First coir factory in India is Darragh Smail & Company, Alleppey. It is established in 1859 by James Darragh, an American Irish Origin. It has offices in London and Newyork. The manufacture of mats and mattings was first introduced.
The first Textile Mill was established at Kollam (1881).
The first Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) is a Soap Institute founded by Madras Government in 1914.
Industries like Rayons, Titanium Dioxide, Ammonium Sulphate, Caustic Soda factories started during the period of Sir C.P. Ramaswami Ayyar.
The first Industries Minister of Kerala is K.P.Gopalan.
Prathyasa - Kerala Local Industry Promotion Programme (KLIPP) is a Deposit mobilisation programme. It implemented through District Industries Centres.
Most important Industrial centre in Kerala is Aluva in Ernakulam district.
Industrial Single Window Boards streamline the process for obtaining clearances for setting up industries, reduce delays and cut red tapism.
KINFRA is Kerala Infrastructure Development Corporation. It was set up in 1993. Its headquarters is at Thiruvananthapuram.
SISI is Small Industries Service Institute. It is located at Thrissur.
KITCO is Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organization. It is situated at Ernakulam.
RIDF is Rural Infrastructural Development Fund. It was formed by NABARD in 1995-96.
SIDCO is Small Industries Development Corporation. It is established in 1975.
First Sugar factory is Pampa Sugar mill. It is located at Niranam, Pathanamthitta District.
Largest number of industrial units is at Ernakulam district.
Least number of industrial units is at Wayanad.
Largest number of industrial workers is in Kollam.
Highest number of Small Scale industries is at Ernakulam followed by Thrissur.
Highest number of Public Sector industries is at Thiruvananthapuram.
Traditional Industries in Kerala
Coir Industries
Kerala aggregates 95 percent of the entire coir and coir product production in India.
Coir sector provides employment to around 4 lakh persons, of which 84% are women.
Kerala Government declared the year 2010 as the 'Year of Coir'.
The Slogan of Kerala Coir is ‘Golden Yarn of God's Own Country'.
The first Coir village (gramam) is Vayalar.
Coir Board was formed in 1954.
The Coir Board was started by the Union Government under Coir Industry Act 1955.
Coir Research Institute is located at Kalavoor.
Apex federation in the coir sector is Kerala State Coir Co-operative Marketing Federation (COIRFED) located in AIappuzha (1979).
Public sector undertakings in the coir sector are Kerala State Coir Corporation Ltd (KSCC) and Foam Mattings (India) Ltd (FOMIL).
The National Coir Training and Designing Centre is located at Alappuzha (1965).
National Coir Research and Management Institute (NCRMI) is located at Thiruvananthapuram.
The largest importer of coir products from India is America followed by UK and Germany.
Handloom Industries
Institute of Handloom & Textile Technology of Kannur is a Nodal agency for training, research and development in the handloom and textile sector.
Procurement and marketing of handloom fabrics are undertaken by Hantex and Hanveev.
Apex body of handloom co-operatives are Kerala State Handloom Weaver's Co-operative Society (Hantex) established in 1961.
Hanveev is Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation which is started in 1968.The earlier name is The Kerala State Handloom Finance Corporation (1968). The objectives are providing assistance in manufacturing and marketing products. Its corporate office is at Kannur.
TEXFED is Kerala State Co-operative Textile Federation operating seven Co-operative mills.
SURABI is Kerala State Handicrafts Apex Co-operative Society.
Major promotional agencies in the handicrafts industry are Handicrafts Development Corporation and Artisans Development Corporation.
Handicrafts Development Corporation of Kerala was established in 1968. It is engaged in procuring and marketing handicrafts products by giving fair returns to artisans through its Kairali emporia.
KADCO is The Kerala Artisans Development Corporation (established in 1981).
The largest number of handloom societies is at Thiruvananthapuram District.
The lowest number of handloom societies is at Wayanad.
The Scheme for handloom workers is 'Thanima' for Thiruvananthapuram District and ‘Kruthika' for Kannur District.
Cashew Industries
The largest producer of cashew nut is Kannur.
The agencies in cashew processing sector are KSCDC and CAPEX.
The Kerala State Cashew Development Corporation (KSCDC) was incorporated in July 1969 and started in 1971. Its headquarters is at Kollam.
Kerala State Cashew Workers Apex Co-operative Society (CAPEX) has its headquarters at Kollam. It is registered in 1984.
The largest number of Cashew Industry Units is at Kollam and largest producer of Cashewnut is Kannur.
Rubber Industries
First Rubber Factory in India is Travancore Rubber Factory. It was founded in 1935 at Thiruvananthapuram. It is the first Public Sector Undertaking in erstwhile Travancore.
Rubber Board is a statutory body formed by the Union Government (1947). Its headquarters is at Kottayam.
The first commercial Hevea plantations in the country were started at Thattekadu in 1902. The most economically important rubber tree is Hevea brasiliensis which is native to tropical South America.
Rubbermark is Kerala State Co-operative Rubber Marketing Federation Limited. It is the Apex institution of the Primary Rubber Marketing Co-operatives in Kerala. It is the largest Supplier of Natural Rubber in India.
RUBCO is Kerala state Rubber Co-operative Ltd. It was set up in the year 1997. Its corporate office is at Kannur.
Khadi and Village Industries
Kerala Khadi and Village Industries Board was formed as a statutory body. Its head office is at Ernakulam (1957). Its chairman is Minister for Co-operation, Khadi & Village Industries. It was established in 1957. All India Khadi and Rural Development Board was formed in 1953.
Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry
KCCI is a voluntary organization that promotes and develops trade and industry in Kerala. It functions as a Central Forum for Business persons. It was established in 1951. Its head quarters are at Cochin.
It is the first trade organization in the country to obtain the ISO Accreditation.
Public sector undertakings in Kerala
Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) in Kerala are of two types. The public sector units where maximum shares hold by Central Government and the public sector units where maximum shares hold by State Government.
There are around 104 enterprises extended over 14 various sectors of Kerala economy.
Majority of the state Public Sector Undertakings units are controlled by the Department of Industries & Commerce.
A few Public Sector Undertakings including KINFRA, KSIDC, SIDCO and others are promotional agencies.
KELTRON
Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation is a public sector Electronics Company. It is located in Thiruvananthapuram. It was established in 1973.
The country’s first and the biggest electronics corporation in the State sector.
Major products include mines for Indian navy and various parts of Rockets for Indian space research organisation (ISRO). Also produces basic electronic components. It provides services in the field of information technology, animation, and web designing and geo-informatics services.
Keltron Equipments complex is at Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Keltron Electro Ceramics Limited was established in 1974 in Kuttipuram.
Keltron Animation Campus is a best academy which is specialized on Animation and Multimedia.
HLL Lifecare Ltd.
Its former name is Hindustan Latex Limited (HLL). It produce health care products, including condoms, blood bags, and contraceptive pills. It is situated at Thiruvananthapuram.
Mavoor Rayons is located at Kozhikode. It was closed now. The most important centers of world wood Industry is Kallayi, Kozhikode.
Kerala Automobiles is located at Neyyatinkara.
Newsprint factory is located at Velloor of Kottayam.
The first Malayali to become director of Travancore Industries Department was IC Chacko (1921).
The Mannam Sugar Mill is located at Pandalam (Pathanamthitta).
Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT)
It is the first fertilizer plant in Kerala.
It is a Government of India Enterprise.
FACT was started by Sheshasai brothers.
Its incorporation was in 1943 by Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. Its location is at Udyogamandal. In 1947, FACT started production of Ammonium Sulphate. It developed into a Kerala State public sector enterprise in the year 1960 and after two years in 1962 it fall under Central Government.
Cochin Refinery
Government of India Public sector company (1963). It is situated at Ambalamukal in Cochin. It was acquired by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd in 2006.
RIAB
Public Sector Restructuring and Internal Audit Board (RIAB) constituted in 1995 is located at Thiruvananthapuram.
It executes State Owned Enterprise Reform Initiatives.
RIAB also carries out macro level fund management and monitoring and performance management of state owned enterprises.
K-BIP
Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) is an independent institution managed by the Industries & Commerce Dept. It is a registered society under the Travancore Cochin Scientific Literary Charitable Societies Act, 1955. It was incorporated in 1991.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)
It was incorporated in 1972 as a Government of India company.
The first ship built in Cochin Shipyard is Rani Padmini. It was launched on January 27, 1981.
It is currently building first indigenous aircraft carrier for Indian Navy, Vikrant-class aircraft carriers.
International Container Transshipment Terminal
It is known as the Vallarpadam Terminal.
It provides container trans-shipment facility which is part of the Kochi Port.
The first phase of the international container trans-shipment terminal was commissioned on 11th February 2011.
The terminal is functioned by the Dubai Ports World (DPW).
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
The industries fall under this zone were craftworks, handlooms, Khadi cloths, Food processing units, apparel and fabric makings, and industries associated to coir, rubber, plastic, mud, wood, mud products and so on.
The Institutions promoting Industries
Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC)
Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC)
Small Industries Development Corporation of India (SIDBI)
Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA)
Infrastructure Kerala Limited (INKL)
Directorate of Industries & Commerce (DIC)
Kerala Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO)
MSME Development Unit (formerly SIST)
Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organization (KITCO)
Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP)
Centre for Management Development (CMD)
IMPORTANT PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS (PSU)
Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML) is located at Kollam (1972) is manufacturing Titanium Dioxide. Its brand name is KEMOX.
Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals is located at Kalavoor, Alappuzha (1974).
Travancore Titanium Products Ltd is located at Thiruvananthapuram (1946). It is the largest manufacturers and suppliers of Titanium Dioxide (Anatase Grade) pigment in India. It produces pigment grade Titanium dioxide from ilmenite.
Malabar Cements Ltd is located at Walayar, Palakkad (1984).
Travancore Cements Ltd is located at Kottayam (1946).
Travancore Cochin Chemicals Ltd is located at Udyogamandal (1950). Here it is manufacturing and marketing of Caustic Soda, Chlorine and allied chemicals.
Kerala Electrical & Allied Engineering is located at Kochi (1964). Here its function is basic engineering services / products.
United Electrical Industries Ltd is located at Angamaly (1950). They are pioneers in energy meter manufacturing and Switch gear items.
Transformers and Electricals Kerala Ltd is located at Angamaly (1966). They produce High Voltage equipments.
Traco Cable Company located at Kochi (1964). They manufacture high quality electric Cables and Wires.
Kerala Clays & Ceramics Products Ltd situated at Pappinisery, Kannur (1964).
Kerala Ceramics Ltd located at Kundara, Kollam (1963). Their area is Mining and Refining of China Clay and manufacture of Porcelain wares.
Kerala State Electronic Development Corporation Ltd. (KELTRON) located at Trivandrum established in 1973.
Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation located at Trivandrum (1961).
Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) sited at Trivandrum.
Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Ltd (KSIE), Trivandrum (1973). They revive and nurse the sick units.
Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO), Trivandrum (1975).
Metal Industries Ltd is located at Shornur, Palakkad (1928). They manufacture and market various agricultural implements and tools.
SAIL-SCL Kerala Ltd: (1972) producing good quality steel products.
Kerala Automobiles Limited (KAL), Thiruvananthapuram (1978). They manufacture Three Wheeler Vehicles (Diesel, Petrol & CNG). Their Brand name is KERALA.
Steel & Industrial Forgings Ltd (SIFL), Thiruvananthapuram (1983). SIFL provide to various Industries in Defence, Heavy engineering, Aerocraft, Railways, Earthmoving Machineries, Automobiles, Agriculture etc.
Autocaust Ltd, Cherthala, Alappuzha (1984). It manufactures all kinds of Ferrous Castings.
Kerala State Textile Corporation Ltd, Thiruvananthapuram (1972).
Kerala State Co-operative Textile Federation Limited – TEXFED, Thiruvananthapuram
