The South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) will commission an incubation facility in another three months to support new ventures in medical textiles.
Prakash Vasudevan, Director, SITRA, told that the facilities at the centre are now used by 19. The dedicated incubation centre for medical textiles (textile products used in the healthcare sector) is set up at a cost of Rs 2 crore and it can incubate two units at a time for a period of six months to two years.
Medical textiles is growing in the country every year at 13 per cent to 15 per cent. Both, medical and hygiene textiles, are picking up in the country as more hospitals are using disposable products. The centre of excellence here has so far completed 25 projects and three of these products have been commercialised. It has also developed standards for medical textiles for the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Vasudevan said the association has tie-ups with some overseas universities for technology and plans more such agreements with universities in Australia, Germany, and Korea.