SIALKOT: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi would formally inaugurate here on Thursday the Sports Industries Development Centre (SIDC), a core initiative in the strategy of infusing mechanized inflatable ball technology in the local industry.
The centre has been established with a total cost of Rs. 436 million provided by the federal government while SMEDA is the executing agency. A Board of Management led by the private sector is handling the affairs of the project.
SIDC would help develop prototype balls for local industry, get their staff trained and thereby enable local manufacturers to replace their existing set up of hand stitched ball with mechanized ball.It would also help develop imported machinery locally through reverse engineering,IPR facilitation for mechanized inflatable ball.
It would also help in IPR facilitation and manufacturing of mechanized inflatable balls for SMEs so that the sector embraces new technology and maintains its present share in international trade of inflatable balls.
The installed capacity on single shift basis is 1000,000 balls per year on a single shift basis.However,it may be enhanced in two shifts depending on the need,said SIDC sources.
SMEDA,during its interaction with the sports sector stakeholders,chamber and other relevant institutions, identified the problem requirement and developed a project that would provide a long term solution that has a potential to be a game changer for the local industry.
For this purpose SMEDA joined hands with Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, sports industry stakeholders, and other development partners and after extensive consultations,research,review of best practices and comparison of available technology options, proposal was initiated for seeking government funding for establishment of a common facility for production of mechanized ball so that Pakistan remains competitive in the world sports market.
Some of the world-renowned brands Adidas, Nike and Puma source a large portion of their supplies of sports goods from Sialkot. Total exports of Sports Goods during Calendar year 2014 were US$ 260 million with inflatable balls worth US$ 211 million. The major export destinations are Germany (14 percent of total exports), UK (10 percent of total exports),USA (8 percent of total exports) and Netherlands (7 percent of total exports).
Sports goods sector faced and overcame many challenges in the past through collective initiatives taken by all the stakeholders in general and exporters in particular. The sector faced threat in the form of ‘Mechanized inflatable ball’ which used medium end technology to produce a ball having most of the characteristics of hand stitched ball. This new ball had been tested and played in a number of international football tournaments including UEFA EURO 2004.
The center will act as a common facility where local manufacturers/exporters can bring in their material and use the available machinery to produce high quality product.
Sialkot is globally known as a producer of high quality sports goods for over 100 years and the city caters to more than 60 percent of total world demand of hand stitched inflatable balls which translates into around 40 million balls annually, providing direct employment facility to over 200,000 individuals.
