Steps have been taken to manufacture rubber motor accessories locally with Sri Lankan latex, said Company Estate Reforms, Tea Estate Related Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Promotion State Minister Kanaka Herath.
Accordingly, the State Minister instructed officials to list out the rubber motor items, which can be manufactured locally in order to train local producers to manufacture those items. Almost all rubber motor accessories are imported even though most of them can be manufactured locally. It has been identified that there are around 600 rubber items used in a motor car and most can be produced locally using available technology.
Herath also instructed Rubber Research Institute (RRI) officers to identify the motor parts which can be manufactured locally. He asked to evaluate the cost of production and the technologies to be used for the manufacturing process of each item.
With this move the first training programme for the rubber related industries was held in the Kegalle district recently with the participation of 60 budding entrepreneurs, who intend starting rubber related industries by the Industries Development Board (IDB).
The RRI will assist the entrepreneurs to start manufacturing including providing the technical know-how. The RRI is ready to do the mixing part for the new entrepreneurs at a reasonable cost especially for the Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (SMEs) since the initial cost of a mixing plant is high and therefore the SMEs need not purchase a mixing part at the very start of production.
Besides the State Minister asked the officials to enquire about the possibility of supplying rubber parts for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) and Railway Department. According to sources several rubber parts are used in public transport buses whilst a considerable number of rubber items are used in the Railways too. Almost all these rubber accessories are imported.
“The manufacturing of rubber motor accessories is a huge field, which can be well utilized for the economic prosperity of the country. This project indirectly benefits local rubber cultivators since they will receive a better income for their latex,” the State Minister noted.