History
Scientific and Industrial Testing And Research Centre (SITARC) formerly known as Small Industries’ Testing and Research Centre came into existence on 30.03.1987 when it was floated as a society with an assistance of Rs.40 lacs from Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) under the Small Industrial Development Fund. SITARC is the brain child of Southern India Engineering Manufacturers’ Association (SIEMA) and Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA). The first testing facility was made available on 02.10.1987 and SITARC was inaugurated by Shri.J.Vengala Rao, then Minister for Industries, Government of India on 29.04.1989. The founder president of SITARC was Shri. G.Varadharaj, then M.P.
State Bank of India has associated with SITARC in the upgradation of small pump and motors industries and foundries.
Under this association training courses in foundry and workshop have been evolved and conducted for the benefit of shop floor personnel. A standard pump range chart has also been evolved. Energy efficiency and cost optimized prototype Si’Tarc Mark I, II & III monoset pumps Si’Tarc Mark I, Mark II and Mark III have been successfully produced.
Pumps play an important role in any nation’s economy. In our country 45% of electric power consumed is by pumps. Agriculture pumps use more than one third of total electric power consumed. Due to improper selection, installation and maintenance of not so efficient pumpsets, these pumps waste almost 50% of their consumed energy. A rough estimate shows that Rs.10000 crores per year worth of electric power is wasted. Roughly half of the agricultural pumpsets are made in Coimbatore by more than 300 small industry and the castings obtained from about 600 cupola foundries. In order to help the industries to improve on this situation, SPI came into existence during 1995 as a four year project with technical and financial assistance from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu. The objectives of the project is to enhance the capabilities of Si’Tarc in the functional areas of design, testing, prototyping, tooling, applied research, consultancy, information services and training to serve small scale pumpset manufacturers and consumers.
The project is managed by a Project Steering Committee and Project Implementation Committee consisting of members representing, Govt. of India, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Govt. of Tamil Nadu and industry members.
The project started functioning during 1995. The SPI is to provide the following services to motor pump industry.
Under this project SPI is collaborating with experts from advanced institutions in Europe and has made a twinning arrangement with Cranfield University, UK to train the personnel of Si’Tarc in all the areas mentioned above. These arrangements are made by UNIDO for UNDP.
Coimbatore Industrial Infrastructure Association (COINDIA) project was started in 2005 to upgrade industrial infrastructure of small scale industries. A cluster programme of pump, motor and foundry units is under progress. Si’Tarc is also a beneficiary under this scheme and an investment of Rs.5.4 Crores is made in equipment, machineries and building. Si’Tarc and COINDIA jointly conducted the Training programmes.