others to follow, made possible to wholehearted participation of soccer ball manufacturers who joined the programme voluntarily to contribute pro-rata share and registration. The business community had written a chapter by picking up the children from workplace and placing them into school and it is quite satisfying that children are now going to schools under Social Protection part of the programme.
The stitching of soccer balls started in Sialkot during 20th century with supplies to then British forces but after independence this industry grew at an impressive pace helping the world recognise the formidable position of the city, making almost all international buyers rushing towards Sialkot to secure their supply chains building good and long-term business relations with the local exporters.
In 2002, a leading international brand claimed that it had produced and tested such ball; subsequently it was used in UEFA EURO 2004. This new ball threatens the local industry with the same fate as happened to wooden rackets some 30 years back.
Anyhow, the local soccer ball manufacturers and exporters were utilising their century-old manufacturing techniques in producing hand-stitched balls to compete the global market.
The success story of Sialkot based industries can be attributed to unmatched skill of local workers and their craftsmanship. The city is dotted with thousands of small and medium enterprises, which are engaged in honouring their global commitments for export of value-added quality goods such as sports goods, surgical instruments, leather goods, gloves, badges and musical instruments etc.