This story is from May 19, 2020

Time stands still for Morbi’s clock units

Time stands still for Morbi’s clock units
Rajkot: The place that popularized the concept of time with its low-cost wall clocks is now itself bidding time. Staring at a bleak future, Morbi’s famous wall clock industry fears that around 30% units may stop ticking altogether if demands do not come their way before Diwali.
Along with the world, time came to standstill under the lockdown for the nearly 100 clock manufacturing units since March 21.
Despite the district being in the green zone, its units here could not start work from lack of desired quantity of work orders. The industry employing more then 15,000 women enjoys 75 percent share of India’s wall clock manufacturing industry. It had a turnover of Rs 1000 crore and manufacture nearly 1.5 lakh units per day.
President of Morbi Clock and Parts Manufacturing Association, Shashank Dangi said, “We have women workers coming from nearby villages. They commute in local chakkda rickshaws. However, now under the lockdown restrictions, these are allowed to transport only 2-3 persons instead of the earlier 8-10 people, making the higher rates unaffordable for these women.”
“The major use of wall clocks is for gifts in marriages. Till the marriage season doesn’t start again we don’t expect to get orders. We believe that we will not start getting orders before Diwali and by that time 30 percent units will declare bankruptcy,” Dangi added.
While a few units started work with 25-30 percent manufacturing capacity, industrialists claim that some of the units are located in congested place where social distancing norms cannot be followed.
Owner of Rikon clock manufacturing company, Deepak Mehta said, “The major problem is commuting from one district to other. Many factory owners and even some employees live in Rajkot who are not being allowed to travel to Morbi now.”

Box:
Hope hinges high on exports
Amid the bleak scenario, the only silver lining is that Morbi’s clock manufactures are expecting boost in exports. While only five percent clocks worth around Rs 5 crore per month is exported by Morbi now, unit owners hope to bite a bigger chunk of business from China’s pie. Director of Ajanta-Orpat group, Nevil Patel, said, “The countries traditionally importing clocks and calculators from China now looking towards India. We are getting huge inquiries from European and other countries. We expect that the export will be increased by 30 to 40 percent by the end of current financial year.” Ajanta-Orpat exports clocks, calculators and home appliances in 45 countries across the globe. Managing director of Sonam clocks, Jayesh Shah too echoed the same sentiment and said that they are expecting to get good export orders in next couple of months.
GFX points
Morbi’s time tellers
80: Number of clock units
1.50 lakh piece: Wall clock production per day
Rs 1,000 crore: Annual turnover
18,000: Total employment capacity
16,000: Total number of women employees
75 %: Morbi's share in India's clock industry
author
About the Author
Nimesh Khakhariya

Nimesh Khakhariya is an assistant editor with Times Of India.

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