Today India is the largest manufacturer of Safety Matches in the world. It has de-throned China by importing most of their match production machines and installing it here. Still today, about 50% of total safety matches production in India is handmade.
The group has tied up with a leading manufacturer of Safety Matches based in Kovilpatti, near Tuticorin port in the South Eastern Coast of India (Kovilpatti and Sivakasi, both small industrial towns in South India are the main production centers for safety matches). They are among the Top 10 safety matches manufacturing group in India, with estimated production of 5,000 cartons (or 200 million sticks) per day, which can fill 2 x 40’ containers. Thus monthly production varies from 50 to 60 40’ containers. They have 4 mechanical lines installed, which do about 40% of the total production and the balance is handmade. Handmade matches are generally sold in the domestic market as they attract duty concessions from the Govt. of India. We are looking at exporting the complete production from the mechanical lines and that too, matches made of wooden sticks only. |
