If you are unable to view this email, you can view this newsletter at: NPCS Newsletter  Issue 22

NPCS Newsletter Issue 22

Project Profiles of below projects can be viewed/ downloaded from http://www.niir.org/profiles/

Sanitary Napkins

Sanitary napkins have an important place in women's history and in the history of technology. 19th Century research into disposable sanitary napkins marked the humble beginnings of a new era of gynecological sanitary. Disposable sanitary napkins started to be available in the markets only around the year 1895. Its production is a form of porous item that has the capability of absorbing the flow. It comes under Nonwoven fabrics which are sub-categorized under technical textile. Technical textiles are the textile materials which are primarily used for their technical performance and functional properties rather than their aesthetic or decorative characteristics. The 1st sanitary napkins were in the form of a cotton wool or similar stringy rectangular structure, sheathed with an absorbent liner. They are made from a number of types of fabric — most often cotton flannel, or hemp (which is highly absorbent and not as bulky as cotton) which results in high degree of softness and loosely fitted fibers. They are highly absorbent and are made of clean fibres that do not have an unpleasant odour when wet or dry. It posses sufficient wet strength treated with wetting agents or wet strength imparting resins such as urea formaldehyde or Melamine resins.

Generally absorption paper, waterproof paper crushed pulp, and non-woven cloth or rayon paper is used as raw material. Absorbency is also probably the most important quality of sanitary napkins. That is why it is basically used for drying or absorbing purpose. This basic and advantageous property of sanitary napkin also helps reducing discomfort. It is important that such sanitary napkins be breathable. Since, it is a vital characteristic for comfort and health. Heat and moisture retention create an environment that favors bacterial development. Many women experience irritation and rash when using regular napkins and most of the bacteria that cause women’s diseases are anaerobe, which means they will die within 30 seconds to 1 minute in oxygen. That is why it is so important for sanitary napkins to be breathable.

Today, the global market for absorbent hygiene products is over US$ 50 bn (including wipes). Although they are not yet the national standard, sanitary napkins are being perceived as more of a necessity and less of a luxury in India. Urban women make up 20% of the country’s sanitary napkin market. In 2008, there were 96 million women in urban India and, at that time, it was projected that that number would increase by 17% to 1.2 billion women in 2013. With this predicted population growth, the sanitary napkin market could potentially be valued at as much as USD$365m, up from US$166.1m in 2008. The total market for tissue and hygiene products grew by 18% in terms of both volume and value sales in 2011. The market for tissue and hygiene products will continue to grow over the forecast period, backed by various demographics factors, including the increasing role of women in Indian society, greater accessibility of these products to semi-urban and rural areas, and increasing affordability due to a rise in disposable income. The increasing awareness of health and hygiene are driving sales in India. The total market size of sanitary napkins was estimated at over two and half billion pieces in 2006-07 with a value at about Rs 4.7 bn. While the urban market has been growing at 20%, the rural market is growing at 7%. Overall, segment is annually growing at an average of over 9% for quite some time. Until 1993, belted sanitary napkins were the largest segment, in that segment, Johnson & Johnson's Carefree con-trolled about half the market. Along with its beltless brand, Stayfree, share could be estimated at around 75%. Beltless napkins now have catapulted to a share of over 70% of the market. Johnson's overall market share is down to 46% and P&G has gained a penetration of 43%.

Beer, Whisky & Rum

Beer is the world’s most widely consumed alcoholic beverage; it is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the saccharification of starch and fermentation of the resulting sugar. Its strength is usually 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (abv) although it may vary between 0.5% (de-alcoholized) and 20%, with some breweries creating examples of 40% abv and above in recent years. The energy value of alcohol is 7kcal/g. It also contains a number of trace elements and minerals whereby it also posses anti oxidant property. It is in fact composed from water, carbon dioxide, coming sugars, dextrins, albuminoids, substances from hops and the glycerin.  Besides the remarkable vitamin content, the relationship calcium-phosphorus is nearly optimal while the amount of present sodium is lowest.

Alcoholic beverages made through the fermentation of germinated barley, rye or corn with water and through distillation is called whiskey. The chemical formula is C₂H₅OH (ethanol).  This Spirits distilled from a fermented mash of grain at less than 95% alcohol by volume having the taste, aroma and characteristics generally attributed to whisky and bottled at not less than 40% alcohol by volume.   There are two main categories of whisky – single and blended. Single means that the entire product is from a single distillery, while blended means that the product is composed of whiskies from two or more distilleries. Whisky consists primarily of water and alcohol. Other constituents (usually < 1%) in the whisky are taste materials and flavours.

Rum is one of the oldest and most varied of distilled spirits. It is distilled from the extracted juice of the sugar cane plant, or by-product of the refining process known as molasses and aged in charred oak casks barrel, inheriting a golden to dark brown color over time. Rum aged in steel tanks remains colorless. Types of rum are white rums, golden rums, dark rums and spiced rum, age dated rums. Isobutyl propionate (C₇H₁₄O₂) is the main ingredient in artificial rum extracts and flavorings. Any rum that is bottled and sold has alcohol strength between 35% and 45%.

Liquor industry has always remained under strict governmental control in terms of capacity creation, distribution, taxation. The factors that make India a promising market is the changing demographics - youth and middle-aged persons constituted 54% of the population in the past years, adding 20 mn to the drinking age population annually. Of the over Rs 280 bn liquor industry (excluding beer) selling around 450 mn cases annually, a large peg of which (67%) is whisky, followed by brandy and gin at 13%, rum at 17% while the white spirits account for 3% of the market share, out of these, the Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) accounts for Rs 78 bn with whisky alone constituting 95%. India has quietly emerged as the largest international whisky market, toppling the US by volume. The company's brewery division achieved a production of 6.0 mn cases of beer and 28,576 cases of Drought Beer generating net revenue of Rs 11.84 bn (Rs 8.57 bn in 2005-06). In the Indian rum industry, companies like Pernod Ricard, Bacardi and Mohan Meakins are evolving new strategies through new brands and smaller packs to broad base their reach.

Textile Softeners (Cationic, Anionic & Non Ionic)

Features of the softening agent chemistry Textile softeners are usually marketed as water emulsions with a solid content between 15 and 25%. Fabric softeners, also called as fabric conditioners, represent the fastest growing segment in the laundry products market. Demand for fabric softeners and other laundry products are dependent upon consumer needs and income levels. European countries, United States, and Asia-Pacific regions are the largest markets globally, as stated by the new market research report on Fabric Softeners and Conditioners. The market for fabric softeners is highly consolidated. Unilever and Procter & Gamble account for a major share in the global market. The demand for detergents has been growing at an annual growth rate of 10 to 11 per cent during the past five years. At present, the size of the Indian FMCG market is estimated to be Rs 125,000 crore and is growing at the rate of 12 per cent yearly. According to an industry reports, the sector is expected to grow by up to 17 per cent annually to touch Rs 400,000 crore by 2020. Hindustan Unilever was the leading player in laundry care in past years, holding a 39% value share. Consumers are also expected to upgrade from economy to mid-priced brands and from mid-priced to premium brands. Scented variants in all categories are expected to be introduced to attract consumers. Liquid laundry detergents, on the other hand, are not expected to substantially increase its share in laundry detergents, unless a national player follows the conventional retail route to expand the category.

Pan Masala, Sada, Meetha & Zarda

Paan is consumed by an estimated 200-400 million people, mainly Indo-Asians and Chinese. India is the largest consumer of betel nut, or what we call the paan in the world. It’s not without reason that India tops the list of smokeless tobacco users in the world with nearly 83 per cent consumers. With its ban in most of the cities still the fact remains that the gutkha and pan masala industry in India is huge pegged at anywhere between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 crore. There is also a tax impact as a result of the ban. Popular pan masala brand Rajnigandha, produced by Dharampal Satyapal (DS) Group, has 65 per cent market share. Dharampal Satyapal, with sales of Rs 1,600 crore, is headquartered in Noida. Pan Parag made by Kot­hari Products has 11 per cent share in tobacco-sce­nted chewing pan masalas. The company had revenue of Rs 630 crorer in FY2010. It declined to co­mment if the brand’s non-availability would impact its market share. The production ban on most of the big brands has led to a rise in demand for lesser known brands and such brands are commanding a premium of over 200 per cent at present.

Invert Sugar

Invert sugar is a mixture of glucose and fructose obtained by the hydrolysis of sucrose. Cane sugar comes from sugarcane which is the refined grain of sugar. Invert sugar is a liquid carbohydrate sweetener in which all or a portion of the sucrose present has been inverted. The sucrose molecule is split and converted to a mixture of glucose and fructose. Invert sugars help baked goods retain moisture and prolong shelf-life. Candy manufacturers use invert sugar to control graining. The resulting mixture of fructose and glucose is called inverted sugar syrup. Related to invertases are sucrases. Invertases and sucrases hydrolyze sucrose to give the same mixture of glucose and fructose. Invertases cleave the O-C (fructose) bond, whereas the sucrases cleave the O-C (glucose) bond. For industrial use, invertase is usually derived from yeast. Enzymatic treatment are now a major way of producing sweeteners, including syrups derived from sucrose or starch that contain mixture of glucose, maltose, fructose and other sugar. Glucose ahs 70-75% sweetening strength of beet sugar (sucrose) but fructose is twice as sweet as sucrose. Thus processes for the manufacture fructose are of considerable value, especially in the manufacture of candies and preserves, production of lactic acid and ethanol production from fermentation of cane sugar molasses. Invert sugar is 29-30% sweeter than the table sugar so the amount of sugar required for a particular degree of sweetness is also reduced enzymatic invert sugar does not involve the use of any chemical or acids unlike the conventional acid hydrolyzed invert sugar. Invert sugar is often incorporated in products where loss of water must be avoided. Commercially it is obtained from the inversion of a 96% cane sugar solution.

In the post-liberalisation era since the onset of the 1990s, the expanding demand for industrial products - of capital goods, intermediates and consumer durables and non-durables - has emerged as the most powerful stimulant to India's economic development and international capital inflows. The requirement for invert sugar syrup has been on the rise in India. The cost of pre-made invert sugar is significantly low because companies like Sai Sugar produce it in bulk. Overall invert sugar is widely produced in the state of UP and Uttrakhand in India because of high production of various grades of sugar and jaggery. The consumption of Invert Sugar is on the rise in India, and consumers demand quality products increasingly. By purchasing Invert sugar from the market, they are assured that the sugar syrup quality is uniformly maintained. Since Invert Sugar was commercially introduced India, it has seen a tremendous growth, especially in the last 2 years. Since India is expected to continue its growth trend in Confectionary and Pharma industry, the demand of Invert sugar is all set to rise. Companies like Bicardi, Parle and pretty much all confectionery and pharmaceutical companies use invert sugar today. Based on latest trends the usage of invert sugar is rising 50% every year and now penetrating in small bakery and Kirana shops too. The retail market is valued at Rs 9 tn, of which food, grocery and personal home products constitute Rs 6 tn. According to A.C. Neilson, 60% of the shopping needs are purchased at larger outlets for monthly baskets, but convenience stores command a 40% for daily top-up requirements'. Modern retail outlets constitute 5% of all sales. Honey makers widely mix about 20-30% of inverted syrup with honey to bring down the cost of product and keep up with the rising demand. Technically honey and invert sugar share a very close chemical structure.

Disposable Plastic Syringes with Needles

Disposable Syringes made of plastic Material have been successfully used in medical and pharmaceutical practice for many years. The constantly increasing use of this type Syringe indicates its importance which is based mainly on the advantages it offers regarding cost and hygienic applications. The manufacture of plastic syringes has been developed to such a degree that the products now satisfy the requirements and standards set by Hospital and physicians. At the same time they offer the best possible technique of application to the physician and the highest possible degree of safety to the patient. Due to their availability in sterilized condition, ready to use, and cost effectiveness, disposable syringes are fast replacing the age-old glass syringes. Disposable syringes are mostly injection moulded from polypropylene. Syringes are available in sizes of 1 ml, 2 ml, 5 ml and 10 ml, 50ml in a variety of designs and consist of either two or three components construction i.e barrel, plunger and needle The barrel of a syringe is made of plastic or glass, and usually has graduated marks indicating the volume of fluid in the syringe, and is nearly always transparent. However, most modern medical syringes are polymeric with a polymeric piston.The syringe has many non-medical applications like Laboratory applications for injection of highly reactive chemicals into reactor, cooking, to refill ink cartridges, injecting glue into closed tight surfaces, injecting lubricants onto working surfaces without spilling. One of the most outstanding features of plastics is the ease with which they can be processed. In some cases semi-finished articles such as sheets or rods are produced and subsequently fabricated into shape using conventional methods such as welding or machining

Needles and syringes are amongst the most extensively used medical disposables. Healthcare professionals represent the largest end-use market for syringes, followed by diabeticsThe Present demand of Disposable Syringe is being adequately met by indigenous production. In increasing awareness in health care, AIDs and like diseases Expenditure on healthcare services, including diagnostics, hospital occupancy and outpatient consulting, the largest component of this spend is expected to grow more than 125% to Rs 1560 bn in nearby future. The Indian domestic Medicare devices industry is expected to grow from Rs 60 bn to Rs 76.5 bnas well. The overall market is estimated at Rs 150 bn. In India, the emergence of private Medicare services, especially through commercialization and corporatization, has contributed to the transformation With the healthcare sector being opened up to private players, India is now emerging as a lucrative market for global firms dealing in hi-tech diagnostic and imaging equipment. Larsen & Toubro operates in the market for monitors for medical equipment, ultrasound machines and surgical diathermies. It is making a strong foray into exports of medical equipment and is exporting to the European markets. It expects international sales to contribute around 50% of the total revenue from the medical equipment division. Hindustan Syringes and Medical Devices (HMD) enjoys a 65% market share. Imports constitute 10% of this market. In the single use needles market, HMD has a 70% market share, followed by imported brands with a 25% market share. The size of the local needles market is 2.5 bn units per annum. The Indian market is expanding in all directions as a result of better affordability and expanding medical service institutions

Carbon Fibers Composites

Carbon fiber is composed of carbon atoms bonded together to form a long chain. The fibers are extremely stiff, strong, and light, and are used in many processes to create excellent building materials. Carbon fiber material comes in a variety of "raw" building-blocks, including yarns, uni-directional, weaves, braids, and several others, which are in turn used to create composite parts. Within each of these categories are many sub-categories of further refinement. For example, different types of carbon fiber weaves result in different properties for the composite part, both in fabrication, as well as final product. Strength, Stiffness, and Comparisons with Other Materials Carbon fiber is extremely strong. It is typical in engineering to measure the benefit of a material in terms of strength to weight ratio and stiffness to weight ratio, particularly in structural design, where added weight may translate into increased lifecycle costs or unsatisfactory performance. Carbon fiber composites are also significantly more expensive than traditional materials. Working with carbon fiber requires a high skill level and many intricate processes to produce high quality building materials (for example, solid carbon sheets, sandwich laminates, tubes, etc). Very high skill level and specialized tooling and machinery are required to create custom-fabricated, highly optimized parts and assemblies. Many different types of materials are used to create composites like Honeycomb, Foams, and Wood etc.

Indian Carbon Fiber Composites Market is forecast to Reach USD 53 million in nearby future. Once the domain of aerospace and space applications in India, carbon fiber composites are increasingly being used in a host of new industrial applications where material cost is secondary to performance, high strength and reduced weight considerations. Indian carbon fiber composites market poised for dramatic growth and expects to reach USD 53 million by 2018. The industrial market is expected to witness very strong growth, followed by aerospace segment. Consumer goods market expects to post slow growth between 2013 and 2018. Currently, the market for carbon fiber composites is estimated at $10 billion (USD) globally, and observers expect that it could reach as high as $40 billion by 2022. Aspiring and established carbon fiber manufacturers and a variety of marketing partners are positioning themselves to meet the vastly increasing need for raw fiber and fibrous reinforcement products. After 2020, further cost reductions – primarily driven by the hybridization of composite components (combining continuous fibers and other materials such as metal or short fibers) – will lead to a significant market expansion. The expectation is that these hybrids can be produced with processes similar to pure composites. The volume of high-strength Carbon Fibre components produced worldwide is set to grow by 17% a year until 2020. In key sectors of industry, like automotives, aeronautics and wind energy, we are already seeing the use of large quantities of continuous fiber-reinforced components. With the growing importance of lightweight construction across various industries, there will be strong growth in demand for these products going forward, assuming that production costs fall.

E.R.W. Galvanized Steel Pipes

GI Pipes/ Galvanized pipes are steel pipes covered with a protective coating of zinc that greatly reduces its tendency to corrode and extends its life expectant galvanized steel tubes are covered by a layer of zinc & are used for varied applications. These are available in various size and shapes based on the customer’s requirements. These tubes are natural corrosion resistant and hold functional durability, even in outdoor environments. Apart from preventing water corrosion, it is equally effective in dry, indoor environments.Electric Resistance Welded Pipe uses the high frequency induction heating (HFI) process to manufacture pipes ranging in nominal diameter from 219 mm (8,58 inch) to 610 mm (24 inch), and in wall thickness. In order to ensure completely smooth pipes, welds are scarfed both internally and externally. Immediate confirmations of welds are assured as pipes pass through a multi-probe ultrasonic inspection system located after the welding and scarfing stations. Following ultrasonic assessment, weld joints are induction heated to normalize the metallic structure of the weld. Normalizing also improves toughness of the steel in the region and significantly decreases the weld line corrosion effect. Prior to hydrostatic testing, pipes are sized to required tolerances before being cut to length and the ends bevelled. Weld seams is again ultrasonically tested. Pipes are inspected, weighed and can be varnished and marked prior to final inspection and dispatch, or transferred to the coating and lining plants for corrosion protection treatment.

Steel pipes are primarily of two types, seamless and welded. Seamless pipes and tubes are used in both oil and non-oil sectors in a wide range of applications as line pipes, casing pipes, production tubings, drill pipes and the like. In the oil sector, API (American Petroleum Institute) standard pipes are preferred for line pipes and casing pipes. Oil sector absorbs nearly 60% of seamless pipes, while some 30% are consumed by bearings and boiler manufacturers. According to the London-based Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB), steel tubes industry is poised for a 30% growth in the wake of a growing demand in the infrastructure construction sector, mainly in scaffolding in buildings. The sector has grown dramatically in the recent past at a record 20% growth owing to several infrastructure projects lined up by the government and the private sector. The use of steel rods and bars in stadia, railway stations, multiplexes and gas pipeline has been replaced with steel tubes, fuelling further growth potential for the tube industry. Salem plant (of Steel Authority of India) created awareness of stainless steel also in areas other than utensils. As a result, it found its way increasingly into processing industry, construction, railways and engineering industry. From 85%, the consumption of stainless steel by the utensil manufacturing sector dropped down to nearly 75%. As against the high level of stainless steel used for utensils in India, only 35% is used in the developed countries. India utilizes only about 12% of stainless steel in industrial applications as against 19% in developed countries. Out of total stainless steel produced, more than 70% of production is of SS 200 grade series, while SS 300 grade series constitutes just 15 to 20%. India also has good facilities for stainless steel long products like bars, wire rods and wires which have good prospects in Europe, USA and South East Asian region.

Low Carbon Ferro Manganese (Medium Grade)

In igneous rocks, which comprise 95% of the earth’s crust the average percentage concentration of manganous oxide is 0.124. This is small in compared with the alumina (15.34), FeO + Fe₂O₃(6.88) and titania but very much higher than the incidence of the well known metals copper (0.010), zinc ( 0.004), and lead (0.002). In igneous rocks, which comprise 95% of the earth’s crust the average percentage concentration of manganous oxide is 0.124. Manganese is used in metallurgical industries in the form of ferro-manganese. Ferro-manganese contains about 80% Mn and 20% Fe. Generally ferro-manganese is produced in blast furnace or an electric furnace. Low silica ores are preferred as they reduce the slag volume. Secondly, the phosphorous content in the ore should also be low. A high purity ferro-manganese is produced by fused salt electrolysis method. The ore is roasted to produce MnO, followed by leaching with H₂SO₄ acid to form manganese sulphate. This solution is then neutralised to precipitate iron & aluminium. Other impurities are separated as sulphides. Finally the solution is used for electrolysis to produce ferro-manganese of metallurgical grade. The modern electric furnace route of ferro-manganese production gives 85 - 90% manganese recovery, MnO dust recycling is possible and a high degree of homogenisation, slag control and furnace scrabbing is practised. Further, smelting of high-grade Mn-ore with high-cabon ferro-manganese gives medium carbon ferro-manganese. A silicothermic reduction of manganese ore in an electric furnace yields low-carbon ferromanganese.

According to industry experts, the Indian manganese alloy industry has the potential to meet the global challenges despite various constraints. With the necessary supportive measures from the government, the industry can make fast towards the path of sustainable growth and meet the higher requirement of the Indian steel industry. The estimated reserve of chrome ore in India is approx.178 MT. In the longer term, the direction of manganese prices will depend on a combination of economic growth in the industrialised world, and continued expansion of industrialising and emerging economies in Asia and South America. Over the next five years, the rise in steel production will lead to an increase in manganese consumption, with an annual average growth rate of 6% over the next five years, with China and India providing the main impetus for this growth. Global demand for manganese in batteries has been relatively stable at about 300ktpy.  This has mainly been accounted for by zinc and alkaline primary batteries, but demand for manganese in rechargeable batteries has risen in recent years. Overall, total demand for manganese is expected to increase by around 6% per year over the next five years. The current scenario of Indian ferro alloys industry has changed due to rapid industrialisation with global steel demand on a high growth trajectory. The estimated production capacity of ferro alloys in India is more than double of the domestic demand, making the industry partially dependent on domestic market and more on export market. The future of industry will depend on international demand and export market against the wider industry impact of energy, ore shortages, production cost volatility and lower profit margin.

Floral Foam (Phenolic Foam) with Resin Manufacturing

Floral foam was mistakenly invented by a chemist named Vernon Smithers in the early 1940's. He created floral foam from synthetic substances or resins which restrict the growth of bacteria, causing the flowers to last longer. Floral Foam is the plastic spongy material that florists use to put their many beautiful flower designs in place. It has effectively replaced the conventional way of arranging flowers which entailed utilizing wet newspaper, twigs, chicken wire and pin holders. The recurring problem in the past with these traditional methods of flower arrangement is the shorter lifespan of the floral designs that may take hours to create. Using floral foams not only helps in keeping the artistic designs in place, but they also make your flowers last longer.Floral Foam is the plastic spongy material that florists use to put their many beautiful flower designs in place. It has effectively replaced the conventional way of arranging flowers which entailed utilizing wet newspaper, twigs, chicken wire and pin holders. The recurring problem in the past with these traditional methods of flower arrangement is the shorter lifespan of the floral designs that may take hours to create. Using floral foams not only helps in keeping the artistic designs in place, but they also make your flowers last longer.Floral Foam is the plastic spongy material that florists use to put their many beautiful flower designs in place. It has effectively replaced the conventional way of arranging flowers which entailed utilizing wet newspaper, twigs, chicken wire and pin holders. The recurring problem in the past with these traditional methods of flower arrangement is the shorter lifespan of the floral designs that may take hours to create. Using floral foams not only helps in keeping the artistic designs in place, but they also make your flowers last longer.Agood foam should have a strong flower holding power. When inserting flowers, it must be able to hold the weight of the flowers

India is also the second largest consumer base and has unlimited opportunities for growth in flower retailing. India's flower trade is attracting a large demand from an estimated 300 million middle class people. Flower consumption in the cities and major towns is reportedly growing at 40 per cent per annum. Flower retail shops and boutiques have mushroomed all over the cities and towns. The demand will get further impetus with the growth of modern retailing concepts. Commercial floriculture is as beneficiary of the policy of crop diversification in agriculture. The growth in this segment is reflected in rising domestic demand for flower and floral exports. Commercial floriculture is increasingly being considered a high remunerative economic activity by small and large farmers across the country and if the sector gets organized, there could be a massive Rs. 10,000 crore business opportunity. It is worthwhile noting that despite India's share in the $ 11 billion global market for flowers and flower products having touched just about 0.65 per cent, the growth potential is large. Recognizing the importance of the sector, government of India as well as state governments has taken steps to provide support to the sector. Corporate Houses are encouraged to set up units with global scale and size, so they can meet the volume, consistency and quality demands of the global buyers. For instance, companies like Reliance, ITC, Tata Tea, Bharti Group, AV Birla, Big Apple, Namdhari Fresh, Subhiksha, Shopper's Stop will be entering to tap this as a potential business opportunity or as bulk buyers for their retail chains.On globalization, floriculture has become one of the important commercial activities in Indian agriculture. Indian floriculture industry comprises the florist trade, nursery plants, bulb and seed production, apart from production of micro-propagation material, and extraction of essential oils from flowers. The industry has been growing at a CAGR of 25 percent over the past decade, with production area growing at a CAGR of 6.89 percent since 2000-01.

Baby & Adult Diapers & Sanitary Pads

A diaper or nappy is a kind of underwear that allows one to defecate or urinate in a discreet manner. When diapers become soiled, they require changing; this process is often performed by a second person such as a parent or caregiver. Diapers are primarily worn by children who are not yet potty trained or experience bedwetting. . However, they can also be used by adults with incontinence or in certain circumstances where access to a toilet is unavailable. These can include the elderly, those with a physical or mental disability, and people working in extreme conditions such as astronauts. It is not uncommon for people to wear diapers under dry suits. Ever since their introduction several decades ago, product innovations include the use of superabsorbent polymers, resealable tapes, and elasticised waist bands. They are now much thinner and much more absorbent. The product range has more recently been extended into children's toilet training phase with the introduction of training pants and pant diapers, which are now undergarments. Modern disposable baby diapers and incontinence products have a layered construction, which allows the transfer and distribution of urine to an absorbent core structure where it is locked in. Basic layers are an outer shell of breathable polyethylene film or a nonwoven and film composite which prevents wetness and soil transfer, an inner absorbent layer of a mixture of air-laid paper and superabsorbent polymers for wetness, and a layer nearest the skin of nonwoven material with a distribution layer directly beneath which transfers wetness to the absorbent layer. Other common features of disposable diapers include one or more pairs of either adhesive or velcro tapes to keep the diaper securely fastened. Some disposable diapers include fragrances, lotions or essential oils in order to help mask the scent of a soiled diaper or to protect the skin. Care of disposable diapers is minimal, and primarily consists of keeping them in a dry place before use, with proper disposal in a garbage receptacle upon soiling.

Today, the global market for absorbent hygiene products is over US $ 50 bn (including wipes). The evolution of hygiene products in Europe and the NorthAmerica has taken 4 to 5 generations. Feminine care was introduced over 100 years ago. Baby diapers were invented 60 years ago. Adult incontinence products appeared 30 years ago. a research report by RNCOS, “Indian Baby Care Market Analysis”, found that the market of disposable diapers is growing at snail pace compared to other segments of the baby care market. Diapers’ market reached an estimated INR 1.23 Billion in 2010, posting annual growth of around 12% from 2009. Although, there is a huge potential for diaper market in India as mostly the urban population is using it for their babies, the rural population still lags in it. Many established brands, such as P&G, Kimberly-Clark, and Nobel hygiene are continuously adopting steps to grab more and more market share in this huge untapped market. Further research reveals that the Indian baby care market has substantially grown over the past few years and caught the attention of many international players. India continues to enjoy a healthy birth rate compared to other economies, coupled with the increasing level of disposable income of the working class, which is expected to be sustained for a healthy growth momentum in future. The Indian disposable diaper market is currently pegged at nearly Indian Rupees (Rs) 700m ($17.4m, E12.6m) and 30,000 tonnes/year, and is estimated to grow between 5-10% annually. It comprises brands like Huggies (60% market share) and Pampers (30%) from multinationals Kimberly Clark and Procter & Gamble, respectively. Domestic consumer products major Godrej's Snuggy is the third-largest brand of diapers in the Indian market, with a 10% share. Analysts say it will take some time for the baby diaper market in India to pick up. According to Carlos Richer of Richer Diaper Consulting Services, India has about 45% more infants than China and almost six times more babies than the US.

Ferro Alloys (Ferro Silicon, Ferro Manganese & Silico Manganese)

Ferro manganese are alloys composed of iron and one or two more metals like Mn, Si, Ti, W etc. The ferro alloys have usually lower melting points than their respective alloying metals in pure stable form and thus, can be readily incorporated to obtain the metals as ferro alloys than in their pure terms starting from their ores. It is a principle alloying agent used in steel production steel/iron casting etc, where it also acts as a strengthener and deoxidiser. It imparts corrosion resistance to the products. Ferro manganese along with Fe-Si, Fe-Cr, is a bulk ferro-alloy, Manganese is also added in steels in the form of silico manganese. It dissolves in iron in all proportions, Iron for Farm implements uses upto 1.75% Mn and also in automobile parts. Ship construction industry uses steels with even higher content; riffle barrels and heat treated forgings necessarily use ferro manganese as an alloying additive.Ferro Alloys Plays major role in Steel Production and industrial development. Ferro-alloys are iron based alloys with varied elements introduced in steel making to cater to the specific needs. These are specified additions to the production of steel for variousapplications. Generallyferro-alloys are designatedby base metal indicated as under such as: Ferro – silicon, Ferro– manganese, Silico – manganese, Ferro – chromeetc.

The demand for ferro alloys has been increasing with that of alloy and special steels. At the beginning of the previous decade, it was about half-a-million tonnes, increased to over 700,000 tonnes by 1997-98 and reached the level of 1.20 mn tonnes in 2006-07. There are six leading players and over 30 small producers. The industry has tied up with companies in Europe for technology inputs. The major users of alloy steel are: auto industry, railways, forgings, tubes, springs and other engineering industries.The leading players are Alloy Steel (SAIL), Mukand (Advanced Design Materials Corp., USA), Mahindra Ugine, Sunflag Irons & Steel, Vishveshvarya Steel, Kalyani Steel, Panchmahal, Indian Seamless, Shah Alloy Kalyani Carpenter.

TMT Bars

Steel is a generic name for a group of ferrous metals which due to their abundance durability versatility and low cost are most useful metallic material known to mankind. Thermo Mechanical Treatment (TMT) process for reinforcement bars is opening up new vistas in composite RCC, the re-enforcing steel is the costliest constituent (30 To 40% Per Cu. M. of concrete). This cost can be substantially reduced by using higher grades of steel re-enforcing bars. The higher yield strength of re-bars lowers the steel requirement, which results in reduced cost of construction. In India, high strength re-bars of yield strength up to 500 N/sq. mm. are produced either by cold twisting or micro-alloying or a combination of both which adds considerably to the cost of the re-enforcement bars. Thermo Mechanical Treatment (TMT) process for reinforcement bars is opening up new vistas in composite RCC, the re-enforcing steel is the costliest constituent (30 To 40% Per Cu. M. of concrete). This cost can be substantially reduced by using higher grades of steel re-enforcing bars. The higher yield strength of re-bars lowers the steel requirement, which results in reduced cost of construction. In India, high strength re-bars of yield strength up to 500 N/sq. mm. are produced either by cold twisting or micro-alloying or a combination of both which adds considerably to the cost of the re-enforcement bars. Hot working is the initial step in the mechanical working of most metals and alloys. Hot working combines the working and annealing processes by deforming metal above the recrystallisation temperature at which new grains are formed. Since most metals and alloys have relatively high recrystallisation temperatures, they must be worked at high temperatures. The principal methods of hot working are Rolling, Forging, Piercing, Drawing, Spinning, Extruding.

Global steel production has now crossed the 1 billion ton mark due to an upturn in steel demand during the last few years on the back of recovery in the global economy. The recovery had largely been led by increased demand for steel in China. There has also been partial recovery in key sectors such as housing, construction and automobiles in the USA and Europe. Present downturn due to global financial crises economy is in recession.Another important development in the global steel market in the last few years has been the emergence of steel intensive technologies in various user industries leading to increased usage of steel. The consumption is showing a shift from long products to flat products and special quality steels.Global steel trade has now increased to around 350 MT. The industry though continues to be fragmented with top 5 players accounting for less than 20% of the total industry capacity. Global steel manufacturers are increasingly realizing the need to have alliances and consolidation activity has picked up all over the world during the last 2-3 years. Today, Arcelor (Europe) is the largest producer of steel in the world followed by LNM-Ispat Group, Nippon Steel, JEE Holdings, Posco and Shanghai. Not in the standing the present downturn due to global financial crises, the industry is expected to bounce back during the next few years.The Indian iron and steel industry has come to occupy a dominant position in the socio-economic development of the country and it is certainly a matter of pride that India is the 7th largest crude steel-producing nation in the world. Steel production in India got a momentum with the announcement of the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956 when three SAIL plants were set up in the public sector in the late 1950s and the fourth in early 1970. These plants along with IISCO (now, a part of SAIL), VISL and TISCO (now Tata Steel Ltd) were the only integrated steel producers till the eighties. Vizag Steel plant/RINL came into production in theearly nineties.The steel industry in India has always been on the ascent, owing to the abundant availability of raw materials like iron ore, limestone and coal, besides relatively cheap labour, which is a major cost advantage. It is noteworthy to mention that India is the sixth largest producer of iron ore and the tenth largest producer of crude steel in the world. Steel is a core sector industry and the demand for steel affects the economy of the country.

Rice Flakes

Rice Flakes are used as breakfast food. In India, rice flakes are famous by the names like poha/chiwda when cooked as breakfast meal.It ismixed with milk when consumed as cereal.Wide application of Rice Flakes is in the application of beer industry to produce beer. Itcan also be mixed with other dried grain flakes to create a tasty breakfast cereal. When combined with nuts and dried fruit, the rice flakes can also serve as a healthy snack alternative. A traditional dish using rice flakes is known as banh com in Vietnam. Rice is harvested directly from the fields. Rather than parboiling, the rice is roasted and then flattened by hand using a mortar and pestle. This helps to remove the husk or hull of the rice grain. A range of spices is added to the flakes and the mixture is cooked long enough to allow the flavors to mingle. While rice flakes have traditionally been associated with food preparation in eastern countries, the flakes have become more readily available in the West in recent years. It is possible to purchase packaged rice flakes in most grocery stores and supermarkets that carry Asian foods. In addition, many health food stores carry rice flakes as both a cereal and a healthy ingredient for various types of vegetarian dishes.

Food consists of variety of substances called nutrients and the suitable balance of these is essential for human diet. Rice flakes from broken rice used in beer industries, which is cheap convenient and is an innovated concept. The product is used in beer industry which finds a prominent place in alcoholic beverages. Rice flakes from broken rice, used in beer industry is a newly developed concept and has a excellent domestic demand.The total beer industry was around 108 million cases in 2005, which crossed 130 million cases in 2006. Industry analysts say tax and levies on beer are anticipated to fall over the next 2 to 3 years, driving down retail prices by25 to 50%. It is estimated that beer will sell for Rs 15 to Rs 20 per 330 ml can and Rs 20 to Rs 30 per 650 ml bottle in the coming year with the reduction tax and levies. In fact, northern Indian states, which have traditionally shown a preference for hard liquor over beer, witnessed a jump of more than 100% in beer consumption in 2006 as compared to last year. The per capita consumption of beer in India is very low as compared to other countries in Europe and America. At present the per capita consumption is 0.7 litre per annum, but industry experts predict that this may rise to around 20 litres in the next 10 years. Considering the expected increase in consumption and the current growth trends, the future of Indian beer market looks bright and seems set for continuous double digit growth in the coming years.The market for flaked rice will predominantly consist at buyers from group especially of urban and semi-urban areas. Even the people of low-income group can also buy as the products are directly consumed along with jaggery and from coconut pieces by rural folk.

Project Profiles of above projects can be viewed/ downloaded from  http://www.niir.org/profiles/

Download Monthly Issues of Entrepreneur India(an Industrial Monthly Journal on Industrial Development Technologies & Project Opportunities)  from http://www.niir.org/contact/entrepreneur.phtml

 Market Survey Cum Detailed Techno Economic Feasibility Report on above projects can be had from NPCS

 NIIR PROJECT CONSULTANCY SERVICES
AN ISO 9001 : 2008 CERTIFIED COMPANY
106-E, Kamla Nagar, Delhi – 110 007 (India)
Tel: 91-11-23843955, 23845886, 23845654, +918800733955
Fax: 91-11-23841561
E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]  
Website: www.niir.org

To Unsubscribe or change your email preferences, please go to: http://www.niir.org/newsletter/