The story
Foundries came up in Coimbatore to supply castings to the city's textile-machinery and pump makers. Most are small family units with cupolas or induction furnaces, and a few large foundries supply national and export buyers. The cluster's fortunes rise and fall with the pump and auto industries. Energy-efficiency programmes have helped many units move from coke cupolas to cleaner induction melting.
In numbers
There are about 535 foundry units in the Coimbatore cluster; about 15 are large, 70 medium and the rest small and micro.
Coimbatore foundry cluster — Bureau of Energy Efficiency (SIDHIEE)The cluster produces about 2,000 tonnes of castings per day (about 0.6 million tonnes per year).
Coimbatore foundry cluster — Bureau of Energy Efficiency (SIDHIEE)A 2020 trade report said Coimbatore had some 600 foundries, with 450-odd small foundries producing up to 400 tonnes per month each.
In no demand or workers, Tamil Nadu foundry hub fears meltdown — Foundry Planet · 2020
Ways in for a newcomer
- Fettling, shot-blasting and machining job-work for foundries
- Pattern and core-making shops
- Supply of sand, ferro-alloys and refractories
- Casting testing and metallurgy lab services
Problems the cluster faces
- Pollution and air-quality rules
- Rising power, coke and scrap prices
- Labour shortage for hot and heavy work
- Demand tied to pump and auto cycles
Businesses to start here
High Duty Iron Castings (Foundry) →Malleable Iron Castings (Pipe Fittings and Auto Parts) →Steel Castings (Induction Furnace Foundry) →Investment Casting (Lost Wax Process) →Aluminium Castings (Foundry) →Non-Ferrous Castings Foundry (Brass, Bronze, Gun Metal) →