A tools, dies and moulds centre is being set up in Gujranwala by the Technology Upgradation and Skills Development Company (TUSDEC) to meet the industry's needs. It was learnt that the Ministry of Industries and Production, after Karachi TDM Centre, is establishing another centre in Gujranwala, which would cost twice than the one in Karachi, costing Rs 450 million.
The TDM Centres are being set up to enhance indigenous production and to reduce about 11 million dollar imports. The public-private company will run the one in Karachi while the one to be established in Gujranwala will have the management of TUSDEC for at least five years.
They said state-owned industries, including engineering, automobile, and vendor industries, will benefit from parts made and technical skills offered by the TDM Centre. The Centre will have facilities of designing, development and manufacturing of production tools, dies, moulds, jigs, fixtures, cutting and rapid prototyping aimed at promoting domestic production of dies and moulds. The automobile industry, a major user of quality TDM products, has been a main contributor to this growth.
They said the TDM business in Pakistan has been unable to respond to the demand, as it has neither the capacity nor the capability to produce quality tools, and the government hopes that the country's first TDM Centre would be helpful in increasing its capability.
The Centre has been set up to provide the local industry with state-of-the-art design, training, consultancy and manufacturing facilities and the small and medium businesses, which could not make large investment to set up such facilities, would be the major beneficiaries.
The Centre has been designed to raise skill level of over 550 workers annually as part of its training activities and will subsequently generate employment opportunities. The TDM would not only substitute the import of dies and moulds but would also increase Pakistan's engineering sector exports.