Lessons learnt in 2020 help T.N. industries

Lessons learnt throughout final yr’s lockdown are seemingly serving to massive industries in Tamil Nadu deal with manufacturing throughout the second wave of the an infection.

However, smaller companies, particularly MSMEs who’re but to come back out of money owed of the primary wave, really feel any additional downturn will create an enormous dent in their steadiness sheets.

From vaccinating senior staff, arranging transportation, sourcing uncooked supplies, offering lodging close to manufacturing facility premises and re-aligning operations, massive corporations are assured of overcoming the present tide.

“There has not been much of an impact on production at the automobile hub. Most firms have vaccinated senior employees and everyone is monitored. There are a few absentees but that has not hampered business in a big way,” a consultant of a union which caters to the car sector mentioned.

However, he referred to as for vaccination of all workers, regardless of their age, because the sector employed many children.

The Danfoss India facility in Oragadam, Chennai, is working at 50% capability in the manufacturing, logistics and provide chain features. The relaxation do business from home.

Ravi Purushothaman, president, Danfoss India, mentioned, “Special arrangements, including free vaccination for employees and their dependents, and added insurance coverage to manage any COVID-19-related medical expenses, have been introduced.” He acknowledged that the teachings from the final lockdown had helped handle gaps throughout a number of ranges of enterprise and wonderful tuning of “structured and process-driven approach to business continuity.”.

Grundfos India is accelerating manufacturing. “We are planning to work with our vendors to produce more materials and secure our stocks, especially for customers manufacturing essentials for combating COVID-19,” George Rajkumar, nation president, Grundfos India, mentioned.

“We are also planning to move stocks closer to the customers in the distribution chain to be able to deliver quicker if there is any stoppage in inter-State movement,” he added.

For most companies in the Chennai leather-based cluster, that is the season for making sneakers, boots and slippers. “April, May and June is the season where we make shoes for the winter season. We have not cut down on production so far,” mentioned Rafeeque M. Ahmed, chairman, Farida Group. Any intense lockdown will affect the export market this yr as properly.

The scene is totally different for the MSME sector. “Unlike big firms, we cannot pile up stock and raw materials. We work based on orders. If there is a lockdown, we will face labour shortage, among other issues, like last year,” mentioned the top of an MSME unit in Chennai.

But most industrial estates in the State mentioned in the final 10 days that they had deliberate new methods to struggle the second wave.

Hari Thiagarajan, government director, Thiagarajar Mills Private Limited, mentioned orders had been good and the tempo of vaccination throughout industries had picked up. According to him, the one explanation for concern was migrating staff. “There are industries in Tiruppur and other belts that are heavily dependent on migrant workers, and if they leave like last year, there will be huge labour shortage,” he added.