The pace of development work on two development projects including Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC) and Sialkot Business and Commerce Centre (SBCC) costing more than Rs 7.75 million had been geared up. Official sources told Business Recorder on Sunday SIDC would be completed at a cost of Rs 435.64 million while SBCC would be accomplished at a cost of Rs 3.40 million.
The concept of setting up SIDC in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country was to extend new technology of mechanised ball, which was a threat to hand stitched inflatable soccer ball industry of Sialkot.
The SIDC project was initiated by federal government to address the problems of soccer ball industry of Sialkot besides its modernisation. The sports goods industry was confronting with a serious threat in the form of thermo molded ball that uses medium end technology to produce a ball having most of characteristics of hand stitched ball.
Sialkot is catering 85 percent of the total world demand of hand stitched inflatable balls that means 60 million balls annually. The regular functioning of SIDC would enable the soccer ball manufacturers to cope with the new challenges and trends in the international market. Sialkot Business and Commerce Centre (SBCC) would be eight-story building and consists of convention centre, business facilitation centre, library, marketing services and display centre.
The completion of SBCC would be a new addition in this export-oriented city where all Sialkot made products would be displayed for the convenience of foreign buyers and diplomats. The project has been undertaken on public-private partnership. Both the projects would be operational in middle of next year sources added.