The story
Howrah grew as Calcutta's workshop across the river: railway yards, jute mills and the port needed castings and spare parts, and small foundries and lathe shops sprang up to make them. Coal from the Raniganj field, pig iron from the steel plants and skilled migrant labour kept costs low. The district still holds most of West Bengal's foundries, alongside re-rolling mills at Liluah and metal-parts makers in Bargachia.
In numbers
Around 500 foundry units exist in West Bengal with an installed capacity of 1 million tonnes; 95% of these units are concentrated in Howrah district, forming an informal cluster.
Foundry industry — Industry sectors, Government of West BengalThe Howrah metal casting (foundry) cluster had 320 functional units, a turnover of Rs. 3000 crore and employment of 40,000.
Brief Industrial Profile of Howrah District, MSME-DI Kolkata, Ministry of MSME · 2012The re-rolling mill cluster at Liluah had 180 functional units and employment of 36,000.
Brief Industrial Profile of Howrah District, MSME-DI Kolkata, Ministry of MSME · 2012The Bargachia metal spare parts cluster had 900 functional units, a turnover of Rs. 60 crore and employment of 5,000.
Brief Industrial Profile of Howrah District, MSME-DI Kolkata, Ministry of MSME · 2012
Ways in for a newcomer
- Machining and finishing job-work for castings made by foundries
- Supply sand, coke, ferro-alloys and refractories to foundries
- Pattern and die making for new casting orders
- Testing and inspection services (chemical, spectro, hardness) for export buyers
Problems the cluster faces
- Pollution rules pushing old cupola foundries to cleaner furnaces
- Congested, old industrial sites with little room to expand
- Price competition from Punjab, Gujarat and Coimbatore foundries
- Shortage of trained moulders and machinists
Businesses to start here
High Duty Iron Castings (Foundry) →Malleable Iron Castings (Pipe Fittings and Auto Parts) →Steel Castings (Induction Furnace Foundry) →Steel Re-Rolling Mill (MS Rounds, Angles, Channels, Tor Steel) →Non-Ferrous Castings Foundry (Brass, Bronze, Gun Metal) →CNC Engineering Workshop (Precision Job Work) →Engineering Workshop (Job Work and Repairs) →Wooden Pattern Making →