A group of knits unit owners, who use imported machinery in Tirupur knitwear cluster, will be launching a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for product diversification from apparels to home textiles or value-added products and set up training and testing facilities through the consortium approach. The project is first of its kind in the Tirupur cluster. About 70 per cent of the initial capital will be drawn as grants-in-aid from different government sponsored schemes with an aim to produce the requisite skilled workforce and ensure business expansion.

Nearly 25 knitting units which use high-end imported machinery have joined the initiative. The training institute, planned under SPV project, will impart skills needed for workers in a scientific manner as well as train another set of people on maintenance and repair of the costly imported machines so as to bring down the cost and loss of time incurred due to break down of the appliances.

Once the scientifically trained workforce is ready, the industry would be able to diversify the product range from readymade garments to even home textiles and niche denim products as well as value-added sports and leisure wear through the knitting method.

The proposed testing laboratory is aimed at helping knitters carry out commercial batch-wise testing of fabrics and yarns for various properties at minimal service charges.