The South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) in Coimbatore has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) to promote research and technical cooperation in key areas of textile innovation and technology development.

The MoU was signed during the Taipei Innovative Textile Application Show (TITAS) 2026 held in Taiwan recently by T. Rajkumar, vice-chairman of SITRA and Chiu Sheng-fu, vice-president of TTRI.

A press release from the SITRA said the collaboration will focus on development of man-made fibres for speciality applications, medical textiles, and sustainable solutions for the textile processing industry to produce advanced textile products.

The partnership brings together SITRA’s strengths in textile research, testing, consultancy, training and industry support with TTRI’s expertise in advanced textile technologies, applied research and innovation. It aims to translate shared knowledge and research capabilities into practical, scalable solutions for the textile industry.

Mr. Rajkumar said in a release, “This MoU marks the beginning of a forward-looking partnership between two institutions committed to advancing textile technology, strengthening industrial competitiveness, and promoting a sustainable and innovation-driven textile sector.”

Coimbatore Investors Network (COIN), a recently-formed not-for-profit community for entrepreneurs, professionals, and investors to understand financial markets better, will connect investors across experience levels, strengthen their understanding of businesses, and encourage informed investment decisions.

It will bring leading financial minds, ideas, and professional networks from across India to Coimbatore, said a press release from the COIN.

About 110 members came together for an inaugural meeting held on October 10 where R. Kalyanaraman, Managing Director, Digital Business Group, JM Financial Services Limited, shared his insights on “Learnings from the Markets and Life.”

Mr. Kalyanaraman highlighted India’s growing formalisation and deeper capital markets, stressing that personal investing deserves the same discipline as running a business.

The members of COIN will receive daily insights on the economy and markets. Every 45 days, the community will meet to hear leading professionals and guest experts, share knowledge, and exchange investment perspectives, the statement said.

The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has stepped up efforts to create 140 ponds across rural Coimbatore, 16 new ponds and 124 smaller ones, with a target of conserving 60 crore litres of rainwater to replenish groundwater reserves amid concerns over rainfall deficit.

The initiative aims to maximise rainwater storage during the northeast monsoon. Workers under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin), (VB–G RAM G) are being engaged in excavation and restoration works across the district.

Annur accounts for the highest number of the 124 smaller ponds planned across 12 blocks, with 34, followed by Kinathukadavu with 17. Sulur and Sultanpet account for 13 and 12 ponds, respectively. Karamadai has 12, while Thondamuthur and Periyanaickenpalayam have nine each.

Of the 16 new ponds planned, five are being created in Anaimalai, Pollachi South and Sultanpet blocks at a combined cost of ₹43.3 lakh. Two ponds each are planned in Anaimalai and Pollachi South, and one in Sultanpet. Eleven low-lying sites on grazing poramboke land have also been identified for excavation to create additional water storage.

The programme also covers the restoration of existing ponds and the creation of smaller ponds within them. The agency has identified 37 locations, including parks and existing waterbodies, where small ponds can be deepened and strengthened. Desilting work, including the removal of vegetation and accumulated waste obstructing water inlets, is under way at 231 locations.

Officials said a total of 408 waterbodies had been identified for restoration under the initiative. At least 25 workers would be deployed daily in each block to expedite the work.

Waterbodies restored using government funds could be renovated once every five years, while those maintained with private funding, including corporate social responsibility contributions, could be restored once every three years, the officials said. The works are expected to be completed soon.

Rice millers in Kangayam fear that the retail price of rice may touch ₹100 a kg by the end of January, 2027.

Non-availability of paddy and continuous increase in paddy prices are a matter of concern to the millers, said Palaniswamy, president of the Kangayam Rice Millers Association.

The retail price of rice is approximately ₹75 a kg now. It is likely to touch ₹100 a kg by the end of January. Paddy is not available for the mills and almost 50% of the rice mills in Kangayam in Tiruppur district are not operating now. The price of rice for a 26 kg bag has gone up by almost ₹500. However, the market is not ready to absorb this hike, he said.

The price of paddy that was ₹24 a kg in January this year is ₹42 a kg for KNM variety and the cost of Amman Ponni variety was ₹29 a kg in January and ₹46.20 a kg now.

Paddy is not available to millers for credit. Those who are able to pay in cash are visiting the sellers and taking the paddy in bulk. A lot of rice mills are seeing last minute cancellation of paddy supplies, he added.

With reports coming in that farmers have not sown the seed for January harvest due to poor south east monsoon, arrival of paddy in January next year is likely to be delayed. This will only push up the prices as the demand is usually high after mid January, Mr. Palaniswamy said.

The micro industries in Coimbatore district, numbering more than 20,000, are awaiting details on the SME Growth Fund that was announced in the Union Budget this year.

J. James, president of the Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Tiny Entrepreneurs, said the fund name denotes that it is for the small and medium-scale units and the micro units may not have any benefit from the fund.

According to C. Sivakumar, president of the Coimbatore Tirupur District Tiny and Micro Enterprises Association, there are no details of how the fund will be distributed to the MSME sector and what it can be used for.

While the micro units that do job work for larger industries are seeing a jump in orders, the high cost of raw materials is affecting viability of operations. The government support is essential for the micro units now, he added.

President of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association V. Rangaswamy said the SME Growth Fund will benefit the entire MSME sector. Industries that want to take part in trade fairs, visit international fairs, support buyers coming to India for reverse buyer-seller meets and so on will get financial support under the scheme. If an industry delegation, including micro unit owners, want to visit an industrial fair in another country, they can avail of financial support under the SME Growth Fund. Hence, the scheme will give major benefits to the sector, he said.

The Principal Commissioner of GST and Central Excise, Coimbatore, Dinesh P. Rao Pangarkar, inaugurated a three-day raw material exhibition in Coimbatore on Tuesday (October 6, 2026).

The exhibition at the CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex is organised by the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) for the fifth time and aims to give multiple raw material options for the Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) at the right prices.

D. Sridhar, chairman of the event, said warehousing, logistics, and material handling were also covered in this industrial expo for the MSMEs. The objective is to open up more avenues for purchase of raw materials to the industries of the region while giving exhibitors an opportunity to showcase their products to a large set of potential industrial buyers.

The participants who have stalls in Hall A are from five States apart from those in Coimbatore and 30 % of the 75 plus participants are direct manufacturers of raw materials. The event, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the three days, is supported by the Indian Lead and Zinc Development Authority, Metal and Stainless Steel Merchants’ Association, Materials Recyclers’ Association of India, and the Federation of Freight Forwarders’ Association.

President of the CODISSIA V. Rangaswamy spoke about the support from the GST Commissionerate in Coimbatore for issues related to the MSMEs.

For the small foundries in Coimbatore, the last six months have seen a revival of orders after a phase of sluggish demand.

“If the current trend continues, small foundries will start investing again,” said Coimbatore Tiny and Small Foundry Owners Association (COSMAFAN) president A. Shiva Shanmughakumar.

The foundries in Coimbatore district require about two lakh workers. The current availability of workers is just 1.5 lakh to 1.75 lakh. Hence, the foundries have reduced to 12-hour operation from three shifts a day.

Since the larger foundries were unable to cater to all their orders because of labour shortage, the demand spilled over to the smaller foundries. “Those foundries that were operating at 125% capacity have reduced to less than 100%. Those who were operating at 75% capacity are now running at 100% capacity. So, orders are spread across large and small foundries now. If the orders are good, payments will be on time. If the present situation continues, the smaller foundries will also start investing,” he said.

Orders for pumpsets usually drop after June when the monsoon rain picks up. This year, with poor rain during southwest monsoon, demand for pumpsets is high even now. Textile industry and basic engineering sectors are also doing good in Coimbatore region. These have all led to higher orders for foundries, he said.

Regarding raw material prices, Mr. Shiva Shanmughakumar said the prices have increased 5% in the last one week and are expected to see another 5% hike in the coming weeks.

For the small foundries in Coimbatore, the last six months have seen a revival of orders after a phase of sluggish demand.

“If the current trend continues, small foundries will start investing again,” said Coimbatore Tiny and Small Foundry Owners Association (COSMAFAN) president A. Shiva Shanmughakumar.

The foundries in Coimbatore district require about two lakh workers. The current availability of workers is just 1.5 lakh to 1.75 lakh. Hence, the foundries have reduced to 12-hour operation from three shifts a day.

Since the larger foundries were unable to cater to all their orders because of labour shortage, the demand spilled over to the smaller foundries. “Those foundries that were operating at 125% capacity have reduced to less than 100%. Those who were operating at 75% capacity are now running at 100% capacity. So, orders are spread across large and small foundries now. If the orders are good, payments will be on time. If the present situation continues, the smaller foundries will also start investing,” he said.

Orders for pumpsets usually drop after June when the monsoon rain picks up. This year, with poor rain during southwest monsoon, demand for pumpsets is high even now. Textile industry and basic engineering sectors are also doing good in Coimbatore region. These have all led to higher orders for foundries, he said.

Regarding raw material prices, Mr. Shiva Shanmughakumar said the prices have increased 5% in the last one week and are expected to see another 5% hike in the coming weeks.

The Tamil Nadu government has announced setting up of a fintech hub in Coimbatore at ₹400 crore and Chennai and Coimbatore have the potential to emerge as major centres for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the fintech space, said S. Vijayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Investment, Promotion and Commerce Department, Tamil Nadu government.

Addressing through video conference, the participants of the second edition of the GCC Coimbatore Summit, organised in Coimbatore city on Friday by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Vijaykumar said India has 1.9 million professionals employed in more than 1,700 GCCs and Tamil Nadu has almost 460 GCCs. For every direct job generated by a GCC facility, there are three to four indirect jobs. The nature of these GCCs are also transforming to offer end-to-end process ownership, and research and development.

The attrition among GCCs in Tamil Nadu is 6.5%-7.5%, which is one of the lowest in the country. The State has a dedicated GCC policy that encourages investments across the State. Tamil Nadu is also in the process of positioning itself as a quantum-safe State, he said.

According to Manoj Marwah, OCC Market Leader, India EY, the government is looking at developing GCCs into a $600 billion industry in the country as they currently contribute to 3.5% of the GDP. With more than 75 GCCs, Coimbatore is looking at getting 200 plus GCCs. It has the advantage of positioning itself as a plus one destination in the Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad axis. Coimbatore’s strength is in its ability to attract mid management talent. The big brands that have facilities in Coimbatore can also ramp up their existing centres. The city should also capitalise on its applied engineering abilities, he said.

V. Noushad, chairman of the CII Coimbatore zone, said Coimbatore’s journey as a GCC destination has started as global companies are working from here. It build an ecosystem for growing along with the local industries. The city needs to strengthen its infrastructure and workforce to compete for the next generation of GCCs.

The Tamil Nadu government has announced setting up of a fintech hub in Coimbatore at ₹400 crore and Chennai and Coimbatore have the potential to emerge as major centres for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in the fintech space, said S. Vijayakumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, Investment, Promotion and Commerce Department, Tamil Nadu government.

Addressing through video conference, the participants of the second edition of the GCC Coimbatore Summit, organised in Coimbatore city on Friday by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Mr. Vijaykumar said India has 1.9 million professionals employed in more than 1,700 GCCs and Tamil Nadu has almost 460 GCCs. For every direct job generated by a GCC facility, there are three to four indirect jobs. The nature of these GCCs are also transforming to offer end-to-end process ownership, and research and development.

The attrition among GCCs in Tamil Nadu is 6.5%-7.5%, which is one of the lowest in the country. The State has a dedicated GCC policy that encourages investments across the State. Tamil Nadu is also in the process of positioning itself as a quantum-safe State, he said.

According to Manoj Marwah, OCC Market Leader, India EY, the government is looking at developing GCCs into a $600 billion industry in the country as they currently contribute to 3.5% of the GDP. With more than 75 GCCs, Coimbatore is looking at getting 200 plus GCCs. It has the advantage of positioning itself as a plus one destination in the Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad axis. Coimbatore’s strength is in its ability to attract mid management talent. The big brands that have facilities in Coimbatore can also ramp up their existing centres. The city should also capitalise on its applied engineering abilities, he said.

V. Noushad, chairman of the CII Coimbatore zone, said Coimbatore’s journey as a GCC destination has started as global companies are working from here. It build an ecosystem for growing along with the local industries. The city needs to strengthen its infrastructure and workforce to compete for the next generation of GCCs.