Coco Fiber business in Coimbatore

It buys coconut husk from farmers at Rs. 100 per 1,000 husks (or coconut shells after extraction of copra) and converts it into coir rope, which it sells to companies like Kurlon, a manufacturer of rubberised coir mattresses, for Rs. 1,600 per quintal.

Over the last one year these farmers, who were earning Rs. 50 per 1,000 husks, have doubled their income to Rs. 100 per 1,000 husks.

The cooperative has introduced products like coir fibre, coir yarn, corridor mats, curled coir, coir composites, coir pith and needle felt or non-woven fabric.

The factory produces 30 tonnes of coir fibre per month and provides livelihood to nearly 400 growers, employing 40 of them directly.

The factory has been securing orders from both the government and the corporate sector. The factory at Thyagatur, which started operations in April 2010, has won orders for its coir products from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited; Malnad Engineering College, Hassan; Kurlon; Abhay Infotech, Ahmedabad and the Karnataka Government's education department.

The Coir Board has provided technology for developing designs for products that are eco-friendly and water-proof. They are five to 10 per cent cheaper than plywood.

"Home designers, furniture outlets, and industrialists are choosing coir products because they are 'value for money', a substitute for synthetic fibres, eco-friendly and versatile, light on the wallet as well as on the environment, durable and weather-resistant," said Kidigannappa.

What are some of the uses for coconuts?

As Fuel

Stanton: "Right now there is a lot of oil production, but beyond that there is not much use for the rest of the coconut. We brainstormed the conventional ways to use the coconut, one idea being to modify an existing diesel engine to run on the coconut oil without making it into biodiesel. It doesn't do a lot of good to have coconut oil available to make into biodiesel if you have to use a chemical, such as methanol, to mix with it. Instead, you can preheat the coconut to about 90 degrees for it to flow through the engine. As long as you start your engine on the diesel, then switch it over to coconut, then switch it back to the diesel towards the end to get the oil out of the lines, it will work just fine."


Charcoal

"We have also looked into making charcoal with the coconut shell," says Stanton. "It burns well and burns quick, but there is still a lot of work to be done."

"Coconut does have a high energy content," admits Dr. Bradley. "Although we think that burning things is usually the least economically advantageous way to use any material."

Cooking and Food
"The coconut has several parts," explains Dr. Bradley. "Its got the meat out of which you can get oil-meal, which can be used to make bread (it also has a decent amount of protein), and is also used for animal feed."

Activated Carbon Filter
"The coconut is very dense, which makes another good application for the coconut shell, activated carbon filters (such as in refrigerator or aquarium water filters)," says Stanton. "However the demand for this is relatively low."

Gardening/Potting Soil, and Diaper Filler Dr. Bradley: "The coconut piph dust can absorb 10 times its weight, which has many interesting applications for gardening when it is mixed with peat moss, which is rich in nutrients. One of our earlier ideas we had was diaper filler. We actually bought some diapers, took the existing stuff out and ran the same tests and found that the absorbed 50 times its weight in water, so we knew we couldn't quite compete with that."

Geotechnical Netting
Stanton: "For the coconut husk which is made of long fibers with a dense piph. It can be twined into rope which is then made into geotechnical netting to be used on hillsides to prevent erosion. You can put grass seed directly into the net, put the net on the hill, and then the grass will start growing. In a few years the nets will biodegrade until all you have left is the grass holding the hillside together. This is very common in typhoon stricken countries that have heavy rain seasons."

Synthetic Fibers for Automotive Grade Interiors
Stanton: "Our first patent pending invention is using the coconut fiber as a replacement for synthetic/polyester fibers in thermal forming composites (such as the plastics found in the interior surfaces of an automobile). We replace some of the oil based synthetic fibers normally used with coconut fibers for reinforcement composites. It costs much less than synthetics, it is more environmentally friendly (safer), and it allows the farmers who live in these rural countries to make more money for the product they grow."

"11 million coconut farmers rely exclusively on the coconuts they grow for their income and they make between $1 to $2 a day, but if we could raise that to $6 or $7 a day, it would make a tremendous difference in their available lifestyle (which means they will get to eat). We could help these people, lower the costs for the product, and create a sustainable business, so it is not all based on charity."

Dr. Bradley: "Why we are looking at coconut fiber for automotive composites is because we want big huge markets, so that if we can find something that works, it will generate literally millions of pounds of demand at a much better price point. This application has the potential to dramatically increase the demand for coconut fiber over the current polyester (synthetic) fiber. Our goal would be to at least triple the income of a lot of poor coconut farmers. They typically have between six to eight family members a piece, so the total number of people to be benefited would be about 80 million."

"The coconut replacement fiber will help the poor farmer, make the finished automotive product more green, and its mechanical properties are as good if not better than the current polyester. It is kind of a win-win for everyone. Also, coconut fiber does not burn very easily, which is one of the tests that will have to be performed in order for it to be used as an automotive application."


Coir (the fiber from the husk of the coconut) is used in ropes, mats, brushes, sacks, caulking for boats and as stuffing fiber for mattresses.[42] It is used in horticulture in potting compost, especially in orchid mix.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises can avail Loan of 3% Interest

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises taking loans for modernisation programmes can now avail of a back-ended interest subsidy scheme at the rate of 3 per cent.

Under the scheme, Rs 10 lakh will be given for each enterprise.

It said micro and small enterprises that had availed term loans are eligible too.

New enterprises that had established facilities or existing MSMEs that upgraded existing plants with modern technology and induction of improved technologies are also eligible.

Stove Business in Madurai : Export to Kerala - Small Scale Industries in Madurai

In Kerala villages, most of them use wood for their cooking purposes as a fuel. Whenever there are monsoon rains, they suffer because they don't get dried woods at all for burning for cooking purposes.

In order to work this out, Kerala villages uses Kerosene Stoves for all cooking purposes. Madurai is the only place in Tamil Nadu to produce stoves. The burners and valves are imported from Bengaluru and Mysore. However the welding works and shaping up of the stoves from the raw iron is done by Madurai small scale industries (companies).

Today 1 Kg of Iron costs only Rs.52 and it has been on high demand for the stoves from Kerala, hence Madurai Stove industries are working very hard to meet the demands.

Good stuff...for Small scale industries in Madurai!!

Tiles, Marbles, Granite - Ceramic Tiles, Vitrified Tiles, Floor Tiles, Wall Tiles Dealer in Madurai

Tiles, Marbles, Granite - Ceramic Tiles, Vitrified Tiles, Floor Tiles, Wall Tiles Dealer in Madurai

If you are looking for building your new home/house or renovating your old house, here is a good dealer for you in Madurai for all your tiles, granites and marbles needs.

If you want Ceramic Tiles, Vitrified Tiles, Floor Tiles, Wall Tiles, Kitchen design tiles, bathroom design tiles etc., here is a good dealer for you.

"Contact Bhavani Tiles - 9443693706 or 9842748147."
When you call please mention - "Alagappan Nagar Tamil Selvan" referred you to the website.

If you want similar Internet Advertisement, MaayaaMarketing.com provides all kinds of Internet Marketing Services in tamil nadu.

Liberty shoes to open shop in Madurai

Liberty Shoes managing director (retail and marketing) Anupam Bansal told reporters in Chennai today that the company, which had 58 stores in seven cities in the region, proposed to open 25 new stores, including one at Madurai, Puducherry and Chennai.

The company manufactures 50,000 pairs of footwear every year in its 12 facilities.

South India contributed Rs35 crore turn over to the company's Rs300 crore revenue and the company expects the revenue to double after the addition of new stores.

He said exports contributed 25% of the company's revenue.

Madurai Tea shop - a speciality beverage in Madurai

Earlier, I have written about Madurai Tea shops - click here to read, but please come back to this article.

Madurai Tea shops are special. You want to know the reasons, here are they -

* 365/24/7 you can get tea.
* tea with a combination of murukku anytime. But in special times like evenings, you get bajji, vada etc.,
* You are treated royal, if you are decent enough in dressing.
* 1/2 tea can be ordered. that means one tea can be shared in two glass tumblers by two individuals.
* Tea is served in glass tumblers with 3/4'ths filled with tea. Smoke is also sold anytime, even one-by-one. - 'Bossu cigarette saapteengalaa bossu?' - 'bossu neenga cigarette saappudra palakkam irukkaa?'
* A friendship is shared with a tea. - 'Bossu teaa saappudunga bossuu'.
* A conversation is started with a tea.
* A Thanks is conveyed with a tea.
* On an average, men drink like 3-5 teas in a day, when they go out.
* 'paal-tea' can be ordered - which has more milk in it. that is why it is called paal-tea.
* Any corner street or main town place you go, you can get tea.
* The number of tea shops in Madurai is infinite.
* you also get other beverages - coffee, horlicks, bournvita...
* Even in hot sun and middle of the noon - madurai folks would be drinking tea, instead they should be drinking cool drinks.
* A tea used to cost Re.1 and 50 paise. But today, it costs Rs.2, 50 paise and Rs.3.

Madurai Tea shop is Madurai's Starbucks coffee place, as in US.

What if I have to setup a tea shop and consider it as one of my businesses?? Yes, it is possible. There are two ways - either setup a roadside shop or setup an upscale one like Coffee Day or any Coffee Bar etc., as my friend used to like Visalam Coffee Bar - I have never been there...

It is a real good business to setup a tea or coffee shop in Madurai. It will turn out to be a good profitable business...Think about it!!

A Video from YouTube on Tea/Coffee Shop in Madurai

Business Success Case Analysis - All about people - Madurai Business Wisdom

A business evolves from an idea. An idea originates on a person's mind, while he/she sees a problem and there are too many people who would want that problem to be solved. Of course, the person who comes up with this idea is passionate about the whole thing.

As long as the person is a passionate about the idea, then if (s)he keeps working on that idea. The real turning point happens, when more people get attracted to the solution. People think that he is really solving the problem. This is the case when the business goes into success stage. More people get attracted into the business - automatically things would work out.

For example - Craigslist.org's Craig created the classifieds website and gave it free for all the users and visitors, while all the classified websites were asking money. Craig made the user interface simple that anybody could use it. Simplicity in doing things and do not complicate things. Now, Craig charges the "Post Jobs" feature only and that company is successful.

That is the idea. Say - you have a website - once you have considerable number of visitors, automatically you can convert that website into a business and it will fetch you revenue.

That is what I am talking about. Get many people know about business and that will reach as many people as needed and in fact much more than needed.

Overall Business Thumb rule is - Get more people to know about your business and use your services at low cost or free and they will come to know how special you are - and you will be successful, provided you serve what they need in right manner.

Family pressure for Entrepreneurs in Madurai

Parents say no to risks for Madurai Small Startups

Mr.X(name hidden for privacy) resigned his day job and plans to start a company of his own in Madurai.

X is a married man, with dependants including his wife, son, dad and mom.
When a young professional resigns his day job, takes risks - there is lot of oppositions and negative advocacy from all sides. Parents think from a conservative perspective and non-risky thinking of sticking to a job and getting salary and living a normal life.

It is good to have devil's advocate, when we are having an idea and we are going to execute the same. However, it is difficult to have all of them all the time. Those inputs has to be considered for improvement, but not to impediment any success steps.

If you have a brilliant idea, which you think will be a success in the market, considering your market research; if you have a business plan to execute the plan, which is reviewed by experts and they and you think that it is a good idea, if executed properly. Then nothing should stop you from executing this idea.

My friend X is going through this phase and he is starting a company of his own. I wish him success in his venture and "Made in Madurai" is backing up his business with funding.

Shri Balaji Agencies - LPG Distributor in Madurai

If you have lived with your family sometime during last 25 years in Madurai, you might have definitely used Shri Balaji Agencies's service.

Yes, they are the leading pioneering distributor of LPG (Cooking Gas) for households in and around Madurai.

Read about Shri Balaji Agencies here -

We are the leading LPG Distributor in this temple town of Madurai. For the past 23 years we have been rendering yeoman service to the LPG consumers in and around Madurai. Today we stand tall because of your unstinted support and patronage.

We earnestly thank all our customers who have been with us all through our trials and tribulations.

We solicit your continued support and valuable feedback to continually improve and upgrade our services to meet your requirements.

Here is the contact info

Difference between satisfied customers and loyal customers: Madurai Business Execution Tips

How can you differentiate between your satisfied customers and your loyal customers? Here are eight ways. They are equally relevant to your external customers as they are to your internal employee customers.

1.Pricing. You negotiate prices with satisfied customers. You negotiate costs with loyal customers.

2.Payment. Satisfied customer pay at their discretion. Loyal customers pay on time.

3.Referrals. Satisfied customers become referrals of your competitors. Loyal customers willingly provide referrals to you.

4.Turnover. Generally, you will experience turnover rates of 15% or higher of satisfied customers. The turnover rate of loyal customers will be less than 5% and will be for reasons out of your control.

5.Competitive data. Your satisfied customers are seeking competitive data. Your loyal customers are sharing competitive data.

6.Perception. Satisfied customers perceive you as a commodity provider. Loyal customers perceive you as a partner.

7.Contract. You will need a contract to keep many satisfied customers in place. You have a virtual lifetime contract with your loyal customers.

8.Difficult times. Satisfied customers will leave you. Loyal customers will stay by your side.

Madurai Spinners Associaion say NO to Cotton waste export

The Madurai Spinners Association has called for halting export of cotton waste as it had an adverse impact on the industry resulting in closure of units.

After changes in the technology, cotton wastes gained value-addition. Many subsidiary units with two and three open spinning frames with investment in the order of Rs. 1 crore in small scale industry emerged employing a large work force.

He said that at present, owing to a scarcity of short staple fibres, open end spinners across the country were behind cotton waste generated in spinning mills.

Read more

What is the plan to put up, if an NRI wants to go back to Madurai, India?

You are an NRI or NRM? You always think about your home town, your home country. You are home sick. You are sick of your host country, where you have migrated? You think you will be better off, if you go back to Madurai(your home town or your home country). and do your own business.

If you are an NRI/NRM and wants to go back to Madurai, here is the plan I would suggest:

1) Have an AIM/GOAL written down in a single page. Let it be very short and sweet. Discuss your aim and/or goal with your spouse and children(if more than 10 years old).

2) Have a written personal and business plan, specifying your short-term, medium-term and long-term aims and plans on executing them.

3) Have a risk management plan. that is plan-B. What if, it did not work. Have Plan-C. What if, your plan-a and plan-b did not work!?

4) Build immovable assets, before you return back. For example, buy land or house in Madurai.

5) Have money generating assets in Madurai. For example, you should not be doing much work, but you should be getting some money for running the family. Say - a rent from a house you have rented to somebody else. Say - a rent from a commercial complex in Madurai.

6) Have a huge emergency fund. Deposit it somewhere, so that you either get a monthly income out of it and make sure it is liquid OR it can be a long-term growth deposit.

7) Have a retirement plan and fund it periodically. Have an insurance plan. If anything happens to you, what happens to your family. Be prepared for htat.

8) Have good amount of initial investment money for your business you are starting.

9) Be sure you are hardworking, consistent with your goals. Update your goals and plans as you proceed.

10) Be passionate with what you are doing and what you have planned to do. If you are passionate and if you love what you do, no one can stop you from your SUCCESS.

Madurai Automobile Dealership: SG Jayaraj Group

Mahindra Scorpio is the most wanted SUV (automobile) in and around Madurai area.
Here is one successful dealer of Mahindra Scorpio in Madurai!

SG Jayaraj Group, Madurai

Established in 1940. SGJ Group, Madurai - sell and service leading brands like Mahindra, Swaraj, Hindustan motors, Bajaj Tempo, L&T, Vikram, LML, Etc. Today with ISO 9001:2000, certainly it is a feather in our cap ! They have won all India No.1 in Service Customer Satisfaction for M&M dealership in F2003 and F2004. Madurai M&M dealership is an award winner of South India No.1 in Sales Satisfaction Index of M&M in F2003 and F2005.

Few achievements:
* Tamil Nadu no.2 in Mahindra Scorpio sales during 2003-2004.
* First ISO 9002 certified automobile dealership company in
Tamil Nadu since 1998 and it has been updated and
recertified with ISO 9001:2000 version.
* Largest seller of Mahindra LCV (passenger) in India
for more than 10 years.
* Tamil Nadu no.1 in Mahindra pickups and Mahindra
Cabking/Loadking sales.
* All India no.6 in Bajaj Tempo Minidor (commercial three wheeler)
sales in October 2003.
* Tamil Nadu no.2 in Bajaj tempo trax pickups and tempo excel sales
F-2004 next to Coimbatore .
* South India no.3 in Swaraj tractor sales for the past few years.

Check out SGJ Group

Start a software product or services company serving Small and Medium Businesses in Madurai and India

Right time to start a software product or services company serving Small and Medium Businesses in Madurai and India

There are two factors which are haunting me.

One is -
Yahoo's news that Yahoo Software Development Pvt Ltd, India is keen to partner with entrepreneurs.
If you have a very good application software, local search engine, or any locally serving application, Yahoo is ready to look
into it and buy it or partner with us.

Even, Yahoo is ready to partner with the entrepreneur.

Check out this article in Business Line

Another one is -

Based on a recent statistics, there is going to be 21% increase in IT expenditure in Small and Medium Businesses in India.

That means, if you have a software company, which would serve with products and services to small to medium businesses in India,

then it would be the BEST.

You have a huge potential!!!

Think about it - Come with an idea and get going on serving Small to Medium Businesses. This will make sure you gain with the curve and get profited in Madurai and eventually in India.

Madurai IT Park supporting/ancillary/associated business growth

Madurai IT Park supporting/ancillary/associated business growth


Once you Madurai IT Park is built, there are lot of possibilities for starting supporting/ancillary/associated business.

You don't need to be a software guy to enjoy the benfits of Madurai IT Park.
You could start a small business of your own capacity like restaurant, retail shop of anything of demand etc.,

The small business I am talking about could be any supporting business for the residential and working community in the new area of Greater Madurai.

As someone had said, start the business when the economy is shining and starting to grow. You will also grow with the economy and all the developments happenning around the area.

For example, you could start a cleaning service, security service, administrative service, transport service for the buildings and community of Madurai IT park area.

Services business sounds like a good idea to start with.

1) Have a taxi service in madurai and take the upcoming demand for transport at your side.
2) Have a security human resources company, where in you can provide security personnels to the buildings and companies.
3) Start a computer hardware services company, which would serve the computers in the software companies.
4) Start a cleaning service, which would serve the human resources to maintain the buildings and the area.

There are lot of ways to gain yourself with the madurai growth. The choice is upto you!!!

Madurai Health Business - Fitness Centre/Center - Madurai GYM

Sponsored by Sana Aerobics - Ladies Gym in Madurai

Considering the health consciousness among the people in Madurai these days, opening a Fitness Centre(center) OR Madurai GYM in Madurai is a good idea. If you see the madurai roads in the morning, there are lot of people walking in the main roads and in the residential areas.

It is a good idea to walk and it avoids any heart diseases in future. Having these people in mind, youngsters and wishing-slim-body ladies in mind, a sophisticated gym in madurai is a lucrative idea.

You just have to do investment initially to get the equiptment and space.
In order for maintenance and operations, it is going to cost lesser than you think. So it is only initial investment.

Think about this GYM idea for your business in Madurai!!!

::: iMadurai :: A Free and Complete Directory of Great Madurai - Madurai Directory - Madurai Yellow Pages::: Madurai Classifieds:::

::: iMadurai :::

A Free and Complete Directory of Great Madurai - Madurai Directory - Madurai Yellow Pages:::

A BETA version of iMadurai - a madurai directory is built and published starting today.

We believe, for all your madurai directory needs, this would be very helpful.

As we have specified, the website iMadurai.com - A Free Madurai Directory is in BETA. That means - there would be errors. If you find it, please let us know and we will fix it. This is a FREE non-profit service to Madurai community and business people.

In order for your Madurai Business to improve, any updates to the directory can be sent to maduraitimes@gmail.com

Thank you

Madurai Entrepreneurship help: Small Business in Madurai

If you need advice about your new small business in Madurai, consult the following to get more details... They are registered organizations from government to help individuals start and run small businesses in Madurai.

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development - CED, Madurai

CED-SIPO,
Campus No. 4, T.B.Road,
Madurai-625010

Tel : 0452-2602388(O)/2602476(P)
Telex : 0445-310-SSPIN
Fax : 0452-2602455
Contact : Member Secy.

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MADITSSIA - Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association
Dr. Ambedkar Road, Madurai - 625 020, Phone : 2523966 Fax : 452 - 2523967
E-mail : info@maditssia.com; maditssia@sify.com;


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CII Madurai Branch

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LIST OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES in Madurai and other parts of India

Shri A.K. Srivastave (Director)
Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (UP) A 1 & 2 Sarojini Nagar, Industrial Area, Kanpur Road,
Lucknow-226008 (UP)


Sh. G. Nagraju (Director)
Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of Karnataka, “West View” UB Hills, Near D.C. office,
Dharward-580007


Sh. B.V. Rathod (Director)
Maharashtra Centre for Entrepreneurship Development A-38, MIDC near Railway Station
Aurangabad-431005


Sh. P.N. Mishra, (Executive Dir)
Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, 60 Jail Road, Jahangirabad, Bhopal-462008


Sh. B.P. Rayaguru, (Director )
Institute of Entrepreneurship Development, IEDO, Plot No. 123, Sector-A, Zone-A,
Mancheswar Industrial Estate (near Postal Printing Press)
Bhubneswar-751010 Orissa


Sh. P.A. Ramaswamy, (M.D.)
Kerala Industrial & Technical Consultancy organisation Ltd., P.B. No. 1820, Ravipuram,
M.G. Road, Cochin-682016


Sh. P.C. Gupta, (Executive Dir.)
H.P.C.E.D., Udyog Bhawan, Bemloe, Shimla-171001


Dr. R. Jaya raman (Member Secy.)
Centre for Entrepreneurs Development, CED SIPPO Campus No. 4,
T.B. Road, Madurai-625010


Sh. Prasanna Kumar, (IAS)
Haryana Institute of Public Administration, 76, HIPA Complex, Sector-18
Gurgaon-122001


Sh. D.K. Sharma, (Jt. Director)
Entrepreneurship and Management Laboratory Building, 22 Godown, Industrial Area-1
Jaipur-302019


Smt. K. Rama Devi, (President,)
CED an undertaking of Association Andhra Pradesh, 3-5-1091/15
Narayanaguda, Hyderabad-500029


Member Secretary,
J&K Entrepreneurship Development Institute (J&K, EDI)
O/o Directorate of Industries & Commerce, Exhibition Ground, Residency Road,
J & K Govt. Jammu/ Srinagar


Sh. Lakshman Prasad (Executive Dir)
IED Bihar, B.S.F.C. Building, 5th floor, Fraser Road, P.B. No. 114,
PATNA-800 001


Dr. V.G. Patil, (Vice-President & Director,)
EDII, (Near Village Bhat, Via Ahmedabad Airport, & Indira Bridge,
P.O. Bhat, Ahmedabad-382428, Gandhi Nagar, Gujrat