Common Facility Center

In Sialkot Tannery Zone most of the small tanners have opted for Crust and Wet Blue to Finish Production and being SMES are looking at STAGL for provision of technical assistance on modern techniques of finishing. Obviously the SMEs cannot afford these modern Eco-friendly equipments and nor they possess the skills to handle such machines.

Hence it has been planned to establish a common facility cum training centre where training to the workers on modern Eco-friendly technique of leather finishing could be implemented and at the same time the leather may be processed according to latest trends and fashions with the help of these modern machines so FTC could serve as Demo facility for SMEs.

In the purposed training centre, the possible occupational risk/hazards in various processes of leather manufacturing and finishing could be addressed like provision of modern machines, better chemical management, good housekeeping; First aid facility, OHS policies; poisonous gas and deducting aids and testing techniques for H₂S, Anthrax infection; musculoskeletal injuries due to mishandling; fire hazards, risk assessment and emergency response etc. Training may also address provision of PPE’s. Similarly provision of modern finishing equipments may facilitate to demonstrate Eco-friendly chemicals/ finishes and may help to reduce hazardous emissions. Training of energy efficiency (resource Conservation) is also very essential.

To sum up the SMEs in Sialkot do not have access to modern equipments and needed to be trained on technical aspects. As such the situation warrants the establishment of a Common Facility cum training Centre at STZ for SMEs for which assistance from the International N.G.O’s/Donor Agencies and National Institutions would be highly welcomed.