The story
Rajkot's foundries grew to feed its engine, pump and machine tool makers with cast iron parts. Most units are small and melt iron in cupolas, so energy cost and smoke are constant concerns. TERI and the Indian Institute of Foundrymen have helped many units switch to more efficient divided-blast cupolas.
In numbers
The foundry cluster had 505 units (355 micro, 145 small, 5 medium), Rs 2,700 crore turnover, Rs 350 crore exports and 20,000 workers (district profile 2012-13).
Brief Industrial Profile of Rajkot District 2012-13 (MSME-DI Rajkot, Ministry of MSME) · 2013
Ways in for a newcomer
- Machining and finishing of castings
- Pattern making
- Supplying sand, coke and alloys
- Scrap collection and sorting
Problems the cluster faces
- Air pollution rules
- High energy cost
- Lack of trained metallurgists
Businesses to start here
High Duty Iron Castings (Foundry) →Malleable Iron Castings (Pipe Fittings and Auto Parts) →Steel Castings (Induction Furnace Foundry) →Wooden Pattern Making →Metal Scrap Recycling Unit →