The Indian fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) industry, estimated at Rs 1,500 crore, expects to grow at 25 per cent annually as a result of the increasing awareness about the benefits and potentials of FRP. |
Addressing a press conference, experts in the field said that the Indian FRP industry was five decades old and its users had begun realising FRP's benefits in comparison to other materials such as steel which can corrode easily. |
FRP is a combination of a composite material like a polymer matrix reimposed with fibres such as glass or aramid. |
S K Saxena, general manager, Owens Corning (India) Ltd, said that a quantum jump in the prospects of the reinforced plastics (also referred to as composites), was expected as a result of the huge investments being made in sectors like oil and natural gas, automobiles, telecommunication and construction which are the main users of high technology FRP. |
Oil and natural gas sector and water and sewage treatment require thousands of kilometres of non-corrosive and durable pipelines. Automobiles and telecommunication sectors also need fibre optic cables, and in the field of construction, substitutes for wood and steel are in demand. |
At the export front, the industry commands a turnover of more than Rs 250 crore and is expected to double every year, he added. |
The FRP industry would hold a three-day third International Conference and Exhibition on Reinforced Plastics (ICERP 2006) in Chennai on February 23, which will highlight the developments in the industry worldwide to an audience of users of the material. |
"Traditionally, the Indian FRP industry has been catering to only a couple of sectors such as electricals. Globalisation of the Indian economy, especially since 1995, has led to economies of scale and import of low cost raw materials. This helped users of FRP appreciate the major advantages offered by composites. Composites are 12 times stronger than steel, have non-corrosive quality and are light weight,'' according to R Ramesh, executive director, Devi Polymers Private Limited. |
Exhibitors from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Germany, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and the United Kingdom would occupy 19 of the 44 stalls at the exhibition. The participants in both the exhibition and the conference at the Chennai Trade Centre would include manufacturers of primary raw materials, fabricators, architects, policy-makers, scientists, designers and consultants. |
Business enquiry worth Rs 300 crore is expected to be generated at the fair. |